Systems Engineer Visa Sponsorship Jobs in California
California is one of the top states for systems engineer visa sponsorship jobs, with major employers across the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, and San Diego. Companies like Apple, Cisco, Northrop Grumman, and Raytheon Technologies regularly hire systems engineers and have established H-1B visa sponsorship programs. Defense, aerospace, semiconductors, and enterprise software all drive strong demand.
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Get Access To All JobsAre you a cellular modem system engineering professional who is looking to make big things happen and can you influence, connect, get results, and communicate effectively? Do you thrive delivering innovative technologies that deeply affect people's lives? Come to Apple and work with us to deliver a broad range of wireless technologies. This is an extraordinary opportunity to engage with the latest technologies and contribute to groundbreaking Apple products year after year. You will go beyond the industry norm and demonstrate creativity in problem solving, ability to think dynamically and outside of standard convention, and adapt quickly to new technical areas.
Description
Apple seeks a technical leader to program manage our groundbreaking cellular baseband modems to meet performance, quality and schedule requirements for Apple products! You will be responsible for multi-functional team coordination, communication and representation across the systems & silicon engineering ecosystem from concept to production. Technical background in cellular systems engineering will be key to your success in this role. Ideally, you will also have validated project management experience in some aspect of modem architecture, requirements engineering and/or cellular platform/system development. You will work in a complex engineering environment where sophisticated multi-tasking skills and real-time crisis management are all desired strengths for this position.
Responsibilities
- Drive cellular modem systems development across several projects simultaneously and meet execution targets.
- Cover all aspects of modem development including PHY, MAC/RLC/RRC, multi-sim, and concurrent RAT operation.
- Track project schedules across all development phases: architecture, design, prototyping, system bring-up, validation, integration, field test, interoperability testing, and production ramp.
- Drive closure of technical requirements and specifications with cellular system partners, supervise requirements compliance, and handle issue resolution.
- Coordinate with multi-functional teams and organizations to enable progress on dependencies for requirement definition, architectural exploration, and implementation.
- Anticipate project risks, develop mitigation strategies, and facilitate conflict resolution.
- Drive resolution of technical issues between functional teams including Modem systems, VLSI, firmware, RF systems, Technology, IP owners, design, digital verification, characterization, and test teams.
- Provide regular project status presentations for executive reviews, distilling complex technical data into clear communications for partners and team members at all organizational levels.
Minimum Qualifications
- BS in engineering discipline and 10+ years relevant industry experience
- Proven ability with a track record of hands-on engineering management / leadership or program / project management.
- Experience working in the development of wireless baseband modem systems, algorithms, hardware and/or firmware.
Preferred Qualifications
- Good knowledge of wireless communications (OFDM/MIMO, etc.).
- Experience in wireless standards a significant plus (5G-NR/4G LTE/UMTS/GSM/CDMA).
- Understanding of the end-to-end Cellular system involving the UE and network is desired.
- Experience in leading algorithm development, modeling, and systems simulation.
- Good understanding of modern cellular PHY building blocks, RF and Baseband integration strongly preferred.
- Ability to quickly establish and manage sophisticated multi-functional relationships in a dynamic engineering environment.
- Extraordinary teammate and creative problem solver with ability to lead technical teams and multi-functional groups against plans.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills at senior management level including strong presentation skills.
Pay & Benefits
At Apple, base pay is one part of our total compensation package and is determined within a range. This provides the opportunity to progress as you grow and develop within a role. The base pay range for this role is between $166,600 and $296,000, and your base pay will depend on your skills, qualifications, experience, and location.
Apple employees also have the opportunity to become an Apple shareholder through participation in Apple's discretionary employee stock programs. Apple employees are eligible for discretionary restricted stock unit awards, and can purchase Apple stock at a discount if voluntarily participating in Apple's Employee Stock Purchase Plan. You'll also receive benefits including: Comprehensive medical and dental coverage, retirement benefits, a range of discounted products and free services, and for formal education related to advancing your career at Apple, reimbursement for certain educational expenses - including tuition. Additionally, this role might be eligible for discretionary bonuses or commission payments as well as relocation. Learn more about Apple Benefits
Note: Apple benefit, compensation and employee stock programs are subject to eligibility requirements and other terms of the applicable plan or program.
Are you a cellular modem system engineering professional who is looking to make big things happen and can you influence, connect, get results, and communicate effectively? Do you thrive delivering innovative technologies that deeply affect people's lives? Come to Apple and work with us to deliver a broad range of wireless technologies. This is an extraordinary opportunity to engage with the latest technologies and contribute to groundbreaking Apple products year after year. You will go beyond the industry norm and demonstrate creativity in problem solving, ability to think dynamically and outside of standard convention, and adapt quickly to new technical areas.
Description
Apple seeks a technical leader to program manage our groundbreaking cellular baseband modems to meet performance, quality and schedule requirements for Apple products! You will be responsible for multi-functional team coordination, communication and representation across the systems & silicon engineering ecosystem from concept to production. Technical background in cellular systems engineering will be key to your success in this role. Ideally, you will also have validated project management experience in some aspect of modem architecture, requirements engineering and/or cellular platform/system development. You will work in a complex engineering environment where sophisticated multi-tasking skills and real-time crisis management are all desired strengths for this position.
