Technology Lead Jobs in California
Technology Lead jobs in California are among the most active in the country, concentrated in enterprise software, cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity, and fintech across a seniority range that runs from mid-level individual contributors through principal and staff-level leaders. The largest hiring metros are San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego, where companies like Apple, Google, and Salesforce maintain deep engineering organizations that consistently need technology leads to own roadmaps and guide cross-functional teams. Demand is particularly strong in platform engineering, AI/ML product delivery, and distributed systems. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Technology Internal Audit Lead
Location
:
San Jose
Employment Type
:
Regular
Job Code
:
A186470A
Responsibilities
Internal Audit is a global function responsible for providing independent assurance and evaluating the company's risk management, governance and internal control processes to determine if they are designed and operating effectively. The Internal Audit team plans and executes audit projects according to our risk-based audit plan by evaluating operational, compliance, IT, and financial processes and controls. We work with business functions in addressing risks and improving the control environment through timely and comprehensive audit work and tracking of remediation actions until completion.
Position Summary:
We are looking for an experienced Technology Internal Audit Lead to join the Global Technology Audit team. The role will primarily support TikTok and other products operating outside China and will be responsible for leading technology audits and risk reviews. The individual will be part of the Global Technology Audit team and innovative assurance methods to impact and influence positive business outcomes across products such as TikTok, TikTok Shop and Dola.
Responsibilities:
- Technology Audit Delivery: Lead planning and execution of technology audit programs and complex technology control assessments: Products powered by LLMs, Information Security, Infrastructure, Privacy. Assess technical architectures for AI/ML systems, focusing on data flow, model training & fine-tuning processes, model serving infrastructure, and integration with downstream applications.
- Advanced Data Analytics: Leverage data analytics to detect risk signals and unearth insights for AI/ML models. Review controls for data quality, privacy, security, access management, safety testing, hallucination mitigation, evaluation metrics, red-teaming procedures, and output monitoring.
- Technology Risk Assessment: Develop practical, risk-based recommendations that address root causes while considering product, engineering, regulatory, and business requirements. Ability to grasp complex, home grown technology stack, comfortable speaking with engineers and product teams.
- Stakeholder Relationships: Develop and maintain collaborative working relationships with management, understand the business to provide value-added services, and establish credibility as a management consultant and internal controls resource. Partner with engineering and product teams to advise on design and implementation of technology solutions.
- Quality Assurance: Ensure the overall quality and consistency of audit work, adhering to department and professional standards. Continuously seek opportunities for audit process improvement.
Minimum Qualifications:
- 5+ years of relevant experience in Technology Audits, Product Security, Security Engineering or Security Compliance preferably within the technology sector (Social Media, Content Management, FinTech etc.), and/or consulting firms. Proven ability to work in a fast-paced environment with a product centric culture.
- Strong understanding of security fundamentals across various cyber domains: IAM, applied cryptography, key management systems, data security, application security, web security, security protocols, API Design, threat intelligence, network security, hardware security, vulnerability management, etc.
- Proven analytical ability to assess complex technology environments against risk assessment outcomes, industry best practices, internal standards and external regulatory requirements.
- Excellent problem solving, critical thinking, collaboration and communication skills combined with the ability to provide a credible technical challenge to the business.
- Deep understanding of LLMs, ML pipelines, model lifecycle management, and data engineering architectures.
- Experience working in a fast-paced, global technology company or rapidly scaling environment across different time zones.
- Solid background and experience working with one or more of the following areas:
- LLMs or ML frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow, HuggingFace)
- Common application and infrastructure security vulnerabilities and mitigations (OWASP Top 10, CWE 25)
- Source code and DevOps management tools (e.g., Github, Bitbucket)
- SaaS and IaaS cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, GCP)
- Professional certifications such as CISSP, CISM, GIAC, CCNA, CISA, CRISC, or CIA.
- Be able to handle ambiguity and collaborate with a global team.
- Passion for emerging technologies, products and standards.
【For Pay Transparency】Compensation Description (Annually)
The base salary range for this position in the selected city is $102600 - $198360 annually.
Compensation may vary outside of this range depending on a number of factors, including a candidate’s qualifications, skills, competencies and experience, and location. Base pay is one part of the Total Package that is provided to compensate and recognize employees for their work, and this role may be eligible for additional discretionary bonuses/incentives, and restricted stock units.
Benefits may vary depending on the nature of employment and the country work location. Employees have day one access to medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401(k) savings plan with company match, paid parental leave, short-term and long-term disability coverage, life insurance, wellbeing benefits, among others. Employees also receive 10 paid holidays per year, 10 paid sick days per year and 17 days of Paid Personal Time (prorated upon hire with increasing accruals by tenure).
