Software Systems Engineer Jobs in San Francisco, CA
Software Systems Engineer jobs in San Francisco are concentrated in SoMa, Mission Bay, and the Financial District, driven by demand across cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, and defense technology. Employers actively hiring include OpenAI, Databricks, and CRUSOE. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
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Position Overview
We are seeking an Embedded Software Engineer to help design, develop, and optimize embedded software for custom imaging systems. This role focuses on software bring-up, sensor integration, Linux device drivers, and hardware-software interaction within advanced camera and imaging platforms.
You will work closely with hardware, test, and product teams to bring cutting-edge imaging technology into production.
Responsibilities
- Develop and optimize Linux device drivers for sensors and peripherals.
- Enable and integrate custom imaging sensors into embedded platforms.
- Modify and maintain Android BSPs and embedded Linux environments.
- Debug complex hardware and software issues across embedded systems.
- Collaborate with hardware engineers to validate and optimize performance.
- Support system bring-up activities for new hardware platforms.
- Document software architecture, testing procedures, and implementation details.
Required Qualifications
- 1–5 years of embedded software engineering experience.
- Strong programming experience in C.
- Experience with Embedded Linux development.
- Experience integrating hardware peripherals and sensors.
- Strong debugging skills involving low-level hardware and software interactions.
- Experience using Git-based development workflows.
- STEM degree such as Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related field.
Preferred Qualifications
- Camera driver development experience.
- Experience with Image Signal Processing (ISP) pipelines.
- Android BSP customization experience.
- Experience with imaging systems, computer vision hardware, or edge AI devices.
- Familiarity with C++.
Technology Stack
- Embedded Linux
- Linux Kernel
- C
- Git
- Android BSP
- Camera Drivers
- Imaging Sensors
Ideal Background
Candidates from:
- Autonomous Vehicle Companies
- Automotive Electronics
- Defense Technology
- Aerospace Systems
- Imaging Hardware Companies
- Camera Manufacturers
- Edge AI Hardware Companies
- Robotics Organizations
Examples include Qualcomm, NVIDIA, Ambarella, Teledyne FLIR, Anduril, Shield AI, Skydio, Cruise, Waymo, Zoox, Aurora, DJI, Sony Imaging, Canon, Bosch, Continental, Aptiv, Magna, or similar organizations.
Pay: $130,000.00 - $180,000.00 per year
Work Location: In person
Position Overview
We are seeking an Embedded Software Engineer to help design, develop, and optimize embedded software for custom imaging systems. This role focuses on software bring-up, sensor integration, Linux device drivers, and hardware-software interaction within advanced camera and imaging platforms.
You will work closely with hardware, test, and product teams to bring cutting-edge imaging technology into production.
Responsibilities
- Develop and optimize Linux device drivers for sensors and peripherals.
- Enable and integrate custom imaging sensors into embedded platforms.
- Modify and maintain Android BSPs and embedded Linux environments.
- Debug complex hardware and software issues across embedded systems.
- Collaborate with hardware engineers to validate and optimize performance.
- Support system bring-up activities for new hardware platforms.
- Document software architecture, testing procedures, and implementation details.
Required Qualifications
- 1–5 years of embedded software engineering experience.
- Strong programming experience in C.
- Experience with Embedded Linux development.
- Experience integrating hardware peripherals and sensors.
- Strong debugging skills involving low-level hardware and software interactions.
- Experience using Git-based development workflows.
- STEM degree such as Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related field.
Preferred Qualifications
- Camera driver development experience.
- Experience with Image Signal Processing (ISP) pipelines.
- Android BSP customization experience.
- Experience with imaging systems, computer vision hardware, or edge AI devices.
- Familiarity with C++.
Technology Stack
- Embedded Linux
- Linux Kernel
- C
- Git
- Android BSP
- Camera Drivers
- Imaging Sensors
Ideal Background
Candidates from:
- Autonomous Vehicle Companies
- Automotive Electronics
- Defense Technology
- Aerospace Systems
- Imaging Hardware Companies
- Camera Manufacturers
- Edge AI Hardware Companies
- Robotics Organizations
Examples include Qualcomm, NVIDIA, Ambarella, Teledyne FLIR, Anduril, Shield AI, Skydio, Cruise, Waymo, Zoox, Aurora, DJI, Sony Imaging, Canon, Bosch, Continental, Aptiv, Magna, or similar organizations.
Pay: $130,000.00 - $180,000.00 per year
Work Location: In person
See All 33 Software Systems Engineer Jobs in San Francisco
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Find JobsSoftware Systems Engineer Job Market in San Francisco
Who's Hiring
- OpenAI8
- Databricks3
- CRUSOE2
- Rippling2
- US PharmaLab2
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software12
- Science & Research9
- Banking & Financial Services3
- Artificial Intelligence2
- Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals2
Software Systems Engineer Jobs in San Francisco: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a software systems engineer job in San Francisco?
Focus your search on San Francisco's strongest hiring sectors: cloud platforms, cybersecurity, biotech infrastructure, and hardware-software integration. SoMa and Mission Bay concentrate the most openings, with Dogpatch and the Civic Center corridor also active. Candidates who can demonstrate systems-level thinking alongside software skills, particularly in distributed systems or real-time processing, stand out in this market. Networking through local engineering meetups and open-source contributions visible on public repositories also carries weight with San Francisco hiring teams.
Which companies hire software systems engineers in San Francisco?
Companies currently hiring software systems engineers in San Francisco include OpenAI, Databricks, and CRUSOE, per current listings on Migrate Mate as of June 2026. San Francisco's employer mix skews toward high-growth tech firms, enterprise software companies, and federally contracted defense and infrastructure organizations with local offices.
Are there remote software systems engineer jobs in San Francisco?
Yes, though availability depends heavily on the role: software systems engineers working on cloud architecture, platform reliability, or developer tooling tend to find remote options more readily than those working on embedded hardware or physical lab systems. About 32% of software systems engineer openings tied to San Francisco are remote or hybrid as of June 2026, with hybrid arrangements most common at enterprise firms headquartered in SoMa and the Financial District.
How can I get a software systems engineer job in San Francisco with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path in San Francisco is targeting associate systems engineer or platform reliability roles at mid-stage startups in SoMa and Mission Bay, which tend to hire more broadly than large enterprise employers. Building a portfolio around open-source infrastructure projects or contributing to developer tooling used by San Francisco companies gets attention. Local coding bootcamps with employer partnerships and university co-op programs tied to Bay Area technology firms also create direct entry points that bypass traditional experience requirements.
Which industries hire the most software systems engineers in San Francisco?
The sectors hiring the most software systems engineers in San Francisco are Technology & Software, Science & Research, and Banking & Financial Services, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of June 2026. San Francisco's concentration of cloud-native companies, biotech campuses in Mission Bay, and defense contractors with Bay Area offices drives consistent demand across each of these sectors.
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