AI Software Developer Visa Sponsorship Jobs in California
California is the center of AI software development in the United States, with major employers including Google, Apple, Meta, and OpenAI headquartered in the Bay Area, alongside a dense concentration of AI startups and research labs. Cities like San Francisco, San Jose, and Los Angeles offer the highest volume of visa-sponsored AI software developer roles in the country.
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At NetApp, we have a history of helping customers turn challenges into business opportunities. That’s because we bring new thinking to age-old problems, like how to use data most effectively in the most efficient possible way. As an Engineer with NetApp, you’ll have the opportunity to work with modern cloud and container orchestration technologies in a production setting. You’ll play an important role in scaling systems sustainably through automation and evolving them by pushing for changes to improve reliability and velocity.
Own Every Moment at NetApp
At NetApp, your ideas power innovation. We lead in intelligent data infrastructure—delivering unified storage, integrated data services, and solutions that help organizations unlock the full potential of their data, from AI to multicloud.
Ready to innovate and contribute to our path to $10B? Here, you'll collaborate with passionate teams, tackle real-world challenges, and see your impact in how customers transform and grow. If you're ready to bring curiosity, creativity, and drive to every moment, NetApp is where your journey begins.
The Mission: Power the Next Generation of AI
We are standing at an inflection point. AI is transforming every industry, but beneath every breakthrough model lies a critical foundation that few see and even fewer master: the data infrastructure that makes intelligent systems possible.
These positions require 3 days in office per week in one of the following offices: Boulder, CO or Pittsburgh, PA or Raleigh, NC or San Jose, CA.
The Office of the Chief Platform and Technology Officer is assembling an elite team of AI Infrastructure Engineers to build the future of intelligent data systems. We don't just store data—we architect the substrate that powers AI factories, from GPU clusters running training workloads to real-time inference pipelines serving billions of requests.
This is not a maintenance role. This is a creation role. You will design the systems that enable enterprises to deploy AI at an unprecedented scale, leveraging NetApp's new AI Data Engine (AIDE) and AFX disaggregated storage architecture.
- Build AI-Native Infrastructure: Lead the architecture of next-generation storage systems optimized for AI workloads. Design high-performance data pipelines for massive-scale model training, implement intelligent caching for KV stores, and optimize data planes for GPU clusters. Your work will directly accelerate how quickly organizations can move from data to deployed intelligence.
- Pioneer Forward-Looking Research: Work at the intersection of distributed systems, AI, and storage. Investigate novel approaches to scalable AI inferencing systems, semantic data discovery, and data curation systems. Turn proof-of-concepts into production systems that redefine industry standards.
- Amplify Your Impact with AI: We don't just build AI—we use it. Leverage Cursor, Claude Code, and emerging AI development tools to accelerate your workflow, automate repetitive tasks, and focus on solving problems that matter. You'll operate at the cutting edge of "vibe coding" while maintaining the rigor of production-grade engineering.
What You'll Bring
You are a generalist with depth—someone who moves fluidly between AI technologies and distributed system architectures, who gets energy from ambiguous problems, and who possesses what we call "fearless curiosity".
You thrive when:
- Ownership is total: You own problems end-to-end, from architecture to production operations, and take pride in systems that run flawlessly at scale.
- Change is constant: You view rapid technological shifts as opportunities to add structure and clarity, not as obstacles.
- Learning is relentless: You have a rich life of "side quests"—self-driven projects that demonstrate your curiosity beyond your day job.
- AI is a multiplier: You view AI coding assistants and generative tools as force multipliers that let you tackle complexity that was previously impossible.
You bring:
- Deep systems expertise: Mastery of Golang, Python, and C/C++, with an intuitive understanding of file systems, advanced data structures, and algorithms. You understand that storage isn't just about bits on disk—it's about enabling the next wave of intelligent applications.
- AI infrastructure fluency: Deep knowledge of AI Infra: Kubernetes, operating systems, Storage systems and distributed systems.
