Engineering Leader Jobs in California
Engineering Leader jobs in California are among the most active in the country, concentrated in technology, aerospace, defense, and clean energy across a seniority range from engineering manager through VP of Engineering and CTO. The largest hiring metros are San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, and San Diego, where established employers such as Apple, Lockheed Martin, and Qualcomm have built lasting engineering organizations. The most in-demand specialties include software engineering leadership, systems engineering management, and hardware development leadership. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Overview
The successful candidate will be responsible for conceiving and executing strategic initiatives aimed at introducing industry-leading products that fuel business growth. A key aspect of this role is the implementation of code generation technologies to significantly boost engineering productivity and scalability enabling us to build large-scale experience with ease. This initiative will demand a leader who can navigate complex cross-functional relationships and foster a culture of continuous improvement with high velocity.
Deep experience with artificial intelligence is essential, alongside a genuine passion for leveraging AI to solve real-world customer challenges. The Group Manager must possess the determination to drive innovation and guide the team through an AI-first engineering transformation. This role demands a dynamic individual with a proven track record of leadership, a strong technical foundation, and the ability to inspire and motivate teams to go above and beyond to deliver exceptional results.
Responsibilities
- Technology leaders at Intuit think strategically and drive for results. They build high performing teams by putting the right people in the right job at the right time. Leaders help to innovate by thinking differently. They lead their teams to embrace new ideas that produce outstanding results for our customers. Leaders at Intuit inspire others thru action by creating a spirit of collaboration.
- In this role you will help to help to bring out the best ideas from the best engineers by empowering them and leading by example.
- Your team will create and bring customer driven software products to market that simplify and solve for current customer needs while building for the future.
- To accomplish this you will create shared vision and build and maintain strong cross-functional relationships / alignment with partners across the business (e.g. Program Mgmt, Business Analyst, and Quality Assurance).
- Lead operational excellence to deliver highly available, scalable web applications with utmost attention to quality, security, and performance metrics
- Engrossed in the product, tech and architecture details to create a feasible development plan (in high quality)
- Keep a day-one mindset, challenge the existing and keep an open mindset in the team
- Experience prioritizing, managing deadlines and deliverables (while keeping transparency over the rational)
- Be transparent with the team-members how they are been evaluated and frequently share progress
- Remove Barriers so the team can move fast
- Help the team members grow and learn, build an updated grow-plan for each team member.
- Handle pivots and scope changes
Qualifications
- 3+ years experienced as an established technical leader of software engineering teams that have successfully delivered customer-driven software products
- Demonstrate experience in leading a cross-functional team across various functions to deliver for outcomes.
- AI-Proficiency is building next-gen solutions with AI and unlocking productivity with use of code-gen tools.
- Demonstrated experience leading positive change, empowering people, cultivating product technology visions and innovative solutions, and fostering effective engineering teams
- Adept at articulating the product vision and drive the future roadmap with strong business acumen
- Ability to think and act strategically for all stakeholders
- Passion for being at the leading edge of technology with a minimum of 8-12 years of hands-on software development experience in various front-end (React, JSP, GraphQL, etc) & backend technologies (Java, Spring, Hibernate, etc)
- Experience with Agile development and methodologies and SaaS and/or mobile technologies
- Possesses strong verbal and written communication skills
- BS in Computer Science / MIS or equivalent work-related experienc
Intuit provides a competitive compensation package with a strong pay for performance rewards approach. This position may be eligible for a cash bonus, equity rewards and benefits, in accordance with our applicable plans and programs (see more about our compensation and benefits at Intuit®: Careers | Benefits). Pay offered is based on factors such as job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and work location. To drive ongoing fair pay for employees, Intuit conducts regular comparisons across categories of ethnicity and gender.
Mountain View $244,000 - $330,000
Overview
The successful candidate will be responsible for conceiving and executing strategic initiatives aimed at introducing industry-leading products that fuel business growth. A key aspect of this role is the implementation of code generation technologies to significantly boost engineering productivity and scalability enabling us to build large-scale experience with ease. This initiative will demand a leader who can navigate complex cross-functional relationships and foster a culture of continuous improvement with high velocity.
Deep experience with artificial intelligence is essential, alongside a genuine passion for leveraging AI to solve real-world customer challenges. The Group Manager must possess the determination to drive innovation and guide the team through an AI-first engineering transformation. This role demands a dynamic individual with a proven track record of leadership, a strong technical foundation, and the ability to inspire and motivate teams to go above and beyond to deliver exceptional results.
Responsibilities
- Technology leaders at Intuit think strategically and drive for results. They build high performing teams by putting the right people in the right job at the right time. Leaders help to innovate by thinking differently. They lead their teams to embrace new ideas that produce outstanding results for our customers. Leaders at Intuit inspire others thru action by creating a spirit of collaboration.
- In this role you will help to help to bring out the best ideas from the best engineers by empowering them and leading by example.
- Your team will create and bring customer driven software products to market that simplify and solve for current customer needs while building for the future.
