Engineering Director Jobs in California
Engineering Director jobs in California concentrate heavily in technology, defense, semiconductor, and clean energy sectors, with the state representing one of the most active markets in the country for senior engineering leadership. The largest hiring metros are the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, and San Diego, where companies like Apple, Lockheed Martin, and Qualcomm maintain deep engineering leadership pipelines. Demand is strongest for directors with expertise in systems engineering, software infrastructure, and hardware development. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
Find Engineering Director JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 290+ Engineering Director jobs
To get the best candidate experience, please consider applying for a maximum of 3 roles within 12 months to ensure you are not duplicating efforts.
Job Category
Software EngineeringJob Details
About Salesforce
Salesforce is the #1 AI CRM, where humans with agents drive customer success together. Here, ambition meets action. Tech meets trust. And innovation isn’t a buzzword — it’s a way of life. The world of work as we know it is changing and we're looking for Trailblazers who are passionate about bettering business and the world through AI, driving innovation, and keeping Salesforce's core values at the heart of it all.
Ready to level-up your career at the company leading workforce transformation in the agentic era? You’re in the right place! Agentforce is the future of AI, and you are the future of Salesforce.
The Team
Salesforce Database (SDB) underpins Salesforce's multi-tenant cloud platform. The SDB AI team develops shared AI foundations, tools, agents, and workflows for database engineering and operations. This work uses database-specific knowledge and production signals to improve software delivery, identify operational risks earlier, and automate tasks.
The Role
We are looking for a Director of Software Engineering to lead the SDB AI team by shaping strategy, setting direction and priorities, and leading engineering, delivery, and operations with a strong focus on business outcomes. The role requires experience managing and developing engineering teams, technical depth in AI, production operations, and the tradeoffs between long-term capabilities and near-term needs.
What You'll Do
- Shape the strategy and own end-to-end delivery for the SDB AI team, from technical roadmap and architecture decisions to execution and operational excellence.
- Lead and strengthen the team of AI engineers and data scientists as it scales: set goals and ownership, manage delivery and performance, remove obstacles, and develop technical leaders.
- Partner with database service owners, other stakeholders, and AI teams across Salesforce to translate business priorities into technical strategy and a roadmap. Prioritize work by expected business impact and define measurable outcomes.
- Guide technical decisions about agent context, model selection, tool design, and evaluation. Build on AI capabilities already available within Salesforce and develop database-specific tools where needed.
- Deliver production AI capabilities for database operations, including operational intelligence for proactive detection, investigation, security, and automation. Represent the team in architecture and planning forums, resolve cross-team dependencies, and communicate tradeoffs and progress to engineering leadership.
What We're Looking For
- 10+ years of software engineering experience, including 5+ years leading and developing engineering teams that deliver complex production systems.
- Proven track record of leading and scaling high-performing, diverse engineering teams, setting direction, making clear tradeoffs, and delivering production AI systems.
- Deep expertise in AI, including machine learning and agentic systems, and strong technical judgment in system design, reliability, and operational risk. Able to review architecture and implementation decisions with senior engineers and architects.
- Experience with large-scale databases and distributed systems, public cloud, and multi-tenant platforms.
- Excellent communication skills, strong people leadership, and the ability to develop talent through direct feedback and coaching.
- A degree in computer science or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
Unleash Your Potential
When you join Salesforce, you’ll be limitless in all areas of your life. Our benefits and resources support you to find balance and be your best , and our AI agents accelerate your impact so you can do your best . Together, we’ll bring the power of Agentforce to organizations of all sizes and deliver amazing experiences that customers love. Apply today to not only shape the future — but to redefine what’s possible — for yourself, for AI, and the world.
Accommodations
If you need a reasonable accommodation during the application or the recruiting process, please submit a request via this Accommodations Request Form .
Please note that Salesforce uses artificial intelligence (AI) tools to help our recruiters assess and evaluate candidates’ resumes and qualifications throughout the recruiting process. Humans will always make any candidate selection and hiring decisions. Please see our Candidate Privacy Statement for more information about how we use your personal data and your rights, including with regard to use of AI tools and opt out options.
Posting Statement
Salesforce is an equal opportunity employer and maintains a policy of non-discrimination with all employees and applicants for employment. What does that mean exactly? It means that at Salesforce, we believe in equality for all. And we believe we can lead the path to equality in part by creating a workplace that’s inclusive, and free from discrimination. Know your rights: workplace discrimination is illegal. Any employee or potential employee will be assessed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications – without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, transgender status, age, disability, veteran or marital status, political viewpoint, or other classifications protected by law. This policy applies to current and prospective employees, no matter where they are in their Salesforce employment journey. It also applies to recruiting, hiring, job assignment, compensation, promotion, benefits, training, assessment of job performance, discipline, termination, and everything in between. Recruiting, hiring, and promotion decisions at Salesforce are fair and based on merit. The same goes for compensation, benefits, promotions, transfers, reduction in workforce, recall, training, and education.
