Principal Software Engineer Jobs in Virginia
Principal Software Engineer jobs in Virginia are among the most actively recruited senior technology roles in the mid-Atlantic region, concentrated in defense contracting, federal IT, cybersecurity, and cloud infrastructure across a broad seniority range from senior engineer to distinguished technical lead. The heaviest hiring clusters around Northern Virginia, Richmond, and the Hampton Roads corridor, where employers like Leidos, Booz Allen Hamilton, and Amazon Web Services maintain major engineering operations. The most in-demand specialties in Virginia are cloud-native architecture, distributed systems, and security-cleared software engineering. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 34+ Principal Software Engineer jobs
Do you enjoy solving problems, writing software, and working with customers? Do you want to join a team where learning about new technology is part of our work every day? Then, come join us! The Microsoft Frontier Company team team is a global engineering organization that works directly with customers looking to leverage the latest technologies to address their toughest challenges.
We work closely with our customers’ engineers to jointly develop code for cloud-based solutions that can accelerate their organization. We work in collaboration with Microsoft product teams, partners, and open-source communities to empower our customers to do more with the cloud. We develop solutions side-by-side with our customers through collaborative innovation to solve their challenges. This work involves the development of broadly applicable, high-impact solution patterns and open-source software assets that contribute to the Microsoft platform.
We are hiring a Principal Software Engineer with deep experience and expertise in designing and delivering solutions using modern software engineering practices and cloud technologies. You will be part of a cross-functional team of software engineers, data scientists, technical program managers, and designers who work side-by-side with high-impact and strategic customers and their engineers to build innovative solutions.
As part of our team, you will thrive in working with a variety of technologies, not just Microsoft technology. You will solve exciting business problems, contribute to open source, and collaborate with Microsoft product teams.
Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As employees we come together with a growth mindset, innovate to empower others, and collaborate to realize our shared goals. Each day we build on our values of respect, integrity, and accountability to create a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive at work and beyond.
Responsibilities
Partners with appropriate stakeholders to determine user requirements for a set of scenarios.
Leads identification of dependencies and the development of design documents for a product, application, service, or platform.
Leads by example and mentors others to produce extensible and maintainable code used across products.
Leverages subject-matter expertise of cross-product features with appropriate stakeholders (e.g., project managers) to drive multiple group's project plans, release plans, and work items.
Holds accountability as a Designated Responsible Individual (DRI), mentoring engineers across products/solutions, working on-call to monitor system/product/service for degradation, downtime, or interruptions.
Proactively seeks new knowledge and adapts to new trends, technical solutions, and patterns that will improve the availability, reliability, efficiency, observability, and performance of products while also driving consistency in monitoring and operations at scale and shares knowledge with other engineers.
Embodies our culture and values
Qualifications
Required Qualifications:
-
Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 6+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, or Python
- OR equivalent experience.
Security Clearance Requirements: Candidates must be able to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements are required for this role. These requirements include, but are not limited to the following specialized security screenings:
- The successful candidate must have an active U.S. Government Top Secret Clearance with access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) based on a Single Scope Background Investigation (SSBI) with Polygraph. Ability to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements are required pre-offer and post-hire for this role. Failure to maintain or obtain the appropriate U.S. Government clearance and/or customer screening requirements may result in employment action up to and including termination.
-
Clearance Verification: This position requires successful verification of the stated security
clearance to meet federal government customer requirements. You will be asked to provide clearance verification information prior to an offer of employment. - Microsoft Cloud Background Check: This position will be required to pass the Microsoft Cloud background check upon hire/transfer and every two years thereafter.
- Citizenship & Citizenship Verification: This position requires verification of U.S. citizenship due to citizenship-based legal restrictions. Specifically, this position supports United States federal, state, and/or local United States government agency customer and is subject to certain citizenship-based restrictions where required or permitted by applicable law. To meet this legal requirement, citizenship will be verified via a valid passport, or other approved documents, or verified US government Clearance.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Candidates with an active Full Scope Polygraph (FSP) who are currently indoctrinated and authorized for MPO (Mission Partner Organization) access are preferred.
-
Master's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 8+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, or Python OR
- Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 12+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, or Python
- OR equivalent experience.
#ISEngineering
#WSS
Software Engineering IC5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $142,800 - $274,800 per year. There is a different range applicable to specific work locations, within the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $188,000 - $304,200 per year.
Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here:
https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay
This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.
Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance with religious accommodations and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process.
Do you enjoy solving problems, writing software, and working with customers? Do you want to join a team where learning about new technology is part of our work every day? Then, come join us! The Microsoft Frontier Company team team is a global engineering organization that works directly with customers looking to leverage the latest technologies to address their toughest challenges.
We work closely with our customers’ engineers to jointly develop code for cloud-based solutions that can accelerate their organization. We work in collaboration with Microsoft product teams, partners, and open-source communities to empower our customers to do more with the cloud. We develop solutions side-by-side with our customers through collaborative innovation to solve their challenges. This work involves the development of broadly applicable, high-impact solution patterns and open-source software assets that contribute to the Microsoft platform.
We are hiring a Principal Software Engineer with deep experience and expertise in designing and delivering solutions using modern software engineering practices and cloud technologies. You will be part of a cross-functional team of software engineers, data scientists, technical program managers, and designers who work side-by-side with high-impact and strategic customers and their engineers to build innovative solutions.
As part of our team, you will thrive in working with a variety of technologies, not just Microsoft technology. You will solve exciting business problems, contribute to open source, and collaborate with Microsoft product teams.
Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As employees we come together with a growth mindset, innovate to empower others, and collaborate to realize our shared goals. Each day we build on our values of respect, integrity, and accountability to create a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive at work and beyond.
