Principal Software Engineer Jobs in Texas
Principal Software Engineer jobs in Texas are among the most actively recruited senior engineering roles in the country, concentrated in enterprise software, defense and aerospace systems, financial technology, and semiconductor design. Austin, Dallas, and Houston anchor the bulk of hiring, with major employers like Dell Technologies, Texas Instruments, and JPMorgan Chase maintaining large engineering organizations across the state. The most consistent demand is in distributed systems architecture, platform and infrastructure engineering, and cloud-native development at scale. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Job Title: Principal SW Engineer - OMS
Location: Fort Worth, TX or Palmdale, CA.
Compensation: $160,000 - $200,000 + Bonus Eligible
Security Clearance: Active Secret Clearance Required
Who we are: Founded in 2004 with locations in Atlanta, GA, Fort Worth, TX, Denver, CO, & Huntsville, AL, Thompson Software Solutions (TSS) is a mission-driven aerospace and defense software and systems engineering company supporting the U.S. military, defense primes, and commercial space partners. We specialize in the development, integration, test, and deployment of safety & mission-critical software systems that power next-generation aircraft, defense platforms, and space technologies. Our team understands what it takes to modernize complex embedded systems while maintaining the rigor, compliance, and reliability required for mission and safety-critical environments.
As a defense-focused company of highly skilled and dedicated engineers, we take pride in solving complex technical challenges that directly impact national security and operational readiness. We partner closely with customers across the military aviation and space domains to deliver resilient, future-ready solutions with portability, sustainability, and long-term mission success in mind.
Description
Thompson Software Solutions is seeking a Principal Software Engineer – Open Mission Systems (OMS) to support the development and integration of advanced software capabilities for a military aircraft platform. This role offers the opportunity to contribute directly to next-generation avionics architectures that enhance interoperability, rapid capability integration, and mission effectiveness for U.S. military aviation programs.
This position requires a software engineer to use a wide application of technical principles, theories, and concepts in the software field to develop, integrate, and test software products. The successful candidate will be a member of a high-performing multi-site team and must be self-motivated with a strong work ethic, time-management, and interpersonal skills. In this role, you will work independently at times on projects, at other times will be in a collaborative team environment with other software engineers, as well as other program development and deployment teams.
Selected applicants will be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information. Continued eligibility for access to classified information is required throughout employment, as dictated by program needs.
Basic Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in STEM discipline
- 8+ years of C++ development experience
- Open Mission Systems (OMS) software architecture and development
- C++ mission software development in Linux environments
- Middleware and data distribution (DDS, pub/sub architectures)
- Service-oriented and event-driven software design
- Experience developing Service contracts
- Interface definition, ICD development, and data modeling
- Mission-level simulation and integration testing
- Ability to work onsite 100%
- Ability to travel 10%
Preferred / Additional Skills
- Proficient with Atlassian Tools (Confluence, JIRA, Bitbucket, etc.)
- Experience communicating and documenting complex technical designs
- Software development experience in Java
- Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) and FACE technical standards
- Integration of third-party mission applications
- Secure and sustainable mission software lifecycle
- CI/CD and configuration management for mission software
- Ability to work in a collaborative and team-based environment
- Excellent written and verbal communication and presentation skill
Sound Exciting? Get in touch today! We have very robust benefits including:
- Low-cost Medical / Dental / Vision coverage options
- 401K with generous employer match
- Responsible Paid Time Off + Paid Holidays
- Remote work opportunities based on role
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- Career growth and professional development opportunities
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.
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Find JobsPrincipal Software Engineer Jobs by City in Texas
Where Texas roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Principal Software Engineer Job Market in Texas
A snapshot from current Texas openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring



Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software
- Electronics & Hardware
- Banking & Financial Services
- Healthcare & Medical Services
- Fintech
What Texas Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in principal software engineer jobs across Texas.
- Bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related field
- Ten or more years of software development experience with at least two in a principal or staff-level role
- Deep expertise in system design, distributed architectures, and large-scale cloud platforms such as AWS or Azure
- Demonstrated ability to lead technical direction and mentor senior engineers across multiple teams
- Proficiency in one or more primary languages such as Java, Python, Go, or C++ with broad full-stack awareness
- Experience driving cross-functional alignment on engineering standards, roadmaps, and architectural decisions
Principal Software Engineer Jobs in Texas: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a principal software engineer in Texas?
Reaching a principal software engineer role in Texas typically requires a foundation of deep technical expertise combined with a record of leading architecture decisions and mentoring other engineers. No state-issued license is required, but Texas employers at this level expect a bachelor's or master's degree in computer science or engineering, extensive hands-on system design experience, and the ability to influence engineering direction across teams. Building a strong portfolio of large-scale systems work is the clearest differentiator.
How much do principal software engineers make in Texas?
Principal software engineers in Texas earn a median of about $132,150 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $82,600 for the lowest 10% to over $183,680 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire principal software engineers in Texas?
Employers hiring principal software engineers in Texas right now include Oracle, Raytheon, and PNC Financial Services, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Texas's concentration of enterprise technology companies, defense contractors, and financial services firms means principal-level engineering roles appear consistently across both corporate headquarters and large regional engineering centers.
Which Texas cities have the most principal software engineer jobs?
Austin, Dallas, and Richardson have the most principal software engineer openings in Texas. Austin's dense cluster of technology companies and corporate engineering hubs drives the largest share of listings, while Dallas attracts demand from financial technology and telecommunications firms and Houston contributes openings from energy technology companies and large enterprise organizations with significant software infrastructure needs.
Are there remote principal software engineer jobs in Texas?
Yes, and more than most fields. About 31% of principal software engineer openings tied to Texas are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, reflecting how much of the role centers on architecture reviews, design sessions, and cross-team collaboration that translate well to distributed work. The portions most likely to require on-site presence are security-sensitive defense or government contracts.
How can I get hired as a principal software engineer in Texas with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is building toward a staff or senior engineer role first, then transitioning into principal-level work over time. In Texas, large technology employers like Dell Technologies and AT&T run structured new-graduate engineering programs that place candidates into senior individual contributor tracks. Moving laterally from a lead software engineer or solutions architect role is a common door in. Developing deep expertise in a specific domain, such as cloud infrastructure or embedded systems, and demonstrating architectural thinking in open-source contributions or internal projects strengthens a candidacy significantly.
Where can I find and apply to principal software engineer jobs in Texas?
You can find and apply to principal software engineer jobs in Texas on Migrate Mate, which lists current Texas openings across industries and metro areas. Find roles that fit your experience and apply directly to the employers posting them.
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