Senior C Software Engineer Jobs in California
Senior C Software Engineer jobs in California are among the most active in the country, concentrated in aerospace and defense, embedded systems, automotive software, and enterprise infrastructure across a state that houses some of the world's densest engineering talent. The heaviest hiring happens in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, and San Diego, where companies like Qualcomm, Northrop Grumman, and Apple maintain large engineering workforces and consistently recruit for senior-level systems and embedded expertise. The most in-demand specialties are real-time systems programming, embedded firmware development, and high-performance computing. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 48+ Senior C Software Engineer jobs
Our award-winning culture embraces a bold vision of where technology can take us and a passion for tackling challenging problems with industry-first solutions. We believe that when people feel a sense of belonging, they can be more creative, innovative, and thrive at all points in their careers.
Build the foundation that Keysight's instruments run on. Our instrument infrastructure team is part of Keysight Laboratories, Keysight's central research and development organization. We create the software platform that product teams around the world build on. The code you write won't ship in just one product. It becomes the shared foundation for the next generation of Keysight test and measurement systems.
This is full-stack work in the truest sense. You'll work from register-level hardware interfaces and drivers up through application software, and you'll carry your designs from architecture through production.
Work with product architects to define infrastructure software requirements and system architecture for next-generation instrument platforms.
Design, develop, and maintain high-performance C++ software for hardware control, data acquisition, and scalable platform capabilities.
Build reusable infrastructure that delivers consistent capabilities across multiple Keysight products.
Integrate hardware and software components, and perform system-level integration, testing, and validation.
Debug issues across the full stack, from device registers and drivers to application software.
Collaborate with distributed engineering teams across the full development lifecycle, from design through production readiness.
Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
5+ years of professional experience developing hardware control or hardware-adjacent software.
Strong proficiency in modern C++ (C++20), object-oriented design, and software architecture principles.
Solid understanding of driver and real-time processing architectures. [If kernel driver development experience is required, state it explicitly here.]
Demonstrated ability to debug across multiple layers of the stack, from device registers to application software, using modern debugging and profiling tools.
Software development experience in Linux and/or Windows environments.
Desired Qualifications
Experience with multithreaded, high-performance software design.
Embedded Linux development experience.
Proficiency in Python or C#.
Experience with automated testing, CI/CD, and DevOps practices.
Familiarity with electronic test and measurement systems and instrument architectures.
Careers Privacy Statement
Keysight Technologies Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability or any other protected categories under all applicable laws.
The level of role will be based on applicable experience, education and skills; Most offers will be between the minimum and the midpoint of the Salary Range listed below.
California pay range: MIN $ X- MAX $XX
Note: For other locations, pay ranges will vary by region
This role is eligible for <> Keysight Results Bonus Program OR Pay For Results Bonus Program OR Sales Incentive Program
US Employees may be eligible for the following benefits:
- Medical, dental and vision
- Health Savings Account
- Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
- Life, Accident, Disability insurance
- Business Travel Accident and Business Travel Health
- 401(k) Plan
- Flexible Time Off, Paid Holidays
- Paid Family Leave
- Discounts, Perks
- Tuition Reimbursement
- Adoption Assistance
- ESPP (Employee Stock Purchase Plan)
- Restricted Stock Units
#LI-MED1
Our award-winning culture embraces a bold vision of where technology can take us and a passion for tackling challenging problems with industry-first solutions. We believe that when people feel a sense of belonging, they can be more creative, innovative, and thrive at all points in their careers.
Build the foundation that Keysight's instruments run on. Our instrument infrastructure team is part of Keysight Laboratories, Keysight's central research and development organization. We create the software platform that product teams around the world build on. The code you write won't ship in just one product. It becomes the shared foundation for the next generation of Keysight test and measurement systems.
This is full-stack work in the truest sense. You'll work from register-level hardware interfaces and drivers up through application software, and you'll carry your designs from architecture through production.
Work with product architects to define infrastructure software requirements and system architecture for next-generation instrument platforms.
Design, develop, and maintain high-performance C++ software for hardware control, data acquisition, and scalable platform capabilities.
Build reusable infrastructure that delivers consistent capabilities across multiple Keysight products.
Integrate hardware and software components, and perform system-level integration, testing, and validation.
Debug issues across the full stack, from device registers and drivers to application software.
Collaborate with distributed engineering teams across the full development lifecycle, from design through production readiness.
Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
5+ years of professional experience developing hardware control or hardware-adjacent software.
