Senior Software Developer Jobs in Palo Alto, CA
Senior Software Developer jobs in Palo Alto are concentrated along the California Avenue corridor, downtown University Avenue, and the Stanford Research Park, where enterprise software, AI infrastructure, and semiconductor firms drive consistent demand. Employers hiring right now include GEICO, JPMorganChase, and Amazon. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
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Showing 5 of 49+ Senior Software Developer jobs
DESCRIPTION
The goal is to give millions of sellers and brands the kind of advanced optimization tools that used to be available only through agencies or expensive third-party providers. You'll own the architectural direction for the team's AI systems in an ambiguous space, where both the business problem and the solution approach still need to be defined. The work ranges from guiding less experienced sellers through campaign setup to automatically surfacing optimization opportunities that help advertisers succeed.
Key job responsibilities
- Own the architectural direction for full funnel optimization systems that combine LLMs, traditional optimization and first-party shopper data, making foundational decisions on how they evolve
- Lead the design and delivery of complex end-to-end AI solutions in problem areas where both the business problem and the technical approach need to be defined
- Drive the team's engineering strategy and influence the product roadmap, giving context on current and future technology choices
- Build agentic capabilities that reason, plan and act for advertisers, from guided campaign setup to automatically surfacing optimization opportunities
- Build consensus with stakeholders, scientists and engineering peers across multiple teams, and make strategic recommendations on system architecture and implementation
- Mentor engineers and help set the engineering foundations of a newly formed team
About the team
We're a newly formed team in Amazon Advertising building the next generation of Full Funnel Optimization. We combine large language models, traditional optimization and Amazon's first-party data on shopper behavior and conversion patterns to build intelligent systems that reason, plan and act on behalf of advertisers. Our goal is to give millions of sellers and brands the kind of advanced optimization tools that used to be available only through agencies or expensive third-party providers.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- 5+ years of non-internship professional software development experience
- 5+ years of programming with at least one software programming language experience
- 5+ years of leading design or architecture (design patterns, reliability and scaling) of new and existing systems experience
- Experience as a mentor, tech lead or leading an engineering team
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- 5+ years of full software development life cycle, including coding standards, code reviews, source control management, build processes, testing, and operations experience
- Bachelor's degree in computer science or equivalent
Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.
Los Angeles County applicants: Job duties for this position include: work safely and cooperatively with other employees, supervisors, and staff; adhere to standards of excellence despite stressful conditions; communicate effectively and respectfully with employees, supervisors, and staff to ensure exceptional customer service; and follow all federal, state, and local laws and Company policies. Criminal history may have a direct, adverse, and negative relationship with some of the material job duties of this position. These include the duties and responsibilities listed above, as well as the abilities to adhere to company policies, exercise sound judgment, effectively manage stress and work safely and respectfully with others, exhibit trustworthiness and professionalism, and safeguard business operations and the Company’s reputation. Pursuant to the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.
The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits.
USA, CA, Palo Alto - 193,300.00 - 261,500.00 USD annually
USA, NY, New York - 184,900.00 - 250,200.00 USD annually
USA, WA, SEATTLE - 168,100.00 - 227,400.00 USD annually
DESCRIPTION
The goal is to give millions of sellers and brands the kind of advanced optimization tools that used to be available only through agencies or expensive third-party providers. You'll own the architectural direction for the team's AI systems in an ambiguous space, where both the business problem and the solution approach still need to be defined. The work ranges from guiding less experienced sellers through campaign setup to automatically surfacing optimization opportunities that help advertisers succeed.
