Development Engineer Jobs in California
Development Engineer jobs in California are among the most active in the country, with strong demand in aerospace and defense, semiconductors, clean energy, and enterprise software stretching from entry-level roles through senior principal positions. The largest concentrations of hiring are in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, and San Diego, where established employers like Lockheed Martin, Qualcomm, and Apple maintain significant engineering operations. The most sought-after specializations include product development for mixed-signal hardware, systems integration for defense platforms, and software-defined product development in consumer electronics. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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DESCRIPTION
Amazon OpenSearch Service powers search, log analytics, observability, and vector workloads for tens of thousands of customers. Every one of those customers runs on software that our Data Plane Platform team ships, and keeping it current means updating and managing software updates across millions of instances at scale, safely and continuously. We own the release engine for the managed OpenSearch data plane: the pipelines, the automation, and the self-service release platform that take an upstream open source cut all the way to GA across every supported version and region.
We are looking for a Software Development Engineer to help us turn releasing OpenSearch from a hand-coordinated effort into a fully automated, self-service platform. The team has already sharply reduced release cycle time, increased release throughput, consolidated its pipelines, and driven per-engineer release effort close to zero. You will build pieces of that system: the tooling, orchestration, and AI-assisted automation that let teams release safely with less manual effort.
This is a hands-on builder role at the intersection of distributed systems, CI/CD, and developer experience, with a strong and growing emphasis on AI. You will own well-scoped components end to end, from design through operations, with mentorship from senior engineers on the team, and you will have real opportunity to apply AI and agentic automation to real release problems. The code you ship becomes part of the paved road the OpenSearch organization releases on.
Key job responsibilities
Build and operate the services, pipelines, and automation that update and manage software updates across millions of instances at scale, safely and continuously, across many versions and regions.
Build and extend the self-service release platform so builders across the organization can ship features quickly and reliably.
Improve release safety with staged rollouts, automated validation, rollback, and blast-radius controls so a bad change does not reach customers at scale.
Apply AI and agentic automation to the parts of releasing that still require manual effort today.
Own the operations of what you build: on-call, runbooks, metrics, and reducing operational load over time.
Partner with the engineering teams who build and release on top of your platform.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- 5+ years of non-internship professional software development experience
- 5+ years of programming with at least one software programming language experience
- 5+ years of leading design or architecture (design patterns, reliability and scaling) of new and existing systems experience
- Experience as a mentor, tech lead or leading an engineering team
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- 5+ years of full software development life cycle, including coding standards, code reviews, source control management, build processes, testing, and operations experience
- Bachelor's degree in computer science or equivalent
Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.
Los Angeles County applicants: Job duties for this position include: work safely and cooperatively with other employees, supervisors, and staff; adhere to standards of excellence despite stressful conditions; communicate effectively and respectfully with employees, supervisors, and staff to ensure exceptional customer service; and follow all federal, state, and local laws and Company policies. Criminal history may have a direct, adverse, and negative relationship with some of the material job duties of this position. These include the duties and responsibilities listed above, as well as the abilities to adhere to company policies, exercise sound judgment, effectively manage stress and work safely and respectfully with others, exhibit trustworthiness and professionalism, and safeguard business operations and the Company’s reputation. Pursuant to the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.
The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits.
USA, CA, Santa Clara - 193,300.00 - 261,500.00 USD annually
See All 716+ Development Engineer Jobs in California
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Find Development Engineer JobsDevelopment Engineer Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Development Engineer Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- Amazon91

- Apple50

- Amazon Web Services50

- AMD24

- Tesla21

Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software33
- Electronics & Hardware18
- Distribution & Wholesale9
- Telecommunications7
- Retail6
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in development engineer jobs across California.
- Bachelor's degree in mechanical, electrical, or systems engineering from an accredited institution
- Hands-on experience with CAD tools such as SolidWorks, CATIA, or equivalent design software
- Proven ability to lead or support design verification, testing, and validation cycles
- Familiarity with California-relevant industry standards including MIL-SPEC, IPC, or ITAR compliance
- Experience collaborating cross-functionally with manufacturing, QA, and product management teams
- Strong documentation skills for engineering change orders, test plans, and design review records
Development Engineer Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a development engineer in California?
Most development engineer roles in California require at minimum a bachelor's degree in engineering from an ABET-accredited program. Candidates pursuing roles in civil or structural-adjacent development may benefit from sitting for the Fundamentals of Engineering exam administered through the California Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists. For hardware, semiconductor, or software-focused roles, a strong project portfolio and internship experience with a California-based employer typically matters more than licensure.
Which companies hire development engineers in California?
Employers hiring development engineers in California right now include Amazon, Apple, and Amazon Web Services, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. California's density of aerospace primes, semiconductor fabs, and consumer electronics headquarters means the hiring pipeline for this role is unusually broad and active compared to most states.
Which California cities have the most development engineer jobs?
Santa Clara, San Jose, and Cupertino account for the largest share of development engineer openings in California. The Bay Area's concentration of semiconductor and software-hardware companies drives volume in that corridor, while Los Angeles and San Diego reflect the strength of aerospace, defense, and biomedical device employers that have long operated major engineering campuses in Southern California.
Are there remote development engineer jobs in California?
Yes, but they're less common than in purely software roles because development engineering frequently involves lab work, prototyping, and hardware testing that require physical presence. About 56% of development engineer openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, skewing toward systems-level or software-defined development work. Roles centered on firmware, embedded software, or technical program management tend to carry the most scheduling flexibility.
How can I get hired as a development engineer in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is securing a rotational new-grad engineering program or co-op with a large California employer. Companies like Northrop Grumman, Apple, and Qualcomm run structured new-graduate programs that place candidates directly into development teams. Adjacent roles such as test engineer, manufacturing engineer, or product validation technician are common lateral entry points. Building a portfolio around a senior capstone project or personal hardware build, and earning the Fundamentals of Engineering credential from the California Board for Professional Engineers, strengthens any entry-level application.
Where can I find and apply to development engineer jobs in California?
You can find and apply to development engineer jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings. Search the available roles, find the ones that fit your background and target location, and apply directly from the listing.
See All 716+ Development Engineer Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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