Principal Software Engineer
Bigbear
Columbia, MD · Posted July 29, 2026
Just laid off? Start here: a plan for the first weeks
See every open role at Bigbear
More in Maryland job market · All Principal Software Engineer jobs (356) · Manufacturing & Industrial · Engineering jobs
More roles at Bigbear
- Principal Firmware Reverse Engineer (AI-Assisted) · Columbia, MD
- Principal Software Engineer · Annapolis Junction, MD
- Director of Finance & Business Operations
- Application Developer · Annapolis Junction, MD
- Full Stack Developer · Washington, DC
- AI/ML Data Engineer · Reston, VA
Similar jobs
- Principal Software Engineer (ONSITE) · RTX · fulton, MD
- Principal Software Engineer (Cybersecurity | Networking) · RTX · annapolis junction, MD
- Senior Software Engineer · Elite Pharmaceuticals
- Senior Software Engineer - Academy · Wgu · Salt Lake City, UT
- Senior Software Engineer (MES) (HYBRID TELEWORK) · Sikorsky Aircraft · Moorestown, NJ
- Senior Specialist Software Engineer · Flightsafety Defense · Broken Arrow, OK
Where Columbia, MD ranks
Where Columbia, MD placed in our monthly rankings, month by month. Each month stays online at its own address.
November 2026
- #12Cities with the most hybrid jobs in the Mid-Atlantic18% · of 84
- #14Best cities for remote-friendly jobs9% · of 100
- #15Best cities for mid-career professionals in the Mid-Atlantic61% · of 85
- #16Best cities for mid-career professionals61% · of 100
- #19Cities with the most hybrid jobs18% · of 100
- #22Best cities for software and engineering jobs in the Mid-Atlantic115 openings · of 68
Rankings about engineering jobs
- Best cities for software and engineering jobs #1 San Francisco (3,412 openings)
- Best cities for engineering pay after cost of living #1 San Mateo ($216k)
- Most requested AI skills in engineering jobs #1 AI tools in daily work (6.1%)
- AI tools named most often in engineering jobs #1 Claude (1.7%)
- Employers with the most engineering jobs #1 Amazon (2,992 roles)
Pay compared with the market
This listing does not state pay. Across 91 open principal software engineer listings that state pay, the middle half runs $208,500 to $320,000 and the median is $275,000.
Listed pay is what employers advertise, not what people are paid.
Principal Software Engineer salaries by state · Check your own pay
How AI is used in this kind of work
Among software developers, AI is already used for some of the tasks. Measured exposure for software developers: 29% (some).
Share of this job’s tasks that AI is already used for at work, from real usage. It is not a forecast of job loss, and a low number means no use seen yet. Source: Anthropic Economic Index.
Skills this job asks for
Say which you have and which you want to build. We use it to match you to jobs like this one.
About the job
Residency
All applicants must currently reside in the United States
Overview
BigBear.ai is seeking a Principal Software Engineer to support the exciting Advanced Analytics Team mission. Engineer will work closely with mission stakeholders to analyze software requirements, design innovative technical solutions, develop software applications, and implement high-performance capabilities supporting advanced mission objectives.
What you will do
Own or influence the technical architecture for complex software systems.
Lead design reviews, technical planning, and engineering tradeoff decisions.
Establish coding, testing, performance, security, and maintainability standards.
Mentor senior and mid-level engineers and provide technical guidance across teams.
Collaborate with product, systems engineering, cybersecurity, DevSecOps, and program leadership.
Drive modernization, automation, and reduction of technical debt.
Review implementation plans and assess technical risks.
Support proposal development, customer briefings, and technical demonstrations when applicable.
Ensure software practices align with required regulatory, security, and mission needs.
Contribute hands-on code or prototypes where necessary.
What you need to have
Bachelor’s degree in computer science, software engineering, plus 11 years of relevant or equivalent experience.
Clearance: TS/SCI w/Poly
Significant professional software engineering experience
Demonstrated experience designing and delivering complex production software.
Experience making architecture and technology decisions across multiple components or teams.
Strong proficiency in at least one modern programming language.
Experience with automated testing, code review, source control, and continuous integration.
Ability to communicate technical decisions to engineers, customers, and executive stakeholders.
What we'd like you to have
Experience in cloud-native architecture, distributed systems, or large-scale modernization.
Experience with containerized deployments and infrastructure as code.
Experience leading Agile or DevSecOps delivery teams.
Experience in highly regulated, safety-critical, or security-sensitive environments.
Experience supporting proposals, estimates, technical road maps, or customer engagements.
Pay transparency
Please note the targeted compensation range is provided as an estimate, and any actual compensation offer may vary depending on the needs of the company, or an applicant's skillset, competencies, experience, education, certifications, location, or other factors. The estimated range does not include the value of any benefits offered.
About BigBear.ai
BigBear.ai is a leading provider of AI-powered decision intelligence solutions for national security, supply chain management, and digital identity. Customers and partners rely on Bigbear.ai’s predictive analytics capabilities in highly complex, distributed, mission-based operating environments. Headquartered in McLean, Virginia, BigBear.ai is a public company traded on the NYSE under the symbol BBAI. For more information, visit https://bigbear.ai/ and follow BigBear.ai on LinkedIn: @BigBear.ai and X: @BigBearai.
BigBear.ai is an Equal opportunity employer all protected groups, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.
Own or influence the technical architecture for complex software systems.
Lead design reviews, technical planning, and engineering tradeoff decisions.
Establish coding, testing, performance, security, and maintainability standards.
Mentor senior and mid-level engineers and provide technical guidance across teams.
Collaborate with product, systems engineering, cybersecurity, DevSecOps, and program leadership.
Drive modernization, automation, and reduction of technical debt.
Review implementation plans and assess technical risks.
Support proposal development, customer briefings, and technical demonstrations when applicable.
Ensure software practices align with required regulatory, security, and mission needs.
Contribute hands-on code or prototypes where necessary.
Bachelor’s degree in computer science, software engineering, plus 11 years of relevant or equivalent experience.
Clearance: TS/SCI w/Poly
Significant professional software engineering experience
Demonstrated experience designing and delivering complex production software.
Experience making architecture and technology decisions across multiple components or teams.
Strong proficiency in at least one modern programming language.
Experience with automated testing, code review, source control, and continuous integration.
Ability to communicate technical decisions to engineers, customers, and executive stakeholders.