Software Test Engineer Jobs in California
Software Test Engineer jobs in California are among the most active in the country, concentrated in the technology, defense, and enterprise software sectors across a range from entry-level QA associates through senior automation engineers and leads. The largest hiring metros are San Jose, San Diego, and Los Angeles, where companies like Apple, Qualcomm, and Salesforce maintain significant engineering workforces. The most in-demand specialties are test automation, performance testing, and embedded systems QA. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Anduril Industries is a defense technology company with a mission to transform U.S. and allied military capabilities with advanced technology. By bringing the expertise, technology, and business model of the 21st century's most innovative companies to the defense industry, Anduril is changing how military systems are designed, built and sold. Anduril's family of systems is powered by Lattice OS, an AI-powered operating system that turns thousands of data streams into a realtime, 3D command and control center. As the world enters an era of strategic competition, Anduril is committed to bringing cutting-edge autonomy, AI, computer vision, sensor fusion, and networking technology to the military in months, not years.
ABOUT THE ROLE
As a Lead Software Engineer in the Manufacturing Test organization, you will join a software development team tasked to ensure that we build quality products - in land, sea, and air. You will work with test executive software that can systematically and thoroughly test our products and create analytics to improve our development cycle. You will champion automation, and work to reduce operator time and instruction complexity through the use of parallel execution, data acquisition, automated deployment tools. You will be presented complex, multiplatform problems with heavy reliance on cloud data systems. In this role you'll need to think creatively and continuously improve our methods of automation, throughput, user interfaces, and data analytics. You will also support other team members with coaching, mentoring on the team. But also strategic in nature working directly with business partners on key strategic goals.
WHAT YOU'LL DO
- Develop applications for Windows and Linux desktop environments.
- Integrate cloud data and deployment features while maintaining user authentication and security.
- Generate automation scripts (python) for debug and prototype development.
- Triage issues, root cause failures, and coordinate next-steps.
- Partner with end-users to turn needs into features while balancing user experience with engineering constraints.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- BS or MS in CS/CE/EE or equivalent industry experience.
- 10+ years of relevant industry experience.
- 2 + years leading and / or managing a software engineering team
- Expertise in software development with Python.
- Experience integrating or developing low-level code and device libraries or drivers.
- Experience working in CI/CD and designing and delivering DevOps automation for app deployment and testing.
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or related field.
- Experience working on multi-disciplinary projects, working closely with Electrical / Mechanical / Manufacturing Engineers.
- Experience in automated unit, integration and system-level testing.
- Expertise in version control using git.
- Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- 12+ years of relevant industry experience.
- Experience in manufacturing or industrial software.
- Understanding of device communication protocols like USB, SPI, I2C, CAN, RS232, RS485, Ethernet, etc.
- Expertise in desktop application development with WPF and C#.
- Experience in embedded systems.
- Experience in automated unit, integration and system-level testing for non-software products.
- Proficient in RESTful services in AWS/Azure infrastructure.
- Hands-on working knowledge of a major relational database (DB2, SQL Server etc.) and/or NoSql.
- Pursuing a Master's of Computer Science or related field.
- Experience with test automation or cloud deployment tools
The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary offer may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations. Highly competitive equity grants are included in the majority of full time offers; and are considered part of Anduril's total compensation package. Additionally, Anduril offers top-tier benefits for full-time employees, including:
Benefits
At Anduril, we invest in our people. Our comprehensive, competitive benefits package (available at little to no cost to employees) ensures you're supported in health, recovery, and whatever comes next. For more information, Explore Our Benefits.
Protecting Yourself from Recruitment Scams
Anduril is committed to maintaining the integrity of our Talent acquisition process and the security of our candidates. We've observed a rise in sophisticated phishing and fraudulent schemes where individuals impersonate Anduril representatives, luring job seekers with false interviews or job offers. These scammers often attempt to extract payment or sensitive personal information.
To ensure your safety and help you navigate your job search with confidence, please keep the following critical points in mind:
No Financial Requests: Anduril will never solicit payment or demand personal financial details (such as banking information, credit card numbers, or social security numbers) at any stage of our hiring process. Our legitimate recruitment is entirely free for candidates.
- Please always verify communications:
- Direct from Anduril: If you receive an email from one of our recruiters, it will only come from an @anduril.com address.
- Via Agency Partner: If contacted by a recruiting agency for an Anduril role, their email will clearly identify their agency. If you suspect any suspicious activity, please verify the agency's authenticity by reaching out to contact@anduril.com.
