Machine Learning Engineer Jobs in California
Machine Learning Engineer jobs in California are among the most active in the country, concentrated in technology, healthcare AI, autonomous systems, and financial services, with openings from entry-level ML engineer through principal and staff-level roles. The heaviest hiring is in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, and San Diego, where companies like Google, Meta, and Qualcomm maintain major engineering operations. Computer vision, natural language processing, and large language model fine-tuning are the sub-areas drawing the most consistent demand across California employers. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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About the Role:
The SDC team is dedicated to empowering customers – from creative professionals to everyday users – with intelligent tools to create, manage, and discover digital content. We are building the next-generation platform stack to support the immense scale and breadth of Adobe’s needs in content understanding, processing, and discovery, powering generative AI agents and the world’s leading creative tools.
You will be responsible for designing, developing, and deploying large-scale machine learning systems that directly impact millions of users and billions of content pieces. You will work in a start-up like environment with the opportunity to push the boundaries of what’s possible in generative AI, language models, and assistive experiences, all within the supportive infrastructure and resources of Adobe.
Responsibilities:
System Design & Development: Define and develop end-to-end machine learning systems using innovative architectures
Model Optimization & Deployment: Develop and implement scalable, GPU-optimized modeling algorithms capable of handling large-scale data in production environments.
Pipeline Development: Build and maintain high-performance, scalable, and maintainable platform features throughout the complete ML pipeline.
Collaboration & Communication: Partner with architects, product management, and engineering teams to translate product requirements into innovative technical solutions
Emerging Technologies: Design and develop runtimes and libraries for emerging ML technologies, ensuring we remain at the forefront of the field.
Documentation & Review: Contribute to the creation of detailed requirements and design documents for features across the technology stack.
What You Need to Succeed:
Education: PhD or master’s degree in computer engineering, Computer Science, Computer Vision, Robotics, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
Technical Expertise: Deep understanding of generative AI, deep learning, computer vision, and recommendation systems, with a proven track record of applying these methods to solve complex problems.
Proficiency with machine learning frameworks and tools such as Scikit-learn, Hugging Face, PyTorch, and PyTorch Lightning.
Expertise with cloud technologies, Docker, and containerization.
Experience with AWS, Microsoft Azure, or equivalent cloud platforms.
Proficiency in one or more programming languages, including Python, C++, Java, and Rust.
Strengths you’ll need:
Exceptional analytical and quantitative problem-solving skills.
Excellent communication, interpersonal, and relationship-building skills.
Demonstrated ability to thrive in a collaborative team environment.
About Adobe
Adobe empowers everyone to create through innovative platforms and tools that unleash creativity, productivity and personalized customer experiences. Adobe’s industry-leading offerings including Adobe Acrobat Studio, Adobe Express, Adobe Firefly, Creative Cloud, Adobe Experience Platform, Adobe Experience Manager, and GenStudio enable people and businesses to turn ideas into impact, powered by AI and driven by human ingenuity.
Our 30,000+ employees worldwide are creating the future and raising the bar as we drive the next decade of growth. We’re on a mission to hire the very best and believe in creating a company culture where all employees are empowered to make an impact. At Adobe, we believe that great ideas can come from anywhere in the organization. The next big idea could be yours.
Let’s Adobe together
At Adobe, we believe in creating a company culture where all employees are empowered to make an impact. Learn more about Adobe life, including our values and culture , focus on people, purpose and community , Adobe for All , comprehensive benefits programs , the stories we tell , the customers we serve, and how you can help us advance our mission of empowering everyone to create.
Adobe is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based on gender, race or color, ethnicity or national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. Learn more.
Adobe aims to make our Careers website and recruiting process accessible to any and all users. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation to navigate our website or complete the application process, email accommodations@adobe.com .
AI Use Guidelines for Interviews:
Our interviews are designed to reflect your own skills and thinking. The use of AI or recording tools during live interviews is not permitted unless explicitly invited by the interviewer or approved in advance as part of a reasonable accommodation. If these tools are used inappropriately or in a way that misrepresents your work, your application may not move forward in the process.
At Adobe, we empower employees to innovate with AI — and we look for candidates eager to do the same. As part of the hiring experience, we provide clear guidance on where AI is encouraged during the process and where it’s restricted during live interviews. See how we think about AI in the hiring experience .
Expected Pay Range: Our compensation reflects the cost of labor across several U.S. geographic markets, and we pay differently based on those defined markets. The U.S. pay range for this position is $151,800 - $265,350 annually. Pay within this range varies by work location and may also depend on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for the job location during the hiring process.
In California, the pay range for this position is $183,300 - $265,350
At Adobe, for sales roles starting salaries are expressed as total target compensation (TTC = base + commission), and short-term incentives are in the form of sales commission plans. Non-sales roles starting salaries are expressed as base salary and short-term incentives are in the form of the Annual Incentive Plan (AIP).
In addition, certain roles may be eligible for long-term incentives in the form of a new hire equity award.
State-Specific Notices:
California :
Fair Chance Ordinances
Adobe will consider qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records for employment in accordance with state and local laws and “fair chance” ordinances.
Colorado:
Application Window Notice
If this role is open to hiring in Colorado (as listed on the job posting), the application window will remain open until at least the date and time stated above in Pacific Time, in compliance with Colorado pay transparency regulations. If this role does not have Colorado listed as a hiring location, no specific application window applies, and the posting may close at any time based on hiring needs.
Massachusetts:
Massachusetts Legal Notice
It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.
See All 1,026+ Machine Learning Engineer Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find JobsMachine Learning Engineer Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Machine Learning Engineer Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- Apple183

