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4Th Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Applied AI Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$180K - $250K/yr

The company is an early-stage, well-funded startup with a small founding engineering team and is hiring its fourth engineer. The Role This is a true 0→1 founding engineering role with significant ...

What you'll do As a mobile software engineer, you'll be the fourth engineer at a tiny startup, working closely with the whole team to design and build the native mobile experiences that power our ...

As a Youth Empowerment Intern you will primarily support 4th Second's youth programming, youth leader projects, and fostering a welcoming culture that nurtures youth's needs, individuality, and self ...

Youth Empowerment Intern

Vallejo, CA · On-site

$17 - $22.50/hr

As a Youth Empowerment Intern you will primarily support 4th Second's youth programming, youth leader projects, and fostering a welcoming culture that nurtures youth's needs, individuality, and self ...

Youth Empowerment Intern

Vallejo, CA · On-site

$17 - $22.50/hr

As a Youth Empowerment Intern you will primarily support 4th Second's youth programming, youth leader projects, and fostering a welcoming culture that nurtures youth's needs, individuality, and self ...

Youth Empowerment Intern

Vallejo, CA · On-site

$17 - $22.50/hr

As a Youth Empowerment Intern you will primarily support 4th Second's youth programming, youth leader projects, and fostering a welcoming culture that nurtures youth's needs, individuality, and self ...

About Us: 4th Second is a nonprofit organization dedicated to driving systemic change and fostering ... Complete scheduled pickups of food boxes, tools, and materials to support programming Minimum ...

Engineer - Process

Red Bluff, CA · On-site

$69K - $115K/yr

We are a fourth-generation family-owned company that has grown to be one of the largest lumber and ... Provide engineering support for continuous improvement efforts and new product development with ...

Engineer - Design

Red Bluff, CA · On-site

$70K - $115K/yr

We are a fourth-generation family-owned company that has grown to be one of the largest lumber and ... Engineer designs for window and door systems * Design, test, and analyze new and existing products ...

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Showing results 1-20

4Th Engineer information

See California salary details

$38.5K

$100.4K

$135.7K

How much do 4th engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 8, 2026, the average yearly pay for 4th engineer in California is $100,420.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $82,900.00 and $115,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a 4th engineer?

A 4th Engineer is a junior-level officer in the engineering department on board a ship, typically part of the engine crew. Their primary responsibilities include assisting in the operation and maintenance of the ship’s machinery, engines, and other mechanical systems. They usually report to the 2nd or 3rd Engineer and are involved in routine checks, repairs, and daily operational tasks as assigned. This role requires a valid marine engineering license and knowledge of safety protocols. The 4th Engineer position is often considered an entry-level officer role for marine engineers.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a 4th engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a 4th Engineer, you need a solid understanding of marine engineering principles, safety procedures, and typically a STCW-compliant engineering license or equivalent maritime certification. Familiarity with engine room machinery, maintenance systems, and diagnostic tools like engine monitoring software is crucial. Strong problem-solving abilities, teamwork, and effective communication are valuable soft skills in this role. These skills and qualifications ensure the safe, efficient operation and maintenance of shipboard machinery, contributing to the overall reliability and safety of vessel operations.

What are some common challenges a 4th engineer might face onboard a vessel, and how can they be addressed?

As a 4th Engineer, you may encounter challenges such as adapting to the ship's machinery systems, managing routine maintenance tasks under time constraints, and ensuring compliance with safety and environmental regulations. Working in a multicultural team and handling emergency situations can also be demanding. To address these, it's important to stay organized, communicate effectively with senior engineers and crew, and take advantage of training opportunities provided by the company to build technical and soft skills.

What is the difference between 4Th Engineer vs 3Rd Engineer?

Aspect4Th Engineer3Rd Engineer
CertificationsSTCW Basic Safety, Engine Room CertificationsSTCW Basic Safety, Engine Room Certifications
Work EnvironmentEngine room, maintenance, safety checksEngine room, maintenance, troubleshooting
ResponsibilitiesAssisting in engine maintenance, safety drillsOverseeing engine operations, troubleshooting
Industry UsageCommon entry-level or junior engineering roleMid-level engineering role, more responsibilities

The 4Th Engineer and 3Rd Engineer roles are both vital in maritime engineering. The 4Th Engineer typically serves as an entry-level or junior engineer assisting with routine maintenance and safety tasks. The 3Rd Engineer has more responsibilities, including overseeing engine operations and troubleshooting complex issues. Both roles require similar certifications and work in the engine room, but the 3Rd Engineer generally has more experience and authority onboard.

Infographic showing various 4Th Engineer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 87% Full Time, 8% Part Time, and 5% Contract. Highlights an 85% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 10% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $100,420 per year, or $48.3 per hour.

Applied AI Engineer

AccrueTalent

San Francisco, CA • On-site

$180K - $250K/yr

Full-time

Posted 5 days ago


Job description

Building AI for engineers working on complex physical systems across industries such as aerospace, automotive, defense, robotics, energy, marine, mining, and heavy equipment.

The platform helps engineering teams understand and validate complex designs against technical, legal, regulatory, and customer requirements. Longer term, the vision is to enable AI-assisted and AI-generated engineering design.

The company is an early-stage, well-funded startup with a small founding engineering team and is hiring its fourth engineer.

The Role

This is a true 0→1 founding engineering role with significant ownership across product, architecture, AI systems, and customer deployments.

You’ll work directly with the founders and customers to determine what should be built, make foundational technical decisions, and ship software used in real engineering environments.

A major near-term focus is building systems that can model how complex physical products fit together across hardware, software, mechanical, electrical, fluidic, and thermal systems.

What You’ll Work On

  • Build the core product and underlying technical architecture from the ground up
  • Develop system-modeling capabilities that represent relationships across complex engineering systems
  • Work with engineering, design, requirements, and technical data from real-world physical products
  • Help scale a major active customer deployment supporting approximately 100 users
  • Build AI-powered workflows around engineering requirements, validation, and technical decision-making
  • Work directly with customers to understand their workflows and translate ambiguous problems into product capabilities
  • Make architecture and product tradeoffs with founder-level ownership
  • Build infrastructure needed to support enterprise and potentially on-premise deployments
  • Help shape engineering culture, technical standards, and future hiring
  • Potentially travel to work directly with customers
  • Over time, help build and train customized models using customer engineering data

What We’re Looking For

  • Strong software engineering fundamentals and exceptional technical ability
  • Approximately 3–5 years of engineering experience, although exceptional candidates outside that range will be considered
  • Demonstrated ability to build products or systems from 0→1
  • Strong product judgment and comfort working in ambiguous environments
  • Ability to translate customer problems into technical solutions
  • Experience making architecture and engineering tradeoffs independently
  • High ownership and a founder mentality
  • Comfortable operating on a very small engineering team
  • Genuine interest in physical AI, engineering, robotics, or complex physical systems
  • Strong collaborative instincts