Senior Researcher Jobs in San Jose, CA
Senior Researcher jobs in San Jose are in strong demand, concentrated in North San Jose, Downtown, and the Santana Row corridor across semiconductor, life sciences, and enterprise software sectors. Employers hiring right now include TikTok, Google, and Sony. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
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Showing 5 of 199+ Senior Researcher jobs
Minimum qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience.
- 8 years of experience with security assessments or security design reviews or threat modeling.
- 8 years of experience with security engineering, computer and network security and security protocols.
- 8 years of coding experience in one or more general purpose languages.
- 3 years of experience leading teams in a technical capacity or leading technical risk analysis in an enterprise environment.
Preferred qualifications:
- A track record of excellent published security research.
- The ability to demonstrate significant depth of understanding in one or more vulnerability research security fields.
About the job
Our Security team works to create and maintain the safest operating environment for Google's users and developers. Security Engineers work with network equipment and actively monitor our systems for attacks and intrusions. In this role, you will also work with software engineers to proactively identify and fix security flaws and vulnerabilities.
There's no such thing as a safe system, only safer systems. Our Security team works to create and maintain the safest operating environment for Google's users and developers.
As a Security Engineer, you help protect network boundaries, keep computer systems and network devices hardened against attacks and provide security services to protect highly sensitive data like passwords and customer information. Security Engineers work directly with network equipment and actively monitor our systems for attacks and intrusions. You also work with software engineers to proactively identify and fix security flaws and vulnerabilities. You use your industry experience to own and drive the resolution of complex security incidents, policy questions and technical security issues.
We build tooling to scale security research, and create new methodologies for discovering high impact security vulnerabilities. We also use in-house exploit development to provide relevant and actionable guidance for long-term defenses and mitigations, and engage in non-technical work such as driving improvements to industry security processes and best practices. Individual pay is determined by factors including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.US: $207000 - $300000 (USD) + 20% bonus target + equity + benefits
Learn more about benefits at Google.
Responsibilities
- Conduct vulnerability research and exploit development, specifically in (but not limited to) iOS, MacOS and XNU.
- Create tools and infrastructure that enables the team to scale up our research efforts.
- Engage the wider defensive community by publishing your results.
- Work with other security engineers on the analysis of, and response to vulnerabilities reported by other parties.
Minimum qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience.
- 8 years of experience with security assessments or security design reviews or threat modeling.
- 8 years of experience with security engineering, computer and network security and security protocols.
- 8 years of coding experience in one or more general purpose languages.
- 3 years of experience leading teams in a technical capacity or leading technical risk analysis in an enterprise environment.
Preferred qualifications:
- A track record of excellent published security research.
- The ability to demonstrate significant depth of understanding in one or more vulnerability research security fields.
About the job
Our Security team works to create and maintain the safest operating environment for Google's users and developers. Security Engineers work with network equipment and actively monitor our systems for attacks and intrusions. In this role, you will also work with software engineers to proactively identify and fix security flaws and vulnerabilities.
There's no such thing as a safe system, only safer systems. Our Security team works to create and maintain the safest operating environment for Google's users and developers.
As a Security Engineer, you help protect network boundaries, keep computer systems and network devices hardened against attacks and provide security services to protect highly sensitive data like passwords and customer information. Security Engineers work directly with network equipment and actively monitor our systems for attacks and intrusions. You also work with software engineers to proactively identify and fix security flaws and vulnerabilities. You use your industry experience to own and drive the resolution of complex security incidents, policy questions and technical security issues.
We build tooling to scale security research, and create new methodologies for discovering high impact security vulnerabilities. We also use in-house exploit development to provide relevant and actionable guidance for long-term defenses and mitigations, and engage in non-technical work such as driving improvements to industry security processes and best practices. Individual pay is determined by factors including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.US: $207000 - $300000 (USD) + 20% bonus target + equity + benefits
Learn more about benefits at Google.
Responsibilities
- Conduct vulnerability research and exploit development, specifically in (but not limited to) iOS, MacOS and XNU.
- Create tools and infrastructure that enables the team to scale up our research efforts.
- Engage the wider defensive community by publishing your results.
- Work with other security engineers on the analysis of, and response to vulnerabilities reported by other parties.
See All 199+ Senior Researcher Jobs in San Jose
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Find Senior Researcher JobsSenior Researcher Job Market in San Jose
Who's Hiring
- TikTok60
- Google40
- Sony20
- Adobe20
- Analog Devices20
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software
- Law & Legal Services
Senior Researcher Jobs in San Jose: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a senior researcher job in San Jose?
Prioritize San Jose's dominant hiring sectors: semiconductor design, biotech, and enterprise software. Roles concentrate in North San Jose's tech campuses and the biomedical cluster near downtown. Candidates who stand out typically combine deep domain expertise with published work or patents, strong cross-functional collaboration skills, and familiarity with the fast-cycle R&D culture that Silicon Valley employers expect from senior contributors.
Which companies hire senior researchers in San Jose?
San Jose senior researcher roles are posted by TikTok, Google, and Sony and others right now, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. San Jose attracts a mix of large semiconductor firms, Fortune 500 tech corporations, and well-funded biotech companies, all of which maintain active in-house research functions.
Are there remote senior researcher jobs in San Jose?
Yes, though availability depends heavily on the role: computational, data-driven, and policy research positions are far more remote-friendly than lab-based or hardware-focused ones. About 0% of senior researcher openings tied to San Jose are remote or hybrid as of August 2026. Software and AI research roles tied to San Jose employers offer the highest share of fully remote flexibility.
How can I get a senior researcher job in San Jose with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is through a research associate or junior researcher role at one of San Jose's semiconductor or biotech companies, which regularly pipeline early-career talent into senior tracks. Pursuing a graduate degree or postdoctoral fellowship aligned with local industry needs, such as chip architecture or oncology research, accelerates the move. Contract research positions at mid-size San Jose firms also provide the portfolio evidence that local hiring managers look for.
Which industries hire the most senior researchers in San Jose?
Most senior researcher openings in San Jose sit in Technology & Software and Law & Legal Services, per current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. San Jose's identity as the heart of Silicon Valley means semiconductor, software, and life sciences companies maintain some of the largest and most active research organizations in the country, driving consistent local demand.
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