Software Engineering Manager Jobs in California

Software Engineering Manager jobs in California are among the most active in the country, concentrated in enterprise software, cloud infrastructure, consumer technology, and defense-adjacent systems development across seniority levels from first-time manager through distinguished principal manager. The largest hiring metros are the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, and San Diego, where companies like Google, Apple, and Salesforce maintain major engineering operations. Most in-demand specialties include platform engineering leadership, machine learning infrastructure, and distributed systems management. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.

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Overview

Open roles422+
Top employerGoogle
Top citySan Francisco, CA
Cities hiring55
Work type50% Hybrid
Top industryTechnology

Showing 5 of 422+ Software Engineering Manager jobs

Meta
Software Engineering Director, AI for Incident Response
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Meta
Added 2d ago
Software Engineering Director, AI for Incident Response
Meta
Menlo Park, California
Business Operations
Business Strategy
Project Management
$271k - $347k/yr
10,000+

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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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KLA
Software Engineering Manager (semiconductor/capital equipment)
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KLA
Added 2d ago
Software Engineering Manager (semiconductor/capital equipment)
KLA
Milpitas, California
Electrical Engineering
Engineering (Non-Software)
Specialized Engineering
$167k - $246k/yr
Master's degree
5,001-10,000

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Pacific Life
Summer 2027 Software Engineering Internship
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Pacific Life
Added 2d ago
Summer 2027 Software Engineering Internship
Pacific Life
Newport Beach, California
Business Analyst
Consulting & Professional Services
Corporate Development & M&A
$25 - $30/hr
1,001-5,000

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Cubic Corporation
Senior Software Engineering Manager NAM
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Cubic Corporation
Added 2d ago
Senior Software Engineering Manager NAM
Cubic Corporation
San Diego, California
Compliance & Risk
Health & Safety
Human Resources
$212k - $238k/yr
Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering
5,001-10,000

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See All 422+ Software Engineering Manager Jobs in California

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

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Software Engineering Manager Jobs by City in California

Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.

Mountain View
30 jobs

Software Engineering Manager Job Market in California

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

Who's Hiring

  • Google
    Google49
  • Apple
    Apple37
  • Tesla
    Tesla18
  • Cisco
    Cisco9
  • Intuit
    Intuit8

Top Industries Hiring

  • Technology & Software41
  • Electronics & Hardware16
  • Banking & Financial Services7
  • Manufacturing3
  • Law & Legal Services3

What California Employers Look For

The qualifications that appear most often in software engineering manager jobs across California.

  • Bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related technical field
  • At least five years of hands-on software engineering experience before moving into management
  • Demonstrated experience directly managing software engineers or leading cross-functional technical teams
  • Strong proficiency with modern software development practices including agile, CI/CD, and code review processes
  • Experience driving engineering roadmaps in collaboration with product managers and senior leadership
  • Familiarity with cloud platforms such as AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure in a production engineering environment

Software Engineering Manager Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions

How do you become a software engineering manager in California?

Becoming a software engineering manager in California typically follows a path from individual contributor engineer to a tech lead or staff engineer role before stepping into management. California employers, especially in the Bay Area and Los Angeles, most commonly promote from within or recruit candidates who have led engineering projects or mentored junior engineers. No state-issued license is required, but a bachelor's or master's degree in computer science or engineering, combined with a strong code and leadership record, is the standard baseline California hiring managers expect.

Which companies hire software engineering managers in California?

Employers hiring software engineering managers in California right now include Google, Apple, and Tesla, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. California's deep concentration of technology headquarters and research centers means the state consistently generates some of the highest volumes of these openings nationwide across both large enterprise employers and growth-stage companies.

Which California cities have the most software engineering manager jobs?

The California cities with the most software engineering manager openings are San Francisco, Sunnyvale, and Palo Alto. The San Francisco Bay Area dominates the distribution because of its density of technology headquarters and venture-backed engineering teams, while Los Angeles draws openings through its expanding tech and entertainment-technology sector, and San Diego contributes through its defense technology and biotech software organizations.

Are there remote software engineering manager jobs in California?

Yes, and more than most fields. About 60% of software engineering manager openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, reflecting how central distributed engineering teams have become across the California technology industry. The parts of the role most likely to stay fully remote are those focused on roadmap planning, code review, and cross-team coordination, rather than roles that require regular on-site presence with hardware or lab environments.

How can I get hired as a software engineering manager in California with little or no experience?

The most realistic entry path is moving into a tech lead or engineering lead role first, which gives you people management exposure without requiring a formal manager title. Large California employers including Google, Meta, and Apple run structured rotational and associate programs that develop senior engineers into managers, and many mid-size Bay Area and Los Angeles companies promote strong individual contributors who proactively mentor peers. Building a portfolio of cross-functional projects, leading a meaningful open-source initiative, or completing a recognized leadership development program can strengthen a candidacy considerably in California's competitive market.

Where can I find and apply to software engineering manager jobs in California?

You can find and apply to software engineering manager jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings from employers actively hiring right now. Search for roles that match your experience level, location preference, and specialty area, then apply directly to the ones that fit.

See All 422+ Software Engineering Manager Jobs in California

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