Design Engineer Jobs in California

Design engineer jobs in California are among the most active in the country, concentrated in aerospace and defense, semiconductor and consumer electronics, medical devices, and automotive systems, with openings at every level from entry-level drafters to principal engineers. The largest hiring metros are the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, and San Diego, where established employers like Lockheed Martin, Apple, and Qualcomm maintain large engineering workforces and hire design engineers across mechanical, electrical, and systems disciplines. California's density of hardware startups and defense contractors keeps demand for CAD proficiency, systems integration, and product development experience consistently high. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.

Find Design Engineer Jobs

Overview

Open roles882+
Top employerApple
Top citySan Jose, CA
Cities hiring102
Work type70% On-site
Top industryElectronics

Showing 5 of 882+ Design Engineer jobs

Consor
Senior Roadway Design Engineer
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Consor
New 23h ago
Senior Roadway Design Engineer
Consor
Rancho Cordova, California
Logistics & Fleet Management
Program Management
Project Management
$90k - $150k/yr
Bachelor of Science
1,001-5,000

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Consor
Senior Roadway Design Engineer
We won't show you this job again
Consor
New 23h ago
Senior Roadway Design Engineer
Consor
Walnut Creek, California
Business Development
Program Management
Project Management
$90k - $150k/yr
Bachelor of Science
1,001-5,000

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R
Senior Electrical Engineer, PCB Design
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R
Added 1d ago
Senior Electrical Engineer, PCB Design
Redwire Defense Tech
San Luis Obispo, California
DevOps
Quality Assurance & Testing (QA Testing)
Software Engineering
$132k - $163k/yr
Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering

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Amazon.com
Structural Design Analysis Engineer, Structural Design Integrity
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Amazon.com
Added 1d ago
Structural Design Analysis Engineer, Structural Design Integrity
Amazon.com
Sunnyvale, California
Engineering (Non-Software)
Product Management
Technical Product & Program Management
$172k - $222k/yr
Master's degree in physics
10,000+

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Qualcomm
Mixed Signal Design Verification Engineer
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Qualcomm
Added 1d ago
Mixed Signal Design Verification Engineer
Qualcomm
San Diego, California
Software Engineering
Solutions Engineering & Architecture
Specialized Engineering
Technical Program Management
$140k - $210k/yr
Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering
10,000+

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See All 882+ Design Engineer Jobs in California

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

Find Design Engineer Jobs

Design Engineer Jobs by City in California

Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.

Design Engineer Job Market in California

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

Who's Hiring

  • Apple
    Apple73
  • Tesla
    Tesla53
  • Google
    Google32
  • NVIDIA
    NVIDIA27
  • AMD
    AMD15

Top Industries Hiring

  • Electronics & Hardware107
  • Technology & Software68
  • Manufacturing30
  • Consulting & Professional Services26
  • Science & Research7

What California Employers Look For

The qualifications that appear most often in design engineer jobs across California.

  • Bachelor's degree in mechanical, electrical, or related engineering discipline required
  • Proficiency in CAD software such as SolidWorks, AutoCAD, or CATIA
  • Experience with GD&T, engineering drawings, and tolerance analysis
  • Familiarity with product lifecycle management and design-for-manufacturing principles
  • Knowledge of industry standards relevant to aerospace, medical devices, or consumer electronics
  • Strong cross-functional collaboration skills with manufacturing, test, and systems teams

Design Engineer Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions

How do you become a design engineer in California?

Most design engineer roles in California require a bachelor's degree in mechanical, electrical, or systems engineering from an ABET-accredited program. While no single state license is required to work as a design engineer, engineers who sign off on public-works or infrastructure documents must hold a Professional Engineer license issued by the California Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists. For product and hardware roles in private industry, employers prioritize CAD skills and relevant internship or co-op experience.

Which companies hire design engineers in California?

Employers hiring design engineers in California right now include Apple, Tesla, and Google, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. California's concentration of aerospace primes, semiconductor firms, and medical device manufacturers means design engineer demand is spread across both large corporations and well-funded hardware startups.

Which California cities have the most design engineer jobs?

The cities with the most design engineer openings in California are San Jose, Sunnyvale, and Santa Clara. The Bay Area leads because of its dense hardware and semiconductor ecosystem anchored by companies like Apple, Intel, and NVIDIA, while Los Angeles and San Diego draw heavily from aerospace and defense contractors such as Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, and Raytheon, which maintain large engineering campuses in both metros.

Are there remote design engineer jobs in California?

Yes, but they're less common than in purely software-focused fields, since design engineering typically involves lab work, prototyping, and hands-on collaboration with manufacturing teams. About 30% of design engineer openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, and these tend to concentrate in systems engineering, CAD review, and documentation roles where physical presence is not required daily.

How can I get hired as a design engineer in California with little or no experience?

The most realistic entry path is applying to new-graduate or associate engineer programs at California's large aerospace and defense employers, including Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, and L3Harris, all of which run structured rotational or early-career programs in Southern California. Entry-level roles with titles like junior mechanical engineer, CAD technician, or product development associate are common stepping stones. A strong portfolio of SolidWorks or CATIA projects from university coursework, an internship with a Bay Area hardware company or San Diego defense contractor, and progress toward an EIT certification through the California Board for Professional Engineers all give candidates a measurable edge.

Where can I find and apply to design engineer jobs in California?

You can find and apply to design engineer jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings from employers hiring now. Find roles that fit your experience and location and apply directly to the ones that match.

See All 882+ Design Engineer Jobs in California

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

Find Design Engineer Jobs