In the United States, compensation offered will be determined by factors such as location, job level, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Certain roles may be eligible for incentive compensation, equity, and benefits. Salesforce offers a variety of benefits to help you live well including: time off programs, medical, dental, vision, mental health support, paid parental leave, life and disability insurance, 401(k), and an employee stock purchasing program. More details about company benefits can be found at the following link: https://www.salesforcebenefits.com.Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance and the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring, Salesforce will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. At Salesforce, we believe in equitable compensation practices that reflect the dynamic nature of labor markets across various regions.

The typical base salary range for this position is $197,300 - $313,700 annually. In select cities within the San Francisco and New York City metropolitan area, the base salary range for this role is $237,700 - $344,700 annually.

The range represents base salary only, and does not include company bonus, incentive for sales roles, equity or benefits, as applicable.To get the best candidate experience, please consider applying for a maximum of 3 roles within 12 months to ensure you are not duplicating efforts.
Job Category
Software EngineeringJob Details
About Salesforce
Salesforce is the #1 AI CRM, where humans with agents drive customer success together. Here, ambition meets action. Tech meets trust. And innovation isn’t a buzzword — it’s a way of life. The world of work as we know it is changing and we're looking for Trailblazers who are passionate about bettering business and the world through AI, driving innovation, and keeping Salesforce's core values at the heart of it all.
Ready to level-up your career at the company leading workforce transformation in the agentic era? You’re in the right place! Agentforce is the future of AI, and you are the future of Salesforce.
The Team
Salesforce Database (SDB) underpins Salesforce's multi-tenant cloud platform. The SDB AI team develops shared AI foundations, tools, agents, and workflows for database engineering and operations. This work uses database-specific knowledge and production signals to improve software delivery, identify operational risks earlier, and automate tasks.
The Role
We are looking for a Director of Software Engineering to lead the SDB AI team by shaping strategy, setting direction and priorities, and leading engineering, delivery, and operations with a strong focus on business outcomes. The role requires experience managing and developing engineering teams, technical depth in AI, production operations, and the tradeoffs between long-term capabilities and near-term needs.
What You'll Do
- Shape the strategy and own end-to-end delivery for the SDB AI team, from technical roadmap and architecture decisions to execution and operational excellence.
- Lead and strengthen the team of AI engineers and data scientists as it scales: set goals and ownership, manage delivery and performance, remove obstacles, and develop technical leaders.
- Partner with database service owners, other stakeholders, and AI teams across Salesforce to translate business priorities into technical strategy and a roadmap. Prioritize work by expected business impact and define measurable outcomes.
- Guide technical decisions about agent context, model selection, tool design, and evaluation. Build on AI capabilities already available within Salesforce and develop database-specific tools where needed.
- Deliver production AI capabilities for database operations, including operational intelligence for proactive detection, investigation, security, and automation. Represent the team in architecture and planning forums, resolve cross-team dependencies, and communicate tradeoffs and progress to engineering leadership.
What We're Looking For
- 10+ years of software engineering experience, including 5+ years leading and developing engineering teams that deliver complex production systems.
- Proven track record of leading and scaling high-performing, diverse engineering teams, setting direction, making clear tradeoffs, and delivering production AI systems.
- Deep expertise in AI, including machine learning and agentic systems, and strong technical judgment in system design, reliability, and operational risk. Able to review architecture and implementation decisions with senior engineers and architects.
- Experience with large-scale databases and distributed systems, public cloud, and multi-tenant platforms.
- Excellent communication skills, strong people leadership, and the ability to develop talent through direct feedback and coaching.
- A degree in computer science or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
Unleash Your Potential
When you join Salesforce, you’ll be limitless in all areas of your life. Our benefits and resources support you to find balance and be your best , and our AI agents accelerate your impact so you can do your best . Together, we’ll bring the power of Agentforce to organizations of all sizes and deliver amazing experiences that customers love. Apply today to not only shape the future — but to redefine what’s possible — for yourself, for AI, and the world.
Accommodations
If you need a reasonable accommodation during the application or the recruiting process, please submit a request via this Accommodations Request Form .
Please note that Salesforce uses artificial intelligence (AI) tools to help our recruiters assess and evaluate candidates’ resumes and qualifications throughout the recruiting process. Humans will always make any candidate selection and hiring decisions. Please see our Candidate Privacy Statement for more information about how we use your personal data and your rights, including with regard to use of AI tools and opt out options.
