Embedded Jobs in California
Embedded jobs in California are among the most active in the country, concentrated in the defense, aerospace, automotive, and consumer electronics industries, with openings at every level from entry-level firmware engineer through senior systems architect. The highest hiring activity is in San Jose, San Diego, and Los Angeles, where companies like Qualcomm, Apple, and Northrop Grumman maintain deep engineering footprints and consistent demand for embedded talent. The most sought-after specialties in California are real-time operating systems, embedded Linux, and firmware development for wireless and automotive applications. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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We're ALTEN Technology USA, an engineering company helping clients bring groundbreaking ideas to life—from advancing space exploration and life-saving medical devices to building autonomous electric vehicles. With 3,000+ experts across North America, we partner with leading companies in aerospace, medical devices, robotics, automotive, commercial vehicles, EVs, rail, and more.
As part of the global ALTEN Group—57,000+ engineers in 30 countries—we deliver across the entire product development cycle, from consulting to full project outsourcing.
When you join ALTEN Technology USA, you'll collaborate on some of the world's toughest engineering challenges, supported by mentorship, career growth opportunities, and comprehensive benefits. We take pride in fostering a culture where employees feel valued, supported, and inspired to grow.
Workplace: On-Site, 5 days
Location: Foster City, CA
We are looking for an Embedded Systems Security Engineer to implement security solution to harden our next-generation embedded Linux platform. In this role, you will bridge the gap between low-level hardware security, kernel hardening, and secure user-space application containment. You will not only design cryptographic defense mechanisms but will also automate security pipelines in CI/CD and partner directly with manufacturing teams to ensure devices are provisioned securely and reliably at scale without production risks.
- Platform Hardening & Architecture: Design and implement the Hardware Root of Trust and Secure Boot architecture from the first-stage bootloader through the Linux kernel.
- Storage & Integrity Management: Implement dm-verity for cryptographically verified read-only root filesystems and secure data encryption at rest.
- Trusted Execution Environments: Develop, integrate, and maintain a TEE (e.g., OP-TEE) and author Secure/Trusted Applications (TAs).
- Application Sandboxing: Enforce strict user-space isolation and sandboxing strategies using SELinux, AppArmor, cgroups, namespaces, and seccomp filters to protect core systems from untrusted applications.
- DevSecOps Automation: Build automated cryptographic signing pipelines within CI/CD infrastructure (e.g., GitLab CI, GitHub Actions) to securely sign bootloaders, kernels, and OTA payloads using HSMs or secure key vaults.
- Production Provisioning Support: Collaborate with manufacturing teams to write robust scripts and tools for burning permanent hardware configuration fuses (eFuses / OTP memory) securely, designing end-of-line (EOL) test software to validate security features before shipping.
- System Resilience: Architect multi-slot boot recovery layouts (e.g., A/B partitioning) to guarantee fail-safe resilience against failed OTA updates or corrupted boots.
- Education: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical discipline (or equivalent practical experience).
- Core Experience: 6+ years of professional experience in Embedded Linux development, board bring-up, and Board Support Package (BSP) customization.
- Security Focus: 3+ years of dedicated, hands-on experience deploying device-level security features into physical production hardware.
- Low-Level Systems: Expert knowledge of bootloader configurations (e.g., U-Boot Verified Boot, Barebox) and customizing the Linux kernel storage/security subsystem (dm-crypt, dm-verity).
- Hardware Security Architecture: Deep understanding of modern processor security architectures, specifically ARM TrustZone (ARMv7-A / ARMv8-A, Exception Levels EL1–EL3).
- Sandboxing & Access Controls: Proven track record implementing SELinux/AppArmor policies and utilizing standard Linux containment tools (cgroups, namespaces).
- Build Automation: Proficiency with embedded Linux build automated frameworks like the Yocto Project (BitBake recipe design) or Buildroot.
- Programming: Advanced proficiency in C and strong scripting skills in Python or Bash.
- Cryptography Expertise: Strong foundational knowledge of symmetric/asymmetric cryptography, hashing algorithms (SHA-256/384), public key infrastructure (PKI), and handling physical Hardware Security Modules (HSMs).
- Manufacturing Scale: Prior experience working with Contract Manufacturers (CMs) or internal factory lines to deploy secure key-injection and fuse-burning protocols.
- Advanced Sandboxing: Experience with embedded container runtimes (e.g., LXC, crun) or lightweight sandboxing frameworks tailored for resource-constrained architectures.
- Anti-Rollback Protection: Experience designing secure versioning and hardware-enforced anti-rollback strategies for OTA updates.
- $120,000 - 150,000
- The actual salary offered is dependent on various factors including, but not limited to, location, the candidate's combination of job-related knowledge, qualifications, skills, education, training, and experience
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, genetic information, or pregnancy.
Please beware of job seeker scams and see this important notice on our careers page for more information about our recruiting process.
Compliance Notice: Alten USA is a federal contractor subject to the requirements of the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and Executive Order 11246. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.
Drug Screening Requirement: As a federal contractor, Alten USA maintains a drug-free workplace. All candidates selected for employment will be required to successfully complete a pre-employment drug screening as a condition of hire.
See All 412+ Embedded Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Embedded JobsEmbedded Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Embedded Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- Northrop Grumman23

