Principal Software Quality Assurance Engineer Jobs

Principal Software Quality Assurance Engineer jobs are open across enterprise software, fintech, healthtech, and cloud infrastructure, from mid-level QA to staff and principal, with specializations in test automation, quality strategy, and release engineering. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.

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Overview

Open roles14
Top stateCalifornia
Top employerFortinet
Top citySunnyvale, CA
Work type33% Remote
Top industryCybersecurity

Showing 5 of 14+ Principal Software Quality Assurance Engineer jobs

Principal QA Specialist
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Added 3d ago
Principal QA Specialist
KBI Biopharma
Durham, North Carolina
Factory & Production Work
Manufacturing Operations
Quality Control
Master's degree
1,001-5,000

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Principal Software Dev QA Engineer
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Added 2w ago
Principal Software Dev QA Engineer
Fortinet
Sunnyvale, California
Academic & Educational Administration
Corporate Training & Learning Development
Executive Leadership & C-Suite
Human Resources
10,000+

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Principal QA Specialist (Multi-dose pens), CVRM
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Added 2w ago
Principal QA Specialist (Multi-dose pens), CVRM
Genentech
Holly Springs, North Carolina
Academic & Educational Administration
Corporate Training & Learning Development
Executive Leadership & C-Suite
Human Resources
$115k - $213k/yr
Bachelor's degree
10,000+

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Principal QA Specialist (Assembly & Packaging), CVRM
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Added 2w ago
Principal QA Specialist (Assembly & Packaging), CVRM
Genentech
Holly Springs, North Carolina
Academic & Educational Administration
Corporate Training & Learning Development
Executive Leadership & C-Suite
Human Resources
$115k - $213k/yr
Bachelor's degree
10,000+

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Engineer Principal – Software Quality Assurance - Mission Operations and Sustainment
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Added 1mo ago
Engineer Principal – Software Quality Assurance - Mission Operations and Sustainment
BAE Systems USA
Broomfield, Colorado
Backend Engineering
Full-stack Engineering
Software Engineering
$118k - $201k/yr
Bachelor of Science
10,000+

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Principal Software Quality Assurance Engineer Job Market

Who's Hiring

Fortinet2 open roles
Genentech2 open roles
Oracle1 open role

Top Industries Hiring

  • Cybersecurity
  • Technology & Software
  • Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals

What Employers Look For

The qualifications that appear most often in principal software quality assurance engineer jobs.

  • 8+ years of software QA experience including test automation design and leadership
  • Deep proficiency in at least one automation framework such as Selenium, Cypress, or Playwright
  • Experience defining quality standards, testing strategy, and release criteria across engineering teams
  • Strong knowledge of CI/CD pipelines and integrating automated tests into build workflows
  • Demonstrated ability to mentor QA engineers and influence quality practices organization-wide
  • Bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related technical field

Tips for Your Principal Software Quality Assurance Engineer Job Search

Quantify defect reduction on your resume

Principal-level QA roles demand proof of impact, not just ownership. Cite specific reductions in escape defects, test cycle time, or production incidents you drove. Hiring managers at this level scan for measurable quality outcomes, not task lists.

Highlight cross-functional quality leadership experience

Principal QA engineers are expected to influence engineering culture, not just run tests. Show where you've defined quality standards, mentored QA teams, or partnered with product and DevOps on release readiness. That organizational scope separates principal candidates from senior ones.

Apply early to roles that fit

Migrate Mate lists principal software quality assurance engineer openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.

Target postings that name your testing stack

Filter for roles that mention the frameworks you know deeply, whether Selenium, Cypress, Playwright, or Appium. At the principal level, employers expect immediate contribution to automation architecture, so a strong stack match accelerates both screening and your first ninety days.

Prepare a quality strategy walkthrough for interviews

Many principal QA interviews include a scenario where you design or critique an existing test strategy. Prepare a concise walkthrough of a past quality program you built or overhauled, covering scope, tooling decisions, and measurable outcomes. Generic answers about testing types won't get you to the offer stage.

Negotiate scope and reporting structure at offer stage

At the principal level, your reporting line and team scope matter as much as compensation. Ask explicitly whether the role reports into engineering leadership and whether you'll have influence over hiring QA engineers. Those structural details define whether you can actually do the job the posting describes.

Principal Software Quality Assurance Engineer Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions

Which companies are hiring the most principal software quality assurance engineers?

The most active employers for principal software quality assurance engineers right now are Fortinet, Genentech, and Oracle, and the most openings are in California, North Carolina, and Utah, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Demand tends to concentrate in companies scaling their platform engineering or undergoing large-scale test automation modernization.

How many principal software quality assurance engineer jobs are remote?

About 67% of principal software quality assurance engineer openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting strong demand for senior QA leadership that can operate across distributed engineering teams. Roles focused on automation architecture and quality strategy tend to be the most remote-friendly, while positions requiring hands-on hardware or embedded testing more often require on-site presence.

How do you become a principal software quality assurance engineer?

Start by building deep expertise in test automation, then take ownership of quality strategy for a full product or platform rather than individual test suites. Progress from senior QA engineer to staff by leading cross-team quality initiatives, defining standards, and mentoring other engineers. Principal-level roles go to candidates who can demonstrate they've shaped engineering culture around quality, not just executed tests.

Can you get hired as a principal software quality assurance engineer without direct principal-level experience?

Yes, if you can demonstrate principal-scope impact from a staff or senior QA role. Employers at this level care more about evidence of quality leadership, such as owning a test strategy, reducing production defects at scale, or establishing automation frameworks adopted across teams, than about the exact title you held. A strong portfolio of quality program ownership often outweighs a missing title.

What does the principal software quality assurance engineer interview process look like?

Most processes include an initial recruiter screen, a technical phone or video interview covering automation design and testing methodology, and then a panel loop with engineering managers, staff engineers, and sometimes a product leader. Expect at least one scenario where you're asked to critique a test strategy or design a quality program from scratch. Some companies also include a take-home automation exercise or a system design component focused on testability.

Where can I find and apply to principal software quality assurance engineer jobs?

You can find and apply to principal software quality assurance engineer jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States. Search the listings to find roles that match your experience and automation stack, then apply directly to each one that fits your background and the type of quality leadership work you want to do.

See All 14 Principal Software Quality Assurance Engineer Jobs

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