Test Engineering Manager Jobs in California
Test Engineering Manager jobs in California are among the most active in the country, concentrated in aerospace and defense, semiconductor manufacturing, consumer electronics, and enterprise software across a seniority range from first-time managers through principal-level engineering leaders. The heaviest hiring is in the San Jose and San Francisco Bay Area, San Diego, and Los Angeles, where employers like Apple, Qualcomm, and Northrop Grumman maintain large engineering organizations that depend on test infrastructure at scale. The most in-demand specialties are hardware validation, automated test equipment, and software quality engineering for embedded and real-time systems. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Senior Manager, Systems Test Engineering
Responsibilities:
- Build and manage a team of test engineers who develop equipment and fixtures for testing products and components
- Drive the professional development of individual team members through mentoring and training
- Establish group and individual objectives, priorities, and metrics to ensure long-term success
- Manage and allocate team resources across multiple projects
- Provide technical leadership for the development of production equipment, test fixtures, and process tools
- Manage requirements traceability to ensure equipment meets defined specifications
- Collaborate with design engineers, system engineers, manufacturing engineers, and software/controls engineers to ensure that equipment meets requirements
- BS or graduate degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Mechatronics, or Control Systems Engineering, or similar field. MS preferred.
- Successful experience leading teams developing test and process equipment
- Extensive engineering experience with complex electro-mechanical equipment
- Prior responsibility for validation of processes, equipment, and products
- Ability to communicate effectively and professionally across a range of technical disciplines with a broad range of stakeholders, including management, peers, customers, and suppliers
- Excellent verbal, presentation, and written communication skills with the ability to relate to different people in cross-functional teams
- Familiarity with Python or C++ for analyzing datasets related to specification definition, risk assessment, and reliability analysis, as well as for writing scripts to execute commands on electro-mechanical systems
Equal employment opportunity: All qualified persons will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, familial status, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability for which a reasonable accommodation can be made or any other status protected by law. Assistance will be gladly provided upon request for any applicant with sensory or non-sensory disabilities.
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See more at freshconsulting.com Visit freshconsulting.com/portfolio to see our project work across several industries.
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Senior Manager, Systems Test Engineering
Responsibilities:
- Build and manage a team of test engineers who develop equipment and fixtures for testing products and components
- Drive the professional development of individual team members through mentoring and training
- Establish group and individual objectives, priorities, and metrics to ensure long-term success
- Manage and allocate team resources across multiple projects
- Provide technical leadership for the development of production equipment, test fixtures, and process tools
- Manage requirements traceability to ensure equipment meets defined specifications
- Collaborate with design engineers, system engineers, manufacturing engineers, and software/controls engineers to ensure that equipment meets requirements
- BS or graduate degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Mechatronics, or Control Systems Engineering, or similar field. MS preferred.
- Successful experience leading teams developing test and process equipment
- Extensive engineering experience with complex electro-mechanical equipment
- Prior responsibility for validation of processes, equipment, and products
- Ability to communicate effectively and professionally across a range of technical disciplines with a broad range of stakeholders, including management, peers, customers, and suppliers
- Excellent verbal, presentation, and written communication skills with the ability to relate to different people in cross-functional teams
- Familiarity with Python or C++ for analyzing datasets related to specification definition, risk assessment, and reliability analysis, as well as for writing scripts to execute commands on electro-mechanical systems
Equal employment opportunity: All qualified persons will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, familial status, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability for which a reasonable accommodation can be made or any other status protected by law. Assistance will be gladly provided upon request for any applicant with sensory or non-sensory disabilities.
Fresh Consulting is a participating E-Verify company.
Okzhfgp5ET
See All 121+ Test Engineering Manager Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Test Engineering Manager JobsTest Engineering Manager Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Test Engineering Manager Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- Tesla26
- Anduril6
- Northrop Grumman6
- Impulse Space5
- Marvell Technology5
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software
- Electronics & Hardware
- Manufacturing
- Automotive
- Medical Devices
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in test engineering manager jobs across California.
- Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or a closely related technical field
- Three or more years managing test engineering teams in a production or development environment
- Hands-on experience designing or overseeing automated test equipment and validation frameworks
- Demonstrated ability to own product quality metrics, defect escape rates, and release readiness decisions
- Proficiency with at least one test automation platform such as LabVIEW, Python-based pytest, or NI TestStand
- Experience collaborating with hardware, firmware, and software teams in an Agile or hardware development lifecycle
Test Engineering Manager Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a test engineering manager in California?
The most direct path is several years of hands-on test engineering work followed by a move into team leadership, typically in California's semiconductor, aerospace, or consumer electronics sectors. California does not require a state-issued license for this role, but a Professional Engineer registration from the California Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists strengthens candidacy for defense and regulated industries. A bachelor's degree in electrical or computer engineering is the standard entry credential.
Which companies hire test engineering managers in California?
Employers hiring test engineering managers in California right now include Tesla, Anduril, and Northrop Grumman, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. California's concentration of semiconductor fabs, defense primes, and consumer electronics headquarters means demand is spread across large established engineering organizations with dedicated hardware and software validation teams.
Which California cities have the most test engineering manager jobs?
Palo Alto, Santa Clara, and Fremont have the most test engineering manager openings in California. The Bay Area dominates because of its density of semiconductor and enterprise software companies, San Diego draws heavily from defense contractors and wireless chip firms like Qualcomm, and Los Angeles reflects demand from aerospace and media technology employers anchored in that region.
Are there remote test engineering manager jobs in California?
Yes, but they're rare. Test engineering management often requires physical access to hardware, lab equipment, and manufacturing lines, which limits full-remote arrangements. About 29% of test engineering manager openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, and when remote work does appear it tends to cover the team management, planning, and software quality portions of the role rather than hands-on validation work.
How can I get hired as a test engineering manager in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is moving up from a senior test engineer or quality engineer role within a California company rather than applying to manager positions from outside. Large Bay Area and San Diego employers in semiconductors and defense regularly promote from within and post associate or senior individual-contributor roles as stepping stones. Building a portfolio of test framework projects, earning a Certified Software Test Professional credential, and targeting rotational engineering programs at companies like Broadcom or L3Harris gives candidates without direct management experience a concrete way to close the gap.
Where can I find and apply to test engineering manager jobs in California?
You can find and apply to test engineering manager jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings. Find roles that fit your experience and apply directly to the ones that match.
See All 121+ Test Engineering Manager Jobs in California
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