The Trade Desk Jobs in California
The Trade Desk jobs in California are among the most active in the country, concentrated in programmatic advertising, data-driven media buying, and omnichannel campaign management, with openings at every level from entry-level trading analysts through senior programmatic strategists. Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Ventura are the primary hiring centers, home to agencies and brands like Dentsu, Publicis Groupe, and NBCUniversal that run sizable trading and media operations. The most in-demand specialties in California are demand-side platform management, audience targeting, and connected TV campaign execution. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
Find The Trade Desk JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 9+ The Trade Desk jobs
INTRODUCTION
The Trade Desk is a global technology company and the world's leading independent platform for digital advertising, with nearly 4,000 employees across more than 30 offices. Our technology helps advertisers reach the right audiences across the open internet — from streaming TV and podcasts to mobile apps, news, and more.
Advertising powers the content people love. By making it more transparent, effective, and responsible, we help support trusted journalism, quality entertainment, and creators worldwide. The world's brands and agencies rely on us to reach their customers and grow their businesses responsibly.
The scale of our platform brings unique technical challenges — from processing massive datasets in real time to building systems that operate reliably on a global scale. When you work here, your impact is worldwide. We welcome diverse perspectives, encourage curiosity, and build teams that learn from one another. If you're driven to solve meaningful challenges, we'd love to meet you.
ABOUT OPENPATH
OpenPath provides a direct, transparent connection between The Trade Desk and leading premium publishers—enabling efficient, objective, and high-quality access to inventory for advertisers. By simplifying the programmatic supply chain and reducing intermediaries, OpenPath brings supply path transparency, cost efficiency, and improved visibility into each impression's value and source.
PURPOSE:
OpenPath focuses on creating and managing direct integrations with publishers while providing a robust publisher platform. Unlike an SSP, The Trade Desk remains buy-side focused—we do not optimize publisher yield or manage direct deals. Our mission is to deliver transparency and competition that lead to better outcomes for advertisers.
KEY FEATURES:
- Direct access to inventory from top publishers through The Trade Desk platform
- Infrastructure designed to integrate with transparent demand solutions, including Prebid's open-source header bidding
- Emphasis on supply path transparency, cost efficiency, and visibility into cost/value
- A buy-side-only approach supporting competition, innovation, and objective decision-making
BENEFITS FOR ADVERTISERS:
- Fewer supply chain hops and greater efficiency
- Objective evaluation of supply paths with no preferential treatment
- Increased transparency into cost drivers, supply sources, and impression value
THE ROLE:
As a Senior Engineer on the OpenPath team, you will serve as a key technical leader responsible for architecting and building the systems that power direct publisher integrations and the publisher platform. You will work on highly impactful greenfield projects that shape the industry's future—improving transparency, efficiency, and control across billions of impressions and dollars in programmatic spend.
WHAT YOU WILL DO:
TECHNICAL LEADERSHIP & ARCHITECTURE:
- Architect and design scalable, high-performance systems that enable direct publisher integrations and transparent supply paths
- Lead platform infrastructure efforts, including components that support Prebid header bidding and publisher tooling
- Drive key architectural decisions for greenfield codebases and next-generation services
EXECUTION & COLLABORATION:
- Partner closely with product managers, data scientists, client services, data partnerships, inventory teams, and FP&A to translate business needs into technical solutions
- Develop and maintain the publisher platform that empowers publishers to manage their integrations
- Drive system performance improvements to support large datasets (e.g., 100% avails, user data) with high availability and low latency
LEADERSHIP & INFLUENCE:
- Mentor engineers across the team and elevate engineering practices
- Champion an iterative, fail-fast culture—rapidly prototyping, learning, and evolving solutions
- Set and uphold technical standards for distributed systems, reliability, and platform development
WHO YOU ARE:
- A Senior-level Engineer with proven experience building and scaling large distributed systems
- Strong architectural instincts and the ability to design systems for reliability, performance, and scale
- A technical leader with experience mentoring engineers and leading cross-team initiatives
- Deeply curious about the business and passionate about using technology to transform outcomes
