Aerospace & Defense Visa Sponsorship Jobs in California
California leads the nation in aerospace and defense innovation, with major contractors like Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Raytheon maintaining significant operations across the state. From Los Angeles County's Space Coast to Silicon Valley's defense tech startups, California offers extensive visa sponsorship opportunities for international professionals in engineering, cybersecurity, and advanced manufacturing roles.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
Skydio is the leading US drone company and the world leader in autonomous flight, the key technology for the future of drones and aerial mobility. The Skydio team combines deep expertise in artificial intelligence, best-in-class hardware and software product development, operational excellence, and customer obsession to empower a broader, more diverse audience of drone users, from utility inspectors to first responders, soldiers in battlefield scenarios, and beyond.
ABOUT THE TEAM
Skydio’s Cloud infrastructure team is here to ensure that the Skydio Cloud platform is always available to our customers when they need it: whether that’s performing a routine bridge inspection or it’s aiding in rescue operations during a natural disaster. With thousands of drones operating all over the world, we are constantly improving the continuous delivery and deployment of our infrastructure.
ABOUT THE ROLE
As a Senior Infrastructure Engineer on a newish product, you’ll not just be responsible for supporting our Kubernetes fleet, but also making software changes to the core product in order to support the use cases that we need. This is a hybrid software and infrastructure role, meaning that sometimes the best solution is to fix the product, not automate around the deficiencies. This is a role for someone that enjoys having the freedom to operate across the whole stack, and the ability to affect the architecture, security, and functionality of the product.
HOW YOU'LL MAKE AN IMPACT
- Re-architect and maintain the ever growing needs on our Kubernetes fleet and its supporting infrastructure.
- Continually improve and expand the continuous delivery of the product.
- Work in cross-functional teams (from hardware to cloud) to build new capabilities for the platform.
- Work directly with security to continually improve the practices and controls that will keep our customer’s data and drones safe.
- Drive cost saving initiatives early into Skydio’s product, so that it scales over time.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- 4+ years of experience as a platform engineer, DevOps or equivalent infrastructure role.
- Can comfortably debug and automate Kubernetes clusters.
- Not hesitant to jump into the code to fix the underlying issue (Python or Go preferred).
- Prior experience implementing continuous deployment systems.
- Understand cloud platforms architecture, especially networking, security, storage, and resilient application topologies.
- Ability and interest in being delegated business objectives and seeking out the solutions.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Familiarity with supporting both SaaS and self-hosted applications.
- Experience with supporting drones or highly automated physical hardware.
COMPENSATION
- At Skydio, our compensation packages for regular, full-time employees include competitive base salaries, equity in the form of stock options, and comprehensive benefits packages. Compensation will vary based on factors, including skill level, proficiencies, transferable knowledge, and experience. Relocation assistance may also be provided for eligible roles. The annual base salary range for this position is $170,000 - 258,000*. Fundamentally, we believe that equity is the key to long-term financial growth, and we ensure all regular, full-time employees have the opportunity to significantly benefit from the company's success. Regular, full-time employees are eligible to enroll in the Company’s group health insurance plans. Regular, full-time employees are eligible to receive the following benefits: Paid vacation time, sick leave, holiday pay and 401K savings plan. This position and all associated benefits are subject to applicable federal, state, and local laws, as well as the Company’s policies and eligibility criteria.
For some positions the pay may be dependent upon the individual's regional location.
At Skydio we believe that diversity drives innovation. We have created a multidisciplinary environment that embraces the power of diverse perspectives to create elegant solutions for complex problems. We are committed to growing our network of people, programs, and resources to nurture an inclusive culture. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by federal, state or local anti-discrimination laws.
For positions located in the United States of America, Skydio, Inc. uses E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit https://www.e-verify.gov/
INTRODUCTION
Skydio is the leading US drone company and the world leader in autonomous flight, the key technology for the future of drones and aerial mobility. The Skydio team combines deep expertise in artificial intelligence, best-in-class hardware and software product development, operational excellence, and customer obsession to empower a broader, more diverse audience of drone users, from utility inspectors to first responders, soldiers in battlefield scenarios, and beyond.
ABOUT THE TEAM
Skydio’s Cloud infrastructure team is here to ensure that the Skydio Cloud platform is always available to our customers when they need it: whether that’s performing a routine bridge inspection or it’s aiding in rescue operations during a natural disaster. With thousands of drones operating all over the world, we are constantly improving the continuous delivery and deployment of our infrastructure.
ABOUT THE ROLE
As a Senior Infrastructure Engineer on a newish product, you’ll not just be responsible for supporting our Kubernetes fleet, but also making software changes to the core product in order to support the use cases that we need. This is a hybrid software and infrastructure role, meaning that sometimes the best solution is to fix the product, not automate around the deficiencies. This is a role for someone that enjoys having the freedom to operate across the whole stack, and the ability to affect the architecture, security, and functionality of the product.
