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Associate Software Development Engineer Jobs in Downey, CA

Fox

Staff SDET

Los Angeles, CA

As a Staff SDET, you will partner closely with Product, Engineering, Operations, and Delivery teams from the earliest stages of planning through production. You will ensure quality is designed into ...

Naughty Dog

SDET Programmer

Santa Monica, CA

We have a small SDET team, so you will interact with multiple departments, game systems and pipeline technologies. As a member of SDET at Naughty Dog, you will experience direct ownership, serving as ...

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Showing results 21-40

All JobsAssociate Software Development Engineer JobsAssociate Software Development Engineer Jobs in Downey, CA

Associate Software Development Engineer information

See Downey, CA salary details

$20

$43

$102

How much do associate software development engineer jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 21, 2026, the average hourly pay for associate software development engineer in Downey, CA is $43.92, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $31.73 and $46.49 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is an associate software development engineer?

Associate Software Development Engineers are entry-level professionals who assist in designing, developing, testing, and maintaining software applications. They typically work under the guidance of senior developers, contributing to coding, debugging, and documenting software projects. This role serves as a foundational position in a software engineering career, providing opportunities to learn industry best practices and collaborate with experienced team members. Associate Software Development Engineers often participate in code reviews, troubleshoot issues, and help ensure that software meets quality and performance standards.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an associate software development engineer?

To thrive as an Associate Software Development Engineer, you need a solid grasp of programming languages (such as Java, Python, or C++), algorithms, and data structures, often supported by a bachelor's degree in computer science or a related field. Familiarity with integrated development environments (IDEs), version control systems like Git, and basic software development lifecycle methodologies is typically required. Strong problem-solving skills, a willingness to learn, and effective teamwork set standout candidates apart. These skills and qualities are vital for building reliable software, adapting to evolving technologies, and collaborating in dynamic development teams.

What are some common challenges faced by associate software development engineers when joining a new team?

Associate Software Development Engineers often encounter challenges such as adapting to established codebases, understanding team workflows, and getting acquainted with company-specific development tools. It can take time to become comfortable with version control systems, code review processes, and agile methodologies commonly used by development teams. Building effective communication with senior engineers and learning to balance independent problem-solving with seeking guidance are also key aspects of the initial learning curve.

What is the difference between Associate Software Development Engineer vs Software Development Engineer?

AspectAssociate Software Development EngineerSoftware Development Engineer
Required CredentialsBachelor's degree in CS or related field, some internshipsBachelor's or higher in CS, more experience preferred
Work EnvironmentEntry-level, team-based projects, training programsMore complex projects, increased responsibility
Employer & Industry UsageTech companies, startups, large corporationsSame as Associate role, with more senior positions
Search & Comparison IntentEntry-level roles, career progressionMid-level roles, career growth

The main difference between an Associate Software Development Engineer and a Software Development Engineer lies in experience and responsibility. The Associate role is typically entry-level, focusing on learning and supporting projects, while the SDE has more experience and handles more complex tasks. Both roles are common in tech companies and serve as stepping stones in a software engineering career.

What are the most commonly searched types of Software Development Engineer jobs in Downey, CA?

The most popular types of Software Development Engineer jobs in Downey, CA are:

What cities near Downey, CA are hiring for Associate Software Development Engineer jobs?

Cities near Downey, CA with the most Associate Software Development Engineer job openings:

Associate Software Development Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Associate Software Development Engineer job openings in Downey, CA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 80% Full Time, 17% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 91% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 6% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $91,345 per year, or $43.9 per hour.

Software Development Engineer in Test Contractor (SDET Contractor)

Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE)

Los Angeles, CA • On-site

$58 - $72/hr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision

Re-posted 19 days ago

Job description

Why Sony Interactive Entertainment?

Sony Interactive Entertainment isn't just the Best Place to Play - it's also the Best Place to Work. Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) is the company behind the PlayStation brand. As a subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation, we're part of a proud legacy of innovation and excellence. SIE is a dynamic technology company, delivering cutting-edge hardware and network services to more than 100 million people and an entertainment leader, home to some of the most beloved and recognizable intellectual properties (IP) in the world. Our role at SIE is to create and nurture the experiences under the PlayStation brand, a name synonymous with entertainment excellence and creativity.

