Senior Software Engineer In Test Jobs in California

Senior Software Engineer In Test jobs in California are among the most active in the country, concentrated in enterprise software, cloud infrastructure, fintech, and consumer technology, with openings at every level from associate to staff engineer. The largest hiring hubs are the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, and San Diego, where companies like Google, Apple, and Salesforce maintain substantial quality engineering teams. Demand is strongest in test automation, continuous integration and delivery pipelines, and performance testing for distributed systems. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.

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Overview

Open roles159+
Top employerApple
Top citySan Diego, CA
Cities hiring42
Work type53% On-site
Top industryTechnology

Showing 5 of 159+ Senior Software Engineer In Test jobs

Hewlett Packard Enterprise | HPE
Principal Software Test Engineer - Solution Engineering – Customer Solution Validation
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Hewlett Packard Enterprise | HPE
Added 2d ago
Principal Software Test Engineer - Solution Engineering – Customer Solution Validation
Hewlett Packard Enterprise | HPE
Sunnyvale, California
Business Strategy
Product Management
Project Management
$172k - $349k/yr
Hybrid
10,000+

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Apple
Sr Software Engineer, Applied AI and Test Automation - Camera Software
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Apple
Added 2d ago
Sr Software Engineer, Applied AI and Test Automation - Camera Software
Apple
Cupertino, California
Cloud Architecture
Cloud Engineering
Cybersecurity
$185k - $325k/yr
Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering
10,000+

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Cisco
Senior Software Development Test Engineer (Remote)
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Cisco
Added 3d ago
Senior Software Development Test Engineer (Remote)
Cisco
San Jose, California
Electrical Engineering
Engineering (Non-Software)
Project & Program Management
$149k - $282k/yr
Hybrid
Master's degree
10,000+

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Tesla
Software Engineer, Manufacturing Test Equipment
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Tesla
Added 3d ago
Software Engineer, Manufacturing Test Equipment
Tesla
Palo Alto, California
Engineering (Non-Software)
Mechanical Engineering
Specialized Engineering
$120k - $396k/yr
10,000+

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Hewlett Packard Enterprise | HPE
Senior Software Network Test Engineer – Customer Solution Validation
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Hewlett Packard Enterprise | HPE
Added 3d ago
Senior Software Network Test Engineer – Customer Solution Validation
Hewlett Packard Enterprise | HPE
Sunnyvale, California
AI (Artificial Intelligence)
Cloud Engineering
Solutions Architecture
$137k - $277k/yr
Hybrid
10,000+

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See All 159+ Senior Software Engineer In Test Jobs in California

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Senior Software Engineer In Test Jobs by City in California

Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.

San Diego
23 jobs
San Francisco
16 jobs
San Jose
14 jobs
Santa Clara
12 jobs
Cupertino
11 jobs
Sunnyvale
11 jobs
Palo Alto
7 jobs
San Mateo
6 jobs
Hawthorne
5 jobs

Senior Software Engineer In Test Job Market in California

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

Who's Hiring

  • Apple
    Apple17
  • TikTok
    TikTok7
  • NVIDIA
    NVIDIA6
  • Northrop Grumman
    Northrop Grumman6
  • Tesla
    Tesla5

Top Industries Hiring

  • Technology & Software18
  • Aerospace & Defense6
  • Electronics & Hardware6
  • Automotive3
  • Manufacturing3

What California Employers Look For

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

  • Five or more years of experience in software development in test or quality engineering
  • Proficiency in at least one automation framework such as Selenium, Cypress, or Playwright
  • Hands-on experience designing and maintaining CI/CD pipelines using Jenkins, GitHub Actions, or similar tools
  • Strong coding skills in Java, Python, or TypeScript applied to test infrastructure development
  • Experience testing distributed systems, microservices, or cloud-native applications at scale
  • Bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a closely related technical field

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

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

There is no state-issued license required to work as a senior software engineer in test in California. The standard path is a bachelor's degree in computer science or software engineering followed by several years in quality engineering or software development roles. California employers weight hands-on automation experience heavily, so building a portfolio of test frameworks and CI/CD work in progressively complex environments is the most direct route to a senior-level offer.

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

Senior software 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 engineer in tests in California?

Employers hiring senior software engineer in tests in California right now include Apple, TikTok, and NVIDIA, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. California's concentration of major cloud, enterprise software, and consumer technology headquarters means opportunities are distributed across both well-known large companies and fast-growing mid-size product organizations throughout the Bay Area and Southern California.

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

The cities with the most senior software engineer in test openings in California are San Diego, San Francisco, and San Jose. The Bay Area's density of enterprise software and cloud infrastructure companies drives the largest share of postings, while Los Angeles reflects growth in streaming, fintech, and e-commerce platforms, and San Diego draws openings from defense technology and biotech firms with significant software quality needs.

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

Yes, and more than most fields. About 47% of senior software engineer in test openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, reflecting the desk-based and tooling-driven nature of quality engineering work. Test automation, framework development, and code review work are the areas most consistently offered remotely, while roles requiring hardware-in-the-loop or on-site lab testing tend to require in-person presence.

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

The most realistic entry path is a junior software development or associate quality engineering role at a California-based technology company, where many large employers run structured new-graduate programs. Companies like Apple, Google, and Salesforce hire associate engineers and quality engineers who grow into senior SDET roles. Transitioning from a software development engineer role is another common route, and building visible automation projects in open-source repositories strengthens applications when formal experience is limited.

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

You can find and apply to senior software engineer in test jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings. Find roles that fit your experience and apply directly to the ones that match.

See All 159+ Senior Software Engineer In Test Jobs in California

Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.

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