Kubernetes Engineer Jobs in California

Kubernetes Engineer jobs in California are among the most active in the country, concentrated in cloud infrastructure, enterprise software, and fintech across seniority levels from junior engineer through principal and staff roles. The largest hiring metros are San Francisco, San Jose, and Los Angeles, where established employers like Google, Apple, and Salesforce maintain deep infrastructure engineering teams. Specialties in highest demand include platform engineering, GitOps workflows, and cloud-native security. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.

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Overview

Open roles21
Top employerServiceNow
Top citySan Jose, CA
Cities hiring10
Work type44% Hybrid
Top industryTechnology

Showing 5 of 21+ Kubernetes Engineer jobs

Cognizant
Senior Manager - Azure Kubernetes Engineer
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Cognizant
Added 2d ago
Senior Manager - Azure Kubernetes Engineer
Cognizant
Long Beach, California
Engineering (Non-Software)
Mechanical Engineering
Product Management
$130k - $150k/yr
Remote (US)
Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate
10,000+

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NVIDIA
Senior Software Engineer, Kubernetes Runtime and Release
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NVIDIA
Added 3d ago
Senior Software Engineer, Kubernetes Runtime and Release
NVIDIA
California
DevOps
Quality Assurance & Testing (QA Testing)
Software Engineering
$184k - $357k/yr
Bachelor of Science
10,000+

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ServiceNow
Staff Software Engineer - Data Platform - Kubernetes - Distributed Systems - Federal
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ServiceNow
Added 5d ago
Staff Software Engineer - Data Platform - Kubernetes - Distributed Systems - Federal
ServiceNow
San Diego, California
Account Management
Business Development
Sales
$150k - $262k/yr
Hybrid
Master's degree
10,000+

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ServiceNow
Senior Staff Software Engineer - Data Platform - Kubernetes - Distributed Systems - Federal
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ServiceNow
Added 5d ago
Senior Staff Software Engineer - Data Platform - Kubernetes - Distributed Systems - Federal
ServiceNow
Santa Clara, California
Cloud & DevOps
Cloud Engineering
Network Engineering
Systems Administration
$150k - $262k/yr
Hybrid
Master's degree
10,000+

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ServiceNow
Senior Staff Software Engineer - Data Platform - Kubernetes - Distributed Systems - Federal
We won't show you this job again
ServiceNow
Added 5d ago
Senior Staff Software Engineer - Data Platform - Kubernetes - Distributed Systems - Federal
ServiceNow
San Diego, California
Account Management
Business Development
Sales
$150k - $262k/yr
Hybrid
Master's degree
10,000+

Have you applied for this role?

See All 21 Kubernetes Engineer Jobs in California

Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.

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Kubernetes Engineer Jobs by City in California

Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.

San Jose
4 jobs
San Diego
3 jobs
Redlands
2 jobs
Hawthorne
2 jobs
San Mateo
2 jobs
Sunnyvale
2 jobs
Santa Clara
2 jobs
El Segundo
1 job
Long Beach
1 job

Kubernetes Engineer Job Market in California

A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.

Who's Hiring

ServiceNow
ServiceNow3 open roles
Roblox
Roblox2 open roles
SpaceX
SpaceX2 open roles

Top Industries Hiring

  • Technology & Software
  • Aerospace & Defense

What California Employers Look For

The qualifications that appear most often in kubernetes engineer jobs across California.

  • Bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a closely related field
  • Hands-on experience deploying and managing Kubernetes clusters in production environments
  • Proficiency with cloud platforms such as Google Cloud, AWS, or Azure in California-dominant stacks
  • Experience with containerization tools including Docker and Helm chart management
  • Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines, GitOps practices, and infrastructure-as-code using Terraform
  • Strong understanding of networking, security hardening, and observability within Kubernetes environments

Kubernetes Engineer Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions

How do you become a kubernetes engineer in California?

Kubernetes engineering in California has no state-issued license or registration requirement, so the path runs through education and demonstrated technical skill. Most California employers expect a bachelor's degree in computer science or a related field, though a strong portfolio and industry certifications such as the Certified Kubernetes Administrator carry real weight. California's large cloud and enterprise software employers also recruit through internship pipelines at UC and CSU campuses, making those programs a practical on-ramp.

How much do kubernetes engineers make in California?

Kubernetes 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 kubernetes engineers in California?

Employers hiring kubernetes engineers in California right now include ServiceNow, Roblox, and SpaceX, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of October 2026. California's density of cloud-native companies and enterprise technology headquarters means demand is spread across both established platform teams and growth-stage infrastructure organizations.

Which California cities have the most kubernetes engineer jobs?

San Jose, San Diego, and Redlands have the most kubernetes engineer openings in California. The San Francisco Bay Area leads because of its concentration of cloud infrastructure companies, hyperscalers, and enterprise SaaS headquarters, while Los Angeles has grown steadily as media, fintech, and defense technology companies build out their own platform engineering teams.

Are there remote kubernetes engineer jobs in California?

Yes, and more than most fields. About 78% of kubernetes engineer openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of October 2026, reflecting how much of this work involves code, configuration, and cloud consoles rather than physical infrastructure. Platform engineering, cluster operations, and GitOps work are the areas most consistently offered remotely by California employers.

How can I get hired as a kubernetes engineer in California with little or no experience?

The most realistic entry path is through a related infrastructure or DevOps role, such as a systems administrator, site reliability engineer associate, or cloud support engineer, which large California employers like Google, VMware, and Cisco use as feeders into platform engineering teams. Building a portfolio of personal or open-source Kubernetes projects and earning the Certified Kubernetes Administrator credential demonstrates readiness concretely. California community colleges and UC extension programs also offer cloud infrastructure coursework that signals commitment to hiring managers reviewing entry-level applications.

Where can I find and apply to kubernetes engineer jobs in California?

You can find and apply to kubernetes engineer jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings across the state's major metros and remote positions. Find roles that fit your experience and specialization and apply directly through the listings on this page.

See All 21 Kubernetes Engineer Jobs in California

Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.

Find Kubernetes Engineer Jobs