SDET (Contractor)

Responsibilities:

We are looking for a highly skilled Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET) to design, develop, and maintain automated test frameworks for backend services and APIs. The ideal candidate is a strong Java engineer with deep testing expertise, capable of working closely with developers, product owners, and scrum teams to ensure high-quality delivery of complex services and integrations.

This role involves building robust automation, validating API contracts and flows, working with microservice-based systems, and contributing to continuous integration and quality strategies.


What You'll Do

  • Design, develop, and maintain automated test frameworks and backend test suites using Java.

  • Write high-quality JUnit tests for RESTful APIs, service layers, and backend components.

  • Validate API schemas, request/response structures, and error-handling scenarios.

  • Create and execute API automation covering functional, regression, and integration layers.

  • Collaborate with developers to ensure testability, observability, and quality in new feature design.

  • Analyze logs, metrics, and service behavior to diagnose and troubleshoot failures.

  • Participate in Agile processes: refinement, planning, retrospectives, and daily scrums.

  • Drive improvements in CI/CD pipelines through automation and quality gates.

  • Contribute to scaling QE across microservices by building reusable test components and libraries.

Qualifications:

  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field-or equivalent practical experience.

  • 3+ years of experience in software QE, test automation, or development roles.

  • Demonstrated ability to work independently as well as part of a collaborative Scrum team

  • Interest in working as part of an agile, collaborative and cross-functional team that works on modern software design and development

  • Exposure to version control systems (preferably Git)

  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills

  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills


Required Skills:

  • Strong experience with Java programming (advanced OOP concepts, collections, generics, lambdas).

  • Hands-on experience writing tests with JUnit (JUnit5 preferred).

  • Expertise in API testing for REST-based services (familiarity with gRPC is a plus).

  • Solid understanding of API schema validation, including OpenAPI/Swagger specifications.

  • Experience building and maintaining automation frameworks for backend or microservice architectures.

  • Familiarity with Git, branching strategies, and CI/CD tools (e.g. Jenkins, GitHub Actions).

  • Strong problem-solving and debugging skills. Including analyzing logs and diagnosing service failures.

.

Preferred Skills (Good to Have):

  • Experience designing test plans, writing detailed test scenarios, and performing domain-driven test analysis.

  • Familiarity with Spring Boot-based micro services and common backend service patterns.

  • Experience using IntelliJ IDEA or similar Java-focused development environments.

  • Hands-on experience with log analysis and observability tools (Splunk preferred).

  • Understanding of gRPC service testing and related tooling.

  • Familiarity with cloud environments (AWS).

  • Exposure to writing scripts using Python or Node.js

  • Exposure to a web-front-end technology such as JavaScript, HTML and CSS

At SIE, working with our partners, we consider several factors when setting each role's base pay range, including the competitive benchmarking data for the market and geographic location.
Please note that the individual base pay range may vary based on job-related factors which may include knowledge, skills, experience, and location.
In addition, this role is eligible for benefit offerings that include medical, dental, and vision. Click hereto learn more.

The estimated base pay range for this role is listed below, this is an hourly rate.
$58-$72 USD

Please note, Sony Interactive Entertainment conducts background checks at the offer stage for all new employees (which may include criminal background checks for some roles) and will need to process personal information to support these checks.

Please refer to ourCandidate Privacy Noticefor more information about what personal information we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and your data protection rights.

Equal Opportunity Statement:

Sony is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All persons will receive consideration for employment without regard to gender (including gender identity, gender expression and gender reassignment), race (including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin), religion or belief, marital or civil partnership status, disability, age, sexual orientation, pregnancy, maternity or parental status, trade union membership or membership in any other legally protected category.

We strive to create an inclusive environment, empower employees and embrace diversity. We encourage everyone to respond.

Sony Interactive Entertainment is a Fair Chance employer and qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records will be considered for employment.

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