Market Development Specialist Jobs in California
Market Development Specialist jobs in California are among the most active in the country, with strong demand across technology, life sciences, clean energy, and consumer goods sectors at every level from entry-level associate through senior strategist. The highest concentrations of openings are in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, and San Diego, where established employers such as Salesforce, Abbott Laboratories, and Qualcomm maintain significant market development functions. The most in-demand specialties are channel partner development, enterprise software growth, and healthcare market access. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Job Description:
Merrill Wealth Management is a leading provider of comprehensive wealth management and investment products and services for individuals, companies, and institutions. Merrill Wealth Management is one of the largest businesses of its kind in the world specializing in goals-based wealth management, including planning for retirement, education, legacy, and other life goals through investment advice and guidance.
Merrill’s Financial Advisors and Wealth Management Client Associates help clients pursue the life they envision through a personal relationship with their advisory team committed to their needs. We believe trust comes from transparency. Our trusted advisory teams are equipped with access to the investment insights of Merrill coupled with the banking convenience of Bank of America.
Merrill is committed to an in-office culture that supports collaboration, engagement, and career development. Our approach includes clear in-office expectations, while providing an appropriate level of flexibility based on role-specific responsibilities and business needs.
At Merrill, we empower you to bring your whole self to work. We value the unique perspectives in our thoughts, business, and within our employees and clients. Our Wealth Management team represents an array of different skills and experiences that individuals bring from all backgrounds and careers; whether gained through military service, community college education, or a wide range of work and life experiences. These journeys foster resilience, leadership and innovation, strengthening our workforce and positively impact the communities we serve.
The Advisor Development Program is designed for individuals excited to make a career transition and follow their passion of becoming a Financial Advisor.
Role Specifics:
As a Merrill Advisor Development Program - Financial Advisor-Partially Registered, you will be responsible for working with high-net worth individuals identifying needs, developing relationships, reviewing financial goals, and delivering comprehensive recommendations that align with the goals of both existing and prospective clients. Additionally, you’ll have the opportunity to collaborate with and be mentored by Merrill Financial Advisor Teams to build upon your experience to promote portfolio growth.
The Merrill Advisor Development Program- Financial Advisor-Partially Registered engages in:
- Developing a book of business in order to meet and exceed established performance hurdles
- Effectively prioritizes sourcing prospective clients, capitalizing on referrals, assessing customer needs, referring customers to the appropriate internal specialists, and executing highly customized solutions to meet client needs
- Recommending investment products and services that are suitable for prospects based on their objectives, resources, time horizon, risk profile and preferences
- Balancing investment growth, referral activities, customer follow up, prospect building, administrative compliance, and personal growth and development according to both a day-to-day and longer-term planning
- Organizing and managing resources (time, people, budget) to run a productive practice
- Seeking the expertise of specialists, where appropriate, to identify planning and investment strategies for a client
- Completing mandated training, assessments, performance goals and continuing education requirements
We’ll help you:
- Build a successful career at Bank of America through world class training and on-boarding programs that set you up for success.
- Get training and one-on-one coaching from our award-winning Academy at Bank of America and local leadership who are invested in your success.
- Grow your business knowledge by using a defined consultative approach to systematically identify client needs and appropriate solutions.
- Provide end-to-end comprehensive advice, deliver client reviews/presentations with confidence and recommend strategies to help achieve their financial goals and life priorities.
- Collaborate with core banking and investment partners. Connect to all the solutions we provide through Bank of America and Merrill to meet virtually all their financial needs.
