Senior Software Development Engineer Jobs in California
Senior Software Development Engineer jobs in California are among the most active in the country, concentrated in enterprise software, cloud infrastructure, fintech, and consumer technology across one of the world's densest tech ecosystems at every level from mid-level contributor through staff and principal engineer. The largest hiring metros are the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, and San Diego, where companies like Google, Apple, and Salesforce maintain deep engineering organizations and consistently recruit at the senior level. The most in-demand specialties right now are distributed systems, machine learning platform engineering, and full-stack cloud-native development. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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INTRODUCTION
From Fivetran's founding until now, our mission has remained the same: to make access to data as simple and reliable as electricity. With Fivetran, customer data arrives in their warehouses, canonical and ready to query, with no engineering or maintenance required. We're proud that more organizations continue to leverage our technology every day to become truly data-driven.
ABOUT THE ROLE
Fivetran is building data pipelines to power the modern data stack for thousands of companies. We're looking for a talented Senior Software Engineer with a passion for building enterprise grade software to join the team. You will be focusing on developing world-class enterprise capabilities and features in support of our largest and most sophisticated customers. The work we do is both highly visible and critically important to the long term growth and success of Fivetran. You will have an impact across the entire product as we develop our next generation of enterprise, data governance, and solutions engineering offerings.
This team is tasked with ensuring a high quality of Fivetran systems using AI and other advanced tools. The role will challenge you to solve problems in the domains of performance engineering, data security, and cluster orchestration. You don't necessarily need to be a subject matter expert before you join us (you will be one before you leave!).
We're looking for people who can understand the key values that make our product great and implement those values in the many small decisions you make every day.
This is a full-time position based out of our Oakland office. Our hybrid work model offers a blend of remote flexibility and in-person collaboration, including two days in the office each week to connect and build as a team.
TECHNOLOGIES YOU'LL USE
- Java
- SQL
- Bazel, BuildKite, Docker, Kubernetes, Github
- AWS, GCP, Azure
- Postgres database
- AI Tools
- Design and implement features and performance improvements to create highly scalable distributed data pipelines on the cloud
- Develop, maintain, and test code
- Conduct design and code reviews
- Collaborate with peers, product managers, customer support, and other stakeholders to deliver the best product with high quality, performance, and scalability
- Understand and fix challenges related to performance and scalability
- Participate periodically in on-call rotation
- Participate in the hiring process
- Mentor Junior developers
- Make Fivetran the most reliable and secure component of our customers' data infrastructure
SKILLS WE'RE LOOKING FOR
- Bachelor's degree, preferably in Software Engineering or Computer Science
- 5+ years of experience in the software industry with a passion for solving complex software engineering problems
- Software engineering foundation - experience designing and developing reusable libraries and experimentation platforms for backend and frontend from scratch leveraging industry best practices
- Experience working with distributed systems
- Demonstrated ability to write well-structured and performant code
- Ability to lead software and infrastructure design to satisfy project requirements
- Experience in code reviews, design, troubleshooting and testing
- Experience programming in an object oriented / systems language such as Java, C++, C# etc
- Hands-on experience working with any cloud technologies (AWS, GCP, Azure) and containerization methodologies like Docker, K8s
- Experience interacting with continuous integration tools like Buildkite
- Knowledge of observability tools like New Relic/Grafana is a plus
- Knowledge of AI tools and usage is a plus
BONUS SKILLS
- Experience in data processing (ETL, ELT) and/or cloud-based platforms
PERKS AND BENEFITS
- 100% employer-paid medical insurance
- Generous paid time-off policy (PTO), plus paid sick time, inclusive parental leave policy, holidays, and volunteer days off
- RSU stock grants
- Professional development and training opportunities
- Company virtual happy hours, free food, and fun team-building activities
- Monthly cell phone stipend
- Access to an innovative mental health support platform that offers personalized care and resources in areas such as: therapy, coaching, and self-guided mindfulness exercises for all covered employees and their covered dependents
We're honored to be valued at over $5.6 billion, but more importantly, we're proud of our core values of Get Stuck In, Do the Right Thing, and One Team, One Dream.
Fivetran brings together high-quality talent across the globe to make data access as easy and reliable as electricity for our customers. We value and recognize that our customers benefit from having innovative teams made of people from many backgrounds, experiences, and identities. Fivetran promotes diversity, equity, inclusion & belonging through attracting, recruiting, developing, and retaining a diverse workforce, not only because it is the right thing to do, but because it helps us build a world-class company to better serve our customers, our people and our communities.
To learn more about Fivetran's culture and what it's like to be part of the team, click here and enjoy our video.
To learn more about our candidate privacy policy, you can read our statement here.
We are committed to ensuring that all candidates have an equal opportunity to participate in our interview process. If you require accommodations at any stage of the process due to a disability, medical condition, or any other circumstance, please don't hesitate to submit your request by filling out this form. We will work with you to provide reasonable accommodations to facilitate your participation and ensure a fair and accessible interview experience. Your request and any information provided will be kept confidential and will not impact your candidacy. We look forward to hearing from you and accommodating your needs to the best of our ability.
See All 1,463+ Senior Software Development Engineer Jobs in California
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Find JobsSenior Software Development Engineer Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Senior Software Development Engineer Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- NVIDIA88

