Principal Design Engineer Visa Sponsorship Jobs in Pennsylvania
Principal design engineer jobs in Pennsylvania draw from the state's deep manufacturing, defense, and energy sectors. Employers in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Allentown, including firms like Siemens, Lockheed Martin, and Air Products, sponsor international engineers at the principal level. The region's aerospace, industrial automation, and chemicals industries create steady demand for senior design engineering expertise.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
At HDR, our employee-owners are fully engaged in creating a welcoming environment where each of us is valued and respected, a place where everyone is empowered to bring their authentic selves and novel ideas to work every day. As we foster a culture of inclusion throughout our company and within our communities, we constantly ask ourselves: What is our impact on the world?
Each and every role throughout our organization makes a difference in our ability to change the world for the better. Read further to learn how you could help make great things possible not only in your community, but around the world.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
In the role of Principal Engineer for Airport Design, we'll count on you to:
- Demonstrate exceptional leadership and set the standard of practice for a particular area of expertise within HDR
- Serve as a senior technical advisor to multiple projects involving complex technical challenges
- Drive outstanding project delivery and support successful team performance, particularly for projects involving complex multi-disciplinary teams
- Work to establish a quality culture and support innovative solutions to drive design and technical excellence across the organization
- Mentor and develop other professionals within area of expertise to elevate an area of practice across HDR
- Attract highly qualified candidates to join HDR to grow and strengthen the practice
- Establish client relationships and work with teams to identify and win opportunities to grow the practice across HDR
- Serve as a thought leader for area of expertise to elevate the capabilities of HDR and its professionals
- Represent HDR through participation in professional community to build HDR's reputation as a world-class provider of professional services
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering
- A minimum of 20 years of experience
- Requires professional engineering license recognized by the licensing board for the location of the position offered. Example: Professional Engineer (PE or P.Eng) license
- Extensive experience in project execution
- Proficient computer skills in Microsoft Office as well as standard design software
- Must be comfortable being viewed as a technical expert in engineering analysis and design and have proven background of technical leadership on these types of projects
- An attitude and commitment to being an active participant of our employee-owned culture
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Masters degree in Engineering
- Previous experience with an engineering consulting firm
WHAT WE BELIEVE
HDR is our company. Together, we build on each other's life experiences and perspectives to make great things possible every day. This shapes our collaborative culture, encourages organizational trust and connects us closer to the clients and communities we serve.
OUR COMMITMENT
As employee owners, we all have a role in creating an inclusive environment where each of us is welcomed, valued, respected and empowered to bring our authentic selves to work every day.
Our eight Employee Network Groups (Asian Pacific, Black, Hispanic/Latino(a), LGBTQ+, People with Disabilities, Veterans, Women, Young Professionals) help create a sense of belonging and foster a supportive environment where everyone is empowered to engage and contribute. Each group has an executive sponsor and is open to all employees.
LOCATION
Primary Location: United States-Pennsylvania-Philadelphia
Other Locations: United States-Pennsylvania-Pittsburgh
INDUSTRY
Aviation
SCHEDULE
Full-time
EMPLOYEE STATUS
Regular
BUSINESS CLASS
Airfield Design
JOB POSTING
Oct 5, 2026
INTRODUCTION
At HDR, our employee-owners are fully engaged in creating a welcoming environment where each of us is valued and respected, a place where everyone is empowered to bring their authentic selves and novel ideas to work every day. As we foster a culture of inclusion throughout our company and within our communities, we constantly ask ourselves: What is our impact on the world?
