Data Platform Engineer Jobs in California
Data Platform Engineer jobs in California are among the most active in the country, concentrated in technology, cloud infrastructure, financial services, and entertainment, with demand at every level from junior data engineers through principal and staff engineers. The largest hiring metros are San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Jose, where companies like Google, Salesforce, and Netflix maintain substantial engineering organizations with ongoing data platform needs. The most in-demand specialties include cloud-native pipeline development, distributed systems architecture, and real-time data streaming. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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It all started when engineer Fred Luddy wrote code that automated a tedious task for his coworker, Phyllis. She cried tears of joy. That moment inspired Fred to build a company that could do that for everyone—freeing people from busywork so they could focus on meaningful work. Today, ServiceNow is the AI control tower for business reinvention. Our ServiceNow AI platform brings together any AI, any data, and any workflow— helping 85% of the Fortune 500® work smarter, faster, and better. We're building an AI-native culture where technology and talent are unstoppable together. And we're just getting started.
Join us to put AI to work for people.
Job Description
Position Location
This is a Flexible (Hybrid) position. Flexible positions require 2 days per week in a ServiceNow office location. We have offices in several locations, including San Francisco, CA; Pleasanton, CA; Santa Clara, CA; San Diego, CA; and Kirkland, WA
Please Note
This position will include supporting our US Regulated Markets.
“This position requires passing a ServiceNow background screening, USFedPASS (US Federal Personnel Authorization Screening Standards). This includes a credit check, criminal/misdemeanor check and taking a drug test. Any employment is contingent upon passing the screening. Due to Federal requirements, only US citizens, US naturalized citizens or US Permanent Residents, holding a green card, will be considered.
About the team
As a Senior Staff Software Engineer with the Data Platform organization, you will be responsible for designing and implementing features and services within our cloud-native platform.
What you get to do in this role
- You will design, build, and operate components and services within the cloud-native platform, taking features from design through to production.
- You will lead well-scoped projects within your team, turning requirements and rough ideas into solid technical designs and delivering them.
- You will collaborate with senior, staff, and principal engineers to align your work with the platform’s architecture and standards.
- You will contribute to the reliability, scalability, and operability of what you build — writing tests and instrumentation, improving runbooks, and participating in on-call.
- You will spend most of your time hands-on building — operators, controllers, automation, and platform services that other teams depend on.
- You will help onboard and mentor junior engineers through code review, design feedback, and pairing.
Qualifications
To be successful in this role you have
- Experience leveraging or critically thinking about how to integrate AI into engineering work — whether using AI-powered coding and operational tooling, automating workflows, or reasoning about how AI changes the way software and infrastructure are built.
- 12+ years of software development experience with a Bachelor's degree; OR 8+ years with a Master's degree; OR 5+ years with a PhD; OR equivalent work experience.
- 5+ years of hands-on experience building, deploying and operating workloads on Kubernetes.
- Working experience with at least one major hyperscaler (AWS, Azure, GCP), including its core compute, networking, and IAM primitives.
- A track record of delivering complex features or services as a key contributor.
- Solid working knowledge of containers, CI/CD and GitOps-based delivery, and infrastructure-as-code.
- Strong programming skills in Go (or another systems language with a willingness to work primarily in Go).
It also helps if you have:
- Experience building Kubernetes controllers or working with the operator pattern.
- Familiarity with container networking (CNI) or service mesh.
- Experience with workload identity, mTLS, or secrets management.
- Experience with observability — metrics, tracing, and dashboards.
For positions in this location, we offer a base pay from $181,200 , plus equity (when applicable), variable/incentive compensation and benefits. Sales positions generally offer a competitive On Target Earnings (OTE) incentive compensation structure. Please note that the base pay shown is a guideline, and individual total compensation will vary based on factors such as qualifications, skill level, competencies, and work location. We also offer health plans, including flexible spending accounts, a 401(k) Plan with company match, ESPP, matching donations, a flexible time away plan and family leave programs. Compensation is based on the geographic location in which the role is located and is subject to change based on work location.
Additional Information
Work Personas
We approach our distributed world of work with flexibility and trust. Work personas (flexible, remote, or required in office) are categories that are assigned to ServiceNow employees depending on the nature of their work and their assigned work location. Learn more here. To determine eligibility for a work persona, ServiceNow may confirm the distance between your primary residence and the closest ServiceNow office using a third-party service.
Equal Opportunity Employer
ServiceNow is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, gender identity, veteran status, or any other category protected by law. In addition, all qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with legal requirements.
Accommodations
We strive to create an accessible and inclusive experience for all candidates. If you require a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application process, or are unable to use this online application and need an alternative method to apply, please contact globaltalentss@servicenow.com for assistance.
Export Control Regulations
For positions requiring access to controlled technology subject to export control regulations, including the U.S. Export Administration Regulations (EAR), ServiceNow may be required to obtain export control approval from government authorities for certain individuals. All employment is contingent upon ServiceNow obtaining any export license or other approval that may be required by relevant export control authorities.
From Fortune. ©2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All rights reserved. Used under license.
See All 120+ Data Platform Engineer Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Data Platform Engineer JobsData Platform Engineer Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Data Platform Engineer Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- ServiceNow10