Responsibilities
Partners with appropriate stakeholders to determine user requirements for a set of scenarios.
Leads identification of dependencies and the development of design documents for a product, application, service, or platform.
Leads by example and mentors others to produce extensible and maintainable code used across products.
Leverages subject-matter expertise of cross-product features with appropriate stakeholders (e.g., project managers) to drive multiple group's project plans, release plans, and work items.
Holds accountability as a Designated Responsible Individual (DRI), mentoring engineers across products/solutions, working on-call to monitor system/product/service for degradation, downtime, or interruptions.
Proactively seeks new knowledge and adapts to new trends, technical solutions, and patterns that will improve the availability, reliability, efficiency, observability, and performance of products while also driving consistency in monitoring and operations at scale and shares knowledge with other engineers.
Embodies our culture and values
Qualifications
Required Qualifications:
-
Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 6+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, or Python
- OR equivalent experience.
Security Clearance Requirements: Candidates must be able to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements are required for this role. These requirements include, but are not limited to the following specialized security screenings:
- The successful candidate must have an active U.S. Government Top Secret Clearance with access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) based on a Single Scope Background Investigation (SSBI) with Polygraph. Ability to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements are required pre-offer and post-hire for this role. Failure to maintain or obtain the appropriate U.S. Government clearance and/or customer screening requirements may result in employment action up to and including termination.
-
Clearance Verification: This position requires successful verification of the stated security
clearance to meet federal government customer requirements. You will be asked to provide clearance verification information prior to an offer of employment. - Microsoft Cloud Background Check: This position will be required to pass the Microsoft Cloud background check upon hire/transfer and every two years thereafter.
- Citizenship & Citizenship Verification: This position requires verification of U.S. citizenship due to citizenship-based legal restrictions. Specifically, this position supports United States federal, state, and/or local United States government agency customer and is subject to certain citizenship-based restrictions where required or permitted by applicable law. To meet this legal requirement, citizenship will be verified via a valid passport, or other approved documents, or verified US government Clearance.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Candidates with an active Full Scope Polygraph (FSP) who are currently indoctrinated and authorized for MPO (Mission Partner Organization) access are preferred.
-
Master's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 8+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, or Python OR
- Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 12+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, or Python
- OR equivalent experience.
#ISEngineering
#WSS
Software Engineering IC5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $142,800 - $274,800 per year. There is a different range applicable to specific work locations, within the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $188,000 - $304,200 per year.
Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here:
https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay
This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.
Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance with religious accommodations and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process.
See All 34 Principal Software Engineer Jobs in Virginia
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Find JobsPrincipal Software Engineer Jobs by City in Virginia
Where Virginia roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Principal Software Engineer Job Market in Virginia
A snapshot from current Virginia openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
What Virginia Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in principal software engineer jobs across Virginia.
- Bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related technical field
- Ten or more years of software engineering experience including technical leadership of large engineering teams
- Demonstrated expertise in cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud in production environments
- Proficiency in one or more languages including Java, Python, Go, or C++ at an architectural level
- Experience designing distributed systems, microservices architectures, or high-availability enterprise platforms
- Active or obtainable U.S. security clearance preferred by many Virginia defense and federal contracting employers
Principal Software Engineer Jobs in Virginia: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a principal software engineer in Virginia?
Reaching a principal software engineer role in Virginia typically requires a bachelor's degree in computer science or a closely related discipline, followed by progressive experience in software development and architecture. Virginia does not require a state-issued license for software engineers, but many employers in the defense and federal contracting sectors expect candidates to hold or qualify for a security clearance. Building deep expertise in cloud platforms, distributed systems, or cybersecurity accelerates advancement in Virginia's dominant industries.
How much do principal software engineers make in Virginia?
Principal software engineers in Virginia earn a median of about $136,460 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $83,350 for the lowest 10% to over $211,930 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire principal software engineers in Virginia?
Employers hiring principal software engineers in Virginia right now include Northrop Grumman, Nightwing, and General Dynamics Information Technology, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Virginia's concentration of defense contractors, federal agencies, and hyperscale cloud operators means demand for this seniority level remains consistently strong across both government-facing and commercial technology organizations.
Which Virginia cities have the most principal software engineer jobs?
Reston, Arlington, and Chantilly account for the largest share of principal software engineer openings in Virginia. Northern Virginia leads because it hosts the dense cluster of defense contractors, federal agencies, and Amazon Web Services infrastructure that drives the region's technology hiring, while Richmond and Hampton Roads contribute openings from financial services firms, health systems, and military-adjacent technology employers.
Are there remote principal software engineer jobs in Virginia?
Yes, and more than most fields. Software engineering at the principal level is inherently portable work, making remote and hybrid arrangements common across the industry. About 42% of principal software engineer openings tied to Virginia are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting how widely distributed engineering leadership has become. Architecture design, code review, and cross-team technical mentorship are the functions most frequently performed fully remote.
How can I get hired as a principal software engineer in Virginia with little or no experience?
The most realistic path without senior experience is starting in a software engineer or mid-level developer role and building toward the principal title over time. Large Virginia employers such as Leidos, Booz Allen Hamilton, and SAIC run associate and new-graduate engineering programs that place candidates in structured growth tracks. Moving laterally from roles like solutions architect, staff engineer, or technical lead is also common. In Virginia's defense sector, obtaining a security clearance early creates a concrete competitive advantage that many candidates without experience overlook.
Where can I find and apply to principal software engineer jobs in Virginia?
You can find and apply to principal software engineer jobs in Virginia on Migrate Mate, which lists current Virginia openings across the state's defense, cloud, and enterprise technology sectors. Find roles that fit your background and apply directly to the employers posting them.
See All 34 Principal Software Engineer Jobs in Virginia
Find roles in Virginia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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