Exercise Caution with Unsolicited Outreach: If you receive any communication that appears suspicious, contains grammatical errors, or makes unusual requests, do not engage. Always confirm the sender's email domain is @anduril.com before providing any personal information or clicking on links.
What to Do If You Suspect Fraud: Should you encounter any questionable or fraudulent outreach claiming to be from Anduril, please report it immediately to contact@anduril.com. Your proactive caution is invaluable in protecting your personal information and upholding the security and trustworthiness of our recruitment efforts.
Data Privacy
To view Anduril's candidate data privacy policy, please visit https://anduril.com/applicant-privacy-notice/.
By submitting your application, you consent to Anduril Industries using a third-party service provider to conduct pre-employment risk, integrity, and due diligence screening and assessing potential risks as part of your application process. This third-party service provider provides risk-intelligence services that may include analysis of sanctions and watchlists, adverse media, public-record information, and other lawful open-source or commercial data sources. This third-party service provider does not act as a consumer reporting agency. Use of this provider helps to ensure compliance with applicable laws and protect technology, intellectual property, and organizational security.
Anduril Industries is a defense technology company with a mission to transform U.S. and allied military capabilities with advanced technology. By bringing the expertise, technology, and business model of the 21st century's most innovative companies to the defense industry, Anduril is changing how military systems are designed, built and sold. Anduril's family of systems is powered by Lattice OS, an AI-powered operating system that turns thousands of data streams into a realtime, 3D command and control center. As the world enters an era of strategic competition, Anduril is committed to bringing cutting-edge autonomy, AI, computer vision, sensor fusion, and networking technology to the military in months, not years.
ABOUT THE ROLE
As a Lead Software Engineer in the Manufacturing Test organization, you will join a software development team tasked to ensure that we build quality products - in land, sea, and air. You will work with test executive software that can systematically and thoroughly test our products and create analytics to improve our development cycle. You will champion automation, and work to reduce operator time and instruction complexity through the use of parallel execution, data acquisition, automated deployment tools. You will be presented complex, multiplatform problems with heavy reliance on cloud data systems. In this role you'll need to think creatively and continuously improve our methods of automation, throughput, user interfaces, and data analytics. You will also support other team members with coaching, mentoring on the team. But also strategic in nature working directly with business partners on key strategic goals.
WHAT YOU'LL DO
- Develop applications for Windows and Linux desktop environments.
- Integrate cloud data and deployment features while maintaining user authentication and security.
- Generate automation scripts (python) for debug and prototype development.
- Triage issues, root cause failures, and coordinate next-steps.
- Partner with end-users to turn needs into features while balancing user experience with engineering constraints.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- BS or MS in CS/CE/EE or equivalent industry experience.
- 10+ years of relevant industry experience.
- 2 + years leading and / or managing a software engineering team
- Expertise in software development with Python.
- Experience integrating or developing low-level code and device libraries or drivers.
- Experience working in CI/CD and designing and delivering DevOps automation for app deployment and testing.
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or related field.
- Experience working on multi-disciplinary projects, working closely with Electrical / Mechanical / Manufacturing Engineers.
- Experience in automated unit, integration and system-level testing.
- Expertise in version control using git.
- Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- 12+ years of relevant industry experience.
- Experience in manufacturing or industrial software.
- Understanding of device communication protocols like USB, SPI, I2C, CAN, RS232, RS485, Ethernet, etc.
- Expertise in desktop application development with WPF and C#.
- Experience in embedded systems.
- Experience in automated unit, integration and system-level testing for non-software products.
- Proficient in RESTful services in AWS/Azure infrastructure.
- Hands-on working knowledge of a major relational database (DB2, SQL Server etc.) and/or NoSql.
- Pursuing a Master's of Computer Science or related field.
- Experience with test automation or cloud deployment tools
The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary offer may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations. Highly competitive equity grants are included in the majority of full time offers; and are considered part of Anduril's total compensation package. Additionally, Anduril offers top-tier benefits for full-time employees, including:
Benefits
At Anduril, we invest in our people. Our comprehensive, competitive benefits package (available at little to no cost to employees) ensures you're supported in health, recovery, and whatever comes next. For more information, Explore Our Benefits.
Protecting Yourself from Recruitment Scams
Anduril is committed to maintaining the integrity of our Talent acquisition process and the security of our candidates. We've observed a rise in sophisticated phishing and fraudulent schemes where individuals impersonate Anduril representatives, luring job seekers with false interviews or job offers. These scammers often attempt to extract payment or sensitive personal information.
