Applied AI Engineer Jobs in California

Applied AI Engineer jobs in California are among the most actively recruited in the country, with demand concentrated in enterprise software, cloud infrastructure, autonomous systems, and health tech across experience levels from entry-level ML engineer to principal AI architect. The largest hiring metros are the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, and San Diego, where companies like Google, Meta, and Qualcomm maintain deep applied AI teams. The most sought-after specializations include large language model fine-tuning, real-time inference systems, and AI platform engineering. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.

Find Applied AI Engineer Jobs

Overview

Open roles201+
Top employerAnthropic
Top citySan Francisco, CA
Cities hiring25
Work type56% Hybrid
Top industryTechnology

Showing 5 of 201+ Applied AI Engineer jobs

Applied AI Engineer - Health
We won't show you this job again
New 9h ago
Applied AI Engineer - Health
Apple
Cupertino, California
AI (Artificial Intelligence)
ML (Machine Learning)
Software Engineering
$150k - $278k/yr
Bachelor of Science
10,000+

Have you applied for this role?

Principal Applied Scientist, Frontier AI Assets , Frontier AI Assets
We won't show you this job again
Added 3d ago
Principal Applied Scientist, Frontier AI Assets , Frontier AI Assets
Amazon.com
Sunnyvale, California
AI (Artificial Intelligence)
Data Science
ML (Machine Learning)
$199k - $309k/yr
Master's degree
10,000+

Have you applied for this role?

Machine Learning Engineer, Applied AI Intern (Summer 2027)
We won't show you this job again
Added 3d ago
Machine Learning Engineer, Applied AI Intern (Summer 2027)
BRAIN
San Francisco, California
AI (Artificial Intelligence)
Data Science
ML (Machine Learning)
Hybrid
201-500

Have you applied for this role?

Software Engineer, Applied AI Agents, Professional Intelligence, DeepMind
We won't show you this job again
Added 3d ago
Software Engineer, Applied AI Agents, Professional Intelligence, DeepMind
DeepMind
Mountain View, California
Software Engineering
Solutions Engineering & Architecture
Technical Product & Program Management
$147k - $210k/yr
Bachelor's degree
201-500

Have you applied for this role?

Applied AI Delivery Lead - Mountain View
We won't show you this job again
Added 3d ago
Applied AI Delivery Lead - Mountain View
OpenAI
San Francisco, California
Clinical Support
Healthcare Administration
Public Health
$234k - $335k/yr
51-200

Have you applied for this role?

See All 201+ Applied AI Engineer Jobs in California

Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.

Find Applied AI Engineer Jobs

Applied AI Engineer Jobs by City in California

Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.

Palo Alto
8 jobs
Mountain View
8 jobs
Dublin
6 jobs
San Jose
5 jobs
Menlo Park
5 jobs
San Diego
4 jobs

Applied AI Engineer Job Market in California

A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.

Who's Hiring

  • Anthropic20
  • OpenAI16
  • Amazon10
  • Amazon Web Services9
  • Meta6

Top Industries Hiring

  • Technology & Software17
  • Science & Research9
  • Fintech2
  • Banking & Financial Services2
  • Cybersecurity1

What California Employers Look For

The qualifications that appear most often in applied AI engineer jobs across California.

  • Bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, machine learning, or a related field
  • Production experience deploying ML models using PyTorch, TensorFlow, or JAX
  • Proficiency building and maintaining scalable ML pipelines and data workflows
  • Hands-on experience with cloud platforms such as Google Cloud, AWS, or Azure
  • Familiarity with LLM fine-tuning, prompt engineering, or retrieval-augmented generation
  • Strong programming skills in Python and experience with MLOps tooling and CI/CD

Applied AI Engineer Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions

How do you become a applied ai engineer in California?

Applied AI engineering in California has no state-issued license, so the path runs through education and demonstrated technical skill. Most California employers expect a bachelor's degree in computer science, data science, or a closely related field, with a master's preferred at larger research-driven companies. Building a portfolio of deployed ML projects, contributing to open-source AI repositories, and completing industry-recognized credentials in deep learning or MLOps strengthens a candidacy considerably.

How much do applied AI engineers make in California?

Applied AI engineers in California earn a median of about $174,410 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $105,060 for the lowest 10% to over $272,670 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.

Which companies hire applied ai engineers in California?

Employers hiring applied ai engineers in California right now include Anthropic, OpenAI, and Amazon, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. California's concentration of major tech headquarters, semiconductor firms, and AI-native startups makes it one of the broadest and most competitive applied AI hiring markets in the world.

Which California cities have the most applied ai engineer jobs?

The cities with the most applied ai engineer openings in California are San Francisco, Sunnyvale, and Santa Clara. The Bay Area leads because it is home to the headquarters of the largest AI research organizations and cloud platforms, while Los Angeles draws hiring from entertainment tech, autonomous vehicles, and enterprise software, and San Diego benefits from strong activity in defense technology and biotech.

Are there remote applied ai engineer jobs in California?

Yes, and more than most fields. About 69% of applied ai engineer openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting how much of the work involves code, experimentation, and collaboration through shared cloud environments. The most remote-friendly parts of the role are model development, research, and data pipeline work, while roles requiring on-device or edge-hardware integration tend to require in-person presence.

How can I get hired as a applied ai engineer in California with little or no experience?

The most realistic entry path is through a machine learning engineer or data scientist role at a California company that runs a structured new-grad program, with Google, Apple, and NVIDIA all running university-hire cohorts that place candidates into applied AI teams. Building and publishing end-to-end ML projects on GitHub, earning credentials like Google's Professional Machine Learning Engineer certification, and targeting AI-adjacent roles such as data engineer or ML infrastructure engineer are the concrete steps that open doors without prior industry experience.

Where can I find and apply to applied ai engineer jobs in California?

You can find and apply to applied ai engineer jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings updated regularly. Search the listings for roles that match your experience level and specialty, then apply directly to the ones that fit.

See All 201+ Applied AI Engineer Jobs in California

Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.

Find Applied AI Engineer Jobs