Software Design Engineer Jobs in California
Software Design Engineer jobs in California are among the most active in the nation, concentrated in aerospace and defense, consumer electronics, enterprise software, and semiconductor manufacturing, with openings at every level from new graduate through principal engineer. The heaviest hiring is in the San Francisco Bay Area, San Diego, and Los Angeles, where established employers like Apple, Qualcomm, and Northrop Grumman maintain large engineering workforces. Embedded systems design, FPGA development, and hardware-software integration are the most in-demand specialties across California hiring right now. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
Find Software Design Engineer JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 21+ Software Design Engineer jobs
Minimum qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience.
- 10 years of experience in product management or related technical role.
- 5 years of experience taking technical products from conception to launch (e.g., ideation to execution, end-to-end, 0 to 1, etc.).
- Experience with AI/ML foundations, LLM/ML serving infrastructure, hardware accelerators, or silicon development.
- Experience working cross-functionally with engineering, research, and infrastructure teams to launch technical products.
Preferred qualifications:
- Master’s degree or PhD in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field.
- Experience developing rich internal and external relationships, with a proven ability to project future customer requirements in a rapidly evolving, ambiguous landscape.
- Comprehensive knowledge of AI/ML architectures (e.g., Transformers, Mixture of Experts) and inference performance metrics (e.g., TCO, TT80T, QPS).
- Deep technical understanding of the silicon/hardware development lifecycle (EVT, DVT, PVT) and data center deployment constraints.
- Ability to discuss and resolve complex technical hardware, software, and model co-design tradeoffs.
About the job
At Google, we put our users first. The world is always changing, so we need Product Managers who are continuously adapting and excited to work on products that affect millions of people every day.
In this role, you will work cross-functionally to guide products from conception to launch by connecting the technical and business worlds. You can break down complex problems into steps that drive product development.
One of the many reasons Google consistently brings innovative, world-changing products to market is because of the collaborative work we do in Product Management. Our team works closely with creative engineers, designers, marketers, etc. to help design and develop technologies that improve access to the world's information. We're responsible for guiding products throughout the execution cycle, focusing specifically on analyzing, positioning, packaging, promoting, and tailoring our solutions to our users.
The Research Compute Systems team in Google Research works at the frontier of AI hardware-software co-design across Google. The team's mission is to improve key compute system metrics through co-design across the AI stack (e.g., from data center to chips to model to application).
The role involves both an ownership-mentality of products and programs while also a willingness to pitch in wherever needed to move projects forward. In this role, you will help define requirements and de-risk experimental paths. You will require deep engagement with internal and external customers, developing quick understanding of their workloads, helping to discuss strict technical tradeoffs, and driving the product through critical hardware phases to pilot and general availability.
US: $240000 - $333000 (USD) + 25% bonus target + equity + benefits
Learn more about benefits at Google.
Responsibilities
- Define and execute the product strategy for your designated focus area, making decisions about areas of investment and prioritizing/deprioritizing features to keep cross-functional teams focused on outcomes.
- Partner with internal product areas and external customers to anticipate and synthesize complex future requirements, translating them into hardware and software specifications.
- Direct the resolution of difficult, ambiguous problems (e.g., model quality vs. latency) through evidenced-based, data-driven arguments.
- Collaborate closely with engineering to determine optimal technical implementation and scheduling. Drive the hardware through physical milestones and establish project processes to ensure alignment across distributed teams.
- Utilize AI to enhance your personal impact, identify new ultra-specialized product opportunities, and maintain a comprehensive working knowledge of the AI-powered product development lifecycle.
Minimum qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience.
- 10 years of experience in product management or related technical role.
- 5 years of experience taking technical products from conception to launch (e.g., ideation to execution, end-to-end, 0 to 1, etc.).
- Experience with AI/ML foundations, LLM/ML serving infrastructure, hardware accelerators, or silicon development.
- Experience working cross-functionally with engineering, research, and infrastructure teams to launch technical products.
Preferred qualifications:
- Master’s degree or PhD in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field.
- Experience developing rich internal and external relationships, with a proven ability to project future customer requirements in a rapidly evolving, ambiguous landscape.
- Comprehensive knowledge of AI/ML architectures (e.g., Transformers, Mixture of Experts) and inference performance metrics (e.g., TCO, TT80T, QPS).
- Deep technical understanding of the silicon/hardware development lifecycle (EVT, DVT, PVT) and data center deployment constraints.
- Ability to discuss and resolve complex technical hardware, software, and model co-design tradeoffs.
About the job
At Google, we put our users first. The world is always changing, so we need Product Managers who are continuously adapting and excited to work on products that affect millions of people every day.
