Software Engineer Jobs in San Diego, CA

Software Engineer jobs in San Diego are concentrated in Sorrento Valley, Torrey Pines, and Kearny Mesa, driven by a dense cluster of defense tech, biotech software, and cybersecurity firms alongside a growing fintech presence downtown. Employers hiring right now include Qualcomm, Apple, and Intuit. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.

Find Software Engineer Jobs

Overview

Open roles858+
Top employerQualcomm
Work type44% On-site
Top credentialMaster's degree
Companies hiring34

Showing 5 of 858+ Software Engineer jobs

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Senior Software Engineer (SECRET CLEARED)
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N
New 8h ago
Senior Software Engineer (SECRET CLEARED)
Nathan Kunes Inc
San Diego, California
AI (Artificial Intelligence)
Data Science
ML (Machine Learning)
$130k - $160k/yr
Bachelor's degree

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Qualcomm
Senior Software Applications Engineer
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Qualcomm
New 10h ago
Senior Software Applications Engineer
Qualcomm
San Diego, California
Engineering (Non-Software)
Product Management
Technical Product & Program Management
$137k - $163k/yr
Master's degree
10,000+

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Qualcomm
Staff RF Control Software Engineer
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Qualcomm
New 10h ago
Staff RF Control Software Engineer
Qualcomm
San Diego, California
Electrical Engineering
Engineering (Non-Software)
Specialized Engineering
$155k - $233k/yr
Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering
10,000+

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G
Software Developer I,II
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G
New 13h ago
Software Developer I,II
G2 Software Systems
San Diego, California
Backend Engineering
Frontend Engineering
Full-stack Engineering
Software Engineering
$120k - $150k/yr
Hybrid
Bachelor's degree in information technology

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Illumina
Staff Software Engineer
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Illumina
New 13h ago
Staff Software Engineer
Illumina
San Diego, California
Cloud Engineering
Cybersecurity
Systems Administration
$156k - $233k/yr
Hybrid
Bachelor of Science
5,001-10,000

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See All 858+ Software Engineer Jobs in San Diego

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

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Software Engineer Job Market in San Diego

Who's Hiring

  • Qualcomm
    Qualcomm178
  • Apple
    Apple44
  • Intuit
    Intuit44
  • Shield AI
    Shield AI44
  • Booz Allen Hamilton
    Booz Allen Hamilton44

Top Industries Hiring

  • Technology & Software
  • Electronics & Hardware

Software Engineer Jobs in San Diego: Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get a software engineer job in San Diego?

San Diego's software engineering market is shaped by defense contractors, biotech companies, and cybersecurity firms, so candidates who can demonstrate experience with embedded systems, data pipelines, or security tooling stand out locally. Concentrating your search in Sorrento Valley, Torrey Pines, and the downtown Gaslamp tech corridor puts you where hiring is densest. Tailoring your resume to reflect the sectors dominant here gives you a concrete edge over generalist applicants.

Which companies hire software engineers in San Diego?

San Diego software engineer roles are posted by Qualcomm, Apple, and Intuit and others right now, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. The local employer mix ranges from large defense primes and publicly traded biotech companies to Series B and C startups building SaaS and cybersecurity products.

Are there remote software engineer jobs in San Diego?

Yes, software engineering is one of the more remote-compatible disciplines given its desk-based, code-centric nature. About 56% of software engineer openings tied to San Diego are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, with fully remote roles most common in web development and cloud infrastructure. On-site work is more typical for defense contractors and biotech companies that require physical access to secure labs or hardware.

How can I get a software engineer job in San Diego with little or no experience?

The most realistic entry path in San Diego is targeting junior or associate software engineer roles at mid-size SaaS startups in the Sorrento Valley and Kearny Mesa corridors, where teams tend to be smaller and early-career candidates take on real responsibilities faster. Building a portfolio with projects relevant to cybersecurity, data engineering, or defense-adjacent tooling reflects what San Diego employers value most. Internships at UCSD-affiliated research groups or local incubators can also convert directly into full-time offers.

Which industries hire the most software engineers in San Diego?

The sectors hiring the most software engineers in San Diego are Technology & Software and Electronics & Hardware, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. San Diego's concentration of Navy and Marine Corps installations, world-class research universities, and a maturing startup ecosystem collectively fuel sustained software engineering demand across those industries.

See All 858+ Software Engineer Jobs in San Diego

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

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