- Apple79

- Roblox60

- Google56

- Nuro41

Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software839
- Electronics & Hardware189
- Artificial Intelligence83
- Consulting & Professional Services65
- Banking & Financial Services53
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in senior software development engineer jobs across California.
- Bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related field
- Seven or more years of professional software development experience in production environments
- Deep proficiency in at least one major language such as Java, Python, C++, or Go
- Experience designing and operating large-scale distributed systems or microservices architectures
- Demonstrated ability to lead technical design, mentor engineers, and drive cross-team projects
- Familiarity with cloud platforms such as AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure in an enterprise setting
Senior Software Development Engineer Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a senior software development engineer in California?
California does not require a state-issued license or registration to work as a software development engineer, so the path runs through education and experience rather than a credentialing board. Most senior roles require a bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a closely related field, followed by several years building production systems. California employers place particular weight on experience with high-scale distributed systems, a portfolio of shipped products, and evidence of technical leadership such as design ownership or mentoring.
How much do senior software development engineers make in California?
Senior software development 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 software development engineers in California?
Employers hiring senior software development engineers in California right now include NVIDIA, Apple, and Roblox, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of June 2026. California's concentration of enterprise software, cloud, and consumer technology companies means senior engineering demand is spread across both global headquarters and large regional engineering centers throughout the state.
Which California cities have the most senior software development engineer jobs?
San Francisco, Santa Clara, and Mountain View have the most senior software development engineer openings in California. The San Francisco Bay Area leads by volume because it anchors the headquarters of some of the world's largest technology companies, while Los Angeles has grown substantially as a hub for media tech, fintech, and aerospace software, and San Diego draws heavily from defense, biotech, and wireless technology employers concentrated in that region.
Are there remote senior software development engineer jobs in California?
Yes, and more than most fields. Software development is highly suited to remote and hybrid work because the core output is code rather than physical presence, and California employers have long operated distributed engineering teams. About 26% of senior software development engineer openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of June 2026, reflecting how embedded flexible work has become in the state's technology industry. The most fully remote roles tend to be in backend platform, infrastructure, and data engineering, where synchronous collaboration requirements are lowest.
How can I get hired as a senior software development engineer in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is through an associate or junior software engineer role at a California technology company, which provides the production experience senior positions require. Large California employers like Salesforce, Adobe, and Kaiser Permanente run structured new-graduate programs and rotational engineering tracks specifically designed for candidates without industry experience. Adjacent roles in QA automation, technical support engineering, or DevOps can also open the door, and contributing to open-source projects or building a strong portfolio of deployed personal projects gives California hiring managers concrete evidence of capability in lieu of years of employment.
Where can I find and apply to senior software development engineer jobs in California?
You can find and apply to senior software development engineer jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings from employers actively hiring for the role. Find the roles that fit your experience and apply directly to the ones that match.
See All 1,463+ Senior Software Development Engineer Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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