- Quantitative intuition: The ability to build simplified performance models, identify bottlenecks through deep analysis, and design for scalability from first principles.
- Growth mindset: For yourself, your team, and the organization. You balance optimism with realism, make smart bets, and understand that some experiments will fail fast while others will drive the company forward.
What You'll Create
- AI Data Architectures: Design storage and networking systems that connect structured and unstructured data to LLMs with unprecedented performance, enabling real-time inference and massive-scale training.
- Intelligent Storage Systems: Build the next generation of ONTAP capabilities, focusing on AI-specific optimizations like vector store integration, semantic search, and automated data curation.
- High-Performance Infrastructure: Develop systems capable of TB/s throughput and EB-scale data management, supporting the world's most demanding AI factories.
- AI-Augmented Engineering: Pioneer internal tooling and workflows that use AI to accelerate development, from automated code review to intelligent debugging systems.
- Cross-Functional Impact: Partner with hardware engineers, product managers, and researchers to deliver groundbreaking intelligent storage solutions that power everything from autonomous vehicles to pharmaceutical discovery.
Your Qualifications
- 8+ years of software development experience with a focus on systems, infrastructure, or storage technologies.
- Expert-level proficiency in Golang, Python, and C/C++.
- Deep understanding of Linux kernel development, file systems, and distributed systems.
- Experience with performance analysis, optimization techniques, and building quantitative models.
- Familiarity with AI/ML infrastructure concepts: GPU computing, model serving, data pipelines, vector databases.
Mindset & Approach:
- Bold Ideas, Grounded Execution: You dream big but ship with precision.
- Relentless Curiosity: An insatiable desire to understand how things work and how to make them better.
- Collaborative Excellence: You elevate everyone around you through mentorship, knowledge sharing, and constructive feedback.
- AI Fluency: Confidence in using AI tools to accelerate all aspects of your work.
Preferred Experience
- Building or optimizing storage systems for AI/ML workloads.
- Working with high-performance computing (HPC) environments or GPU clusters.
- Knowledge of network protocols, RDMA, and high-speed interconnects.
- Experience with agile methodologies and rapid prototyping.
Education
- Bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, Engineering, or equivalent experience. We value what you've built and what you know over credentials alone.
This is a pipeline requisition used to recruit for multiple openings across Levels 3, 4, and 5. Candidates will be evaluated and assigned to the appropriate level based on their qualifications, skills, and years of relevant experience.
Compensation
The target salary range for this position is 130,900 - 194,700 USD. The salary offered will be determined by the candidate's location, qualifications, experience, and education and may be outside of this range. Final compensation packages are competitive and in line with industry standards, reflecting a variety of factors, and include a comprehensive benefits package. This may cover Health Insurance, Life Insurance, Retirement or Pension Plans, Paid Time Off, various Leave options, Performance-Based Incentives, employee stock purchase plan, and/or restricted stocks (RSU’s), with all offerings subject to regional variations and governed by local laws, regulations, and company policies. Benefits may vary by country and region, and further details will be provided as part of the recruitment process.
At NetApp, we embrace a hybrid working environment designed to strengthen connection, collaboration, and culture for all employees. This means that most roles will have some level of in-office and/or in-person expectations, which will be shared during the recruitment process.
Equal Opportunity Employer:
NetApp is firmly committed to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and to compliance with all federal, state and local laws that prohibit employment discrimination based on age, race, color, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, religion, disability or genetic information, pregnancy, protected veteran status, and any other protected classification.
Why You'll Thrive at NetApp
At NetApp, you won't wait for the perfect moment—you'll make it. The early planning, the extra thought, the bold idea that turns good into great: That's how our people operate and how we continue to push the boundaries of data infrastructure.
NetApp is the trusted partner for organizations transforming data into opportunity. As the only enterprise-grade storage service natively embedded in Google Cloud, AWS, and Microsoft Azure, we empower customers to run everything from traditional workloads to enterprise AI with unmatched performance, resilience, and security.
