Principal Specialist Jobs

Principal Specialist jobs are open across technology, healthcare, finance, and government contracting, from mid-career to senior-level, with common specializations in program management, regulatory affairs, and technical operations. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.

Find Principal Specialist JobsLooking for remote work? View remote principal specialist jobs →

Overview

Open roles291+
Top stateCalifornia
Top employerRaytheon
Top citySan Francisco, CA
Work type36% On-site
Top industryDistribution

Showing 5 of 291+ Principal Specialist jobs

Principal Specialist, Trade Compliance
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New 7h ago
Principal Specialist, Trade Compliance
GlobalFoundries
New York, New York
Business Operations
Program Management
Project Management
$84k - $144k/yr
Bachelor's degree
10,000+

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Principal Physical Security Systems Operations Specialist
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New 8h ago
Principal Physical Security Systems Operations Specialist
Regeneron
Rensselaer, New York
Maintenance & Repair
Manufacturing Operations
Skilled Trades
$94k - $180k/yr
On-Site
Bachelor's degree in information technology
10,000+

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Principal Specialist, Investigator - Tewksbury, MA
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New 9h ago
Principal Specialist, Investigator - Tewksbury, MA
Raytheon
Tewksbury, Massachusetts
Academic & Educational Administration
Corporate Training & Learning Development
Executive Leadership & C-Suite
Human Resources
$87k - $165k/yr
Experience equivalent to degree accepted
10,000+

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Principal Specialist, Security - McKinney, TX
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New 9h ago
Principal Specialist, Security - McKinney, TX
Raytheon
McKinney, Texas
Business Operations
Compensation & Benefits
Human Resources (HR) — Generalist
$87k - $165k/yr
Experience equivalent to degree accepted
10,000+

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Master Scheduling Principal Specialist
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New 9h ago
Master Scheduling Principal Specialist
Collins Aerospace
Tallahassee, Florida
Business Analysis
Data Analytics
Project Management
$87k - $165k/yr
Remote (US)
Experience equivalent to degree accepted
10,000+

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Principal Specialist Job Market

Who's Hiring

  • Raytheon43
  • Northrop Grumman21
  • Amazon Web Services19
  • Abbott12
  • Capital One9

Top Industries Hiring

  • Distribution & Wholesale
  • Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals
  • Manufacturing
  • Medical Devices
  • Chemicals & Materials

What Employers Look For

The qualifications that appear most often in principal specialist jobs.

  • 7 or more years of progressive experience in the relevant specialization
  • Bachelor's degree in a field directly related to the role's subject matter
  • Demonstrated ability to lead complex, cross-functional projects independently
  • Proficiency with industry-standard tools such as project management or data analysis platforms
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills for executive-level stakeholders
  • Relevant professional certification such as PMP, CISA, or a domain-specific credential

Tips for Your Principal Specialist Job Search

Tailor your resume to the specialization

Principal specialist roles differ sharply by domain, so a resume that worked for a regulatory affairs opening won't land you a program management interview. Reframe your accomplishments around the specific discipline listed in each job posting before you apply.

Highlight cross-functional leadership without a title

Many principal specialist openings expect you to lead projects across teams without direct reports. Show concrete examples of coordinating stakeholders, driving decisions, and moving deliverables forward even when you weren't the named manager.

Apply early to roles that fit

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

Match your credentials to the posting's tier

Some employers use 'principal' to mean individual contributor at the expert level, while others treat it as a step below director. Read the reporting structure and scope in the job description carefully so you can position your experience at the right level in your application materials.

Prepare a portfolio of strategic impact

Interviewers for principal specialist roles consistently probe for evidence of measurable, long-range impact rather than task completion. Document two or three initiatives where your decisions or frameworks changed how the team or organization operated, with clear before-and-after context.

Negotiate based on scope, not just title

Principal specialist compensation varies widely depending on budget authority, team size, and whether the role touches revenue directly. Before your final-round conversation, clarify exactly what the role owns so you can anchor your negotiation to the actual complexity of the position.

Principal Specialist Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions

Which companies are hiring the most principal specialists?

The most active employers for principal specialists right now are Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, and Amazon Web Services, and the most openings are in California, Texas, and Massachusetts, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Demand is especially strong in technology, defense contracting, and healthcare systems.

How many principal specialist jobs are remote?

About 64% of principal specialist openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, with availability varying significantly by specialization. Technical and program management sub-areas tend to offer the most remote flexibility, while roles in regulated industries such as pharmaceuticals or government contracting more often require on-site presence.

How do you become a principal specialist?

Start by building deep expertise in a single domain through progressively complex roles, then move into positions where you lead projects across teams without formal authority. Earning a relevant certification strengthens your candidacy, and building a record of delivering strategic initiatives independently is what distinguishes principal-level candidates from senior-level ones during hiring.

Can you get a principal specialist job with limited experience?

Breaking into a principal specialist role with limited experience is difficult because most postings require demonstrated ownership of complex, high-stakes work. Your best path is to target associate or senior specialist roles first, seek out stretch assignments that require cross-functional coordination, and document the outcomes you drove rather than the tasks you completed.

What does the principal specialist interview process look like?

The interview process for principal specialist roles typically includes an initial recruiter screen, a hiring manager conversation focused on your domain expertise, and one or two rounds of panel interviews with cross-functional stakeholders. Expect behavioral questions about leading without authority, a case or presentation exercise in technical disciplines, and a discussion of how you've influenced decisions at an organizational level.

Where can I find and apply to principal specialist jobs?

You can find and apply to principal specialist jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States in one place. Search for roles that match your specialization and experience level, then apply directly to each listing that fits.

See All 291+ Principal Specialist Jobs

Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.

Find Principal Specialist Jobs