Principal Software Engineer
Sierra Nevada Company, LLC · Lone Tree, CO
$165,010–$226,889from the description
Jul 1, 2026
Lone Tree, CO
Jul 21, 2026
What this job asks for AI summary
A principal-level engineering role focused on leading the design, development, and optimization of software systems for aerospace and ISR applications. Responsibilities span setting technical direction, managing system architecture, overseeing code quality, and mentoring engineering teams. The role suits a deeply experienced software engineer with a background in C++, Java, or Python who holds an active Secret clearance and is comfortable operating across both technical and strategic domains.
Senior level · 14+ years · National · Bachelor's required · Secret clearance · Full-time
Advertised as Principal, but the requirements read as Senior.
“or” means any one of them counts — you don't need all of them.
Posted 2 times — it's one opening, so apply once.
We read this from the posting text with AI. Skim the description below before ruling yourself out.
How this req sits in the market our data
Most people in this occupation already list these. Still required — just not what gets you shortlisted.
What the occupation pays Median $138,970 (middle half $107,524–$175,762). This posting is about at that midpoint.
Estimated from BLS employment for this occupation and area, per-skill prevalence across our listing corpus, and published wage benchmarks — as of Jul 28, 2026. It is a model, not a headcount.
Why we read it this way (8)
The job title is 'Principal Software Engineer,' but the actual requirements — 14+ years of experience, team/project leadership, and no stated org-wide or cross-business-unit technical authority — are consistent with a Senior-level role. 'Principal' in this context appears to be a title convention rather than a true top-of-ladder, org-wide scope designation.
C++, Java, and Python are listed together under required qualifications as interchangeable options ('such as C++, Java, or Python'). All three are marked required as a group; a candidate proficient in any one would satisfy the gate.
Agentic coding tools appear explicitly in the 'Qualifications You Must Have' section, making it a hard gate despite being an unusual and broadly defined requirement.
The preferred languages section (C, C#, HTML, Bash, plus C++/Java/Python again) is under 'Qualifications We Prefer' and is treated as preferred accordingly.
The Master's degree is explicitly listed as 'preferred,' and the JD also allows a 'higher level relevant degree' to substitute for experience, so the minimum hard-required degree is a Bachelor's.
Requirements tracking tools, code review tools, library/artifact repository tools, and automated build tools are mentioned under preferred qualifications but are described only generically with no specific product names — omitted from skills per naming rules.
Ignored 1 non-technology phrase(s) as skills (responsibilities/concepts, not named tools): static analysis.
Requires a Secret clearance — the cleared population is a small fraction of this occupation, so the real candidate pool is materially smaller than the estimate below, which does not model clearance.
Read the full posting
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