Our culture
We celebrate mold breakers, bold thinkers, and problem solvers. We reward initiative, impact, and ownership. We provide flexibility so you can balance professional ambition with your personal life. Here, differences are not just welcomed—they drive everything we do.
If you're ready to innovate, rise to the challenge, and own every moment - make your next move your best one. now.
Submitting an application
To ensure a streamlined and fair hiring process for all candidates, our team only reviews applications submitted through our company website. This practice allows us to track, assess, and respond to applicants efficiently. Emailing our employees, recruiters, or Human Resources personnel directly will not influence your application.
Our values
Put the customer at the center. Care for each other and our communities. Think and act like owners. Build belonging every day. Embrace a growth mindset.
Benefits
Volunteer time off
40 hours of paid volunteer time each year.
Well-being
Employee Assistance Program, fitness, and mental health resources to help employees be their best.
Time away
Paid time off for vacation and to recharge.
Overview
At NetApp, we have a history of helping customers turn challenges into business opportunities. That’s because we bring new thinking to age-old problems, like how to use data most effectively in the most efficient possible way. As an Engineer with NetApp, you’ll have the opportunity to work with modern cloud and container orchestration technologies in a production setting. You’ll play an important role in scaling systems sustainably through automation and evolving them by pushing for changes to improve reliability and velocity.
Own Every Moment at NetApp
At NetApp, your ideas power innovation. We lead in intelligent data infrastructure—delivering unified storage, integrated data services, and solutions that help organizations unlock the full potential of their data, from AI to multicloud.
Ready to innovate and contribute to our path to $10B? Here, you'll collaborate with passionate teams, tackle real-world challenges, and see your impact in how customers transform and grow. If you're ready to bring curiosity, creativity, and drive to every moment, NetApp is where your journey begins.
The Mission: Power the Next Generation of AI
We are standing at an inflection point. AI is transforming every industry, but beneath every breakthrough model lies a critical foundation that few see and even fewer master: the data infrastructure that makes intelligent systems possible.
These positions require 3 days in office per week in one of the following offices: Boulder, CO or Pittsburgh, PA or Raleigh, NC or San Jose, CA.
The Office of the Chief Platform and Technology Officer is assembling an elite team of AI Infrastructure Engineers to build the future of intelligent data systems. We don't just store data—we architect the substrate that powers AI factories, from GPU clusters running training workloads to real-time inference pipelines serving billions of requests.
This is not a maintenance role. This is a creation role. You will design the systems that enable enterprises to deploy AI at an unprecedented scale, leveraging NetApp's new AI Data Engine (AIDE) and AFX disaggregated storage architecture.
- Build AI-Native Infrastructure: Lead the architecture of next-generation storage systems optimized for AI workloads. Design high-performance data pipelines for massive-scale model training, implement intelligent caching for KV stores, and optimize data planes for GPU clusters. Your work will directly accelerate how quickly organizations can move from data to deployed intelligence.
- Pioneer Forward-Looking Research: Work at the intersection of distributed systems, AI, and storage. Investigate novel approaches to scalable AI inferencing systems, semantic data discovery, and data curation systems. Turn proof-of-concepts into production systems that redefine industry standards.
- Amplify Your Impact with AI: We don't just build AI—we use it. Leverage Cursor, Claude Code, and emerging AI development tools to accelerate your workflow, automate repetitive tasks, and focus on solving problems that matter. You'll operate at the cutting edge of "vibe coding" while maintaining the rigor of production-grade engineering.
What You'll Bring
You are a generalist with depth—someone who moves fluidly between AI technologies and distributed system architectures, who gets energy from ambiguous problems, and who possesses what we call "fearless curiosity".
You thrive when:
- Ownership is total: You own problems end-to-end, from architecture to production operations, and take pride in systems that run flawlessly at scale.
