Senior AI Software Engineer Jobs in California

Senior AI Software Engineer jobs in California represent one of the most active and competitive markets in the country, concentrated in enterprise software, cloud infrastructure, autonomous systems, and biotech AI across companies at every level from growth-stage startups to global headquarters. The largest hiring hubs are San Francisco, San Jose, and Los Angeles, where employers such as Google, Meta, and Salesforce maintain deep senior engineering teams focused on large language models, MLOps, and AI platform development. The most in-demand specialties are generative AI, reinforcement learning, and applied machine learning at scale. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.

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Overview

Open roles852+
Top employerApple
Top citySan Francisco, CA
Cities hiring55
Work type75% On-site
Top industryTechnology

Showing 5 of 852+ Senior AI Software Engineer jobs

NVIDIA
Senior AI Software Engineer
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NVIDIA
Added 1w ago
Senior AI Software Engineer
NVIDIA
Santa Clara, California
Software Engineering
Data Science & Analytics
Data Engineering
AI (Artificial Intelligence)
Data Science
Backend Engineering
$184k - $288k/yr
On-Site
Master's

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Semgrep
Senior AI Software Engineer
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Semgrep
Added 1w ago
Senior AI Software Engineer
Semgrep
San Francisco, California
Software Engineering
Data Science & Analytics
AI (Artificial Intelligence)
Data Science
Backend Engineering
$163k - $247k/yr
Hybrid
None

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Lyft
Senior AI Software Engineer
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Lyft
Added 2mo ago
Senior AI Software Engineer
Lyft
San Francisco, California
Software Engineering
Data Science & Analytics
Technical Product & Program Management
AI (Artificial Intelligence)
Data Science
Technical Program Management
Backend Engineering
$148k - $185k/yr
Hybrid
Bachelor's

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Lyft
Senior AI Software Engineer
We won't show you this job again
Lyft
Added 2mo ago
Senior AI Software Engineer
Lyft
San Francisco County, California
Software Engineering
Data Science & Analytics
Technical Product & Program Management
AI (Artificial Intelligence)
Technical Program Management
Backend Engineering
$148k - $185k
Hybrid
Bachelor's

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Palo Alto Networks
Senior Principal AI Software Engineer
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Palo Alto Networks
Added 2w ago
Senior Principal AI Software Engineer
Palo Alto Networks
Santa Clara, California
Software Engineering
Technical Product & Program Management
Cloud & DevOps
AI (Artificial Intelligence)
Technical Program Management
Backend Engineering
$223k - $307k/yr
On-Site
Bachelor's
10,000+

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See All 852+ Senior AI Software Engineer Jobs in California

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

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Senior AI Software Engineer Jobs by City in California

Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.

San Francisco
170 jobs
Santa Clara
124 jobs
San Jose
82 jobs
Cupertino
72 jobs
Sunnyvale
64 jobs
Mountain View
62 jobs
Palo Alto
37 jobs
San Diego
33 jobs
Foster City
26 jobs

Senior AI Software Engineer Job Market in California

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

Who's Hiring

  • Apple
    Apple83
  • NVIDIA
    NVIDIA72
  • Adobe
    Adobe29
  • Capital One
    Capital One27
  • Zoox
    Zoox25

Top Industries Hiring

  • Technology & Software410
  • Electronics & Hardware123
  • Artificial Intelligence70
  • Automotive59
  • Banking & Financial Services52

What California Employers Look For

The qualifications that appear most often in senior AI software engineer jobs across California.

  • Bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, machine learning, or a related field
  • Five or more years of software engineering experience with a focus on AI or machine learning systems
  • Proficiency in Python and at least one deep learning framework such as PyTorch or TensorFlow
  • Demonstrated experience deploying large-scale ML models in production cloud environments
  • Strong background in distributed systems, data pipelines, and model optimization techniques
  • Experience collaborating cross-functionally with research scientists and product teams on AI initiatives

Senior AI Software Engineer Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions

How do you become a senior ai software engineer in California?

Reaching the senior level in California typically requires a bachelor's or master's degree in computer science or a closely related discipline combined with several years of hands-on experience building and shipping production AI systems. There is no state-issued license for this role in California, so advancement depends on a portfolio of measurable technical contributions, experience with large-scale infrastructure, and often a track of mentorship or technical leadership recognized by California employers in technology, defense, and life sciences.

How much do senior AI software engineers make in California?

Senior AI software 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 senior ai software engineers in California?

Employers hiring senior ai software engineers in California right now include Apple, NVIDIA, and Adobe, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of June 2026. California's density of AI-focused headquarters and research labs means hiring activity is especially consistent across the San Francisco Bay Area and Greater Los Angeles corridors.

Which California cities have the most senior ai software engineer jobs?

San Francisco, Santa Clara, and San Jose have the most senior ai software engineer openings in California. San Francisco and San Jose dominate because the Bay Area houses the global headquarters and core engineering campuses of the largest AI-driven technology companies, while Los Angeles has grown into a significant hub driven by entertainment tech, aerospace AI, and a rapidly expanding startup ecosystem.

Are there remote senior ai software engineer jobs in California?

Yes, and more than most fields. About 25% of senior ai software engineer openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of June 2026, reflecting how much of the work centers on code, model development, and cloud infrastructure rather than on-site hardware. The portions of the role most frequently offered remotely include model research, ML platform engineering, and data pipeline development.

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

The most realistic entry path is securing an associate or junior machine learning engineer role and building toward seniority through measurable project ownership. Large California employers such as Google, Apple, and Salesforce run structured new-grad and university-hire programs that place candidates into AI and ML teams with mentorship built in. Lateral moves from software engineering, data science, or research engineering are also common. A strong GitHub portfolio demonstrating end-to-end model development, or a published contribution to an open-source AI project, gives California candidates a clear edge in a crowded applicant pool.

Where can I find and apply to senior ai software engineer jobs in California?

You can find and apply to senior ai software engineer jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings updated regularly. Search the available roles, find the ones that fit your background and location, and apply directly through each listing.

See All 852+ Senior AI Software Engineer Jobs in California

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

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