To ensure your safety and help you navigate your job search with confidence, please keep the following critical points in mind:
No Financial Requests: Anduril will never solicit payment or demand personal financial details (such as banking information, credit card numbers, or social security numbers) at any stage of our hiring process. Our legitimate recruitment is entirely free for candidates.
- Please always verify communications:
- Direct from Anduril: If you receive an email from one of our recruiters, it will only come from an @anduril.com address.
- Via Agency Partner: If contacted by a recruiting agency for an Anduril role, their email will clearly identify their agency. If you suspect any suspicious activity, please verify the agency's authenticity by reaching out to contact@anduril.com.
Exercise Caution with Unsolicited Outreach: If you receive any communication that appears suspicious, contains grammatical errors, or makes unusual requests, do not engage. Always confirm the sender's email domain is @anduril.com before providing any personal information or clicking on links.
What to Do If You Suspect Fraud: Should you encounter any questionable or fraudulent outreach claiming to be from Anduril, please report it immediately to contact@anduril.com. Your proactive caution is invaluable in protecting your personal information and upholding the security and trustworthiness of our recruitment efforts.
Data Privacy
To view Anduril's candidate data privacy policy, please visit https://anduril.com/applicant-privacy-notice/.
By submitting your application, you consent to Anduril Industries using a third-party service provider to conduct pre-employment risk, integrity, and due diligence screening and assessing potential risks as part of your application process. This third-party service provider provides risk-intelligence services that may include analysis of sanctions and watchlists, adverse media, public-record information, and other lawful open-source or commercial data sources. This third-party service provider does not act as a consumer reporting agency. Use of this provider helps to ensure compliance with applicable laws and protect technology, intellectual property, and organizational security.
See All 173+ Software Test Engineer Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Software Test Engineer JobsSoftware Test Engineer Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Software Test Engineer Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- Apple15
- PlayStation14
- Northrop Grumman13
- NVIDIA7
- TikTok7
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software34
- Electronics & Hardware9
- Aerospace & Defense7
- Manufacturing5
- Automotive3
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in software test engineer jobs across California.
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a closely related technical field
- Hands-on experience writing and executing automated test scripts using tools such as Selenium or Cypress
- Proficiency in at least one programming or scripting language, commonly Python, Java, or JavaScript
- Familiarity with Agile and Scrum development environments and CI/CD pipeline testing practices
- Experience using defect-tracking and test-management tools such as Jira, TestRail, or Zephyr
- Strong written and verbal communication skills for documenting test plans and reporting defects clearly
Software Test Engineer Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a software test engineer in California?
A bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or information systems is the standard entry point for software test engineer roles in California. The field has no state-issued license, so employers focus on demonstrable skills: hands-on experience with test automation frameworks, a portfolio of real or project-based testing work, and certifications such as ISTQB are widely recognized by California technology and defense employers as evidence of foundational competency.
How much do software test engineers make in California?
Software test 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 software test engineers in California?
Employers hiring software test engineers in California right now include Apple, PlayStation, and Northrop Grumman, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. California's concentration of enterprise software, semiconductor, and aerospace companies means demand is spread across both large public companies and well-funded mid-stage technology firms.
Which California cities have the most software test engineer jobs?
San Diego, San Francisco, and San Jose have the most software test engineer openings in California. The San Jose and greater Bay Area concentration reflects the region's density of enterprise software and semiconductor companies, while San Diego's hiring is driven by its large defense technology and wireless communications industry base anchored by employers like Qualcomm and major defense contractors.
Are there remote software test engineer jobs in California?
Yes, and more than most fields. About 29% of software test engineer openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, reflecting how naturally the work suits distributed teams. Test automation, code review, and defect triage are the tasks most commonly performed fully remote, while hardware-in-the-loop or embedded systems testing roles are more likely to require on-site access.
How can I get hired as a software test engineer in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is applying for QA analyst or junior QA engineer roles at California technology companies that run structured new-graduate hiring programs, including several large Bay Area and Los Angeles-based enterprise software firms. Building a portfolio of automated test scripts on open-source projects and earning the ISTQB Foundation certification gives candidates a concrete edge. Adjacent roles such as technical support specialist or junior developer are also common lateral moves into testing at California employers.
Where can I find and apply to software test engineer jobs in California?
You can find and apply to software test engineer jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from employers actively hiring across the state. Find the roles that fit your experience and location and apply directly.
See All 173+ Software Test Engineer Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Software Test Engineer Jobs