Staff Software Engineer Visa Sponsorship Jobs in California
Staff software engineer visa sponsorship jobs in California are concentrated in the Bay Area and Los Angeles, with major employers including Google, Meta, Apple, Salesforce, and Netflix actively hiring at this seniority level. California's depth of tech infrastructure means staff-level roles span consumer platforms, enterprise software, fintech, and AI research.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
PsiQuantum’s mission is to build the first useful quantum computers—machines capable of delivering the breakthroughs the field has long promised. Since our founding in 2016, our singular focus has been to build and deploy million-qubit, fault-tolerant quantum systems. Quantum computers harness the laws of quantum mechanics to solve problems that even the most advanced supercomputers or AI systems will never reach. Their impact will span energy, pharmaceuticals, finance, agriculture, transportation, materials, and other foundational industries. Our architecture and approach is based on silicon photonics. By leveraging the advanced semiconductor manufacturing industry—including partners like GlobalFoundries—we use the same high-volume processes that already produce billions of chips for telecom and consumer electronics. Photonics offers natural advantages for scale: photons don’t feel heat, are immune to electromagnetic interference, and integrate with existing cryogenic cooling and standard fiber-optic infrastructure. In 2024, PsiQuantum announced government-funded projects to support the build-out of our first utility-scale quantum computers in Brisbane, Australia, and Chicago, Illinois. These initiatives reflect a growing recognition that quantum computing will be strategically and economically defining—and that now is the time to scale. PsiQuantum also develops the algorithms and software needed to make these systems commercially valuable. Our application, software, and industry teams work directly with leading Fortune 500 companies—including Lockheed Martin, Mercedes-Benz, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Mitsubishi Chemical—to prepare quantum solutions for real-world impact. Quantum computing is not an extension of classical computing. It represents a fundamental shift—and a path to mastering challenges that cannot be solved any other way. The potential is enormous, and we have a clear path to make it real. Come join us.
JOB SUMMARY
The OS Core Team at PsiQuantum works closely alongside engineers and scientists in the electronics, system architecture, and validation teams and is responsible for building the scalable, distributed, fault-tolerant control plane and operating system for utility scale photonic quantum computers. Our team is responsible for orchestration, scheduling, kernel architecture, co-design, calibration, validation, providing abstractions, systems, and operating software for the immense heterogenous fabric of co-processors, networks, and photonics that are critical to the success of our company’s goal of building the world’s first useful quantum computer. As a Senior Software Engineer, Calibration & Control you will design and implement algorithms, controls, and software that keep our quantum processors in spec 24×7x365.
Responsibilities
The core of our system revolves around a high performance, scalable graph database which contains critical information to control and manage PsiQuantum computing systems. Your role is to scale and extend the current core database systems to support the massive increase in size complexity of our systems.
DAILY FUNCTIONS
- Data systems design and implementation.
- Participate in design and code reviews.
- Collaborate across software, hardware, and research teams at PsiQuantum.
- Testing and maintenance of database software.
- Champion and serve as an exemplar of good software development practices at PsiQuantum.
EXPERIENCE/QUALIFICATIONS
- 15+ years experience with Python or C++ in a system software context.
- Design and implementation of large scale distributed storage systems, emphasis on graph databases.
- Proven track record of developing and shipping reliable, performant software in a high scale or mission critical context.
- Bachelors degree in a technical discipline preferred, or equivalent experience.
WAYS TO STAND OUT
- Experience in graph database systems such as Nebula, neo4j.
- Experience in high performance computing and data design.
- Experience in computer architecture.
- Experience in high performance networking.
- Experience with highly scalable distributed systems in a reliability and up-time critical environment.
- PhD in a related technical discipline is a plus but not required.
We are open to adjusting the compensation to experience level
NOTE: PsiQuantum will only reach out to you using an official PsiQuantum email address and will never ask you for bank account information as part of the interview process. Please report any suspicious activity to recruiting@psiquantum.com. We are not accepting unsolicited resumes from employment agencies.
The ranges below reflect the target ranges for a new hire base salary. One is for the Bay Area (within 50 miles of HQ, Palo Alto), the second one (if applicable) is for elsewhere in the US (beyond 50 miles of HQ, Palo Alto). If there is only one range, it is for the specific location of where the position will be located. Actual compensation may vary outside of these ranges and is dependent on various factors including but not limited to a candidate's qualifications including relevant education and training, competencies, experience, geographic location, and business needs. Base pay is only one part of the total compensation package. Full time roles are eligible for equity and benefits. Base pay is subject to change and may be modified in the future.
U.S. Base Pay Range
$180,000—$205,000 USD
Bay Area Pay Range
$200,000—$220,000 USD
INTRODUCTION
PsiQuantum’s mission is to build the first useful quantum computers—machines capable of delivering the breakthroughs the field has long promised. Since our founding in 2016, our singular focus has been to build and deploy million-qubit, fault-tolerant quantum systems. Quantum computers harness the laws of quantum mechanics to solve problems that even the most advanced supercomputers or AI systems will never reach. Their impact will span energy, pharmaceuticals, finance, agriculture, transportation, materials, and other foundational industries. Our architecture and approach is based on silicon photonics. By leveraging the advanced semiconductor manufacturing industry—including partners like GlobalFoundries—we use the same high-volume processes that already produce billions of chips for telecom and consumer electronics. Photonics offers natural advantages for scale: photons don’t feel heat, are immune to electromagnetic interference, and integrate with existing cryogenic cooling and standard fiber-optic infrastructure. In 2024, PsiQuantum announced government-funded projects to support the build-out of our first utility-scale quantum computers in Brisbane, Australia, and Chicago, Illinois. These initiatives reflect a growing recognition that quantum computing will be strategically and economically defining—and that now is the time to scale. PsiQuantum also develops the algorithms and software needed to make these systems commercially valuable. Our application, software, and industry teams work directly with leading Fortune 500 companies—including Lockheed Martin, Mercedes-Benz, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Mitsubishi Chemical—to prepare quantum solutions for real-world impact. Quantum computing is not an extension of classical computing. It represents a fundamental shift—and a path to mastering challenges that cannot be solved any other way. The potential is enormous, and we have a clear path to make it real. Come join us.