- To accomplish this you will create shared vision and build and maintain strong cross-functional relationships / alignment with partners across the business (e.g. Program Mgmt, Business Analyst, and Quality Assurance).
- Lead operational excellence to deliver highly available, scalable web applications with utmost attention to quality, security, and performance metrics
- Engrossed in the product, tech and architecture details to create a feasible development plan (in high quality)
- Keep a day-one mindset, challenge the existing and keep an open mindset in the team
- Experience prioritizing, managing deadlines and deliverables (while keeping transparency over the rational)
- Be transparent with the team-members how they are been evaluated and frequently share progress
- Remove Barriers so the team can move fast
- Help the team members grow and learn, build an updated grow-plan for each team member.
- Handle pivots and scope changes
Qualifications
- 3+ years experienced as an established technical leader of software engineering teams that have successfully delivered customer-driven software products
- Demonstrate experience in leading a cross-functional team across various functions to deliver for outcomes.
- AI-Proficiency is building next-gen solutions with AI and unlocking productivity with use of code-gen tools.
- Demonstrated experience leading positive change, empowering people, cultivating product technology visions and innovative solutions, and fostering effective engineering teams
- Adept at articulating the product vision and drive the future roadmap with strong business acumen
- Ability to think and act strategically for all stakeholders
- Passion for being at the leading edge of technology with a minimum of 8-12 years of hands-on software development experience in various front-end (React, JSP, GraphQL, etc) & backend technologies (Java, Spring, Hibernate, etc)
- Experience with Agile development and methodologies and SaaS and/or mobile technologies
- Possesses strong verbal and written communication skills
- BS in Computer Science / MIS or equivalent work-related experienc
Intuit provides a competitive compensation package with a strong pay for performance rewards approach. This position may be eligible for a cash bonus, equity rewards and benefits, in accordance with our applicable plans and programs (see more about our compensation and benefits at Intuit®: Careers | Benefits). Pay offered is based on factors such as job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and work location. To drive ongoing fair pay for employees, Intuit conducts regular comparisons across categories of ethnicity and gender.
Mountain View $244,000 - $330,000
See All 43 Engineering Leader Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Engineering Leader JobsEngineering Leader Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Engineering Leader Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- Cisco15
- HDR5
- AECOM5
- Langan Engineering and Environmental Services4
- Arup2
Top Industries Hiring
- Consulting & Professional Services
- Law & Legal Services
- Healthcare & Medical Services
- Technology & Software
- Electronics & Hardware
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in engineering leader jobs across California.
- Bachelor's or master's degree in engineering, computer science, or a related technical field
- Proven experience managing and growing multi-disciplinary engineering teams
- Hands-on background in the engineering domain the team works in, such as software, hardware, or systems
- Demonstrated ability to define technical roadmaps and align them with product and business goals
- Experience collaborating cross-functionally with product management, design, and operations stakeholders
- Familiarity with agile development methodologies and modern engineering delivery practices
Engineering Leader Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a engineering leader in California?
Most engineering leaders in California reach the role by building deep individual-contributor experience and then moving into people management, typically starting as a senior engineer or tech lead. A bachelor's or master's degree in engineering or computer science is the standard foundation. California's technology and aerospace sectors place particular weight on internal promotions and demonstrated leadership on complex projects. No state-issued license is required for most engineering leader roles, though engineers in civil or structural disciplines may need a California Professional Engineer registration.
Which companies hire engineering leaders in California?
Employers hiring engineering leaders in California right now include Cisco, HDR, and AECOM, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. California's concentration of technology headquarters, defense contractors, and biotech firms means demand is spread across both large enterprise employers and well-funded growth-stage companies.
Which California cities have the most engineering leader jobs?
The cities with the most engineering leader openings in California are San Jose, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. The San Francisco Bay Area dominates because of the density of technology headquarters and venture-backed companies, while Los Angeles draws from aerospace, entertainment technology, and a growing startup ecosystem, and San Diego's openings are driven largely by defense contractors and biotech employers.
Are there remote engineering leader jobs in California?
Yes, and more than most fields. About 66% of engineering leader openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, reflecting how much of the role centers on planning, communication, and code or design review rather than physical presence. The most fully remote positions tend to be in software engineering leadership, while hardware, manufacturing, and on-site lab environments typically require regular in-person attendance.
How can I get hired as a engineering leader in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is securing a tech lead or staff engineer role first, then stepping into people management within the same organization. Large California technology employers such as Google, Meta, and Salesforce run internal leadership development programs that help senior engineers transition into manager tracks. For those coming from outside tech, California's aerospace and defense sector, including employers like Northrop Grumman and Raytheon, regularly hires engineering managers from program lead or project engineer backgrounds. Building a portfolio of cross-functional projects and pursuing a Professional Engineer registration strengthens candidacy considerably.
Where can I find and apply to engineering leader jobs in California?
You can find and apply to engineering leader jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings. Find roles that fit your background and apply directly to each one.
See All 43 Engineering Leader Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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