Key job responsibilities
- Own the architectural direction for full funnel optimization systems that combine LLMs, traditional optimization and first-party shopper data, making foundational decisions on how they evolve
- Lead the design and delivery of complex end-to-end AI solutions in problem areas where both the business problem and the technical approach need to be defined
- Drive the team's engineering strategy and influence the product roadmap, giving context on current and future technology choices
- Build agentic capabilities that reason, plan and act for advertisers, from guided campaign setup to automatically surfacing optimization opportunities
- Build consensus with stakeholders, scientists and engineering peers across multiple teams, and make strategic recommendations on system architecture and implementation
- Mentor engineers and help set the engineering foundations of a newly formed team
About the team
We're a newly formed team in Amazon Advertising building the next generation of Full Funnel Optimization. We combine large language models, traditional optimization and Amazon's first-party data on shopper behavior and conversion patterns to build intelligent systems that reason, plan and act on behalf of advertisers. Our goal is to give millions of sellers and brands the kind of advanced optimization tools that used to be available only through agencies or expensive third-party providers.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- 5+ years of non-internship professional software development experience
- 5+ years of programming with at least one software programming language experience
- 5+ years of leading design or architecture (design patterns, reliability and scaling) of new and existing systems experience
- Experience as a mentor, tech lead or leading an engineering team
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- 5+ years of full software development life cycle, including coding standards, code reviews, source control management, build processes, testing, and operations experience
- Bachelor's degree in computer science or equivalent
Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.
Los Angeles County applicants: Job duties for this position include: work safely and cooperatively with other employees, supervisors, and staff; adhere to standards of excellence despite stressful conditions; communicate effectively and respectfully with employees, supervisors, and staff to ensure exceptional customer service; and follow all federal, state, and local laws and Company policies. Criminal history may have a direct, adverse, and negative relationship with some of the material job duties of this position. These include the duties and responsibilities listed above, as well as the abilities to adhere to company policies, exercise sound judgment, effectively manage stress and work safely and respectfully with others, exhibit trustworthiness and professionalism, and safeguard business operations and the Company’s reputation. Pursuant to the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.
The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits.
USA, CA, Palo Alto - 193,300.00 - 261,500.00 USD annually
USA, NY, New York - 184,900.00 - 250,200.00 USD annually
USA, WA, SEATTLE - 168,100.00 - 227,400.00 USD annually
See All 49 Senior Software Developer Jobs in Palo Alto
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Find JobsSenior Software Developer Job Market in Palo Alto
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software10
- Science & Research2
- Staffing & Recruiting2
- Retail1
- Insurance1
Senior Software Developer Jobs in Palo Alto: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a senior software developer job in Palo Alto?
The strongest path into Palo Alto's senior software developer market is targeting the AI, cloud infrastructure, and enterprise SaaS companies concentrated in the Stanford Research Park and along California Avenue. Employers here weight depth in distributed systems, machine learning pipelines, and platform engineering heavily. Candidates who can demonstrate end-to-end ownership of a product or infrastructure component, rather than feature-level contributions, stand out in a market full of credentialed applicants.
Which companies hire senior software developers in Palo Alto?
Companies currently hiring senior software developers in Palo Alto include GEICO, JPMorganChase, and Amazon, per current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Palo Alto's employer mix skews toward established technology firms, semiconductor companies, and growth-stage AI startups with significant research and engineering footprints.
Are there remote senior software developer jobs in Palo Alto?
Yes, though many Palo Alto roles expect significant on-site collaboration given the density of research-driven and product-led teams in the area. About 63% of senior software developer openings tied to Palo Alto are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, with backend platform and data infrastructure roles being the most consistently flexible.
How can I get a senior software developer job in Palo Alto with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path in Palo Alto is through associate or mid-level software engineer roles at the enterprise technology and AI firms based in the Stanford Research Park, many of which promote internally once engineers demonstrate ownership and reliability. Internship-to-full-time conversions at Palo Alto's larger technology employers are a common pipeline, as are lateral moves from QA engineering or DevOps into development roles where system familiarity substitutes for years of direct coding experience.
Which industries hire the most senior software developers in Palo Alto?
The sectors hiring the most senior software developers in Palo Alto are Technology & Software, Science & Research, and Staffing & Recruiting, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Palo Alto's proximity to Stanford University and its long history as a hub for venture-backed technology companies concentrates hiring in sectors where deep engineering talent and rapid product iteration are both priorities.
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See All 49 Senior Software Developer Jobs in Palo Alto
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