Staff Software Developer Jobs in San Jose, CA
Staff Software Developer jobs in San Jose are in high demand, concentrated in North San Jose, Downtown, and the Santana Row corridor across enterprise software, semiconductor, and cloud infrastructure sectors. Employers hiring right now include Google, Zscaler, and Veeam Software. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
Find Staff Software Developer JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 47+ Staff Software Developer jobs









Minimum qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience.
- 8 years of experience in software development.
- 8 years of experience with one or more general purpose programming languages (e.g., Java, C/C++, or Python).
- 5 years of experience with Linux Kernel, Operating Systems, Performance Analysis, Performance Optimization, Performance Tuning, and C++ or C coding.
- 3 years of experience with software design and architecture.
Preferred qualifications:
- Master’s degree or PhD in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field.
- 8 years of experience with software development in C/C++, and with data structures and algorithms.
- 5 years of experience building and developing large-scale infrastructure, distributed systems or networks, or experience with compute technologies, inputs, or hardware architecture.
- 5 years of experience testing, maintaining, or launching software products, and 1 year of experience with software design and architecture.
- 3 years of experience in a technical leadership role leading project teams and setting technical direction.
About the job
Google's software engineers develop the next-generation technologies that change how billions of users connect, explore, and interact with information and one another. Our products need to handle information at massive scale, and extend well beyond web search. We're looking for engineers who bring fresh ideas from all areas, including information retrieval, distributed computing, large-scale system design, networking and data storage, security, artificial intelligence, natural language processing, UI design and mobile; the list goes on and is growing every day. As a software engineer, you will work on a specific project critical to Google’s needs with opportunities to switch teams and projects as you and our fast-paced business grow and evolve. We need our engineers to be versatile, display leadership qualities and be enthusiastic to take on new problems across the full-stack as we continue to push technology forward.Android is Google’s mobile operating system powering more than 3 billion devices worldwide. Android is about bringing computing to everyone in the world. We believe computing is a super power for good, enabling access to information, economic opportunity, productivity, connectivity between friends and family and more. We think everyone in the world should have access to the best computing has to offer. We provide the platform for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and developers to build compelling computing devices (smartphones, tablets, TVs, wearables, etc) that run the best apps/services for everyone in the world.Individual pay is determined by factors including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.US: $207000 - $300000 (USD) + 20% bonus target + equity + benefits
Learn more about benefits at Google.
Responsibilities
- Architect, deliver of premium, desktop-class input experiences across Google’s unified Android and ChromeOS computing ecosystems.
- Own end-to-end technical roadmap across the multi-layered input stack spanning physical hardware matrices, firmware protocols (HID, HID++, USI 2.0 styluses, SPI/I2C touch controllers), Linux, Android Generic Kernel Image (GKI) kernel-drivers, native C++ input processing pipelines, Java framework services.
- Design, scale foundational OS capabilities including public, system APIs for third-party peripheral, mouse button customization, next-generation keyboard standards featuring dedicated AI hardware triggers (Super G, quick insert-keys), cross-form-factor haptics for trackpads and styluses, heatmap-driven palm rejection algorithms, low-latency hardware-to-OS wake signaling.
- Be the primary technical conduit across system UI, input experience hardware engineering, and global Tier-1 OEM for platform bring-up.
- Advocate next-generation hardware-in-the-loop test automation, input latency telemetry, drive operational excellence across release bug triaging and code-ownership to deliver Google devices.
See All 47 Staff Software Developer Jobs in San Jose
Find roles in San Jose that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Staff Software Developer JobsStaff Software Developer Job Market in San Jose
Who's Hiring



Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software
- Electronics & Hardware
- Automotive
- Transportation & Logistics
- Consulting & Professional Services
Staff Software Developer Jobs in San Jose: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a staff software developer job in San Jose?
The strongest path in San Jose is targeting the dense cluster of enterprise tech, semiconductor, and cloud companies in North San Jose and the Alviso corridor, where staff-level engineering roles open consistently. Candidates who demonstrate system design depth, distributed systems experience, and a history of leading cross-functional projects stand out. Networking through local tech communities and engineering meetups in the South Bay gives a meaningful edge over remote applicants.
Which companies hire staff software developers in San Jose?
Companies currently hiring staff software developers in San Jose include Google, Zscaler, and Veeam Software, per current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. San Jose's employer mix skews heavily toward large enterprise tech firms, semiconductor companies, and networking hardware leaders, many of whom maintain global headquarters or major engineering hubs within the city.
Are there remote staff software developer jobs in San Jose?
Yes, though remote availability varies since staff software developer roles often involve leading architecture discussions and close collaboration with product and platform teams. About 67% of staff software developer openings tied to San Jose are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, with the most flexibility found in roles focused on backend systems, cloud infrastructure, and developer tooling rather than hardware-adjacent or lab-based engineering work.
How can I get a staff software developer job in San Jose with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path in San Jose is targeting associate or senior software engineer roles at mid-size enterprise software or cloud companies in North San Jose, where internal promotion to staff level is a defined career track. Companies in the networking and storage hardware space often hire new graduates into rotational engineering programs that build the system-level breadth staff roles require. Contributing to open-source projects used by San Jose employers and earning visibility through local engineering communities accelerates that path.
Which industries hire the most staff software developers in San Jose?
Most staff software developer openings in San Jose sit in Technology & Software, Electronics & Hardware, and Automotive, per current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. San Jose's role as home to major semiconductor, networking, and enterprise software headquarters means demand at the staff level is driven by complex systems work that requires both deep technical ownership and cross-team influence.
Related Jobs in California
See All 47 Staff Software Developer Jobs in San Jose
Find roles in San Jose that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Staff Software Developer Jobs