Posting Statement
Salesforce is an equal opportunity employer and maintains a policy of non-discrimination with all employees and applicants for employment. What does that mean exactly? It means that at Salesforce, we believe in equality for all. And we believe we can lead the path to equality in part by creating a workplace that’s inclusive, and free from discrimination. Know your rights: workplace discrimination is illegal. Any employee or potential employee will be assessed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications – without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, transgender status, age, disability, veteran or marital status, political viewpoint, or other classifications protected by law. This policy applies to current and prospective employees, no matter where they are in their Salesforce employment journey. It also applies to recruiting, hiring, job assignment, compensation, promotion, benefits, training, assessment of job performance, discipline, termination, and everything in between. Recruiting, hiring, and promotion decisions at Salesforce are fair and based on merit. The same goes for compensation, benefits, promotions, transfers, reduction in workforce, recall, training, and education.
In the United States, compensation offered will be determined by factors such as location, job level, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Certain roles may be eligible for incentive compensation, equity, and benefits. Salesforce offers a variety of benefits to help you live well including: time off programs, medical, dental, vision, mental health support, paid parental leave, life and disability insurance, 401(k), and an employee stock purchasing program. More details about company benefits can be found at the following link: https://www.salesforcebenefits.com.Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance and the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring, Salesforce will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. At Salesforce, we believe in equitable compensation practices that reflect the dynamic nature of labor markets across various regions.

The typical base salary range for this position is $197,300 - $313,700 annually. In select cities within the San Francisco and New York City metropolitan area, the base salary range for this role is $237,700 - $344,700 annually.

The range represents base salary only, and does not include company bonus, incentive for sales roles, equity or benefits, as applicable.See All 290+ Engineering Director Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Engineering Director JobsEngineering Director Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Engineering Director Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software27
- Electronics & Hardware15
- Consulting & Professional Services10
- Construction & Real Estate7
- Manufacturing6
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in engineering director jobs across California.
- Bachelor's or master's degree in engineering, computer science, or a related technical field
- Ten or more years of progressive engineering experience including team leadership
- Proven ability to manage cross-functional engineering teams of twenty or more engineers
- Experience driving product development cycles from concept through large-scale deployment
- Strong background in budget ownership, headcount planning, and executive stakeholder communication
- Familiarity with California-specific regulatory environments such as CEQA, Title 24, or defense contracting standards
Engineering Director Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a engineering director in California?
Most engineering directors in California reach the role by progressing through individual contributor, senior engineer, and engineering manager positions over a career of roughly ten to fifteen years, though the timeline varies by industry. In disciplines such as civil or structural engineering, holding an active Professional Engineer license issued by the California Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists strengthens candidacy significantly and is sometimes required. In software and hardware fields, a relevant graduate degree and a consistent record of growing teams into high-output organizations typically carries more weight than licensure.
How much do engineering directors make in California?
Engineering directors in California earn a median of about $210,280 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $137,900 for the lowest 10% to over $296,130 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire engineering directors in California?
California engineering director roles are posted by Roblox, Adobe, and Qualcomm and others right now, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of October 2026. California's concentration of technology headquarters, aerospace primes, and clean energy companies means the pipeline of director-level openings is among the broadest of any state.
Which California cities have the most engineering director jobs?
San Francisco, San Jose, and San Diego account for the largest share of engineering director openings in California. The Bay Area's density of technology and semiconductor headquarters drives the volume there, while Los Angeles reflects the aerospace, defense, and entertainment technology industries anchored by large employers in the region, and San Diego's concentration of defense contractors, biotech firms, and wireless technology companies sustains consistent director-level demand.
Are there remote engineering director jobs in California?
Yes, though they represent a smaller share than in purely desk-based fields because engineering director roles frequently require on-site presence for lab oversight, manufacturing floor decisions, and in-person leadership of large teams. About 43% of engineering director openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of October 2026, with remote arrangements most common for directors whose scope is primarily software, platform, or cloud infrastructure rather than physical product development.
How can I get hired as a engineering director in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic path is building toward the director level from a senior engineering manager or principal engineer role at a California employer, using that position to demonstrate cross-team ownership and organizational impact. Large California technology and aerospace employers such as those headquartered in the Bay Area and greater Los Angeles run rotational leadership development programs and internal promotion tracks that move high-performing managers into director roles. Candidates transitioning from adjacent roles like program director, head of engineering, or VP of product engineering at mid-size California companies often compete successfully by pairing that experience with a Professional Engineer license or a relevant graduate degree.
Where can I find and apply to engineering director jobs in California?
You can find and apply to engineering director jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings across industries and metro areas. Search the listings to find roles that match your background, seniority level, and target location, then apply directly to the ones that fit.
See All 290+ Engineering Director Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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