Design Engineer Jobs in San Diego, CA

Design engineer jobs in San Diego are concentrated in the defense, aerospace, and medtech sectors, with strong demand across Kearny Mesa, Sorrento Valley, and the Torrey Pines corridor. Employers actively hiring include Apple, Qualcomm, and Blue Origin. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.

Find Design Engineer Jobs

Overview

Open roles959+
Top employerApple
Work type67% On-site
Top credentialBachelor's degree in electrical engineering
Companies hiring31

Showing 4 of 959+ Design Engineer jobs

RF Design Engineer – Next-Gen Wireless
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Added 2d ago
RF Design Engineer – Next-Gen Wireless
Apple
San Diego, California
Electrical Engineering
Engineering (Non-Software)
$175k - $309k/yr
Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering
10,000+

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GPU RTL Design Engineer
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Added 3d ago
GPU RTL Design Engineer
Apple
San Diego, California
Specialized Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Engineering (Non-Software)
$175k - $309k/yr
On-Site
Bachelor's
10,000+

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Design Verification Engineer
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Added 3d ago
Design Verification Engineer
Apple
San Diego, California
Specialized Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Quality Assurance & Testing (QA Testing)
Engineering (Non-Software)
$123k - $185k/yr
On-Site
Bachelor's
10,000+

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PLL Design Engineer
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Added 4d ago
PLL Design Engineer
AMD
San Diego, California
Electrical Engineering
Engineering (Non-Software)
Manufacturing Engineering
Master's degree in electrical engineering
5,001-10,000

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See All 959+ Design Engineer Jobs in San Diego

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

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Design Engineer Job Market in San Diego

Who's Hiring

  • Apple412
  • Qualcomm126
  • Blue Origin50
  • Northrop Grumman34
  • AMD25

Top Industries Hiring

  • Electronics & Hardware67
  • Consulting & Professional Services17
  • Construction & Real Estate8

Design Engineer Jobs in San Diego: Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get a design engineer job in San Diego?

Target the defense contractors, aerospace firms, and medical device companies that anchor San Diego's engineering economy, particularly those clustered in Kearny Mesa, Sorrento Valley, and the Miramar corridor. Candidates with CAD proficiency, systems design experience, or a background in electromechanical or biomedical products stand out locally. Networking through San Diego's engineering and defense industry events also opens doors that online applications alone do not.

Which companies hire design engineers in San Diego?

San Diego design engineer roles are posted by Apple, Qualcomm, and Blue Origin and others right now, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. San Diego's hiring base leans heavily toward defense primes, medical device manufacturers, and aerospace suppliers, with a growing presence from clean energy and autonomous systems startups.

Are there remote design engineer jobs in San Diego?

Yes, though with limits, since most design engineer roles involve hands-on prototyping, lab access, or hardware collaboration that requires on-site presence. About 33% of design engineer openings tied to San Diego are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, and those arrangements tend to apply to documentation-heavy, systems integration, or software-adjacent design roles rather than product development positions.

How can I get a design engineer job in San Diego with little or no experience?

The most realistic entry path in San Diego is targeting contract or junior design roles at medical device companies and defense subcontractors, which regularly bring on early-career engineers for CAD drafting, component testing, and design documentation. UC San Diego and SDSU co-op programs place students directly with local employers. Building a portfolio of SolidWorks or AutoCAD projects and pursuing a CSWA certification strengthens applications for these entry-level openings.

Which industries hire the most design engineers in San Diego?

Most design engineer openings in San Diego sit in Electronics & Hardware, Consulting & Professional Services, and Construction & Real Estate, per current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. San Diego's concentration of defense contracts, FDA-regulated medtech firms, and aerospace suppliers creates sustained demand for design engineers across all experience levels.

See All 959+ Design Engineer Jobs in San Diego

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

Find Design Engineer Jobs