- Change is constant: You view rapid technological shifts as opportunities to add structure and clarity, not as obstacles.
- Learning is relentless: You have a rich life of "side quests"—self-driven projects that demonstrate your curiosity beyond your day job.
- AI is a multiplier: You view AI coding assistants and generative tools as force multipliers that let you tackle complexity that was previously impossible.
You bring:
- Deep systems expertise: Mastery of Golang, Python, and C/C++, with an intuitive understanding of file systems, advanced data structures, and algorithms. You understand that storage isn't just about bits on disk—it's about enabling the next wave of intelligent applications.
- AI infrastructure fluency: Deep knowledge of AI Infra: Kubernetes, operating systems, Storage systems and distributed systems.
- Quantitative intuition: The ability to build simplified performance models, identify bottlenecks through deep analysis, and design for scalability from first principles.
- Growth mindset: For yourself, your team, and the organization. You balance optimism with realism, make smart bets, and understand that some experiments will fail fast while others will drive the company forward.
What You'll Create
- AI Data Architectures: Design storage and networking systems that connect structured and unstructured data to LLMs with unprecedented performance, enabling real-time inference and massive-scale training.
- Intelligent Storage Systems: Build the next generation of ONTAP capabilities, focusing on AI-specific optimizations like vector store integration, semantic search, and automated data curation.
- High-Performance Infrastructure: Develop systems capable of TB/s throughput and EB-scale data management, supporting the world's most demanding AI factories.
- AI-Augmented Engineering: Pioneer internal tooling and workflows that use AI to accelerate development, from automated code review to intelligent debugging systems.
- Cross-Functional Impact: Partner with hardware engineers, product managers, and researchers to deliver groundbreaking intelligent storage solutions that power everything from autonomous vehicles to pharmaceutical discovery.
Your Qualifications
- 8+ years of software development experience with a focus on systems, infrastructure, or storage technologies.
- Expert-level proficiency in Golang, Python, and C/C++.
- Deep understanding of Linux kernel development, file systems, and distributed systems.
- Experience with performance analysis, optimization techniques, and building quantitative models.
- Familiarity with AI/ML infrastructure concepts: GPU computing, model serving, data pipelines, vector databases.
Mindset & Approach:
- Bold Ideas, Grounded Execution: You dream big but ship with precision.
- Relentless Curiosity: An insatiable desire to understand how things work and how to make them better.
- Collaborative Excellence: You elevate everyone around you through mentorship, knowledge sharing, and constructive feedback.
- AI Fluency: Confidence in using AI tools to accelerate all aspects of your work.
Preferred Experience
- Building or optimizing storage systems for AI/ML workloads.
- Working with high-performance computing (HPC) environments or GPU clusters.
- Knowledge of network protocols, RDMA, and high-speed interconnects.
- Experience with agile methodologies and rapid prototyping.
Education
- Bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, Engineering, or equivalent experience. We value what you've built and what you know over credentials alone.
This is a pipeline requisition used to recruit for multiple openings across Levels 3, 4, and 5. Candidates will be evaluated and assigned to the appropriate level based on their qualifications, skills, and years of relevant experience.
Compensation
The target salary range for this position is 130,900 - 194,700 USD. The salary offered will be determined by the candidate's location, qualifications, experience, and education and may be outside of this range. Final compensation packages are competitive and in line with industry standards, reflecting a variety of factors, and include a comprehensive benefits package. This may cover Health Insurance, Life Insurance, Retirement or Pension Plans, Paid Time Off, various Leave options, Performance-Based Incentives, employee stock purchase plan, and/or restricted stocks (RSU’s), with all offerings subject to regional variations and governed by local laws, regulations, and company policies. Benefits may vary by country and region, and further details will be provided as part of the recruitment process.
At NetApp, we embrace a hybrid working environment designed to strengthen connection, collaboration, and culture for all employees. This means that most roles will have some level of in-office and/or in-person expectations, which will be shared during the recruitment process.