Each and every role throughout our organization makes a difference in our ability to change the world for the better. Read further to learn how you could help make great things possible not only in your community, but around the world.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
In the role of Principal Engineer for Airport Design, we'll count on you to:
- Demonstrate exceptional leadership and set the standard of practice for a particular area of expertise within HDR
- Serve as a senior technical advisor to multiple projects involving complex technical challenges
- Drive outstanding project delivery and support successful team performance, particularly for projects involving complex multi-disciplinary teams
- Work to establish a quality culture and support innovative solutions to drive design and technical excellence across the organization
- Mentor and develop other professionals within area of expertise to elevate an area of practice across HDR
- Attract highly qualified candidates to join HDR to grow and strengthen the practice
- Establish client relationships and work with teams to identify and win opportunities to grow the practice across HDR
- Serve as a thought leader for area of expertise to elevate the capabilities of HDR and its professionals
- Represent HDR through participation in professional community to build HDR's reputation as a world-class provider of professional services
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering
- A minimum of 20 years of experience
- Requires professional engineering license recognized by the licensing board for the location of the position offered. Example: Professional Engineer (PE or P.Eng) license
- Extensive experience in project execution
- Proficient computer skills in Microsoft Office as well as standard design software
- Must be comfortable being viewed as a technical expert in engineering analysis and design and have proven background of technical leadership on these types of projects
- An attitude and commitment to being an active participant of our employee-owned culture
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Masters degree in Engineering
- Previous experience with an engineering consulting firm
WHAT WE BELIEVE
HDR is our company. Together, we build on each other's life experiences and perspectives to make great things possible every day. This shapes our collaborative culture, encourages organizational trust and connects us closer to the clients and communities we serve.
OUR COMMITMENT
As employee owners, we all have a role in creating an inclusive environment where each of us is welcomed, valued, respected and empowered to bring our authentic selves to work every day.
Our eight Employee Network Groups (Asian Pacific, Black, Hispanic/Latino(a), LGBTQ+, People with Disabilities, Veterans, Women, Young Professionals) help create a sense of belonging and foster a supportive environment where everyone is empowered to engage and contribute. Each group has an executive sponsor and is open to all employees.
LOCATION
Primary Location: United States-Pennsylvania-Philadelphia
Other Locations: United States-Pennsylvania-Pittsburgh
INDUSTRY
Aviation
SCHEDULE
Full-time
EMPLOYEE STATUS
Regular
BUSINESS CLASS
Airfield Design
JOB POSTING
Oct 5, 2026
Principal Design Engineer Job Roles in Pennsylvania
See all 46+ Principal Design Engineer Jobs in Pennsylvania
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Search Principal Design Engineer Jobs in PennsylvaniaPrincipal Design Engineer Jobs in Pennsylvania: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies sponsor visas for principal design engineers in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania employers with consistent principal design engineer sponsorship activity include Siemens, Lockheed Martin, Air Products and Chemicals, Carpenter Technology, and BAE Systems. Philadelphia-area defense contractors and Pittsburgh-area industrial firms appear regularly in DOL Labor Condition Application filings at the principal engineer level. Semiconductor and energy companies in the Lehigh Valley have also sponsored senior design engineering roles in recent years.
Which visa types realistically fit principal design engineer roles in Pennsylvania?
The H-1B visa is the most common path, covering principal design engineer roles as specialty occupations requiring a directly related engineering degree. Canadian and Mexican citizens may qualify under TN visa status as engineers under USMCA. Australian citizens can pursue the E-3 visa, which requires an employer-filed Labor Condition Application. For longer-term stays, EB-2 or EB-3 employment-based green cards are available through PERM labor certification, with most employers sponsoring at the principal level.
How to find principal design engineer visa sponsorship jobs in Pennsylvania?
Migrate Mate lists Pennsylvania employers with verified visa sponsorship history for engineering roles, letting you search specifically for principal design engineer positions in cities like Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Allentown. Because the platform surfaces employers with confirmed LCA filing activity, you can focus your search on companies already familiar with the sponsorship process rather than applying broadly and asking later.
Which cities in Pennsylvania have the most principal design engineer sponsorship jobs?
Philadelphia leads in volume, anchored by defense contractors, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and energy infrastructure firms along the I-95 corridor. Pittsburgh is a strong second, with its advanced manufacturing, robotics, and materials science industries sponsoring senior engineering talent at the principal level. Allentown and Reading in the Lehigh Valley add industrial and specialty chemicals opportunities, while Harrisburg sees activity from government-adjacent engineering contractors.
Are there state-specific factors that affect principal design engineer sponsorship in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania's concentration of defense, aerospace, and energy employers creates meaningful demand for principal design engineers with specialized credentials. Some defense-sector roles require security clearances, which can complicate sponsorship timelines for foreign nationals. The state's strong university pipeline, through Penn State, Carnegie Mellon, and Drexel, means employers are accustomed to hiring internationally trained engineers, and several maintain established H-1B sponsorship programs at the senior level.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored principal design engineer jobs in Pennsylvania?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.