Strong proficiency in modern C++ (C++20), object-oriented design, and software architecture principles.
Solid understanding of driver and real-time processing architectures. [If kernel driver development experience is required, state it explicitly here.]
Demonstrated ability to debug across multiple layers of the stack, from device registers to application software, using modern debugging and profiling tools.
Software development experience in Linux and/or Windows environments.
Desired Qualifications
Experience with multithreaded, high-performance software design.
Embedded Linux development experience.
Proficiency in Python or C#.
Experience with automated testing, CI/CD, and DevOps practices.
Familiarity with electronic test and measurement systems and instrument architectures.
Careers Privacy Statement
Keysight Technologies Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability or any other protected categories under all applicable laws.
The level of role will be based on applicable experience, education and skills; Most offers will be between the minimum and the midpoint of the Salary Range listed below.
California pay range: MIN $ X- MAX $XX
Note: For other locations, pay ranges will vary by region
This role is eligible for <> Keysight Results Bonus Program OR Pay For Results Bonus Program OR Sales Incentive Program
US Employees may be eligible for the following benefits:
- Medical, dental and vision
- Health Savings Account
- Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
- Life, Accident, Disability insurance
- Business Travel Accident and Business Travel Health
- 401(k) Plan
- Flexible Time Off, Paid Holidays
- Paid Family Leave
- Discounts, Perks
- Tuition Reimbursement
- Adoption Assistance
- ESPP (Employee Stock Purchase Plan)
- Restricted Stock Units
#LI-MED1
See All 48 Senior C Software Engineer Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find JobsSenior C Software Engineer Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Senior C Software Engineer Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software12
- Aerospace & Defense2
- Consulting & Professional Services1
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in senior C software engineer jobs across California.
- Bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, computer engineering, or electrical engineering
- Five or more years of production-level C programming experience in systems or embedded environments
- Deep knowledge of memory management, pointers, and low-level hardware interfaces
- Experience with real-time operating systems such as VxWorks, FreeRTOS, or POSIX-compliant systems
- Proficiency with debugging tools, oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and embedded development environments
- Familiarity with version control systems and collaborative development workflows such as Git
Senior C Software Engineer Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a senior c software engineer in California?
Senior c software engineer roles in California do not require a state-issued license, but the path to senior-level positions typically runs through a computer science or electrical engineering degree followed by several years writing production C in embedded, systems, or aerospace environments. California employers in defense and aerospace often require or strongly prefer candidates who can obtain a federal security clearance, which adds an additional qualification layer. Building a portfolio of firmware or systems projects and contributing to open-source C repositories significantly strengthens a candidacy for senior roles at California companies.
How much do senior C software engineers make in California?
Senior C 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 c software engineers in California?
Employers hiring senior c software engineers in California right now include Esri, KLA, and Anduril, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. California's concentration of aerospace primes, semiconductor companies, and defense contractors makes it one of the deepest markets in the country for senior-level C engineering talent.
Which California cities have the most senior c software engineer jobs?
The cities with the most senior c software engineer openings in California are Redlands, Los Angeles, and Milpitas. The distribution reflects California's major engineering corridors: the Bay Area's dense concentration of semiconductor and infrastructure companies drives volume in the north, while San Diego's established defense and wireless industry base and Los Angeles's aerospace and entertainment technology sectors sustain strong demand in the south.
Are there remote senior c software engineer jobs in California?
Yes, and more than many engineering disciplines, though the share depends heavily on the sub-specialty. About 31% of senior c software engineer openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, reflecting that some systems work is lab-bound. The roles most likely to be fully remote are those focused on application-layer C development, toolchain engineering, or platform work that does not require physical access to hardware.
How can I get hired as a senior c software engineer in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is through an associate or junior embedded software engineer role, then building toward senior standing over time. Large California defense and aerospace employers like Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, and Lockheed Martin run new-graduate hiring programs that accept strong computer engineering or computer science graduates with relevant coursework in operating systems and C. Candidates who come from adjacent roles such as hardware verification engineer, firmware test engineer, or systems integration engineer have a concrete path sideways into C development. A personal portfolio of embedded or systems projects on GitHub gives a candidate without commercial experience a tangible signal of capability.
Where can I find and apply to senior c software engineer jobs in California?
You can find and apply to senior c software engineer jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings across defense, semiconductor, automotive, and enterprise sectors. Find the roles that fit your experience and specialization and apply directly to the employers posting them.
See All 48 Senior C Software Engineer Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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