Responsibilities
- Drive cellular modem systems development across several projects simultaneously and meet execution targets.
- Cover all aspects of modem development including PHY, MAC/RLC/RRC, multi-sim, and concurrent RAT operation.
- Track project schedules across all development phases: architecture, design, prototyping, system bring-up, validation, integration, field test, interoperability testing, and production ramp.
- Drive closure of technical requirements and specifications with cellular system partners, supervise requirements compliance, and handle issue resolution.
- Coordinate with multi-functional teams and organizations to enable progress on dependencies for requirement definition, architectural exploration, and implementation.
- Anticipate project risks, develop mitigation strategies, and facilitate conflict resolution.
- Drive resolution of technical issues between functional teams including Modem systems, VLSI, firmware, RF systems, Technology, IP owners, design, digital verification, characterization, and test teams.
- Provide regular project status presentations for executive reviews, distilling complex technical data into clear communications for partners and team members at all organizational levels.
Minimum Qualifications
- BS in engineering discipline and 10+ years relevant industry experience
- Proven ability with a track record of hands-on engineering management / leadership or program / project management.
- Experience working in the development of wireless baseband modem systems, algorithms, hardware and/or firmware.
Preferred Qualifications
- Good knowledge of wireless communications (OFDM/MIMO, etc.).
- Experience in wireless standards a significant plus (5G-NR/4G LTE/UMTS/GSM/CDMA).
- Understanding of the end-to-end Cellular system involving the UE and network is desired.
- Experience in leading algorithm development, modeling, and systems simulation.
- Good understanding of modern cellular PHY building blocks, RF and Baseband integration strongly preferred.
- Ability to quickly establish and manage sophisticated multi-functional relationships in a dynamic engineering environment.
- Extraordinary teammate and creative problem solver with ability to lead technical teams and multi-functional groups against plans.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills at senior management level including strong presentation skills.
Pay & Benefits
At Apple, base pay is one part of our total compensation package and is determined within a range. This provides the opportunity to progress as you grow and develop within a role. The base pay range for this role is between $166,600 and $296,000, and your base pay will depend on your skills, qualifications, experience, and location.
Apple employees also have the opportunity to become an Apple shareholder through participation in Apple's discretionary employee stock programs. Apple employees are eligible for discretionary restricted stock unit awards, and can purchase Apple stock at a discount if voluntarily participating in Apple's Employee Stock Purchase Plan. You'll also receive benefits including: Comprehensive medical and dental coverage, retirement benefits, a range of discounted products and free services, and for formal education related to advancing your career at Apple, reimbursement for certain educational expenses - including tuition. Additionally, this role might be eligible for discretionary bonuses or commission payments as well as relocation. Learn more about Apple Benefits
Note: Apple benefit, compensation and employee stock programs are subject to eligibility requirements and other terms of the applicable plan or program.
Systems Engineer Job Roles in California
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Search Systems Engineer Jobs in CaliforniaSystems Engineer Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies sponsor visas for systems engineers in California?
Large technology and defense contractors are the most consistent sponsors. Companies like Cisco, Apple, Intel, Qualcomm, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon Technologies, Lockheed Martin, and Google have all filed H-1B petitions for systems engineer roles in California. Enterprise software firms and cloud infrastructure companies in the Bay Area also sponsor regularly. Sponsorship patterns vary by business unit and hiring volume, so it is worth researching each employer's recent H-1B disclosure data through the DOL's OFLC database.
Which visa types are most common for systems engineer roles in California?
The H-1B is the most common visa for systems engineers in California, as the role generally qualifies as a specialty occupation requiring at least a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or a related field. The O-1A is an option for candidates with demonstrated extraordinary ability. Systems engineers from Canada or Mexico may qualify under the TN visa. Those already holding an L-1B through an intracompany transfer are another cohort California employers regularly see.
How to find systems engineer visa sponsorship jobs in California?
Migrate Mate filters job listings specifically by visa sponsorship availability, making it straightforward to browse systems engineer roles in California without sorting through positions that do not offer sponsorship. You can search by location, filtering to cities like San Jose, Los Angeles, San Diego, or Sacramento. Because systems engineering spans defense, semiconductors, and software, using Migrate Mate's role-specific search helps surface relevant openings across all those sub-industries in one place.
Which cities in California have the most systems engineer sponsorship jobs?
The San Francisco Bay Area, particularly San Jose and Santa Clara, leads in systems engineer sponsorship due to the density of semiconductor and networking companies. Los Angeles and El Segundo are significant hubs for aerospace and defense systems engineering, with major contractors headquartered there. San Diego has a strong defense and wireless technology cluster centered around Qualcomm and several naval-adjacent contractors. Sacramento sees demand from state government IT and utilities infrastructure projects.
Are there any California-specific considerations for systems engineers seeking visa sponsorship?
California's Department of Industrial Relations enforces prevailing wage rules independently of federal DOL requirements in some contexts, which can affect how employers structure compensation for sponsored roles. The state's large defense sector means many systems engineer positions require a security clearance, which can complicate sponsorship for candidates without U.S. citizenship or permanent residency, as most clearances are restricted to those categories. University pipelines from UC San Diego, UC Berkeley, and Cal Poly feed directly into sponsoring employers, so new graduates entering the job market should account for OPT and STEM OPT timelines when applying.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored systems 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.