Equal Opportunity Employer:
NetApp is firmly committed to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and to compliance with all federal, state and local laws that prohibit employment discrimination based on age, race, color, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, religion, disability or genetic information, pregnancy, protected veteran status, and any other protected classification.
Why You'll Thrive at NetApp
At NetApp, you won't wait for the perfect moment—you'll make it. The early planning, the extra thought, the bold idea that turns good into great: That's how our people operate and how we continue to push the boundaries of data infrastructure.
NetApp is the trusted partner for organizations transforming data into opportunity. As the only enterprise-grade storage service natively embedded in Google Cloud, AWS, and Microsoft Azure, we empower customers to run everything from traditional workloads to enterprise AI with unmatched performance, resilience, and security.
Our culture
We celebrate mold breakers, bold thinkers, and problem solvers. We reward initiative, impact, and ownership. We provide flexibility so you can balance professional ambition with your personal life. Here, differences are not just welcomed—they drive everything we do.
If you're ready to innovate, rise to the challenge, and own every moment - make your next move your best one. now.
Submitting an application
To ensure a streamlined and fair hiring process for all candidates, our team only reviews applications submitted through our company website. This practice allows us to track, assess, and respond to applicants efficiently. Emailing our employees, recruiters, or Human Resources personnel directly will not influence your application.
Our values
Put the customer at the center. Care for each other and our communities. Think and act like owners. Build belonging every day. Embrace a growth mindset.
Benefits
Volunteer time off
40 hours of paid volunteer time each year.
Well-being
Employee Assistance Program, fitness, and mental health resources to help employees be their best.
Time away
Paid time off for vacation and to recharge.
AI Software Developer Job Roles in California
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Search AI Software Developer Jobs in CaliforniaAI Software Developer Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies in California sponsor visas for AI software developers?
Large technology companies with established immigration programs, including Google, Apple, Meta, OpenAI, Nvidia, and Salesforce, regularly sponsor visas for AI software developers in California. Enterprise software companies and well-funded AI startups in the Bay Area and Los Angeles also sponsor, though startup sponsorship depends heavily on funding stage and internal HR infrastructure.
Which visa types are most common for AI software developer roles in California?
The H-1B is the most common visa for AI software developers in California, as these roles consistently qualify as specialty occupations requiring at least a bachelor's degree in computer science, machine learning, or a related field. Candidates with extraordinary ability may pursue the O-1A. Some employers also sponsor EB-1 or EB-2 NIW green card pathways for researchers with published work or recognized contributions to AI.
Which California cities have the most AI software developer visa sponsorship jobs?
San Francisco and the broader Bay Area, including San Jose, Mountain View, and Palo Alto, account for the largest share of AI software developer sponsorship jobs in California. Los Angeles has grown significantly as a secondary hub, particularly around Venice and Santa Monica. San Diego has a smaller but active cluster tied to defense-adjacent AI and biotech applications.
How to find ai software developer visa sponsorship jobs in California?
Migrate Mate filters job listings specifically by visa sponsorship availability, making it straightforward to find AI software developer roles in California without sorting through positions that don't sponsor. You can filter by location, role type, and sponsorship status in one place. Given how competitive Bay Area hiring is, focusing your search on companies with documented H-1B filing histories is a practical starting point, which Migrate Mate helps surface.
Are there any California-specific considerations for AI software developers seeking visa sponsorship?
California's prevailing wage requirements under H-1B rules reflect the state's high cost of living, meaning employers must pay wages that meet Department of Labor benchmarks for the specific role and location. The Bay Area typically falls under the highest wage level tiers. California also has strong university pipelines, with UC Berkeley, Stanford, and UCLA producing AI talent that many sponsors actively recruit from, which can affect how competitive the sponsorship process is.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored ai software developer 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.
See which ai software developer employers are hiring and sponsoring visas in California right now.
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