Principal Software Engineer Jobs in North Carolina

Principal Software Engineer jobs in North Carolina are in strong demand, with active hiring concentrated in enterprise software, fintech, cloud infrastructure, and health technology across a market that ranges from senior individual contributors to staff and distinguished engineer levels. Charlotte, Raleigh, and the Research Triangle metro anchored by Durham and Cary account for the bulk of openings, where employers such as Red Hat, Fidelity Investments, and Lenovo maintain substantial engineering operations. The most sought-after specialties include distributed systems architecture, platform and developer tooling, and cloud-native backend engineering. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.

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Overview

Open roles19
Top employerNorthrop Grumman
Top cityRaleigh, NC
Cities hiring8
Work type60% On-site
Top industryTechnology

Showing 5 of 19+ Principal Software Engineer jobs

Baxter
Principal Engineer, Software R&D
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Baxter
Added 3d ago
Principal Engineer, Software R&D
Baxter
Raleigh, North Carolina
Account Management
Business Development
Partnerships & Business Development
Sales
$120k - $165k/yr
10,000+

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Northrop Grumman
Sr. Principal Cyber Software Engineer (TG)
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Northrop Grumman
Added 4d ago
Sr. Principal Cyber Software Engineer (TG)
Northrop Grumman
Morrisville, North Carolina
Software Engineering
Technical Product & Program Management
UI/UX Design
$149k - $235k/yr
Master's degree
10,000+

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Northrop Grumman
Principal Cyber Software Engineer
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Northrop Grumman
Added 4d ago
Principal Cyber Software Engineer
Northrop Grumman
Morrisville, North Carolina
Software Engineering
Technical Product & Program Management
UI/UX Design
$120k - $188k/yr
Master's degree
10,000+

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Northrop Grumman
Principal Cyber Software Engineer (TG)
We won't show you this job again
Northrop Grumman
Added 4d ago
Principal Cyber Software Engineer (TG)
Northrop Grumman
Morrisville, North Carolina
Software Engineering
Technical Product & Program Management
UI/UX Design
$120k - $188k/yr
Master's degree
10,000+

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Jahn Corporation
Principal Software Developer
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Jahn Corporation
Added 5d ago
Principal Software Developer
Jahn Corporation
Cherry Point, North Carolina
Creative & Design
Product Management
UI/UX Design
On-Site
No degree

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See All 19 Principal Software Engineer Jobs in North Carolina

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Principal Software Engineer Jobs by City in North Carolina

Where North Carolina roles are concentrated, by current openings.

Raleigh
7 jobs
Morrisville
3 jobs
Cary
2 jobs
Durham
2 jobs
Charlotte
2 jobs
Salisbury
1 job
Cherry Point
1 job
Winston-Salem
1 job

Principal Software Engineer Job Market in North Carolina

A snapshot from current North Carolina openings, updated as new roles post.

Who's Hiring

Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman3 open roles
Baxter
Baxter2 open roles
Collins Aerospace
Collins Aerospace2 open roles

Top Industries Hiring

  • Technology & Software
  • Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals

What North Carolina Employers Look For

The qualifications that appear most often in principal software engineer jobs across North Carolina.

  • Bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a closely related field
  • Ten or more years of software engineering experience with at least three in a senior technical leadership role
  • Deep expertise in one or more of Java, Python, Go, or C++ at production scale
  • Demonstrated experience designing large-scale distributed systems or cloud-native architectures on AWS, Azure, or GCP
  • Proven ability to lead technical strategy, define engineering standards, and mentor senior engineers
  • Experience driving cross-functional alignment between engineering, product, and executive stakeholders on multi-quarter roadmaps

Principal Software Engineer Jobs in North Carolina: Frequently Asked Questions

How do you become a principal software engineer in North Carolina?

Reaching the principal level in North Carolina follows a progression through senior and staff engineering roles rather than a state-issued license, as software engineering carries no North Carolina licensure requirement. Most principals hold a bachelor's or master's degree in computer science or software engineering and build deep expertise in a technical domain over many years. In the Research Triangle and Charlotte markets, employers typically promote from within or hire candidates who have led major architecture decisions at comparable organizations.

How much do principal software engineers make in North Carolina?

Principal software engineers in North Carolina earn a median of about $134,710 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $83,840 for the lowest 10% to over $179,310 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.

Which companies hire principal software engineers in North Carolina?

Employers hiring principal software engineers in North Carolina right now include Northrop Grumman, Baxter, and Collins Aerospace, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. North Carolina's concentration of technology firms in the Research Triangle, major financial institutions in Charlotte, and defense and enterprise software companies across the state means demand for senior technical talent stays steady throughout the year.

Which North Carolina cities have the most principal software engineer jobs?

Raleigh, Morrisville, and Cary have the most principal software engineer openings in North Carolina. Raleigh and the surrounding Research Triangle draw the largest share driven by the dense cluster of technology companies, universities, and life sciences firms anchored in Research Triangle Park, while Charlotte's role as a major financial services hub generates strong demand from banks, fintechs, and the enterprise software vendors that serve them.

Are there remote principal software engineer jobs in North Carolina?

Yes, and more than most fields. About 40% of principal software engineer openings tied to North Carolina are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, reflecting how naturally the role lends itself to distributed work. Architecture review, technical strategy, code review, and cross-team alignment can all be done effectively off-site, and many North Carolina employers recruit principal engineers nationally with the expectation of occasional on-site travel.

How can I get hired as a principal software engineer in North Carolina with little or no experience?

The most realistic path for candidates without senior experience is to target associate or mid-level software engineer roles at North Carolina's larger technology employers, including Red Hat, SAS Institute, or the engineering divisions of major Charlotte-area banks, and build toward the principal level over time. Contributing to open-source projects, earning cloud certifications from AWS or Google, and completing a portfolio of system design work signals readiness for more senior consideration when lateral or promotional opportunities open.

Where can I find and apply to principal software engineer jobs in North Carolina?

You can find and apply to principal software engineer jobs in North Carolina on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings across the state. Search the available roles, find ones that match your experience and location preferences, and apply directly to the employers posting them.

See All 19 Principal Software Engineer Jobs in North Carolina

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