Demo

Principal Software Development Engineer

GTT
Mc Lean, VA Full Time
POSTED ON 1/7/2026
AVAILABLE BEFORE 2/5/2026
Core Responsibilities

The Principal Engineer's focus shifts from project-level delivery to company-wide strategic impact and vision setting:

  • Strategic Design and Development:
    • Defines the high-level architecture and long-term technical roadmap for large-scale, distributed systems that span multiple teams or business units.
    • Acts as the final decision-maker on complex system design trade-offs, ensuring scalability, performance, and security across the platform.
  • Company-wide Problem-Solving:
    • Independently tackles the most ambiguous and complex technical challenges that have no clear owner, setting the standard for technical excellence and innovation.
    • Drives initiatives to significantly improve overall code performance, system efficiency, and foundational infrastructure health across the organization.
  • Technical Governance and Code Quality:
    • Establishes technical standards and best practices that influence the work of many engineering teams.
    • Mentors senior engineers (SDE 3s) and holds a deep responsibility for the quality, reliability, and maintainability of the company's core systems.
  • Collaboration and Influence:
    • Works directly with executive leadership, product managers, and engineering directors to influence business strategy through technical expertise.
    • Influences the work of many engineers across organizational boundaries, securing alignment on critical technical initiatives.
  • Operational Excellence:
    • Responsible for the long-term operational health and resilience of critical, company-wide services.
    • Designs and advocates for architectural changes that reduce operational toil and improve on-call responsiveness at scale.

Salary.com Estimation for Principal Software Development Engineer in Mc Lean, VA
$139,196 to $168,534
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