Development Engineer Jobs in San Diego, CA

Development Engineer jobs in San Diego are concentrated in defense and aerospace, biotech, semiconductor, and telecom sectors, with hiring centered in Sorrento Valley, Mira Mesa, and Kearny Mesa. Employers actively hiring include Illumina, Qualcomm, and Amazon. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.

Find Development Engineer Jobs

Overview

Open roles658+
Top employerIllumina
Work type37% On-site
Top credentialMaster's degree
Companies hiring15

Showing 5 of 658+ Development Engineer jobs

Dexcom
Staff Medical Device Engineer - R&D Process Development
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Dexcom
Added 2d ago
Staff Medical Device Engineer - R&D Process Development
Dexcom
San Diego, California
Business Operations
Compliance & Risk
Project Management
$129k - $214k/yr
Master's degree
5,001-10,000

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Philips
Research & Development Engineer
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Philips
Added 6d ago
Research & Development Engineer
Philips
San Diego, California
Engineering (Non-Software)
Maintenance & Repair
Specialized Engineering
$83k - $131k/yr
Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering
5,001-10,000

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Illumina
Engineer 2 - Process Development
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Illumina
Added 1w ago
Engineer 2 - Process Development
Illumina
San Diego, California
Engineering (Non-Software)
Manufacturing Engineering
Specialized Engineering
$83k - $124k/yr
Bachelor of Science
5,001-10,000

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QuidelOrtho Corporation
Senior Product Development Engineer
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QuidelOrtho Corporation
Added 1w ago
Senior Product Development Engineer
QuidelOrtho Corporation
San Diego, California
Corporate Training
Educational Administration
Learning & Development
$130k - $145k/yr
On-Site
Master's degree
5,001-10,000

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Amazon.com
Senior HW Dev Engineer - Antenna Systems, Leo Hardware Development
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Amazon.com
Added 1w ago
Senior HW Dev Engineer - Antenna Systems, Leo Hardware Development
Amazon.com
San Diego, California
Factory & Production Work
Manufacturing Operations
Quality Control
$159k - $215k/yr
Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering
10,000+

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See All 658+ Development 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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Development Engineer Job Market in San Diego

Who's Hiring

  • Illumina
    Illumina79
  • Qualcomm
    Qualcomm79
  • Amazon
    Amazon79
  • Northrop Grumman
    Northrop Grumman79
  • Dexcom
    Dexcom53

Top Industries Hiring

  • Medical Devices
  • Construction & Real Estate

Development Engineer Jobs in San Diego: Frequently Asked Questions

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

The strongest path in San Diego is targeting the defense contractors, biotech firms, and semiconductor companies that dominate local hiring in corridors like Sorrento Valley, Mira Mesa, and Torrey Pines. Hands-on experience with hardware development, RF systems, or medical device engineering gives candidates a real edge here. Networking through industry meetups and local university connections also opens doors with employers that rarely post publicly.

Which companies hire development engineers in San Diego?

Employers hiring development engineers in San Diego right now include Illumina, Qualcomm, and Amazon, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. San Diego's market is anchored by a mix of large defense primes, established biotech and life sciences companies, and growing semiconductor firms, many of which maintain significant engineering headcount locally.

Are there remote development engineer jobs in San Diego?

Yes, though opportunities vary, since development engineer roles that involve lab work, hardware testing, or prototype builds are largely on-site by nature, while software-focused or systems engineering positions are more remote-friendly. About 63% of development engineer openings tied to San Diego are remote or hybrid as of September 2026. The most remote-eligible work tends to concentrate in software development and firmware engineering rather than hardware or device validation.

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

The most realistic entry point in San Diego is targeting associate engineer or engineer-in-training roles at mid-size defense subcontractors and biotech companies, which regularly hire recent graduates from UC San Diego, San Diego State, and other regional programs. Internships at local aerospace or life sciences firms convert to full-time offers more often than cold applications. Building skills in CAD, embedded systems, or lab instrumentation makes candidates competitive for those first roles.

Which industries hire the most development engineers in San Diego?

San Diego development engineer roles concentrate in Medical Devices and Construction & Real Estate, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. The region's long history as a hub for military and naval technology, combined with a deep cluster of biotech and semiconductor companies, drives sustained demand for development engineers across multiple specializations.

See All 658+ Development Engineer Jobs in San Diego

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