Senior Software Development Engineer In Test Jobs in California

Senior Software Development Engineer In Test jobs in California are among the most active in the country, concentrated in enterprise software, cloud infrastructure, semiconductor, and consumer technology sectors with demand ranging from mid-level contributors through principal and staff engineers. The largest hiring concentrations are in the San Francisco Bay Area, San Diego, and Los Angeles, where companies like Google, Apple, and Qualcomm maintain deep SDET workforces. The most sought-after specializations include automation framework architecture, CI/CD pipeline quality, and AI/ML model testing. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.

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Overview

Open roles184+
Top employerApple
Top citySan Diego, CA
Cities hiring39
Work type54% Hybrid
Top industryTechnology

Showing 5 of 184+ Senior Software Development Engineer In Test jobs

Senior Director, Software Development Engineer in Test
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New 20h ago
Senior Director, Software Development Engineer in Test
Veeam Software
San Jose, California
Data Engineering
Software Engineering
Solutions Engineering & Architecture
$350k - $727k/yr
5,001-10,000

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Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET) — AI-Enabled Quality Infrastructure
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New 21h ago
Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET) — AI-Enabled Quality Infrastructure
SS&C
San Francisco, California
AI (Artificial Intelligence)
Data Science
ML (Machine Learning)
Software Engineering
$115k - $130k/yr
10,000+

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Staff Software Developer in Test – System V&V
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New 21h ago
Staff Software Developer in Test – System V&V
Ford Motor Company
Palo Alto, California
Engineering (Non-Software)
Manufacturing Operations
Quality Assurance & Testing (QA Testing)
Specialized Engineering
$150k - $284k/yr
Hybrid
Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering
10,000+

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Senior Software Developer in Test – Inverter
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New 21h ago
Senior Software Developer in Test – Inverter
Ford Motor Company
Palo Alto, California
Backend Engineering
Full-stack Engineering
Software Engineering
$139k - $233k/yr
Hybrid
Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering
10,000+

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Software Development Engineer, Test Tooling
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New 23h ago
Software Development Engineer, Test Tooling
Apple
Cupertino, California
Cloud Engineering
DevOps
Software Engineering
$129k - $195k/yr
Master's degree
10,000+

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See All 184+ Senior Software Development Engineer In Test Jobs in California

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Senior Software Development Engineer In Test Jobs by City in California

Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.

San Diego
32 jobs
Sunnyvale
21 jobs
San Jose
13 jobs
Cupertino
13 jobs
San Mateo
11 jobs
Palo Alto
10 jobs
Santa Clara
10 jobs
San Francisco
10 jobs
Hawthorne
7 jobs

Senior Software Development Engineer In Test Job Market in California

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

Who's Hiring

  • Apple26
  • Northrop Grumman12
  • Sony Interactive Entertainment12
  • SpaceX6
  • TikTok6

Top Industries Hiring

  • Technology & Software15
  • Electronics & Hardware4
  • Manufacturing3
  • Aerospace & Defense3
  • Automotive1

What California Employers Look For

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

  • Bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a closely related technical field
  • Five or more years of software development engineering in test or equivalent quality engineering experience
  • Proficiency in at least one major programming language such as Python, Java, or C++
  • Demonstrated experience designing and maintaining automated test frameworks at scale
  • Familiarity with CI/CD tools and cloud platforms including AWS, GCP, or Azure
  • Strong understanding of distributed systems, microservices architecture, and API testing methodologies

Senior Software Development Engineer In Test Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions

How do you become a senior software development engineer in test in California?

The path to a senior software development engineer in test role in California runs through a computer science or software engineering degree followed by several years of hands-on test automation and quality engineering experience. California does not require a state-issued license for this role. Most engineers advance by deepening expertise in automation frameworks, contributing to open-source testing tools, and earning industry certifications such as ISTQB Advanced Level, which California-based employers at the enterprise level increasingly recognize.

How much do senior software development engineer in tests make in California?

Senior software development engineer in tests in California earn a median of about $128,740 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $65,890 for the lowest 10% to over $201,070 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.

Which companies hire senior software development engineer in tests in California?

Employers hiring senior software development engineer in tests in California right now include Apple, Northrop Grumman, and Sony Interactive Entertainment, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. California's concentration of major cloud, semiconductor, and consumer tech headquarters means hiring activity stays consistent across economic cycles, particularly in the Bay Area and San Diego corridors.

Which California cities have the most senior software development engineer in test jobs?

The California cities with the most senior software development engineer in test openings are San Diego, Sunnyvale, and San Jose. The Bay Area leads because of its dense cluster of enterprise software and cloud companies, while San Diego draws heavily from semiconductor and defense technology employers, and Los Angeles reflects growth in streaming, gaming, and fintech quality engineering teams.

Are there remote senior software development engineer in test jobs in California?

Yes, and more than most engineering disciplines, since the work centers on code, automated pipelines, and testing environments that run entirely in the cloud. About 57% of senior software development engineer in test openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting how deeply distributed engineering culture is across California tech companies. Roles focused on automation framework development and CI/CD integration are the most consistently remote.

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

The most realistic entry path is through an associate software engineer or junior QA engineer role at a California-based technology company, then building automation skills on the job. Large California employers including Apple, Salesforce, and Intel run structured new-grad programs that place candidates without industry experience into quality engineering rotations. Contributing to open-source test frameworks, completing an ISTQB Foundation certification, and building a portfolio of automation projects on GitHub are the credentials California hiring managers cite most when evaluating early-career candidates.

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

You can find and apply to senior software development engineer in test jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings across the Bay Area, San Diego, Los Angeles, and other hiring centers. Find the roles that fit your experience and apply directly to the employers posting them.

See All 184+ Senior Software Development Engineer In Test Jobs in California

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