Responsibilities:
- Learns how to provide tailored and personalized advice to clients through reviews and presentations, including partnering with management to assess financial goals and recommending investment advisory strategies
- Understands client solutions that are best suited for their financial needs, such as core Banking, and Investment and Life Priority™ solutions
- Shadows Financial Advisor teams to build their network by sharing relevant market developments and discussing new products (as appropriate) in an effort to promote portfolio growth
- Leverages available resources and technologies to optimize the customer experience and serve the bank's customers with operational excellence and accuracy
- Participates in on-going training focused on how to develop a book of business to meet and exceed pre-defined financial targets and determine how to progress to the next phase as an advisor
- Builds relationships with internal service providers based on client needs and asset thresholds
- Manages risk proactively in every aspect of business, product, and service transaction leveraging available tools
Required Qualifications:
- Currently holds FINRA Securities Industry Essentials (SIE)
- 4+ years of progressive professional and/or military experience
- 2+ years experience in investments industry
- Ability to obtain Series 7 and 66 licenses within allotted program time
- Is a self-starter who efficiently manages time and capacity
- Sets and accomplishes goals, achieving whatever one sets their mind to
- Builds and nurtures strong relationships
- Collaborates effectively with others to get things done
- Communicates effectively and confidently and is comfortable engaging all clients
- Manages goals, navigates complexity, prioritizes tasks and executes in a fast-paced environment
- Likes to learn, adapts to new information and seeks the right solutions for clients
- Is thorough and thoughtful in incorporating relevant regulatory due diligence into daily activities and long-term strategies for clients
Desired Qualifications:
- Experience working in the financial service industry and/or a sales environment where goals were met or exceeded
- Strong computer skills and the ability to multitask in a demanding environment
- Bachelor's Degree, preferably in business-related field
- Proven ability to partner and promote lead generation
- Experience balancing investment management, sales activities and new client development
- Achieved additional professional designations such as Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and/or Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC)
- Obtained insurance licenses
Skills:
- Account Management
- Client Investments Management
- Client Management
- Client Solutions Advisory
- Relationship Building
- Advisory
- Business Development
- Fraud Management
- Pipeline Management
- Portfolio Management
- Client Experience Branding
- Issue Management
- Prospecting
- Referral Identification
- Sales Performance Management
Minimum Education Requirement: High School Diploma / GED / Secondary School or equivalent
This position may be responsible for the provision of residential mortgage loans, and as such, is subject to SAFE Act registration requirements. Pursuant to the SAFE Act requirements, all employees engaged in residential mortgage loan originations must register with the federal registry system and remain in good standing. Since this position requires SAFE Act registration, employees are required to register and to submit to the required SAFE Act background check. Failure to obtain and/or maintain SAFE Act registration may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination. The following laws or regulations restrict or prohibit the hiring of individuals with certain specified criminal history for the position: FDIC; Safe Act; Loan Originators; and FINRA.
Shift:
1st shift (United States of America)Hours Per Week:
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Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Market Development Specialist Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring



Top Industries Hiring
- Science & Research
- Consulting & Professional Services
- Staffing & Recruiting
- Healthcare & Medical Services
- Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in market development specialist jobs across California.
- Bachelor's degree in marketing, business, or a related field required
- Two or more years of B2B sales or market development experience preferred
- Demonstrated ability to build and manage channel or partner relationships
- Proficiency with CRM platforms such as Salesforce or HubSpot
- Experience developing go-to-market strategies for a defined territory or vertical
- Strong written and verbal communication skills for cross-functional collaboration
Market Development Specialist Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a market development specialist in California?
Most California employers require a bachelor's degree in marketing, business administration, or a related field, followed by experience in sales, account management, or a related commercial role. Market development specialists in California are not required to hold a state-issued license, but those working in regulated industries such as medical devices or pharmaceuticals may need product-specific training or manufacturer certifications. Building a portfolio of measurable growth outcomes and familiarity with California's major industry verticals strengthens a candidate's application considerably.
How much do market development specialists make in California?
Market development specialists in California earn a median of about $94,700 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $48,440 for the lowest 10% to over $181,600 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire market development specialists in California?
Employers hiring market development specialists in California right now include Bank of America, Thermo Fisher Scientific, and VITAS Healthcare, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of October 2026. California's dense concentration of technology headquarters, life sciences companies, and consumer brand operations means hiring activity is spread across a wide range of established and growth-stage employers.
Which California cities have the most market development specialist jobs?
Los Angeles, Carlsbad, and Fresno currently have the most market development specialist openings in California. The Bay Area leads due to its density of enterprise technology and SaaS companies, Los Angeles draws openings from entertainment, consumer goods, and healthcare, and San Diego's concentration of biotech and defense firms anchors demand in the south.
Are there remote market development specialist jobs in California?
Yes, and more than many commercial roles, since market development work is largely analytical, strategic, and relationship-based rather than tied to a fixed physical location. About 62% of market development specialist openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of October 2026, reflecting broader flexibility in the field. Responsibilities focused on market research, partner communications, and go-to-market planning tend to be the most remote-compatible parts of the role.
How can I get hired as a market development specialist in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is a sales development representative or marketing coordinator role at a California technology or life sciences company, which provides direct exposure to market-building work. Large California employers such as Oracle, Thermo Fisher Scientific, and Genentech run structured rotational or associate programs that place early-career candidates into commercial functions. A credential in Salesforce administration or a Google Analytics certification signals practical readiness, and candidates who can show a portfolio of territory research or a competitive analysis project from internship or coursework stand out in entry-level reviews.
Where can I find and apply to market development specialist jobs in California?
You can find and apply to market development specialist jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings across industries and experience levels. Find roles that fit your background and apply directly to the employers posting them.
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