Artificial Intelligence Scientist Jobs in California

Artificial Intelligence Scientist jobs in California sit at the center of one of the most active AI hiring markets in the world, with strong demand across technology, healthcare, defense, and autonomous systems from entry-level research roles through principal and distinguished scientist positions. Most openings concentrate in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, and San Diego, where companies like Google, Meta, and Qualcomm maintain large AI research and applied science teams. The most in-demand specialties include large language model development, computer vision, and reinforcement learning. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.

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Overview

Open roles167+
Top employerIntuit
Top citySan Jose, CA
Cities hiring33
Work type63% On-site
Top industryTechnology

Showing 5 of 167+ Artificial Intelligence Scientist jobs

TikTok
Tech Lead, Research Scientist, Generative AI
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TikTok
Added 1d ago
Tech Lead, Research Scientist, Generative AI
TikTok
San Jose, California
Software Engineering
Data Science & Analytics
Data Science
$254k - $480k/yr
On-Site
None

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Intuit
Staff AI Scientist
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Intuit
Added 1d ago
Staff AI Scientist
Intuit
Mountain View, California
Business Operations
Product Management
Project Management
$210k - $284k/yr
Doctoral degree in statistics
10,000+

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Booz Allen Hamilton
Artificial Intelligence Engineer, Mid
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Booz Allen Hamilton
Added 2d ago
Artificial Intelligence Engineer, Mid
Booz Allen Hamilton
El Segundo, California
Cloud Architecture
Solutions Engineering & Architecture
Technical Program Management
$99k - $225k/yr
On-Site
Master's degree
10,000+

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Youtube
Research Data Scientist, YouTube Search and Viewer AI
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Youtube
Added 2d ago
Research Data Scientist, YouTube Search and Viewer AI
Youtube
San Bruno, California
Biotech & Life Sciences
Clinical Trials & Medical Research
Data Science
Research & Academia
$147k - $210k/yr
Master's degree in physics

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Cisco
AI Research Scientist II (Full Time)- United States ENG/CPO/AISWP ETR
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Cisco
Added 2d ago
AI Research Scientist II (Full Time)- United States ENG/CPO/AISWP ETR
Cisco
San Francisco, California
Biotech & Life Sciences
Clinical Trials & Medical Research
Data Science
Research & Academia
$149k - $243k/yr
Hybrid
Master's degree
10,000+

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See All 167+ Artificial Intelligence Scientist Jobs in California

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

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Artificial Intelligence Scientist Jobs by City in California

Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.

Mountain View
22 jobs
Sunnyvale
10 jobs
Los Angeles
8 jobs
Menlo Park
7 jobs
Cupertino
5 jobs
Palo Alto
5 jobs

Artificial Intelligence Scientist Job Market in California

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

Who's Hiring

  • Intuit
    Intuit16
  • ByteDance
    ByteDance13
  • Google
    Google12
  • TikTok
    TikTok10
  • Genentech
    Genentech7

Top Industries Hiring

  • Technology & Software31
  • Science & Research7
  • Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals5
  • Manufacturing4
  • Artificial Intelligence3

What California Employers Look For

The qualifications that appear most often in artificial intelligence scientist jobs across California.

  • PhD or master's degree in computer science, machine learning, or a related field
  • Deep expertise in machine learning frameworks such as PyTorch or TensorFlow
  • Demonstrated research experience with peer-reviewed publications or applied patents
  • Proficiency in Python and experience with large-scale distributed training systems
  • Ability to design, run, and interpret experiments on real-world datasets at scale
  • Strong cross-functional collaboration skills for working with product and engineering teams

Artificial Intelligence Scientist Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions

How do you become an artificial intelligence scientist in California?

There is no state-issued license required to work as an artificial intelligence scientist in California. The standard path is a graduate degree in computer science, statistics, or a closely related field, with a PhD preferred for research-track roles. California employers consistently prioritize a portfolio of published work, open-source contributions, or deployed model experience. Strong candidates from master's programs often enter through applied science roles at California technology companies before moving into scientist-level positions.

How much do artificial intelligence scientists make in California?

Artificial intelligence scientists in California earn a median of about $159,100 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $88,920 for the lowest 10% to over $275,320 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.

Which companies hire artificial intelligence scientists in California?

Employers hiring artificial intelligence scientists in California right now include Intuit, ByteDance, and Google, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. California's concentration of AI-focused technology companies, defense contractors, and health technology firms means the hiring base is unusually broad compared with most other states.

Which California cities have the most artificial intelligence scientist jobs?

San Jose, San Francisco, and Mountain View lead California for artificial intelligence scientist openings. The Bay Area concentration reflects the headquarters density of major AI-native technology companies, while Los Angeles hiring is driven by entertainment technology, autonomous systems, and a growing cluster of AI startups, and San Diego openings are anchored by defense technology and biotech firms with applied AI research divisions.

Are there remote artificial intelligence scientist jobs in California?

Yes, and more than most fields. About 37% of artificial intelligence scientist openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, reflecting how much of the work involves model development, experimentation, and analysis that can be done independently. The parts of the role most likely to remain fully on-site are those requiring access to specialized compute clusters or close collaboration with hardware teams.

How can I get hired as an artificial intelligence scientist in California with little or no experience?

The most realistic entry path is a research internship or PhD residency program, which California technology companies including Google, Meta, and Apple run specifically for doctoral students and recent graduates. Candidates without a PhD can target associate or junior machine learning engineer roles at mid-size California AI companies as a lateral entry point. Building a public portfolio of model experiments on open datasets, contributing to open-source frameworks, and presenting at academic venues recognizable to California hiring teams all strengthen a candidacy without requiring prior industry experience.

Where can I find and apply to artificial intelligence scientist jobs in California?

You can find and apply to artificial intelligence scientist jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings across industries and experience levels. Find roles that fit your background and apply directly from the listing.

See All 167+ Artificial Intelligence Scientist Jobs in California

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

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