- TikTok8

- TikTok USDS Joint Venture4

- Verkada3

- Airwallex3

Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software16
- Banking & Financial Services3
- Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals2
- Electronics & Hardware1
- Healthcare & Medical Services1
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in data platform engineer jobs across California.
- Bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, data engineering, or a related technical field
- Hands-on experience with distributed data frameworks such as Apache Spark, Flink, or Kafka
- Proficiency with cloud platforms including Google Cloud, AWS, or Azure and their managed data services
- Experience designing and maintaining scalable data pipelines using tools like dbt, Airflow, or Databricks
- Strong SQL skills combined with at least one programming language such as Python, Scala, or Java
- Familiarity with data governance, data quality frameworks, and metadata management practices
Data Platform Engineer Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a data platform engineer in California?
Data platform engineering has no state-issued license or California-specific credential, so the path runs through education and demonstrated technical skills. Most California employers look for a bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related field, though a strong portfolio of pipeline and infrastructure projects can substitute at some companies. Building experience with cloud platforms dominant in California's tech industry, particularly Google Cloud and AWS, and contributing to open-source data projects strengthens a candidacy considerably.
How much do data platform engineers make in California?
Data platform engineers in California earn a median of about $170,160 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $101,200 for the lowest 10% to over $227,900 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire data platform engineers in California?
Employers hiring data platform engineers in California right now include ServiceNow, TikTok, and TikTok USDS Joint Venture, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. California's concentration of technology headquarters, streaming media companies, and fintech firms means demand stays consistent across both large enterprise organizations and well-funded mid-stage companies in the Bay Area and Los Angeles.
Which California cities have the most data platform engineer jobs?
San Francisco, San Jose, and Santa Clara account for the most data platform engineer openings in California. San Francisco and San Jose lead because of the Bay Area's density of technology headquarters and cloud infrastructure companies, while Los Angeles reflects growing demand from entertainment tech, adtech, and a rapidly expanding startup ecosystem that increasingly relies on sophisticated data platforms.
Are there remote data platform engineer jobs in California?
Yes, and more than most fields. About 61% of data platform engineer openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting the fundamentally desk-based and collaborative-tooling nature of the work. Pipeline development, data modeling, and infrastructure-as-code tasks are particularly well suited to remote arrangements, though roles involving close cross-functional collaboration with on-site analytics or product teams more often carry a hybrid expectation.
How can I get hired as a data platform engineer in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is through an adjacent technical role such as data analyst, analytics engineer, or software engineer, then moving into platform work as you build pipeline and infrastructure skills. Large California technology employers like Google, Apple, and Salesforce run university hiring programs and associate software engineer tracks that accept candidates without prior industry experience. Building a public portfolio on GitHub that demonstrates Airflow DAGs, dbt models, or a cloud pipeline project gives hiring managers concrete evidence of ability and meaningfully separates entry-level candidates.
Where can I find and apply to data platform engineer jobs in California?
You can find and apply to data platform engineer jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings updated regularly. Find the roles that fit your experience and target location, then apply directly to the employers posting them.
See All 120+ Data Platform Engineer Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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