Full-stack Software Engineer Jobs in California
Full-stack Software Engineer jobs in California are among the most active in the country, concentrated in enterprise software, fintech, health tech, and consumer applications at every level from junior developer through principal engineer. San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego anchor the bulk of hiring, with well-established employers such as Salesforce, Google, and Apple maintaining large full-stack engineering teams across the state. The most in-demand specialties are React and Node.js development, cloud-native architecture, and API integration work. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
Find JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 465+ Full-stack Software Engineer jobs











About The Team
OpenAI’s Applications Engineering organization builds and operates the products (such as ChatGPT & Codex) that bring our cutting-edge research to millions of users and developers worldwide. The Applied Foundations team owns the core product and platform layers that make those experiences possible — from identity & access, to safety to payments & commerce across all of our apps. Our teams span product engineering, infrastructure, and safety, working together to deliver technology that is reliable, secure, and trusted at global scale.
About The Role
We’re hiring Full-Stack Software Engineers to design and implement safe services, systems and infrastructure that power our core products.
In This Role, You Will
- Architect, build, and improve frontend and backend systems.
- Work across the full stack to build products and systems from initial exploration through launch readiness.
- Participate in long-term architectural planning and technical design reviews.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to design solutions that protect against and mitigate adversarial attacks without compromising user experience.
You Might Thrive In This Role If You
- Have built and shipped full-stack apps or systems end-to-end — in fast-moving, startup-like environments.
- Have a humble attitude, an eagerness to help your colleagues, and a desire to do whatever it takes to make the team succeed.
- Enjoy building resilient products and services that handle large scale and complexity.
- Are self-directed and enjoy figuring out the best way to solve a particular problem.
- Own problems end-to-end, and are willing to pick up whatever knowledge you're missing to get the job done.
About OpenAI
OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company dedicated to ensuring that general-purpose artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity. We push the boundaries of the capabilities of AI systems and seek to safely deploy them to the world through our products. AI is an extremely powerful tool that must be created with safety and human needs at its core, and to achieve our mission, we must encompass and value the many different perspectives, voices, and experiences that form the full spectrum of humanity.
We are an equal opportunity employer, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or other applicable legally protected characteristic. For additional information, please see OpenAI’s Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Statement.
Background checks for applicants will be administered in accordance with applicable law, and qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment consistent with those laws, including the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, and the California Fair Chance Act, for US-based candidates. For unincorporated Los Angeles County workers: we reasonably believe that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship with the following job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of a conditional offer of employment: protect computer hardware entrusted to you from theft, loss or damage; return all computer hardware in your possession (including the data contained therein) upon termination of employment or end of assignment; and maintain the confidentiality of proprietary, confidential, and non-public information. In addition, job duties require access to secure and protected information technology systems and related data security obligations.
To notify OpenAI that you believe this job posting is non-compliant, please submit a report through this form. No response will be provided to inquiries unrelated to job posting compliance.
We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, and requests can be made via this link.
OpenAI Global Applicant Privacy Policy
At OpenAI, we believe artificial intelligence has the potential to help people solve immense global challenges, and we want the upside of AI to be widely shared. Join us in shaping the future of technology.
Compensation Range: $185K - $385K
See All 465+ Full-stack Software Engineer Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find JobsFull-stack Software Engineer Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Full-stack Software Engineer Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- Commure24

- Rippling22

- Apple21

- OpenAI15

- Google13

Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software296
- Artificial Intelligence28
- Science & Research28
- Consulting & Professional Services27
- Healthcare & Medical Services22
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in Full-stack software engineer jobs across California.
- Proficiency in at least one frontend framework such as React, Angular, or Vue
- Solid experience with backend languages including Node.js, Python, Java, or Ruby
- Hands-on experience designing and consuming RESTful or GraphQL APIs
- Familiarity with cloud platforms such as AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure
- Experience with relational and non-relational databases including PostgreSQL and MongoDB
- Strong understanding of version control workflows using Git and collaborative code review practices
Full-stack Software Engineer Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a full-stack software engineer in California?
California requires no state-issued license to work as a full-stack software engineer, so the path runs through education and demonstrated skill. Most California employers accept a bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related field, though bootcamp graduates with strong portfolios are widely hired, particularly at startups and mid-size tech companies in the Bay Area and Los Angeles. Building public projects on GitHub and contributing to open-source work accelerates hiring in California's competitive market.
How much do Full-stack software engineers make in California?
Full-stack software engineers in California earn a median of about $174,410 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $105,060 for the lowest 10% to over $272,670 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire full-stack software engineers in California?
Employers hiring full-stack software engineers in California right now include Commure, Rippling, and Apple, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of June 2026. California's density of both established tech giants and fast-growing startups means full-stack openings appear across a wide range of company sizes and industries statewide.
Which California cities have the most full-stack software engineer jobs?
San Francisco, Mountain View, and San Mateo lead California for full-stack software engineer openings. The San Francisco Bay Area dominates because of its concentration of major tech headquarters and venture-backed startups, while Los Angeles draws hiring from its growing fintech and entertainment-technology sectors, and San Diego's openings are driven largely by defense technology contractors and health-tech companies.
Are there remote full-stack software engineer jobs in California?
Yes, and more than most fields. About 30% of full-stack software engineer openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of June 2026, reflecting how thoroughly this work can be done off-site. Frontend development and API work are the most consistently remote-eligible specialties, while roles requiring close collaboration with hardware or on-site infrastructure tend to require some in-person presence.
How can I get hired as a full-stack software engineer in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is securing a junior or associate software engineer role, which large California employers such as Salesforce, Kaiser Permanente's digital division, and various Bay Area startups post regularly for new graduates. Many candidates move in from adjacent roles such as QA engineer, technical support specialist, or data analyst after adding a relevant project portfolio. California's community college system, including programs at schools like De Anza College in the South Bay, offers affordable courses that help bridge the gap to a first engineering role.
Where can I find and apply to full-stack software engineer jobs in California?
You can find and apply to full-stack software engineer jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings. Find roles that fit your experience and specialization and apply directly from the listing.
See All 465+ Full-stack Software Engineer Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Jobs