Backend Software Engineer Jobs in California
Backend Software Engineer jobs in California are among the most active in the country, concentrated in technology, fintech, cloud infrastructure, and enterprise software, with openings at every level from entry-level junior engineers through principal and staff engineers. The heaviest hiring is in San Francisco, San Jose, and Los Angeles, where companies like Google, Apple, and Salesforce maintain large engineering organizations. The most in-demand specialties in California include distributed systems, API design, and cloud-native backend development across platforms like AWS and GCP. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
Find JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 247+ Backend Software Engineer jobs
Note: By applying to this position you will have an opportunity to share your preferred working location from the following: New York, NY, USA; Cambridge, MA, USA; Mountain View, CA, USA.
Minimum qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, or equivalent practical experience.
- 8 years of experience in software development.
- 5 years of experience testing and launching software products, and 3 years of experience with software design and architecture.
- 5 years of experience with speech/audio, reinforcement learning, ML infrastructure, or another specialized ML field.
- 5 years of experience leading ML design, optimizing end-to-end ML (deployment, evaluation, tuning), and integrating generative AI tools or Large Language Model (LLM) interfaces.
Preferred qualifications:
- Master’s degree or PhD in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field.
- 8 years of experience with advanced data structures and algorithms.
- 3 years of experience in a technical leadership role leading project teams and setting technical direction.
- 3 years of experience working in a complex, matrixed organization involving cross-functional or cross-business projects.
- Experience building distributed queueing infrastructure or rapidly prototyping cross-stack generative AI applications.
About the job
Google's software engineers develop the next-generation technologies that change how billions of users connect, explore, and interact with information and one another. Our products need to handle information at massive scale, and extend well beyond web search. We're looking for engineers who bring fresh ideas from all areas, including information retrieval, distributed computing, large-scale system design, networking and data storage, security, artificial intelligence, natural language processing, UI design and mobile; the list goes on and is growing every day. As a software engineer, you will work on a specific project critical to Google’s needs with opportunities to switch teams and projects as you and our fast-paced business grow and evolve. We need our engineers to be versatile, display leadership qualities and be enthusiastic to take on new problems across the full-stack as we continue to push technology forward.At Google Labs, we incubate early-stage technologies that define the future of computing and AI. We operate as small, autonomous, product-driven teams that move with startup speed, take bold technical bets, and build breakthrough user experiences. Within Labs, the Language Applications organization builds foundational platforms and consumer products, including NotebookLM, Google AI Studio, and the Gemini API.
Our focus is pushing the frontier of synthetic media—audio, video, dynamic code, and interactive visual artifacts. We build the foundational systems that turn generative models into instant, intuitive, and reliable experiences for millions of creators, researchers, and knowledge workers worldwide.
Labs is a group focused on incubating early-stage efforts in support of Google’s mission to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. Our team exists to help discover and create new ways to advance our core products through exploration and the application of new technologies. We work to build new solutions that have the potential to transform how users interact with Google. Our goal is to drive innovation by developing new Google products and capabilities that deliver significant impact over longer timeframes.Individual pay is determined by factors including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.US: $207000 - $300000 (USD) + 20% bonus target + equity + benefits
Learn more about benefits at Google.
Responsibilities
- Design, develop, test, deploy, maintain, and enhance large-scale software solutions and resilient distributed backend infrastructure.
- Provide technical leadership on generative media projects, managing project priorities, deadlines, and architectural deliverables.
- Facilitate alignment and clarity across teams on goals, outcomes, and timelines, while influencing and coaching a distributed team of engineers.
- Lead the design and implementation of solutions in specialized ML areas, optimize ML infrastructure, and guide model optimization and data processing strategies.
- Prototype innovative cross-stack features and clean APIs that bridge core multimodal generation pipelines with interactive user interfaces.
Note: By applying to this position you will have an opportunity to share your preferred working location from the following: New York, NY, USA; Cambridge, MA, USA; Mountain View, CA, USA.
Minimum qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, or equivalent practical experience.
- 8 years of experience in software development.
- 5 years of experience testing and launching software products, and 3 years of experience with software design and architecture.
- 5 years of experience with speech/audio, reinforcement learning, ML infrastructure, or another specialized ML field.
- 5 years of experience leading ML design, optimizing end-to-end ML (deployment, evaluation, tuning), and integrating generative AI tools or Large Language Model (LLM) interfaces.
Preferred qualifications:
- Master’s degree or PhD in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field.
- 8 years of experience with advanced data structures and algorithms.
- 3 years of experience in a technical leadership role leading project teams and setting technical direction.
- 3 years of experience working in a complex, matrixed organization involving cross-functional or cross-business projects.
- Experience building distributed queueing infrastructure or rapidly prototyping cross-stack generative AI applications.
