Principal Engineer Jobs in California
Principal Engineer jobs in California are among the most active in the country, concentrated in technology, aerospace, semiconductors, and defense systems, with openings at every level from mid-career through distinguished staff engineer. The largest hiring markets are the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, and San Diego, where employers like Qualcomm, Lockheed Martin, and Apple maintain deep engineering organizations. Demand is strongest in hardware systems design, software infrastructure, and embedded systems. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Are you ready to build America’s energy future? Form Energy is an American manufacturing and energy technology company. We’re revolutionizing energy storage with cost-effective, multi-day technology designed to keep the electric grid secure and reliable, even during extended periods of stress. By strengthening the electric system and reimagining what’s possible, we’re giving clean energy a whole new form!
In recent years, Form Energy has earned a number of accolades, including being named by TIME as a “Best Invention”, MIT Technology Review as a “Top Climate Tech Company To Watch”, and Fast Company as “One of the Next Big Things In Tech”. We are making rapid progress on our mission of delivering energy storage for a better world, and our team is growing just as rapidly to meet demand. We have signed contracts with leading electric utilities across the United States and production of our iron-air batteries is underway at our first high-volume manufacturing facility in West Virginia.
Working for Form Energy is more than just a job, it’s a chance to be part of something extraordinary. And now - right as we significantly scale up battery manufacturing - might be the most exciting moment in the company’s history to join. We are assembling a team of highly talented and driven individuals across the country. Driven by our core values of humanity, excellence, and creativity, our team is determined to deliver on our mission and transform the energy landscape for the better.
Feeling energized to make a meaningful impact on the world? Then keep reading - you’ve come to the right place.
Role Description
Form Energy is hiring a Principal Battery Engineer to join the Product Echem Performance team. In this role, you will be a technical leader in developing the next round of optimization in our Iron-Air technology through improved sensor strategy and cell state identification. As a member of the Core Tech organization, you will be at the forefront of development and product implementation of the Iron-Air technology. Your responsibilities will also include leading RCAs for unexplained electrochemical phenomena observed in the field from our first deployments and implementing correction actions long term into the product development plans for future generation of products. This role is crucial in ensuring the successful scale up via technology optimization and customer experience throughout product operation and lifetime. This is an exciting opportunity to help shape and be part of the growth of a fast-moving company with breakthrough technology and an incredible mission!
Relocation assistance is available.
What you'll do:
Develop electrochemical signal strategy for the basis of state algorithms including hands-on work testing novel sensors or measurement methods. Create a roadmap for cell internal state determination.
Own cost analysis of electrochemical sensor inclusion and performance optimization resulting from improved cell internal state determination.
Establish state of the art prototype testing capabilities for electrochemical sensor evaluation in the Berkeley, CA facility.
Lead RCAs on product-level electrochemical phenomena impacting performance; establish framework/approach in this space during initial deployments.
What you'll bring:
PhD or MS with 10+ years of professional experience in Battery or Electrochemical Engineering.
Hands on lab expertise and agility to navigate prototyping environment to balance safety, timelines, and quality of novel testing.
Experience in leading technical teams through RCAs and excellent data analysis skills.
Experience with battery/cell state estimation, signal processing, or sensor integration into a production system.
#LI-Onsite
Humanity is a cornerstone of Form Energy’s culture, and we make sure our compensation and benefits reflect that. Form Energy offers competitive salaries, stock options, and a holistic benefits package to ensure all employees have what they need to thrive while working here.
When it comes to you and your family’s health, we cover 100% of medical, dental, and vision premiums for full-time employees - and 80% of healthcare premiums for dependents. This starts from day one. We also offer at least 12 weeks of paid leave for new parents (up to 20 weeks for birthing parents), and generous vacation policies to give employees time to recharge when needed.
To build America’s energy future, we need everyone at the table. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply to our open jobs.
If you may require reasonable accommodations to participate in our interview process, please contact accommodations@formenergy.com. Requests for accommodations will be treated with discretion.
Form Energy is committed to maintaining the privacy of our applicants. Please be aware that we will never solicit sensitive personal information such as Social Security numbers or bank account details during the recruiting or hiring process.
Compensation Range: $195,719 - $256,916
See All 884+ Principal Engineer Jobs in California
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Find Principal Engineer JobsPrincipal Engineer Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Principal Engineer Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- Northrop Grumman231

- Palo Alto Networks54

- Roblox25

- Marvell Technology23

- Raytheon21

Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software89
- Electronics & Hardware50
- Agriculture & Farming30
- Manufacturing17
- Consulting & Professional Services13
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in principal engineer jobs across California.
- Bachelor's or master's degree in engineering, computer science, or a related technical field
- 10 or more years of progressive engineering experience including technical leadership responsibilities
- Demonstrated ability to set technical direction and drive architecture decisions across large systems
- Experience leading cross-functional teams and mentoring senior and staff engineers
- Deep expertise in at least one domain such as hardware design, distributed systems, or embedded software
- Strong written and verbal communication skills for executive audiences and cross-organizational alignment
Principal Engineer Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a principal engineer in California?
Becoming a principal engineer in California typically requires a bachelor's or master's degree in engineering or computer science, followed by a sustained record of technical leadership at the senior engineer level. California employers generally promote into principal roles based on demonstrated scope of impact, system ownership, and influence across teams rather than a state-issued license. Civil and structural principal engineers may hold a California Professional Engineer license issued by the California Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists.
Which companies hire principal engineers in California?
Employers hiring principal engineers in California right now include Northrop Grumman, Palo Alto Networks, and Roblox, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. California's concentration of major technology headquarters, aerospace primes, and semiconductor companies means demand for principal-level engineers is distributed across both large public companies and well-funded growth-stage firms throughout the Bay Area and Southern California.
Which California cities have the most principal engineer jobs?
Santa Clara, San Diego, and San Jose account for the largest share of principal engineer openings in California. The Bay Area's concentration of major technology and semiconductor headquarters drives the volume there, while Los Angeles and San Diego attract principal engineers through aerospace, defense, and hardware companies including those clustered in corridors like the South Bay and Sorrento Valley.
Are there remote principal engineer jobs in California?
Yes, and more than most engineering roles, because principal engineers focus heavily on architecture, design review, and cross-team technical guidance rather than hands-on lab or manufacturing work. About 37% of principal engineer openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, reflecting the desk-and-collaboration nature of the role. Systems design, software infrastructure, and platform architecture positions see the highest proportion of fully remote arrangements.
How can I get hired as a principal engineer in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic path for someone earlier in their career is to target senior engineer roles at California technology or aerospace employers and build toward principal through demonstrated scope expansion. Companies like Apple, Qualcomm, and Northrop Grumman hire new graduates and associate engineers into structured programs and promote from within. Strengthening a portfolio with open-source contributions, patents, or published system designs and earning a Professional Engineer license through the California Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists can meaningfully differentiate a candidate moving toward principal-level consideration.
Where can I find and apply to principal engineer jobs in California?
You can find and apply to principal engineer jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings across technology, aerospace, semiconductors, and other industries. Search the listings for roles that match your specialization and experience level, then apply directly to the ones that fit.
See All 884+ Principal Engineer Jobs in California
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