What does a staff engineer do?

A staff engineer sets technical direction across teams, drives architectural decisions, mentors senior engineers, and often represents the engineering organization in cross-functional strategy discussions.

What is the salary for a staff engineer?

Total compensation for staff engineer roles ranges from $180k to $320k+, including base salary, equity, and bonuses. FAANG and top startups pay at the upper end.

How do I become a staff engineer?

Build a track record of leading high-impact projects, develop deep expertise in a domain, contribute to org-wide technical strategy, and demonstrate influence beyond your immediate team.

7,310+ Jobs50 new this weekUpdated Apr 26, 2026

Staff Engineer Jobs

Staff Engineer roles represent the top of the individual contributor or management ladder. These positions combine deep technical expertise with organizational influence, commanding $180k–$320k+ in total compensation at leading tech companies.

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Salary Range

$10k – $320k

Top Companies

BOWA, GCI Incorporated, U.S. Navy, Graham, Barclay Constructors, EQ Bank | Equitable Bank +43 more

Job Types

94% Full Time, 6% Contract

Top Locations

Washington, CA, Arlington, McLean

Work Model

88% On-Site, 12% Hybrid

Experience Levels

24% Staff, 22% manager, 18% Lead

We found 7,310 staff engineer jobs currently hiring in locations including Washington, CA, Arlington. 50 new positions were added this week at companies like GCI Incorporated, U.S. Navy, Graham. Salaries range from $10k to $320k based on experience, location, and company size. Work arrangements include On-Site (88%), Hybrid (12%). Top employers include BOWA, GCI Incorporated, U.S. Navy and 46 other companies.

Companies Hiring for Staff Engineer Jobs

BOWA2 jobs

GCI Incorporated1 job

U.S. Navy1 job

Graham1 job

Barclay Constructors1 job

EQ Bank | Equitable Bank1 job

+43 more companies hiring. Sign up to see all.

Career Path & Salary Progression

Lead

Salary varies

9 jobs

Staff

$20k–$115k

12 jobs

Director+

$125k–$210k

8 jobs

Latest Jobs Added

Program Manager (TS/SCI with Poly Required)

GCI Incorporated

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Staff Engineer Jobs

Companies Hiring for Staff Engineer Jobs

Career Path & Salary Progression

Latest Jobs Added

Program Manager (TS/SCI with Poly Required)

U.S. Navy

Construction Design Manager - Buildings

Project Manager – Southern Ontario

Associate Director, Commercial Credit, CMHC

MDDU CBRN Operations Administration and Logistics Coordinator Jobs

Principal Mechanical Engineer (Canada or USA)

Senior Vice President, Supply Chain

Project Manager, Construction Management Office

Project Manager - Hydro Mechanical - Canada

Creative Director of Event Content

Lead Carpenter

Lead Product Marketing Manager

Staff Nurse - PACU - PRN - LHDCMC

Chief of Partnerships & Growth (Nonprofit, Part-Time)

VP, Annual Giving & Volunteer Development at Breast Cancer Canada

Lead Carpenter

Capital Accounting Team Lead

Claims Legal Consultant, Individual Insurance

Software Engineering Manager, Supply Chain

Senior Counsel, Head of Canadian Litigation and Regulatory Enforcement, TD Securities

Business Development Manager (North America)

Proactive Business Development Manager Focused on Client Relationship Success

AWS Sales Engineer - Data & AI

Program Management Office Manager

Director of FP&A, Technology & Digital

Civil Engineer.

Staff Machine Learning Engineer - Generative AI

Principal Finance Business Partnership

Marketing Automation Campaign Delivery Manager (US) | Ramblewood, NJ, USA

UI Design Director

Lead Carpenter

Lead Carpenter- Commercial Construction

Lead Product Designer (Consumer Goods) [430]

Director of Sales & Business Development - Renewable Energy

Product Manager in Washington, DC location with our direct client

Experienced Architect - Public Sector & Defence

RECE & Assistant Educator - Full Time & Casual Supply

Principal Product Manager, Ship with Amazon

Remote Hybrid Staff Psychologist

IT Auditor - Artificial Intelligence & Adv Technology SME (Sr Staff)

Lead Node.js Developer

Head of Product Marketing

Senior Principal Manufacturing Systems Engineer

Lead Content Writer

Director of Sales & Marketing, Real Estate Development

Real Estate Development - Head of Lease Management

Outside Counsel - Contract Basis

Digital Product Manager

Director of Email Marketing

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