Automation Engineer Jobs in California
Automation Engineer jobs in California are among the most active in the country, concentrated in semiconductor fabrication, defense manufacturing, food and beverage processing, and life sciences, with openings at every level from entry-level controls technician to senior systems architect. The heaviest hiring happens in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, and San Diego, where companies like Northrop Grumman, Applied Materials, and Abbott Laboratories maintain large engineering operations. The most in-demand specialties are PLC programming, robotics integration, and industrial controls for cleanroom and regulated manufacturing environments. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
Find Automation Engineer JobsOverview
Showing 3 of 343+ Automation Engineer jobs
Minimum qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience.
- 8 years of experience in leading cross-functional teams, and robotics product development.
- Experience in robotic control, planning, kinematics, and mechatronic systems.
- Experience in shipping full-stack robotics systems.
- Experience in robotics industry, robotics applications development and turning research and development (R&D) into deployed, real world systems.
Preferred qualifications:
- Experience implementing foundational vision-language-action (VLA) models, imitation learning, and reinforcement learning (RL) pipelines to teach robots dynamic object manipulation.
- Experience with embedded systems (e.g., RTOS, microcontrollers, FPGA), sensor fusion, and actuator control.
- Experience accelerating robot learning with world models and simulation.
- Understanding of recent advancements in the robotics field, specifically the application of general-purpose bipedal/wheeled humanoid platforms for flexible, human-centric data center tasks.
- Understanding of low-latency tele-operation infrastructure, haptic feedback integration, and human-in-the-loop systems for remote hardware interventions and data collection.
- Familiarity with motion control systems and robotics programming languages (e.g., Robot Operating System) or similar frameworks.
About the job
Our Physical Infrastructure Robotics team is dedicated to implementing robotics technologies and solutions to transform operations inside our data centers.
In this role, you will lead the development, integration, and scaling of autonomous physical systems across our global hyperscale data center footprint. You will lead across multiple robotics engineering disciplines to develop innovative and industry-leading solutions to enable next generation data center operations. You will collaborate closely with hardware, software, and system engineers to ensure seamless product integration, and integration of the solutions into our infrastructure operations. You will maximize physical hardware operational uptime, accelerate time-to-market, and reduce safety risks within ultra-high-density compute environments.
The AI and Infrastructure team is redefining what’s possible. We empower Google customers with breakthrough capabilities and insights by delivering AI and Infrastructure at unparalleled scale, efficiency, reliability and velocity. Our customers include Googlers, Google Cloud customers, and billions of Google users worldwide.
We're the driving force behind Google's groundbreaking innovations, empowering the development of our cutting-edge AI models, delivering unparalleled computing power to global services, and providing the essential platforms that enable developers to build the future. From software to hardware our teams are shaping the future of world-leading hyperscale computing, with key teams working on the development of our TPUs, Vertex AI for Google Cloud, Google Global Networking, Data Center operations, systems research, and much more.
Individual pay is determined by factors including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.US: $236000 - $329000 (USD) + 25% bonus target + equity + benefits
Learn more about benefits at Google.
Responsibilities
- Collaborate with executive leadership to align on Robotics initiatives and roadmap, engineering execution with business goals.
- Identify, evaluate, and leverage off the shelf products, solutions, and parts to the maximum extent possible to simplify scaling, support, and certification of the robot fleet.
- Provide management support and guidance to internal teams and external partners, including solution vendors and contract manufacturers, throughout the development lifecycle, addressing inquiries and resolving issues as they arise.
- Deliver the multi-year robotics and hardware automation strategy tailored for compute, storage, and specialized liquid-cooled AI hardware infrastructure.
- Oversee the end-to-end deployment of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), automated guided vehicles (AGVs), and multi-axis robotic arms for managing delicate data center hardware.
Minimum qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience.
- 8 years of experience in leading cross-functional teams, and robotics product development.
- Experience in robotic control, planning, kinematics, and mechatronic systems.
- Experience in shipping full-stack robotics systems.
- Experience in robotics industry, robotics applications development and turning research and development (R&D) into deployed, real world systems.
Preferred qualifications:
- Experience implementing foundational vision-language-action (VLA) models, imitation learning, and reinforcement learning (RL) pipelines to teach robots dynamic object manipulation.
- Experience with embedded systems (e.g., RTOS, microcontrollers, FPGA), sensor fusion, and actuator control.
- Experience accelerating robot learning with world models and simulation.
- Understanding of recent advancements in the robotics field, specifically the application of general-purpose bipedal/wheeled humanoid platforms for flexible, human-centric data center tasks.
- Understanding of low-latency tele-operation infrastructure, haptic feedback integration, and human-in-the-loop systems for remote hardware interventions and data collection.
- Familiarity with motion control systems and robotics programming languages (e.g., Robot Operating System) or similar frameworks.
About the job
Our Physical Infrastructure Robotics team is dedicated to implementing robotics technologies and solutions to transform operations inside our data centers.
