QA Lead Jobs in California

QA Lead jobs in California are among the most active in the country, concentrated in the technology, biotech, and enterprise software sectors with openings from team lead to senior director of quality. The heaviest hiring happens in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, and San Diego, where established employers like Apple, Salesforce, and Qualcomm consistently need qa leads to own testing strategy, mentor QA engineers, and drive release quality. The most in-demand specializations include automation QA leadership, mobile and embedded QA, and regulatory compliance testing for medical device and life sciences companies. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.

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Overview

Open roles298+
Top employerGilead Sciences
Top citySan Diego, CA
Cities hiring129
Work type63% On-site
Top industryTechnology

Showing 5 of 298+ QA Lead jobs

Solheim Senior Community
Interim Quality Assurance Registered Nurse
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Solheim Senior Community
New 20h ago
Interim Quality Assurance Registered Nurse
Solheim Senior Community
Los Angeles, California
Program Management
Project Management
Quality Assurance & Testing (QA Testing)
$54 - $58/hr
CPR Certification
51-200

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Sugar Foods Corporation
Quality Assurance Project Coordinator
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Sugar Foods Corporation
New 21h ago
Quality Assurance Project Coordinator
Sugar Foods Corporation
Commerce, California
Program Management
Project & Program Management
Project Management
$24 - $29/hr
Damaged goods handling
501-1,000

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Vons
Quality Assurance Technician Food Manufacturing
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Vons
New 21h ago
Quality Assurance Technician Food Manufacturing
Vons
Riverside, California
Factory & Production Work
Manufacturing Operations
Quality Control
Bachelor's degree in food science
10,000+

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Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals
Clinical Quality Assurance Specialist II
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Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals
New 22h ago
Clinical Quality Assurance Specialist II
Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals
Los Angeles, California
Compliance & Legal
Quality Assurance & Testing (QA Testing)
Healthcare Administration
Compliance & Risk
$80k - $95k/yr
On-Site
Bachelor's

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iRhythm Technologies
Senior Software Quality Assurance (SQA) Engineering Lead
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iRhythm Technologies
Added 1d ago
Senior Software Quality Assurance (SQA) Engineering Lead
iRhythm Technologies
San Francisco, California
Software Engineering
Solutions Engineering & Architecture
Technical Product & Program Management
Technical Program Management
$138k - $180k/yr
Remote (US)
1,001-5,000

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See All 298+ QA Lead Jobs in California

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QA Lead Jobs by City in California

Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.

San Diego
29 jobs
Los Angeles
20 jobs
Sunnyvale
11 jobs
San Francisco
11 jobs
San Jose
9 jobs
Irvine
8 jobs
Torrance
7 jobs
San Leandro
7 jobs
Modesto
5 jobs

QA Lead Job Market in California

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

Who's Hiring

Gilead Sciences
Gilead Sciences6 open roles
Pacific Health
Pacific Health4 open roles
Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals
Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals4 open roles

Top Industries Hiring

  • Technology & Software13
  • Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals9
  • Staffing & Recruiting6
  • Medical Devices4
  • Aerospace & Defense4

What California Employers Look For

The qualifications that appear most often in QA lead jobs across California.

  • Bachelor's degree in computer science, engineering, or a related technical field
  • Proven experience leading QA teams and owning end-to-end test strategy
  • Hands-on proficiency with automation frameworks such as Selenium, Cypress, or Appium
  • Experience with Agile and CI/CD workflows in a collaborative engineering environment
  • ISTQB Advanced Level Test Manager or equivalent certification preferred by many California employers
  • Familiarity with California-relevant regulatory standards such as FDA 21 CFR Part 11 for life sciences roles

QA Lead Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions

How do you become a qa lead in California?

Most qa leads in California start as QA engineers or software testers and move into a lead role after demonstrating ownership over test strategy and mentoring peers. California employers, especially in tech and biotech, look for a combination of automation skills, Agile experience, and an ISTQB certification such as the Advanced Level Test Manager. Life sciences and medical device companies in San Diego and the Bay Area additionally expect familiarity with FDA validation and 21 CFR Part 11 compliance before promoting into a lead position.

Which companies hire qa leads in California?

Employers hiring qa leads in California right now include Gilead Sciences, Pacific Health, and Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. California's concentration of enterprise software, semiconductor, and regulated biotech companies means qa lead demand stays consistent across both startup and Fortune 500 environments throughout the year.

Which California cities have the most qa lead jobs?

The cities with the most qa lead openings in California are San Diego, Los Angeles, and Sunnyvale. The Bay Area and Los Angeles dominate because of their dense clusters of technology headquarters and enterprise software firms, while San Diego draws steady qa lead demand from its large biotech and defense contractor presence, which keeps hiring active even when broader tech hiring slows.

Are there remote qa lead jobs in California?

Yes, and more than most fields. About 37% of qa lead openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, reflecting how much of the work centers on test planning, code review, and tool configuration rather than physical lab access. The most consistently remote qa lead roles are in automation, API testing, and enterprise software, while hardware, embedded systems, and regulated medical device positions are more likely to require on-site presence.

How can I get hired as a qa lead in California with little or no experience?

The most realistic entry path is moving from a QA engineer or SDET role into a lead position by taking on mentoring responsibilities and owning a test plan end to end before the formal title changes. Large California employers like Salesforce, Apple, and Kaiser Permanente run associate and rotation programs that place junior testers onto QA teams where informal leadership opportunities appear quickly. Building an automation portfolio using open-source projects, earning the ISTQB Foundation certificate, and applying to coordinator or senior QA engineer roles at mid-size Bay Area or LA tech companies gives candidates a competitive edge without prior leadership titles.

Where can I find and apply to qa lead jobs in California?

You can find and apply to qa lead jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings across technology, biotech, and enterprise software companies. Find roles that fit your experience and specialization and apply directly to the ones that match.

See All 298+ QA Lead Jobs in California

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

Find QA Lead Jobs