Senior Test Development Engineer Jobs in California

Senior Test Development Engineer jobs in California are among the most actively hired in the country, concentrated in semiconductor, aerospace and defense, medical device, and consumer electronics manufacturing. The largest hiring hubs are San Jose, San Diego, and Los Angeles, where companies like Qualcomm, Northrop Grumman, and Broadcom have deep engineering roots and consistent headcount at every level from associate through senior. The most in-demand specialties in California are hardware validation, automated test equipment design, and embedded systems verification. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.

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Overview

Open roles106+
Top employerPlayStation
Top citySunnyvale, CA
Cities hiring26
Work type77% On-site
Top industryTechnology

Showing 4 of 106+ Senior Test Development Engineer jobs

Wipro
Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET)
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Wipro
New 22h ago
Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET)
Wipro
Sunnyvale, California
Software Engineering
Technical Product & Program Management
UI/UX Design
$60k - $149k/yr
10,000+

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Google
Senior Manufacturing Test Development Engineer, Machine Learning
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Google
Added 1d ago
Senior Manufacturing Test Development Engineer, Machine Learning
Google
Sunnyvale, California
Engineering (Non-Software)
Mechanical Engineering
Product Management
$144k - $208k/yr
Bachelor's degree
10,000+

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NVIDIA
Senior Software QA Test Development Engineer - Diagnostics
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NVIDIA
Added 2d ago
Senior Software QA Test Development Engineer - Diagnostics
NVIDIA
Santa Clara, California
Backend Engineering
Full-stack Engineering
Software Engineering
$140k - $270k/yr
Bachelor's degree in Physics
10,000+

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Figure
Test Development Engineer — Actuation Systems
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Figure
Added 3d ago
Test Development Engineer — Actuation Systems
Figure
San Jose, California
Data Analytics
Data Engineering
Data Science
$150k - $250k/yr

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Senior Test Development Engineer Jobs by City in California

Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.

Sunnyvale
14 jobs
San Jose
12 jobs
Santa Clara
12 jobs
San Francisco
12 jobs
Los Angeles
9 jobs
Cupertino
6 jobs
San Diego
6 jobs
San Mateo
6 jobs
Milpitas
3 jobs

Senior Test Development Engineer Job Market in California

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

Who's Hiring

  • PlayStation
    PlayStation14
  • Apple
    Apple12
  • TikTok
    TikTok7
  • Nokia
    Nokia6
  • Amazon
    Amazon4

Top Industries Hiring

  • Technology & Software23
  • Electronics & Hardware15
  • Manufacturing6
  • Telecommunications6
  • Automotive2

What California Employers Look For

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

  • Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or a related technical discipline
  • Five or more years of experience designing and developing automated test systems or test equipment
  • Proficiency with test platforms such as NI TestStand, LabVIEW, or Python-based frameworks
  • Hands-on experience testing hardware at the board, system, or integrated circuit level
  • Demonstrated ability to write and maintain test plans, test cases, and validation documentation
  • Familiarity with JTAG, boundary scan, ATE platforms, or semiconductor characterization methods

Senior Test Development Engineer Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions

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

The standard path is a bachelor's degree in electrical or computer engineering, followed by several years in test, validation, or hardware engineering roles. California does not require a state-issued license for this position, though a Professional Engineer license from the California Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists can strengthen candidacy for some defense and government-contract roles. Most employers in California's semiconductor and aerospace sectors promote from within, so starting in a test or quality engineering role at a large California firm is the most direct route.

How much do senior test development engineers make in California?

Senior test development engineers 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 test development engineers in California?

Employers hiring senior test development engineers in California right now include PlayStation, Apple, and TikTok, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. California's dense concentration of semiconductor fabs, defense contractors, and medical device manufacturers means demand is distributed across the state rather than tied to a single industry.

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

Sunnyvale, San Jose, and Santa Clara have the most senior test development engineer openings in California. San Jose leads because of the Silicon Valley semiconductor and systems-on-chip ecosystem, San Diego is driven by Qualcomm's large hardware validation organization and the region's defense electronics base, and Los Angeles reflects the aerospace and defense prime contractors headquartered along the South Bay corridor.

Are there remote senior test development engineer jobs in California?

Yes, but they're rare. Senior test development engineers typically work with physical hardware, lab equipment, and production test fixtures that require on-site presence. About 23% of senior test development engineer openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, and those tend to concentrate on the software-side functions such as test script development, framework architecture, or test data analysis rather than hands-on bench work.

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

The most realistic entry path is an associate or junior test engineer role at a California semiconductor, defense, or medical device company, where structured rotation and mentorship programs exist at firms like Broadcom, Raytheon, and Medtronic's California facilities. A degree in electrical or computer engineering combined with a personal or academic hardware project, LabVIEW certification, or experience with test automation in a university lab gives candidates a clear edge. Adjacent roles in quality engineering, manufacturing engineering, or FPGA design are common lateral moves that lead directly into test development.

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

You can find and apply to senior test development engineer jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings. Search the listings for roles that match your experience and location, then apply directly to the ones that fit.

See All 106+ Senior Test Development Engineer Jobs in California

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