About the job
Google's software engineers develop the next-generation technologies that change how billions of users connect, explore, and interact with information and one another. Our products need to handle information at massive scale, and extend well beyond web search. We're looking for engineers who bring fresh ideas from all areas, including information retrieval, distributed computing, large-scale system design, networking and data storage, security, artificial intelligence, natural language processing, UI design and mobile; the list goes on and is growing every day. As a software engineer, you will work on a specific project critical to Google’s needs with opportunities to switch teams and projects as you and our fast-paced business grow and evolve. We need our engineers to be versatile, display leadership qualities and be enthusiastic to take on new problems across the full-stack as we continue to push technology forward.At Google Labs, we incubate early-stage technologies that define the future of computing and AI. We operate as small, autonomous, product-driven teams that move with startup speed, take bold technical bets, and build breakthrough user experiences. Within Labs, the Language Applications organization builds foundational platforms and consumer products, including NotebookLM, Google AI Studio, and the Gemini API.
Our focus is pushing the frontier of synthetic media—audio, video, dynamic code, and interactive visual artifacts. We build the foundational systems that turn generative models into instant, intuitive, and reliable experiences for millions of creators, researchers, and knowledge workers worldwide.
Labs is a group focused on incubating early-stage efforts in support of Google’s mission to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. Our team exists to help discover and create new ways to advance our core products through exploration and the application of new technologies. We work to build new solutions that have the potential to transform how users interact with Google. Our goal is to drive innovation by developing new Google products and capabilities that deliver significant impact over longer timeframes.Individual pay is determined by factors including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.US: $207000 - $300000 (USD) + 20% bonus target + equity + benefits
Learn more about benefits at Google.
Responsibilities
- Design, develop, test, deploy, maintain, and enhance large-scale software solutions and resilient distributed backend infrastructure.
- Provide technical leadership on generative media projects, managing project priorities, deadlines, and architectural deliverables.
- Facilitate alignment and clarity across teams on goals, outcomes, and timelines, while influencing and coaching a distributed team of engineers.
- Lead the design and implementation of solutions in specialized ML areas, optimize ML infrastructure, and guide model optimization and data processing strategies.
- Prototype innovative cross-stack features and clean APIs that bridge core multimodal generation pipelines with interactive user interfaces.
See All 247+ Backend Software Engineer Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find JobsBackend Software Engineer Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Backend Software Engineer Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- TikTok25
- Rippling19
- ALTRUIST12
- Affirm7
- Uber6
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software38
- Insurance3
- Banking & Financial Services3
- Investment & Asset Management3
- Science & Research2
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in backend software engineer jobs across California.
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a closely related technical field
- Proficiency in one or more backend languages such as Python, Java, Go, or Node.js
- Experience designing and maintaining REST or GraphQL APIs at production scale
- Familiarity with cloud platforms, particularly AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure
- Experience with relational and NoSQL databases including PostgreSQL, MySQL, or MongoDB
- Ability to collaborate across cross-functional teams including product, DevOps, and frontend engineering
Backend Software Engineer Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a backend software engineer in California?
Backend software engineering has no state-issued license in California, so the path is driven by education and demonstrated skills. Most California employers expect at least a bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related discipline, though graduates of accredited coding bootcamps are increasingly considered for junior roles. Building a portfolio of personal or open-source projects and completing internships at California technology companies strengthens applications considerably at every level.
How much do backend software engineers make in California?
Backend software 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 backend software engineers in California?
Employers hiring backend software engineers in California right now include TikTok, Rippling, and ALTRUIST, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. California's density of technology headquarters, from the Bay Area to greater Los Angeles, means that large platforms, cloud providers, and enterprise software companies consistently post backend engineering roles throughout the year.
Which California cities have the most backend software engineer jobs?
San Francisco, San Jose, and Sunnyvale have the most backend software engineer openings in California. San Francisco and San Jose lead because of the Bay Area's concentration of technology company headquarters and venture-backed startups, while Los Angeles has grown significantly as a hub for entertainment technology, fintech, and e-commerce companies that depend on large-scale backend infrastructure.
Are there remote backend software engineer jobs in California?
Yes, and more than most fields. About 64% of backend software engineer openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting how naturally the work translates to distributed teams. Roles focused on API development, cloud infrastructure, and microservices architecture are the most likely to be fully remote, while positions requiring close collaboration with hardware or on-site platform teams tend to be in-person.
How can I get hired as a backend software engineer in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is an associate or junior engineer role, which large California technology companies like Google, Apple, Meta, and Salesforce fill through structured new-grad hiring programs that open each fall. Candidates without a computer science degree can build credibility through portfolio projects hosted publicly, contributions to open-source repositories, and completion of a recognized bootcamp. Adjacent roles such as QA engineer, DevOps associate, or technical support engineer at a California software company are common lateral moves that lead to backend engineering positions within one to two years.
Where can I find and apply to backend software engineer jobs in California?
You can find and apply to backend software engineer 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 to the ones that match.
See All 247+ Backend Software Engineer Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Jobs