Principal Software Engineer Job Duties and Responsibilities

Updated January 5, 2023

If you want to explore a career in the software design and development industry, it's beneficial to consider the professions of a principal software engineer and software architect. These occupations offer you the opportunity to work in various industries, increase your future job opportunities, work with the latest tech advancements in software development, and earn a high salary. Learning more about the differences between these two occupations can help you choose the most suitable career path for you and compare their job requirements with your skills and interests.

In this article, we share the differences between a principal software engineer and software architect, including their responsibilities, work environments and skills.

Please note that none of the companies, institutions, or organizations mentioned in this article are affiliated with Indeed.

How do principal software engineer job duties differ from software architect responsibilities?

Here are some differences between principal software engineer job duties and software architect responsibilities:

Principal software engineer responsibilities

Principal software engineers can use their proficiency in programming languages to develop computer systems and applications. They usually evaluate software designs to create digitized products, such as operating systems, databases, web-based applications, computer games, and computer-aided design tools. These professionals may also collect users' experiences and document product requirements to improve future versions. Principal software engineers can also debug and test computer programs to identify and fix errors, solve compatibility issues, add more features, and make structural changes. They can also attend technology fairs, conferences, symposia, and seminars to keep up with the latest developments in software engineering and development.

Some employers may ask them to train entry-level employees, provide technical support to colleagues, update existing programs, and conduct data analyses to understand software performance. Before starting a project, these professionals can meet with clients and software architects to determine customer goals and needs and project requirements. In addition, they can work alongside cybersecurity specialists and collaborate with database administrators to strengthen the company's digital security.

Software architect responsibilities

Software architects conceptualize and design structures for computer software applications. These professionals can lead development teams composed of principal software engineers, computer scientists, programmers, user experience specialists, testers, and database analysts. They can also build cloud-based platforms that hold and deliver software applications to clients or internal users. Software architects usually meet with clients to discuss the purpose of the software, their preferences and requirements, project timeframe, and preferred technologies and programming languages. They can use a shared online workspace to coordinate the implementation of the software design, divide the project into modules, and clarify each module's functionality and purpose.

In addition, software architects can undertake a variety of software projects, such as telecommunication systems, video games, banking applications, and health care systems. They can also reconstruct or restore old or outdated software applications to help companies extend their systems' useful life and plan how to replace them. These professionals typically prepare reports for the company's upper management to indicate the status of the software architecture and the progress of the development team.

Principal software engineers vs. architects

Although these professionals work together to produce computer programs and systems, they have different responsibilities. The following aspects outline differences between these roles:

Job requirements

Both principal software engineers and architects need prior experience in working with multidisciplinary teams as their jobs require collaboration with back-end developers, project managers, quality assurance engineers, and graphic designers. Software architects usually coordinate with all these professionals and are also responsible for planning and overseeing the development of a software product.

Conversely, principal software engineers are part of the development team and work alongside programmers to create the code needed to build the product. Both professionals also require an in-depth understanding of user experience and design principles to ensure that the final product meets the needs of the users. In addition, entering one of these two fields requires showing passion and motivation for the industry as it's necessary to research new technologies and try new tools regularly.

Work environments

Principal software engineers and architects can work together in information technology (IT) departments of video game companies, chartered banks, insurance companies, health care institutions, or government agencies. Both professionals can also work independently as contractors or freelancers and choose the projects to which they want to contribute. In addition, software architects can work as consultants in IT firms that specialize in software design to build computer systems for manufacturers, retailers, or financial institutions. Conversely, principal software engineers may also perform consulting work to help clients test their existing computer programs and troubleshoot malfunctioning systems.

Education

Although employers usually require principal software engineers to have at least a bachelor's degree in computer science, they often require a master's degree or a PhD in computer science or engineering. Depending on the company you're applying to, it's also necessary for you to have certifications in specific programming languages, such as Java or C++. In addition, some professionals may opt to take courses in machine learning or artificial intelligence to expand their knowledge and further their careers.

Employers also require software architects to have an undergraduate degree in computer science and a graduate one if they want to work in senior positions. These professionals usually get certifications in project management and software development as well. They can take courses in programming languages such as Python or JavaScript or in databases and relational database management systems.

Skill sets

Here are the skills principal software engineers and software architects require to perform their duties efficiently:

Proficiency in programming languages

Principal software engineers and software architects are experts in programming languages, meaning they've mastered their most essential aspects, such as loops, sequences, variables, and conditionals. Depending on the client's needs, preferences, and existing computer systems, both professionals can choose between using one language over another. This is why it's crucial for them to develop a strong understanding of various programming languages and their uses. Here, they can use object-oriented languages, scripting languages, procedural languages, or a combination of them.

Proficiency with hardware devices

It's necessary for both principal software engineers and software architects to understand how to use devices such as hard drives, RAM memory, CPUs, and video cards. In addition, it's crucial for them to be familiar with smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktops, as they're responsible for ensuring that their apps work on these devices. While conducting performance tests, they may try different hardware and software configurations to identify whether they can be compatible with the app requirements.

Debugging skills

Debugging is the ability to identify and remove software bugs, which are errors in the code that may be causing a program to malfunction. Both principal software engineers and software architects usually possess effective debugging skills, as they test applications to evaluate their performance. Architects may focus on the software back-end, which controls the functioning of the system.

Conversely, principal software engineers may centre on the entire application, meaning the back and front ends. This is because these professionals are responsible for ensuring that the software works and looks correct to the end user. They can also employ this ability to analyze existing code and look for ways to enhance it or make it more efficient.

Creativity

It's necessary for software architects to be creative in designing software systems. This skill allows them to innovate and design software systems that are more robust, reliable, and scalable. This means that they can design computer systems with new technologies, features, functions, and structures. For instance, they can opt to create complete cloud-based systems instead of the traditional software that relies on con data centres or in-company servers.

Principal software engineers require creativity to solve problems and fix computer programs that have a number of bugs or errors. For instance, they can use different programming languages to change software interfaces to make them more user-friendly or write code to change their appearance.

Communication skills

Communicating with team members and clients requires strong active listening skills, clear verbal and nonverbal communication, and effective writing skills. This is because it's crucial for principal software engineers to communicate the status of a project, receive feedback from team members about the code they've written, and document client requirements for future work.

Software architects may use their communication skills to convey messages about software architecture to the engineering team, provide feedback to their peers on project progress, and meet with clients to learn more about their needs. These professionals can also use these abilities to interview potential team members and evaluate their skills, interests, and experiences.