- Apple21

- Amazon14

- Qualcomm13

- Tesla12

Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software39
- Electronics & Hardware31
- Manufacturing22
- Science & Research17
- Aerospace & Defense11
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in embedded jobs across California.
- Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or computer science
- Proficiency in C or C++ for low-level hardware and firmware development
- Experience with real-time operating systems such as FreeRTOS, VxWorks, or embedded Linux
- Familiarity with hardware communication protocols including SPI, I2C, UART, and CAN
- Hands-on experience debugging embedded systems using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, or JTAG tools
- Experience with version control systems and cross-platform toolchains for ARM or RISC-V targets
Embedded Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a embedded in California?
Most embedded roles in California require a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or computer science, as there is no state-issued license specific to embedded engineering. California employers typically expect hands-on experience with embedded C or C++, microcontroller development, and at least one real-time operating system. Building a portfolio of firmware projects, contributing to open-source embedded repositories, or completing an internship at a California hardware company are the most direct paths to landing a first role.
Which companies hire embeddeds in California?
Employers hiring embeddeds in California right now include Northrop Grumman, Apple, and Amazon, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. California's concentration of defense contractors, semiconductor companies, and consumer electronics firms makes it one of the most consistent states for embedded hiring year-round.
Which California cities have the most embedded jobs?
The cities with the most embedded openings in California are San Diego, Sunnyvale, and Palo Alto. San Jose and the broader Bay Area drive much of the volume through semiconductor and consumer electronics companies headquartered there, while San Diego's defense and wireless communications sector anchors strong demand in the south, and Los Angeles draws from its aerospace and automotive technology industries.
Are there remote embedded jobs in California?
Yes, but they're rare. Embedded work is largely hands-on, requiring access to hardware, lab equipment, and physical prototypes, which limits remote options compared to purely software roles. About 29% of embedded openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, and those positions tend to focus on firmware review, software bring-up, or driver development that can be completed without a physical bench.
How can I get hired as a embedded in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is applying directly to new-grad hardware or firmware engineering programs at large California employers like Qualcomm, Apple, or defense contractors in San Diego and Los Angeles that regularly recruit from California's engineering schools. Lateral entry from adjacent roles such as hardware test engineer, FPGA validation engineer, or electronics technician is common, since those positions build the bench skills embedded teams value. A GitHub portfolio demonstrating a completed microcontroller or RTOS project gives candidates without professional experience a concrete edge in the application process.
Where can I find and apply to embedded jobs in California?
You can find and apply to embedded jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings from employers actively hiring in the state. Find the roles that fit your experience and specialty, then apply directly to each one through the listing.
See All 412+ Embedded Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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