HOW YOU'LL MAKE AN IMPACT
- Re-architect and maintain the ever growing needs on our Kubernetes fleet and its supporting infrastructure.
- Continually improve and expand the continuous delivery of the product.
- Work in cross-functional teams (from hardware to cloud) to build new capabilities for the platform.
- Work directly with security to continually improve the practices and controls that will keep our customer’s data and drones safe.
- Drive cost saving initiatives early into Skydio’s product, so that it scales over time.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- 4+ years of experience as a platform engineer, DevOps or equivalent infrastructure role.
- Can comfortably debug and automate Kubernetes clusters.
- Not hesitant to jump into the code to fix the underlying issue (Python or Go preferred).
- Prior experience implementing continuous deployment systems.
- Understand cloud platforms architecture, especially networking, security, storage, and resilient application topologies.
- Ability and interest in being delegated business objectives and seeking out the solutions.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Familiarity with supporting both SaaS and self-hosted applications.
- Experience with supporting drones or highly automated physical hardware.
COMPENSATION
- At Skydio, our compensation packages for regular, full-time employees include competitive base salaries, equity in the form of stock options, and comprehensive benefits packages. Compensation will vary based on factors, including skill level, proficiencies, transferable knowledge, and experience. Relocation assistance may also be provided for eligible roles. The annual base salary range for this position is $170,000 - 258,000*. Fundamentally, we believe that equity is the key to long-term financial growth, and we ensure all regular, full-time employees have the opportunity to significantly benefit from the company's success. Regular, full-time employees are eligible to enroll in the Company’s group health insurance plans. Regular, full-time employees are eligible to receive the following benefits: Paid vacation time, sick leave, holiday pay and 401K savings plan. This position and all associated benefits are subject to applicable federal, state, and local laws, as well as the Company’s policies and eligibility criteria.
For some positions the pay may be dependent upon the individual's regional location.
At Skydio we believe that diversity drives innovation. We have created a multidisciplinary environment that embraces the power of diverse perspectives to create elegant solutions for complex problems. We are committed to growing our network of people, programs, and resources to nurture an inclusive culture. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by federal, state or local anti-discrimination laws.
For positions located in the United States of America, Skydio, Inc. uses E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit https://www.e-verify.gov/
Aerospace & Defense Job Roles in California
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Search Aerospace & Defense Jobs in CaliforniaAerospace & Defense Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
Which aerospace and defense companies sponsor visas in California?
Major sponsors include Boeing (El Segundo, Huntington Beach), Lockheed Martin (Palmdale, Sunnyvale), Northrop Grumman (Redondo Beach, El Segundo), Raytheon (El Segundo), SpaceX (Hawthorne), and Aerojet Rocketdyne (Sacramento). Defense tech companies like Palantir, Anduril, and Shield AI also actively sponsor H-1B visa and other work visas for engineering and technical roles across California's aerospace hubs.
What visa types are most common for aerospace and defense jobs in California?
H-1B visas dominate for engineering roles (aerospace, software, systems), while O-1 visas are used for senior scientists and researchers with advanced degrees. L-1 visas are common for international transfers within multinational defense contractors. E-3 visas serve Australian engineers, and TN visas are available for Canadian and Mexican nationals in qualifying engineering positions.
Which California cities have the most aerospace and defense sponsorship opportunities?
Los Angeles County leads with El Segundo, Redondo Beach, and Hawthorne hosting major contractors and SpaceX. Orange County (Huntington Beach, Irvine) offers significant opportunities, followed by San Diego's defense corridor, Silicon Valley (Sunnyvale, Palo Alto) for defense tech, and the Antelope Valley (Palmdale, Lancaster) for aircraft manufacturing and testing facilities.
How to find aerospace & defense visa sponsorship jobs in California?
Browse Migrate Mate for California aerospace and defense positions specifically tagged for visa sponsorship. Focus on companies with active government contracts, as they typically have established sponsorship processes. Target roles in ITAR-exempt areas initially, as security clearance requirements can limit sponsorship options for non-citizens in classified defense programs.
Are there special considerations for aerospace and defense sponsorship in California?
California's high prevailing wages benefit H-1B applications, particularly in Los Angeles and San Francisco metro areas. Many positions require U.S. citizenship for security clearances, limiting sponsored roles to ITAR-exempt commercial aerospace work. Strong partnerships between companies and universities like Caltech, USC, and Stanford create pathways from F-1 OPT to H-1B sponsorship.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored aerospace & defense jobs in California?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.