The Company reserves the right to modify or change these benefits programs at any time, with or without notice.
For Los Angeles County (unincorporated) Candidates:
Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with all federal, state, and local laws including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act. Our company believes that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship on the following job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of the conditional offer of employment:
1. Interacting and occasionally having unsupervised contact with internal/external clients and/or colleagues;
2. Appropriately handling and managing confidential information including proprietary and trade secret information and access to information technology systems; and
3. Exercising sound judgment.
About TikTok
TikTok is the leading destination for short-form mobile video. At TikTok, our mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy. TikTok's global headquarters are in Los Angeles and Singapore, and we also have offices in New York City, London, Dublin, Paris, Berlin, Dubai, Jakarta, Seoul, and Tokyo.
Why Join Us
Inspiring creativity is at the core of TikTok's mission. Our innovative product is built to help people authentically express themselves, discover and connect – and our global, diverse teams make that possible. Together, we create value for our communities, inspire creativity and bring joy - a mission we work towards every day.
We strive to do great things with great people. We lead with curiosity, humility, and a desire to make impact in a rapidly growing tech company. Every challenge is an opportunity to learn and innovate as one team. We're resilient and embrace challenges as they come. By constantly iterating and fostering an "Always Day 1" mindset, we achieve meaningful breakthroughs for ourselves, our company, and our users. When we create and grow together, the possibilities are limitless. Join us.
Diversity & Inclusion
TikTok is committed to creating an inclusive space where employees are valued for their skills, experiences, and unique perspectives. Our platform connects people from across the globe and so does our workplace. At TikTok, our mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy. To achieve that goal, we are committed to celebrating our diverse voices and to creating an environment that reflects the many communities we reach. We are passionate about this and hope you are too.
TikTok Accommodation
TikTok is committed to providing reasonable accommodations in our recruitment processes for candidates with disabilities, pregnancy, sincerely held religious beliefs or other reasons protected by applicable laws. If you need assistance or a reasonable accommodation, please reach out to us at
https://tinyurl.com/RA-request
See All 30 Technology Lead Jobs in California
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Find Technology Lead JobsTechnology Lead Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Technology Lead Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring



Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software
- Construction & Real Estate
- Law & Legal Services
- Consulting & Professional Services
- Education
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in technology lead jobs across California.
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related technical discipline
- Proven experience leading engineering teams or technical delivery on large-scale California-based products
- Hands-on proficiency in cloud platforms such as AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure
- Ability to own technical roadmaps, architecture decisions, and cross-team delivery milestones
- Experience collaborating with product and design counterparts in fast-paced California product organizations
- Familiarity with agile development practices and California-standard engineering toolchains such as Kubernetes and CI/CD pipelines
Technology Lead Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a technology lead in California?
The path to a technology lead role in California runs through demonstrated engineering depth followed by progressive ownership of technical scope. California employers typically promote or hire into the role from senior software engineer, staff engineer, or principal engineer positions. No state-issued license is required, but a computer science or engineering degree is standard. Building a portfolio of large-scale system design and mentorship experience strengthens candidacy significantly in California's competitive market.
Which companies hire technology leads in California?
Employers hiring technology leads in California right now include TikTok, Gensler, and MarinHealth, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. California's concentration of enterprise software companies, hyperscalers, and late-stage startups means openings appear across a wide range of product domains and engineering disciplines.
Which California cities have the most technology lead jobs?
San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Irvine account for the most technology lead openings in California. San Francisco and San Jose dominate because of the Bay Area's density of technology headquarters and growth-stage companies, while Los Angeles has expanded significantly as a technology hub anchored by media-tech, fintech, and aerospace firms that require strong technical leadership.
Are there remote technology lead jobs in California?
Yes, and more than most fields. Technology lead work is well-suited to remote and hybrid arrangements because the role centers on design, code review, and coordination rather than physical presence. About 35% of technology lead openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, reflecting how broadly California employers have adopted distributed engineering models. Architecture and roadmap work in particular is frequently performed fully remote.
How can I get hired as a technology lead in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is moving laterally from a senior software engineer role into a tech lead function within the same team, which many California employers support through structured promotion tracks. Companies like Apple, Salesforce, and large Bay Area fintech firms run associate or staff-level engineering programs where strong individual contributors take on scoping and mentorship responsibilities before holding the formal title. Building a portfolio of system design work and contributing to open-source projects recognized within California's engineering community strengthens a candidacy considerably.
Where can I find and apply to technology lead jobs in California?
You can find and apply to technology lead jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from California employers. Search the available roles, find the ones that fit your background and target location, and apply directly to each position.
See All 30 Technology Lead Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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