- Comfortable operating in ambiguity, iterating quickly, and pivoting when needed
- Collaborative and energized by working across multiple teams and disciplines
- Motivated by transparency, simplicity, and building principled systems
- Experience with high-scale, real-time systems or platform development is a strong plus
TECHNOLOGIES WE USE:
- Backend: C#, Scala, Go
- Frontend: React, Redux, TypeScript, Puppeteer, Jest
- Data: SQL, Spark
- Databases: SQL Server, Vertica, Aerospike
- Infrastructure: Docker, Kubernetes
WHO WON'T ENJOY WORKING ON OPENPATH:
- Engineers who want purely technical challenges without business context
- Anyone uncomfortable with failing fast, discarding ideas, or pivoting quickly
- People who prefer rigid structures and slow-moving development cycles
- Individuals that take work too seriously and don't enjoy a fun, collaborative environment
WHY OPENPATH IS A TEAM TO BE A PART OF:
- Massive business impact: Influence billions in ad spend and reshape how premium inventory is accessed
- Extreme scale: Work with high-volume publisher integrations, 100% avails, user data, and real-time systems
- Broad technical exposure: Touch multiple services across the company—from publisher integrations to demand-side infrastructure
- Deep cross-functional engagement: Collaborate closely with engineering, product, data science, operations, and commercial teams
- Greenfield development: Build several new services and platforms from the ground up
- Innovation culture: Help define the future of transparent, efficient supply paths in programmatic advertising
- Modern technology stack: Build cutting-edge services and lead the evolution toward agile architectures
POSITION IMPACT
OpenPath is a major strategic initiative that introduces a transparent, efficient alternative supply path for advertisers. As a Staff Engineer, you will shape the foundational infrastructure that connects advertisers directly to premium publishers—driving industry-wide transparency and improving outcomes at global scale.
Variety of technical opportunity is one of the best things about working at The Trade Desk as a software engineer which is why we do not expect you to know every technology we use when you start. What we care about is that you can learn quickly and find solutions to complex problems using the optimum tools for the job. What you know is less important than how well you learn and innovate. We don't need engineers who know all the answers; we need engineers who can invent the answers no one has thought of yet, to the questions yet to be asked.
The Trade Desk does not accept unsolicited resumes from search firm recruiters. Fees will not be paid in the event a candidate submitted by a recruiter without an agreement in place is hired; such resumes will be deemed the sole property of The Trade Desk. The Trade Desk is an equal opportunity employer. All aspects of employment will be based on merit, competence, performance, and business needs. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.
Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
LI-AD1
As an Equal Opportunity Employer, The Trade Desk is committed to creating an inclusive hiring experience where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
Please reach out to us at accommodations@thetradedesk.com to request an accommodation or discuss any accessibility needs you may require to access our Company Website or navigate any part of the hiring process.
When you contact us, please include your preferred contact details and specify the nature of your accommodation request or questions. Any information you share will be handled confidentially and will not impact our hiring decisions.
INTRODUCTION
The Trade Desk is a global technology company and the world's leading independent platform for digital advertising, with nearly 4,000 employees across more than 30 offices. Our technology helps advertisers reach the right audiences across the open internet — from streaming TV and podcasts to mobile apps, news, and more.
Advertising powers the content people love. By making it more transparent, effective, and responsible, we help support trusted journalism, quality entertainment, and creators worldwide. The world's brands and agencies rely on us to reach their customers and grow their businesses responsibly.
The scale of our platform brings unique technical challenges — from processing massive datasets in real time to building systems that operate reliably on a global scale. When you work here, your impact is worldwide. We welcome diverse perspectives, encourage curiosity, and build teams that learn from one another. If you're driven to solve meaningful challenges, we'd love to meet you.
ABOUT OPENPATH
OpenPath provides a direct, transparent connection between The Trade Desk and leading premium publishers—enabling efficient, objective, and high-quality access to inventory for advertisers. By simplifying the programmatic supply chain and reducing intermediaries, OpenPath brings supply path transparency, cost efficiency, and improved visibility into each impression's value and source.