In this role, you will lead the development, integration, and scaling of autonomous physical systems across our global hyperscale data center footprint. You will lead across multiple robotics engineering disciplines to develop innovative and industry-leading solutions to enable next generation data center operations. You will collaborate closely with hardware, software, and system engineers to ensure seamless product integration, and integration of the solutions into our infrastructure operations. You will maximize physical hardware operational uptime, accelerate time-to-market, and reduce safety risks within ultra-high-density compute environments.
The AI and Infrastructure team is redefining what’s possible. We empower Google customers with breakthrough capabilities and insights by delivering AI and Infrastructure at unparalleled scale, efficiency, reliability and velocity. Our customers include Googlers, Google Cloud customers, and billions of Google users worldwide.
We're the driving force behind Google's groundbreaking innovations, empowering the development of our cutting-edge AI models, delivering unparalleled computing power to global services, and providing the essential platforms that enable developers to build the future. From software to hardware our teams are shaping the future of world-leading hyperscale computing, with key teams working on the development of our TPUs, Vertex AI for Google Cloud, Google Global Networking, Data Center operations, systems research, and much more.
Individual pay is determined by factors including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.US: $236000 - $329000 (USD) + 25% bonus target + equity + benefits
Learn more about benefits at Google.
Responsibilities
- Collaborate with executive leadership to align on Robotics initiatives and roadmap, engineering execution with business goals.
- Identify, evaluate, and leverage off the shelf products, solutions, and parts to the maximum extent possible to simplify scaling, support, and certification of the robot fleet.
- Provide management support and guidance to internal teams and external partners, including solution vendors and contract manufacturers, throughout the development lifecycle, addressing inquiries and resolving issues as they arise.
- Deliver the multi-year robotics and hardware automation strategy tailored for compute, storage, and specialized liquid-cooled AI hardware infrastructure.
- Oversee the end-to-end deployment of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), automated guided vehicles (AGVs), and multi-axis robotic arms for managing delicate data center hardware.
See All 343+ Automation Engineer Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Automation Engineer JobsAutomation Engineer Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Automation Engineer Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- Apple33
- Tesla9
- SpaceX9
- Amazon9
- Northrop Grumman8
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software37
- Electronics & Hardware30
- Consulting & Professional Services13
- Manufacturing7
- Construction & Real Estate7
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in automation engineer jobs across California.
- Bachelor's degree in electrical, mechanical, or mechatronics engineering or a closely related field
- Hands-on experience programming PLCs using platforms such as Allen-Bradley or Siemens
- Proficiency with robotics integration and automated assembly systems in a manufacturing environment
- Familiarity with FDA or aerospace quality standards such as GMP, AS9100, or ISO 9001
- Experience with SCADA systems, HMI configuration, and industrial network protocols like EtherNet/IP
- Strong troubleshooting skills for electromechanical systems and motion control equipment
Automation Engineer Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a automation engineer in California?
Most automation engineer roles in California require a bachelor's degree in electrical, mechanical, or mechatronics engineering from an accredited program. California does not require a state-issued license specifically for automation engineers, though a Professional Engineer license issued through the California Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists strengthens candidacy for senior or project-lead roles. Certifications from organizations like PMMI or vendor-specific PLC credentials from Rockwell or Siemens are common additional qualifications employers look for.
How much do automation engineers make in California?
Automation engineers in California earn a median of about $130,850 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $74,950 for the lowest 10% to over $212,130 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire automation engineers in California?
Employers hiring automation engineers in California right now include Apple, Tesla, and SpaceX, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. California's concentration of semiconductor, aerospace, and life sciences manufacturers means demand is especially consistent at large facilities with ongoing capital equipment and production line projects.
Which California cities have the most automation engineer jobs?
San Francisco, Cupertino, and San Diego have the most automation engineer openings in California. The Bay Area dominates because of its density of semiconductor fabs and advanced manufacturing campuses, while Los Angeles draws heavily from aerospace and defense contractors, and San Diego's life sciences and defense presence anchors demand in the south.
Are there remote automation engineer jobs in California?
Yes, but they're rare. Automation engineering is fundamentally hands-on work tied to physical equipment, so most roles require on-site presence. About 29% of automation engineer openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, and those openings tend to be in controls software design, simulation, or project management rather than direct equipment commissioning or maintenance.
How can I get hired as a automation engineer in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is applying to associate or junior controls engineer roles at large California manufacturers that run structured new-graduate programs, including companies in the Bay Area semiconductor sector and Southern California aerospace industry. Internships through California State University or UC system engineering programs placed at these facilities are a common bridge. Building a portfolio around PLC ladder logic projects or completing a Rockwell Automation certification gives candidates a measurable edge over applicants with no hands-on credentials.
Where can I find and apply to automation engineer jobs in California?
You can find and apply to automation engineer jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings. Search the available roles, find the ones that fit your experience and location, and apply directly.
See All 343+ Automation Engineer Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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