System Safety Engineer Jobs in California

System Safety Engineer jobs in California are among the most active in the country, concentrated in aerospace and defense, rail and transit, medical devices, and autonomous vehicle development, with demand at every level from early-career to principal engineer. The largest hiring metros are Los Angeles, San Diego, and the San Francisco Bay Area, where established employers such as Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, and BART are long-standing anchors. The most in-demand specialties include MIL-STD-882 compliant systems analysis, functional safety for automotive and medical platforms, and hazard analysis for defense programs. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.

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Overview

Open roles24
Top employerZoox
Top cityEl Segundo, CA
Cities hiring16
Work type60% On-site
Top industryAutomotive

Showing 5 of 24+ System Safety Engineer jobs

Joby Aviation
System Safety Engineer
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Joby Aviation
New 6h ago
System Safety Engineer
Joby Aviation
Santa Cruz, California
Engineering (Non-Software)
Mechanical Engineering
Specialized Engineering
$127k - $160k/yr
Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering
1,001-5,000

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New Directions Technologies, Inc.
System Safety Engineer (F-35)
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New Directions Technologies, Inc.
Added 1w ago
System Safety Engineer (F-35)
New Directions Technologies, Inc.
China Lake, California
Automation QA
Electrical Engineering
Engineering (Non-Software)
Specialized Engineering
$87k - $104k/yr
On-Site
High school diploma or GED

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DCS Corp
System Safety Engineer (F-35)
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DCS Corp
Added 1w ago
System Safety Engineer (F-35)
DCS Corp
Ridgecrest, California
Aerospace Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Engineering (Non-Software)
$97k - $120k/yr
On-Site
High school diploma or GED
1,001-5,000

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AeroVect
Senior System Safety Engineer
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AeroVect
Added 1w ago
Senior System Safety Engineer
AeroVect
South San Francisco, California
Customer Support
IT Support
Technical Program Management
Hybrid
Bachelor's degree in systems engineering

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Space Kinetic
Spacecraft System Safety & Mission Assurance Engineer
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Space Kinetic
Added 2w ago
Spacecraft System Safety & Mission Assurance Engineer
Space Kinetic
El Segundo, California
Communications
Content & Communications
Public Relations (PR)
$135k - $165k/yr
Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering

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See All 24 System Safety Engineer Jobs in California

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System Safety Engineer Jobs by City in California

Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.

El Segundo
3 jobs
Foster City
3 jobs
Pasadena
2 jobs
San Diego
2 jobs
Costa Mesa
2 jobs
Mountain View
2 jobs
Edwards
1 job
Palmdale
1 job
San Jose
1 job

System Safety Engineer Job Market in California

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

Who's Hiring

Zoox
Zoox3 open roles
AECOM
AECOM2 open roles
Anduril
Anduril2 open roles

Top Industries Hiring

  • Automotive
  • Human Resources
  • Aerospace & Defense
  • Technology & Software
  • Electronics & Hardware

What California Employers Look For

The qualifications that appear most often in system safety engineer jobs across California.

  • Bachelor's degree in systems engineering, electrical engineering, or a closely related technical field
  • Proficiency in MIL-STD-882 or IEC 61508 safety analysis standards and methodology
  • Experience conducting hazard analyses including FMEA, FTA, and preliminary hazard assessments
  • Familiarity with California-based defense or aerospace program documentation and configuration control
  • Professional Engineer licensure through the California Board for Professional Engineers is strongly preferred
  • Experience supporting safety case development for FAA, FRA, FDA, or DoD regulatory submissions

System Safety Engineer Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions

How do you become a system safety engineer in California?

Start with a bachelor's degree in systems, mechanical, electrical, or aerospace engineering from an ABET-accredited program. California employers widely respect the Professional Engineer credential issued by the California Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists, which requires passing the Fundamentals of Engineering and Principles and Practice exams. Pairing that credential with hands-on safety analysis experience on defense, transit, or medical device programs is the most reliable path to mid-level and senior roles in the state.

How much do system safety engineers make in California?

System safety engineers in California earn a median of about $131,540 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $83,210 for the lowest 10% to over $175,940 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.

Which companies hire system safety engineers in California?

Employers hiring system safety engineers in California right now include Zoox, AECOM, and Anduril, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. California's dense concentration of defense primes, transit agencies, and medical device manufacturers makes it one of the deepest markets for this role in the nation.

Which California cities have the most system safety engineer jobs?

El Segundo, Foster City, and Pasadena currently post the most system safety engineer openings in California. Los Angeles and San Diego lead because of the region's deep aerospace and defense contractor base, while the Bay Area draws openings from autonomous vehicle programs, rail transit authorities, and medical device firms concentrated in Silicon Valley and the East Bay.

Are there remote system safety engineer jobs in California?

Yes, but they're rare. Safety engineering often requires access to hardware, test environments, and program documentation under controlled conditions, which limits full-time remote work. About 40% of system safety engineer openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of August 2026. The tasks most often performed remotely are documentation review, hazard analysis modeling, and safety case writing rather than hands-on verification or test witnessing.

How can I get hired as a system safety engineer in California with little or no experience?

The most realistic entry path is a systems or safety engineering internship with a California aerospace or defense contractor, where companies such as Northrop Grumman and Raytheon run structured early-career and new-graduate programs at their Southern California facilities. Adjacent roles in quality assurance, reliability engineering, or systems verification are common lateral moves that provide the analytical foundations California hiring managers look for. Earning the Associate Safety Professional credential from the Board of Certified Safety Professionals gives early-career candidates a measurable edge while they build program hours.

Where can I find and apply to system safety engineer jobs in California?

You can find and apply to system safety engineer jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings across the state. Search the listings, find roles that match your background and target location, and apply directly to the ones that fit.

See All 24 System Safety Engineer Jobs in California

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

Find System Safety Engineer Jobs