In this role, you will work cross-functionally to guide products from conception to launch by connecting the technical and business worlds. You can break down complex problems into steps that drive product development.
One of the many reasons Google consistently brings innovative, world-changing products to market is because of the collaborative work we do in Product Management. Our team works closely with creative engineers, designers, marketers, etc. to help design and develop technologies that improve access to the world's information. We're responsible for guiding products throughout the execution cycle, focusing specifically on analyzing, positioning, packaging, promoting, and tailoring our solutions to our users.
The Research Compute Systems team in Google Research works at the frontier of AI hardware-software co-design across Google. The team's mission is to improve key compute system metrics through co-design across the AI stack (e.g., from data center to chips to model to application).
The role involves both an ownership-mentality of products and programs while also a willingness to pitch in wherever needed to move projects forward. In this role, you will help define requirements and de-risk experimental paths. You will require deep engagement with internal and external customers, developing quick understanding of their workloads, helping to discuss strict technical tradeoffs, and driving the product through critical hardware phases to pilot and general availability.
US: $240000 - $333000 (USD) + 25% bonus target + equity + benefits
Learn more about benefits at Google.
Responsibilities
- Define and execute the product strategy for your designated focus area, making decisions about areas of investment and prioritizing/deprioritizing features to keep cross-functional teams focused on outcomes.
- Partner with internal product areas and external customers to anticipate and synthesize complex future requirements, translating them into hardware and software specifications.
- Direct the resolution of difficult, ambiguous problems (e.g., model quality vs. latency) through evidenced-based, data-driven arguments.
- Collaborate closely with engineering to determine optimal technical implementation and scheduling. Drive the hardware through physical milestones and establish project processes to ensure alignment across distributed teams.
- Utilize AI to enhance your personal impact, identify new ultra-specialized product opportunities, and maintain a comprehensive working knowledge of the AI-powered product development lifecycle.
See All 21 Software Design Engineer Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Software Design Engineer JobsSoftware Design Engineer Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Software Design Engineer Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software
- Automotive
- Medical Devices
- Science & Research
- Electronics & Hardware
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in software design engineer jobs across California.
- Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or computer science required
- Proficiency in C, C++, or Python for embedded or systems-level development
- Experience with hardware-software co-design, schematics, or PCB layout tools
- Familiarity with FPGA development using VHDL, Verilog, or Vivado toolchains
- Understanding of signal processing, real-time operating systems, or firmware architecture
- Strong collaboration skills for cross-functional teams across hardware, software, and QA
Software Design Engineer Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a software design engineer in California?
Most software design engineer roles in California require at minimum a bachelor's degree in computer engineering, electrical engineering, or computer science from an accredited program. California does not mandate a state-specific license for this role, but engineers who sign off on hardware or embedded systems destined for public use may work alongside licensed professional engineers. A strong portfolio demonstrating embedded, FPGA, or systems work carries significant weight with California employers.
How much do software design engineers make in California?
Software design 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 software design engineers in California?
Employers hiring software design engineers in California right now include Tesla, Super Micro Computer, and Google, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. California's density of aerospace primes, fabless semiconductor companies, and consumer electronics giants means demand is spread across both large defense contractors in Southern California and product-focused tech firms in the Bay Area.
Which California cities have the most software design engineer jobs?
San Jose, Palo Alto, and San Diego have the most software design engineer openings in California. The Bay Area concentration is driven by Apple, Intel, and hundreds of semiconductor and enterprise software firms, while San Diego anchors defense electronics and wireless hardware through Qualcomm and major aerospace primes, and Los Angeles draws volume from aerospace, media technology, and SpaceX-adjacent suppliers.
Are there remote software design engineer jobs in California?
Yes, but they're less common than in purely software-focused roles, since many software design engineer positions involve lab access, hardware prototyping, or classified facility requirements. About 30% of software design engineer openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, skewing toward firmware architecture, algorithm development, and simulation work rather than hands-on hardware integration.
How can I get hired as a software design engineer in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is applying to new-graduate rotational engineering programs at large California employers like Northrop Grumman, Apple, or Qualcomm, which take candidates directly from accredited engineering programs. Entry-level titles like associate embedded engineer or junior FPGA engineer often require only a degree and a lab or capstone project portfolio. Candidates transitioning from adjacent roles such as test engineer or hardware validation engineer commonly make the move at California defense and semiconductor firms.
Where can I find and apply to software design engineer jobs in California?
You can find and apply to software design engineer jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings updated in real time. Find roles that fit your experience level and specialty, then apply directly through each listing.
See All 21 Software Design Engineer Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Software Design Engineer Jobs