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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Company Overview
KLA is a global leader in diversified electronics for the semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem. Virtually every electronic device in the world is produced using our technologies. No laptop, smartphone, wearable device, voice-controlled gadget, flexible screen, VR device or smart car would have made it into your hands without us. KLA invents systems and solutions for the manufacturing of wafers and reticles, integrated circuits, packaging, printed circuit boards and flat panel displays. The innovative ideas and devices that are advancing humanity all begin with inspiration, research and development. KLA focuses more than average on innovation and we invest 15% of sales back into R&D. Our expert teams of physicists, engineers, data scientists and problem-solvers work together with the world’s leading technology providers to accelerate the delivery of tomorrow’s electronic devices. Life here is exciting and our teams thrive on tackling really hard problems. There is never a dull moment with us.
Group/Division
With over 40 years of semiconductor process control experience, chipmakers around the globe rely on KLA to ensure that their fabs ramp next-generation devices to volume production quickly and cost-effectively. Enabling the movement towards advanced chip design, KLA's Global Products Group (GPG), which is responsible for creating all of KLA’s metrology and inspection products, is looking for the best and the brightest research scientist, software engineers, application development engineers, and senior product technology process engineers. The Broadband Plasma Division (BBP) provides market-leading patterned wafer optical inspection systems for leading-edge IC manufacturing. Logic, foundry, and memory customers depend on BBP products to detect yield-critical defects for process debug and excursion monitoring at advanced process nodes. BBP flagship products include the 29xx and 39xx series which leverage Broadband Plasma technology to capture a wide range of defects with ultimate sensitivity at the optical inspection speeds needed for inline defect monitoring.
Job Description/Preferred Qualifications
- Customer support: Product value demonstration during beta testing, Head-to-Heads (H2H) and tools in the ramp phase, thereby enabling product penetration/adoption at world-wide customers. This includes investigating semiconductor manufacturing yield issues and providing inspection solutions; creating & sharing product value statements and use-cases with engineering, marketing and sales groups; training customers and other applications engineers.
- Product Demonstration: Provide specific product demonstrations on all aspects of highly complex products to customers and assess potential applications to meet customer needs.
- Product Characterization: Work on test plan development and execute detailed characterization of the tool/algorithm performance and provides clear feedback to the Engineering teams for product improvement, especially during Alpha/Beta tests.
- Problem Diagnosis/Troubleshooting: Respond to customer requests and perform routine to moderately complex problem diagnosis and problem resolution.
- Customer Relationship: Interacts with customers to educate and coordinate activities. Good working knowledge of customer use case and is expected to understand customer needs and improve customer relations.
- Training: Conduct customer product demonstrations and technical training including on-site training of Field Applications Engineers and end users.
- Documentation: Document all test results and lessons learned in BKMs (Best Known Methods), training documents, Demo reports, or, Alpha/Beta test reports and transfer product knowledge to Field Applications teams.
- Presentation/Communication Skills: Generate demo and test reports and strong presentation skills for internal and customer review.
Requirements:
We are looking for high energy, self-driven and motivated engineers who are interested in working in High Tech. The semiconductor space is a fast paced, high stress environment that gives applications engineers a lot of autonomy to work and drive projects on their own. Ideal candidates appreciate the opportunity to have high levels of accountability, working well with limited supervision and thrive in a work environment where they can drive projects on their own.
- Candidate must have Master’s or bachelor's degree in Engineering, Physics, Material Science, or related fields.
- Must have excellent oral and written communication, organizational, analytical, and interpersonal skills.
- Candidate must be a strong team player.
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70% travel will be required.
Minimum Qualifications
Master's Level Degree and 0 years related work experience; Bachelor's Level Degree and related work experience of 2 years.
Base Pay Range: $97,800.00 - $166,300.00 Annually
Primary Location: USA-CA-Milpitas-KLA
KLA’s total rewards package for employees may also include participation in performance incentive programs and eligibility for additional benefits including but not limited to: medical, dental, vision, life, and other voluntary benefits, 401(K) including company matching, employee stock purchase program (ESPP), student debt assistance, tuition reimbursement program, development and career growth opportunities and programs, financial planning benefits, wellness benefits including an employee assistance program (EAP), paid time off and paid company holidays, and family care and bonding leave. Interns are eligible for some of the benefits listed. Our pay ranges are determined by role, level, and location. The range displayed reflects the pay for this position in the primary location identified in this posting. Actual pay depends on several factors, including state minimum pay wage rates, location, job-related skills, experience, and relevant education level or training. We are committed to complying with all applicable federal and state minimum wage requirements where applicable. If applicable, your recruiter can share more about the specific pay range for your preferred location during the hiring process.
KLA is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We will ensure that qualified individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us at talent.acquisition@kla.com or at +1-408-352-2808 to request accommodation.
Be aware of potentially fraudulent job postings or suspicious recruiting activity by persons that are currently posing as KLA employees. KLA never asks for any financial compensation to be considered for an interview, to become an employee, or for equipment. Further, KLA does not work with any recruiters or third parties who charge such fees either directly or on behalf of KLA. Please ensure that you have searched KLA’s Careers website for legitimate job postings. KLA follows a recruiting process that involves multiple interviews in person or on video conferencing with our hiring managers. If you are concerned that a communication, an interview, an offer of employment, or that an employee is not legitimate, please send an email to talent.acquisition@kla.com to confirm the person you are communicating with is an employee. We take your privacy very seriously and confidentially handle your information.
See All 1,408+ Development Engineer Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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
- BKF Engineers137

- Amazon122

- Apple59

- Adobe48

- NVIDIA41

Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software521
- Consulting & Professional Services283
- Electronics & Hardware192
- Manufacturing58
- Construction & Real Estate35
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 BKF Engineers, Amazon, and Apple, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of June 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?
San Francisco, San Jose, and Santa Clara 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 23% of development engineer openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of June 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 1,408+ Development Engineer Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Development Engineer Jobs