JOB SUMMARY
The OS Core Team at PsiQuantum works closely alongside engineers and scientists in the electronics, system architecture, and validation teams and is responsible for building the scalable, distributed, fault-tolerant control plane and operating system for utility scale photonic quantum computers. Our team is responsible for orchestration, scheduling, kernel architecture, co-design, calibration, validation, providing abstractions, systems, and operating software for the immense heterogenous fabric of co-processors, networks, and photonics that are critical to the success of our company’s goal of building the world’s first useful quantum computer. As a Senior Software Engineer, Calibration & Control you will design and implement algorithms, controls, and software that keep our quantum processors in spec 24×7x365.
Responsibilities
The core of our system revolves around a high performance, scalable graph database which contains critical information to control and manage PsiQuantum computing systems. Your role is to scale and extend the current core database systems to support the massive increase in size complexity of our systems.
DAILY FUNCTIONS
- Data systems design and implementation.
- Participate in design and code reviews.
- Collaborate across software, hardware, and research teams at PsiQuantum.
- Testing and maintenance of database software.
- Champion and serve as an exemplar of good software development practices at PsiQuantum.
EXPERIENCE/QUALIFICATIONS
- 15+ years experience with Python or C++ in a system software context.
- Design and implementation of large scale distributed storage systems, emphasis on graph databases.
- Proven track record of developing and shipping reliable, performant software in a high scale or mission critical context.
- Bachelors degree in a technical discipline preferred, or equivalent experience.
WAYS TO STAND OUT
- Experience in graph database systems such as Nebula, neo4j.
- Experience in high performance computing and data design.
- Experience in computer architecture.
- Experience in high performance networking.
- Experience with highly scalable distributed systems in a reliability and up-time critical environment.
- PhD in a related technical discipline is a plus but not required.
We are open to adjusting the compensation to experience level
NOTE: PsiQuantum will only reach out to you using an official PsiQuantum email address and will never ask you for bank account information as part of the interview process. Please report any suspicious activity to recruiting@psiquantum.com. We are not accepting unsolicited resumes from employment agencies.
The ranges below reflect the target ranges for a new hire base salary. One is for the Bay Area (within 50 miles of HQ, Palo Alto), the second one (if applicable) is for elsewhere in the US (beyond 50 miles of HQ, Palo Alto). If there is only one range, it is for the specific location of where the position will be located. Actual compensation may vary outside of these ranges and is dependent on various factors including but not limited to a candidate's qualifications including relevant education and training, competencies, experience, geographic location, and business needs. Base pay is only one part of the total compensation package. Full time roles are eligible for equity and benefits. Base pay is subject to change and may be modified in the future.
U.S. Base Pay Range
$180,000—$205,000 USD
Bay Area Pay Range
$200,000—$220,000 USD
Staff Software Engineer Job Roles in California
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Search Staff Software Engineer Jobs in CaliforniaStaff Software Engineer Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies in California sponsor visas for staff software engineers?
Large tech employers in California with established visa sponsorship programs for staff software engineers include Google, Apple, Meta, Salesforce, Adobe, Intuit, and Netflix. Semiconductor and hardware companies such as NVIDIA and Broadcom also sponsor regularly at this level. Established sponsorship infrastructure at these companies means staff-level engineering roles are among the positions they file for most consistently.
Which visa types are most common for staff software engineer roles in California?
The H-1B is the most common visa for staff software engineers in California, as the role typically requires a bachelor's degree or higher in computer science or a related field, satisfying the specialty occupation requirement. Candidates with extraordinary ability may qualify for the O-1A. Australian citizens sometimes pursue the E-3, which has no lottery. Multinational transfers into California offices may use the L-1B for specialized knowledge workers.
How to find staff software engineer visa sponsorship jobs in California?
Migrate Mate filters job listings specifically by visa sponsorship, making it straightforward to browse staff software engineer roles in California without sorting through positions that don't offer sponsorship. You can filter by state and seniority level to focus on California-based opportunities at top tech employers. Staff-level roles on Migrate Mate frequently come from Bay Area and Los Angeles companies with active immigration programs.
Which cities in California have the most staff software engineer sponsorship jobs?
The San Francisco Bay Area, covering San Francisco, San Jose, Sunnyvale, Mountain View, and Cupertino, accounts for the largest share of staff software engineer sponsorship positions in California. Los Angeles is a secondary hub, particularly in media tech, gaming, and aerospace software. San Diego has a growing cluster tied to biotech software and defense, while Sacramento sees smaller but steady demand from state government and healthcare tech employers.
Are there any California-specific considerations for staff software engineers seeking visa sponsorship?
California's prevailing wage requirements for H-1B roles are among the highest in the country due to the state's designated high-cost metropolitan areas, meaning employers must certify wages that reflect Bay Area and Los Angeles market rates. California law also prohibits non-compete agreements, which can affect how employers structure offers for senior engineers. University pipelines from Stanford, UC Berkeley, and UCLA feed heavily into California's staff-level engineering talent pool, where many international candidates first enter on OPT before seeking full sponsorship.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored staff software engineer 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.
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