PURPOSE:
OpenPath focuses on creating and managing direct integrations with publishers while providing a robust publisher platform. Unlike an SSP, The Trade Desk remains buy-side focused—we do not optimize publisher yield or manage direct deals. Our mission is to deliver transparency and competition that lead to better outcomes for advertisers.
KEY FEATURES:
- Direct access to inventory from top publishers through The Trade Desk platform
- Infrastructure designed to integrate with transparent demand solutions, including Prebid's open-source header bidding
- Emphasis on supply path transparency, cost efficiency, and visibility into cost/value
- A buy-side-only approach supporting competition, innovation, and objective decision-making
BENEFITS FOR ADVERTISERS:
- Fewer supply chain hops and greater efficiency
- Objective evaluation of supply paths with no preferential treatment
- Increased transparency into cost drivers, supply sources, and impression value
THE ROLE:
As a Senior Engineer on the OpenPath team, you will serve as a key technical leader responsible for architecting and building the systems that power direct publisher integrations and the publisher platform. You will work on highly impactful greenfield projects that shape the industry's future—improving transparency, efficiency, and control across billions of impressions and dollars in programmatic spend.
WHAT YOU WILL DO:
TECHNICAL LEADERSHIP & ARCHITECTURE:
- Architect and design scalable, high-performance systems that enable direct publisher integrations and transparent supply paths
- Lead platform infrastructure efforts, including components that support Prebid header bidding and publisher tooling
- Drive key architectural decisions for greenfield codebases and next-generation services
EXECUTION & COLLABORATION:
- Partner closely with product managers, data scientists, client services, data partnerships, inventory teams, and FP&A to translate business needs into technical solutions
- Develop and maintain the publisher platform that empowers publishers to manage their integrations
- Drive system performance improvements to support large datasets (e.g., 100% avails, user data) with high availability and low latency
LEADERSHIP & INFLUENCE:
- Mentor engineers across the team and elevate engineering practices
- Champion an iterative, fail-fast culture—rapidly prototyping, learning, and evolving solutions
- Set and uphold technical standards for distributed systems, reliability, and platform development
WHO YOU ARE:
- A Senior-level Engineer with proven experience building and scaling large distributed systems
- Strong architectural instincts and the ability to design systems for reliability, performance, and scale
- A technical leader with experience mentoring engineers and leading cross-team initiatives
- Deeply curious about the business and passionate about using technology to transform outcomes
- Comfortable operating in ambiguity, iterating quickly, and pivoting when needed
- Collaborative and energized by working across multiple teams and disciplines
- Motivated by transparency, simplicity, and building principled systems
- Experience with high-scale, real-time systems or platform development is a strong plus
TECHNOLOGIES WE USE:
- Backend: C#, Scala, Go
- Frontend: React, Redux, TypeScript, Puppeteer, Jest
- Data: SQL, Spark
- Databases: SQL Server, Vertica, Aerospike
- Infrastructure: Docker, Kubernetes
WHO WON'T ENJOY WORKING ON OPENPATH:
- Engineers who want purely technical challenges without business context
- Anyone uncomfortable with failing fast, discarding ideas, or pivoting quickly
- People who prefer rigid structures and slow-moving development cycles
- Individuals that take work too seriously and don't enjoy a fun, collaborative environment
WHY OPENPATH IS A TEAM TO BE A PART OF:
- Massive business impact: Influence billions in ad spend and reshape how premium inventory is accessed
- Extreme scale: Work with high-volume publisher integrations, 100% avails, user data, and real-time systems
- Broad technical exposure: Touch multiple services across the company—from publisher integrations to demand-side infrastructure
- Deep cross-functional engagement: Collaborate closely with engineering, product, data science, operations, and commercial teams
- Greenfield development: Build several new services and platforms from the ground up
- Innovation culture: Help define the future of transparent, efficient supply paths in programmatic advertising
- Modern technology stack: Build cutting-edge services and lead the evolution toward agile architectures
POSITION IMPACT
OpenPath is a major strategic initiative that introduces a transparent, efficient alternative supply path for advertisers. As a Staff Engineer, you will shape the foundational infrastructure that connects advertisers directly to premium publishers—driving industry-wide transparency and improving outcomes at global scale.