- TikTok96

- ByteDance27

- Meta26

- Google25

Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software172
- Electronics & Hardware112
- Banking & Financial Services38
- Automotive28
- Science & Research18
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in machine learning engineer jobs across California.
- Bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, statistics, or a related quantitative field
- Proficiency in Python and core ML frameworks such as TensorFlow, PyTorch, or scikit-learn
- Experience designing, training, and deploying machine learning models in production environments
- Familiarity with cloud ML infrastructure on AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure
- Strong foundation in linear algebra, probability, statistics, and optimization techniques
- Experience with data pipelines, feature engineering, and large-scale distributed computing tools
Machine Learning Engineer Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a machine learning engineer in California?
Machine learning engineering has no state-issued license in California, so the path runs through education and demonstrated technical skills. Most California employers expect at least a bachelor's degree in computer science, mathematics, or a related field, with a master's degree preferred at many Bay Area and Los Angeles tech companies. Building a portfolio of deployed projects, contributing to open-source ML work, and completing graduate coursework at UC Berkeley, Stanford, or UCLA strengthens a candidate's profile considerably.
How much do machine learning engineers make in California?
Machine learning 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 machine learning engineers in California?
Employers hiring machine learning engineers in California right now include Apple, TikTok, and ByteDance, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. California's concentration of technology headquarters, AI research labs, and defense contractors means consistent openings across a wide range of industries and seniority levels.
Which California cities have the most machine learning engineer jobs?
San Jose, San Francisco, and Cupertino have the most machine learning engineer openings in California. The Bay Area's density of technology headquarters and AI research organizations drives the largest share of listings, while Los Angeles draws demand from entertainment technology, aerospace, and a fast-growing startup ecosystem, and San Diego's strength in wireless technology and biotech creates a reliable secondary market.
Are there remote machine learning engineer jobs in California?
Yes, and more than most fields. About 48% of machine learning engineer openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, reflecting how well the core work, model development, experimentation, and code review, translates to distributed teams. Roles involving on-site GPU infrastructure management or close collaboration with hardware teams tend to require in-person presence more often than pure research or modeling positions.
How can I get hired as a machine learning engineer in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is through a machine learning or data science internship at a California technology company, many of which, including major Bay Area firms, run structured university recruiting programs targeting new graduates from UC campuses, Cal Poly, and California State University programs. Transitioning from a data analyst, software engineer, or research assistant role is a common lateral move. Building a GitHub portfolio with end-to-end ML projects and completing a relevant graduate certificate from a California institution significantly improves early-career competitiveness.
Where can I find and apply to machine learning engineer jobs in California?
You can find and apply to machine learning engineer jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings across industries and seniority levels. Find roles that fit your background and apply directly.
See All 1,026+ Machine Learning Engineer Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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