Automation Engineer Jobs in San Diego, CA
Automation Engineer jobs in San Diego are in strong demand, concentrated in Sorrento Valley, Kearny Mesa, and the Torrey Pines corridor across defense, biotech, semiconductor, and advanced manufacturing. Employers hiring right now include Apple, ASML, and Eli Lilly. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
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Our success comes from a specific focus in these rapidly evolving diagnostic areas, our commitment to customers, and our dedication to innovation and quality. We’re passionate about providing healthcare professionals the most valuable and complete solutions to improve hospital efficiency and enhance patient care.
Position Summary:
The annual base salary range for this role is currently $150,000 to $185,000. This is a bonus-eligible position. Individual employee compensation will ultimately depend on factors including education, relevant experience, skillset, knowledge, and particular business needs.
This role is eligible for medical, dental, and vision insurance, 401k plan retirement benefits with an employer match, as well as paid vacation and sick leave.
- Drives the architectural design, development, and practical use of robust test automation systems for functional and reliability testing of medical devices.
- Leverages modern AI-driven tools to accelerate and optimize the development of manual and automated verification test cases, protocols, and required engineering artifacts.
- Maintains and versions all automation framework code and scripts utilizing industry-standard version control systems, specifically Git and Bitbucket.
- Utilizes Jama Connect for comprehensive requirement management, test case development, and rigorous tracing of design inputs to design outputs.
- Analyzes requirements and design specifications from a systems perspective, demonstrating a mastery of product use to provide technical leadership in their application.
- Authors and executes key compliance deliverables, including Verification Test Plans, Protocols, and Reports, ensuring strict adherence to medical device quality standards.
- Provides technical leadership and mentorship to project teams and system verification engineers, while driving verification strategies across software, electrical, mechanical, and analytical disciplines.
- Proactively creates work breakdown structures, resource estimates, and progress tracking strategies to ensure project milestones are met on schedule.
- Collaborates cross-functionally with systems, product management, and development teams to drive root-cause analysis, hazard and risk analysis, and comprehensive design reviews.
- Contributes to departmental growth and evolution by participating in candidate interviews for new personnel and actively driving continuous process improvement activities.
- Strong communication and presentation skills required.
- Strong planning and organizational skills required.
- Experience leading system verification activities.
- Test automation experience required.
- Testing experience in medical device development or other Regulated industry is required.
- Experience in elicitation, writing and traceability of system/subsystem requirements for product development is required.
- Broad technical understanding of multiple disciplines from electrical, mechanical, software is desired.
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Familiarity with reliability testing is desired.
- BS/BA degree in EE, ME, or related Engineering discipline required.
- 10+ years development and/or testing experience in industry.
- 5+ years testing experience in Medical device development or other Regulated industry required.
- Experience leading testing activities.
- Experience testing analog and digital/real-time embedded devices desired.
- Good communication and presentation skills.
- Good team player and leader.
Werfen is an Equal Opportunity employer and is committed to a diverse workplace. Werfen strictly prohibits unlawful discrimination, harassment or retaliation based upon an individual’s race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin/ancestry, age, mental/physical disability, medical condition, marital status, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic as defined by applicable state or federal law. If you have a disability and need an accommodation in relation to the online application process, please contact NAtalentacquisition@werfen.com for assistance.
We operate directly in over 30 countries, and in more than 100 territories through distributors. Annual revenue is approximately $2 billion and more than 7,000 employees around the world comprise our Werfen team.
www.werfen.com
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Find Automation Engineer JobsAutomation Engineer Job Market in San Diego
Who's Hiring
- Apple49

- ASML24

- Eli Lilly24

- Abbott12

- Werfen12

Top Industries Hiring
- Electronics & Hardware37
- Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals24
- Aerospace & Defense12
- Technology & Software12
Automation Engineer Jobs in San Diego: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get an automation engineer job in San Diego?
Focus your search on San Diego's defense contractors, biotech firms, and semiconductor manufacturers, which are the most active local hirers. Roles concentrate in Sorrento Valley, Kearny Mesa, and the Miramar corridor. Candidates who combine PLC programming or robotics experience with knowledge of regulated-industry validation requirements stand out, since both defense and life sciences employers place a premium on those skills.
Which companies hire automation engineers in San Diego?
San Diego automation engineer roles are posted by Apple, ASML, and Eli Lilly and others right now, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. The local market includes a mix of large defense primes, publicly traded biotech companies, and precision manufacturing suppliers that each maintain dedicated automation teams.
Are there remote automation engineer jobs in San Diego?
Yes, though opportunities vary: hands-on roles involving equipment programming, lab automation, or production floor work are almost always on-site, while controls design, system architecture, and validation documentation work can often be done remotely. About 56% of automation engineer openings tied to San Diego are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, with the flexible arrangements more common at software-driven automation and medical device firms than at defense or semiconductor sites.
How can I get an automation engineer job in San Diego with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path in San Diego is targeting junior controls or test engineer roles at mid-size biotech and contract electronics manufacturers, which hire more entry-level candidates than large defense primes. Internships at UC San Diego-affiliated research labs or local MedTech startups in the Torrey Pines area can also open the door. Familiarity with LabVIEW, Python scripting, or FDA validation protocols gives entry-level candidates a measurable edge with San Diego employers.
Which industries hire the most automation engineers in San Diego?
Most automation engineer openings in San Diego sit in Electronics & Hardware, Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals, and Aerospace & Defense, per current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. San Diego's concentration of defense contractors, genomics and biopharmaceutical companies, and semiconductor design firms creates consistent demand for engineers who can build and maintain automated testing, manufacturing, and laboratory systems.
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