Variety of technical opportunity is one of the best things about working at The Trade Desk as a software engineer which is why we do not expect you to know every technology we use when you start. What we care about is that you can learn quickly and find solutions to complex problems using the optimum tools for the job. What you know is less important than how well you learn and innovate. We don't need engineers who know all the answers; we need engineers who can invent the answers no one has thought of yet, to the questions yet to be asked.
The Trade Desk does not accept unsolicited resumes from search firm recruiters. Fees will not be paid in the event a candidate submitted by a recruiter without an agreement in place is hired; such resumes will be deemed the sole property of The Trade Desk. The Trade Desk is an equal opportunity employer. All aspects of employment will be based on merit, competence, performance, and business needs. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.
Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
LI-AD1
As an Equal Opportunity Employer, The Trade Desk is committed to creating an inclusive hiring experience where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
Please reach out to us at accommodations@thetradedesk.com to request an accommodation or discuss any accessibility needs you may require to access our Company Website or navigate any part of the hiring process.
When you contact us, please include your preferred contact details and specify the nature of your accommodation request or questions. Any information you share will be handled confidentially and will not impact our hiring decisions.
See All 9 The Trade Desk Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find The Trade Desk JobsThe Trade Desk Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
The Trade Desk Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- The Trade Desk9
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software9
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in the trade desk jobs across California.
- Hands-on experience with demand-side platforms such as The Trade Desk, DV360, or similar
- Proficiency in programmatic campaign setup, optimization, and reporting across display and video
- Strong analytical skills with experience in Adobe Analytics, Google Analytics, or comparable tools
- Bachelor's degree in marketing, advertising, communications, business, or a related field
- Familiarity with audience segmentation, first-party data strategy, and brand-safety tools
- Experience collaborating with creative, analytics, and sales teams in a fast-paced environment
The Trade Desk Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a the trade desk in California?
Most California employers hire candidates with a bachelor's degree in marketing, advertising, business, or a related field combined with hands-on programmatic platform experience. California does not require a state-issued license for this role. The most direct path is building fluency in demand-side platforms through coursework, agency internships, or certifications offered directly by The Trade Desk and Google. Many California agencies and in-house media teams accept candidates who demonstrate platform proficiency through campaign portfolios or completed certification programs.
Which companies hire the trade desks in California?
Employers hiring the trade desks in California right now include The Trade Desk and The Trade Desk, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of June 2026. California's deep concentration of entertainment studios, direct-to-consumer brands, and global advertising holding companies makes it one of the most consistent markets for programmatic trading talent in the country.
Which California cities have the most the trade desk jobs?
Irvine, Los Angeles, and Ventura have the most the trade desk openings in California. Los Angeles dominates because of its density of entertainment studios, streaming platforms, and major agency offices that run large programmatic budgets, while San Francisco draws demand from technology companies and venture-backed consumer brands headquartered in the Bay Area.
Are there remote the trade desk jobs in California?
Yes, and more than most fields. About 0% of the trade desk openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of June 2026, reflecting how fully digital and platform-based this work is by nature. Campaign planning, optimization, and reporting are the functions most commonly performed remotely, with on-site presence typically required only for larger client pitches or cross-functional strategy sessions.
How can I get hired as a the trade desk in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is joining a California agency in an ad operations or media planning coordinator role, then transitioning into programmatic trading once you have platform exposure. Large California agencies and in-house media teams at entertainment and technology companies regularly hire entry-level associates who hold The Trade Desk Edge Academy certification or Google Display and Video certification. Building a portfolio of practice campaigns and applying to rotational associate programs at holding companies such as Publicis or Dentsu in Los Angeles is a concrete first step.
Where can I find and apply to the trade desk jobs in California?
You can find and apply to the trade desk jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings from employers actively hiring right now. Search the available roles, find the ones that match your experience and location, and apply directly through each listing.
See All 9 The Trade Desk Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find The Trade Desk Jobs