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Automotive Cybersecurity Engineer Jobs in California

Divergent is a qualified Tier 1 supplier to global automotive OEMs and supports leading U.S ... Purpose We are looking for a Cybersecurity Engineer with experience in SOC operations in a ...

Divergent is a qualified Tier 1 supplier to global automotive OEMs and supports leading U.S ... Purpose We are looking for a Cybersecurity Engineer with experience in SOC operations in a federal ...

Staff Cybersecurity Engineer

Torrance, CA · On-site

$181K - $236K/yr

Divergent is a qualified Tier 1 supplier to global automotive OEMs and supports leading U.S ... Purpose We are looking for a Cybersecurity Engineer with experience in SOC operations in a federal ...

Divergent is a qualified Tier 1 supplier to global automotive OEMs and supports leading U.S ... Purpose We are looking for a Cybersecurity Engineer with experience in SOC operations in a ...

Senior Staff Engineer

San Diego, CA · On-site

$163 - $244/hr

... automotive cybersecurity threat analysis and risk assessment for key featuresSet and defend boot ... ORPhD in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 4+ years of ...

Senior Staff Engineer

San Diego, CA · On-site

$163 - $244/hr

Engineering Group, Engineering Group > Software Engineering General Summary: Qualcomm is a company ... Strong knowledge of embedded security and automotive cybersecurity standards * Experience ...

Senior Staff Engineer

San Diego, CA · On-site

$110K - $152K/yr

Engineering Group, Engineering Group > Software Engineering General Summary: Qualcomm is a company ... Strong knowledge of embedded security and automotive cybersecurity standards * Experience ...

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Showing results 1-20

Automotive Cybersecurity Engineer information

See California salary details

$40K

$121.3K

$177.6K

How much do automotive cybersecurity engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 4, 2026, the average yearly pay for automotive cybersecurity engineer in California is $121,280.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $100,700.00 and $140,100.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is an automotive cybersecurity engineer?

An Automotive Cybersecurity Engineer is responsible for securing a vehicle’s electronic systems, networks, and software from cyber threats. They assess risks, implement security measures, and ensure compliance with industry standards like ISO/SAE 21434. Their role involves working closely with software developers, hardware engineers, and security analysts to protect vehicles from hacking, data breaches, and other cyber threats. They also conduct vulnerability assessments, penetration testing, and develop secure coding practices. This role is critical in the era of connected and autonomous vehicles.

What are the typical daily responsibilities of an automotive cybersecurity engineer?

As an Automotive Cybersecurity Engineer, your daily activities often involve conducting threat assessments, performing vulnerability analysis on automotive systems, and collaborating with design teams to integrate security measures into vehicles. You may also be responsible for developing and testing intrusion detection systems, participating in code reviews, and ensuring compliance with industry safety standards. Regularly communicating findings and recommendations to both technical and non-technical stakeholders is a key part of the role. Additionally, you may take part in incident response activities and stay up to date with emerging threats, helping to continuously improve the organization's security posture.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an automotive cybersecurity engineer?

To thrive as an Automotive Cybersecurity Engineer, you need a solid background in computer science, network security, embedded systems, and automotive communication protocols, often supported by a relevant degree. Familiarity with tools such as CAN bus analyzers, intrusion detection systems, penetration testing frameworks, and certifications like CISSP, CEH, or industry-specific credentials (e.g., AUTOSAR, ISO/SAE 21434) is highly valuable. Strong problem-solving, attention to detail, and clear communication are critical soft skills for collaborating with cross-functional engineering teams. These skills are essential to protect modern vehicles from cybersecurity threats and ensure compliance with industry standards.

What are the most commonly searched types of Automotive Cybersecurity Engineer jobs in California?

The most popular types of Automotive Cybersecurity Engineer jobs in California are:

What job categories do people searching Automotive Cybersecurity Engineer jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Automotive Cybersecurity Engineer jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Automotive Cybersecurity Engineer jobs?

Cities in California with the most Automotive Cybersecurity Engineer job openings:

Infographic showing various Automotive Cybersecurity 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 $121,280 per year, or $58.3 per hour.

Staff Machine Learning Engineer - Automotive Cybersecurity

Qualcomm

San Diego, CA • On-site

$158 - $238/hr

Other

Posted 3 days ago

New


Qualcomm rating

8.8

Company rating: 8.8 out of 10

Based on 11 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

48th of 247 rated software companies


Job description

Company:

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.

Job Area:

Engineering Group, Engineering Group > Machine Learning Engineering

General Summary:

We are seeking a Staff Machine Learning Engineer to drive AI/ML-based automation across Automotive SoC Cybersecurity and Safety engineering at Qualcomm. This role focuses on building intelligent, scalable solutions that improve engineering productivity, streamline cybersecurity and functional safety workflows, and enable automation across the full product development lifecycle.

The ideal candidate will contribute across a broad range of problem spaces — from AI-assisted engineering tools and automated compliance workflows, to future-looking capabilities in hardware security, functional safety, silicon verification, and AI-driven design automation. This role sits at the intersection of AI/ML, cybersecurity, functional safety, semiconductor engineering, and intelligent systems, contributing to a long-term automation vision aligned with automotive cybersecurity standards such as ISO/SAE 21434.

Technical Skills and Expertise
  • Strong background in Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence
  • Experience with LLMs, GenAI, and agentic AI systems or intelligent automation frameworks
  • Strong programming skills in Python, C++, or similar languages, with solid software engineering fundamentals
  • Experience building scalable, production-quality ML pipelines, model training workflows, or inference systems
  • Experience with knowledge systems, semantic search, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), or workflow orchestration platforms
  • Familiarity with automotive cybersecurity or functional safety standards (e.g., ISO/SAE 21434, ISO 26262, UNECE WP.29) is a plus
  • Exposure to hardware security concepts, RTL design, design verification, or silicon validation workflows
Role and Responsibilities
  • Design and develop AI/ML-based automation solutions for cybersecurity and functional safety engineering workflows
  • Build intelligent systems for document understanding, review automation, and engineering productivity
  • Develop and deploy solutions leveraging LLMs, GenAI, and agentic AI frameworks
  • Contribute to knowledge automation platforms that support cross-project reuse and decision support
  • Build scalable, end-to-end automation pipelines spanning multiple engineering domains
  • Apply AI/ML to security analysis, compliance monitoring, and process optimization
  • Support development of future capabilities in hardware security analysis, verification automation, and AI-assisted design workflows
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams across cybersecurity, functional safety, systems, software, design, and verification
Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or related field and 4+ years of Hardware Engineering, Software Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related work experience.

OR

Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or related field and 3+ years of Hardware Engineering, Software Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related work experience.

OR

PhD in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or related field and 2+ years of Hardware Engineering, Software Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related work experience.

Preferred Qualifications
  • Master's or PhD degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, or a related technical field
  • 5+ years of experience in machine learning, artificial intelligence, software engineering, or applied intelligent systems
  • 4+ years of work experience with Programming Language such as C, C++, Java, Python, etc.
  • Experience designing, developing, and deploying ML or AI-based solutions in production or engineering environments
  • Experience with agentic AI systems, multi-agent orchestration frameworks, or autonomous workflow automation
  • Familiarity with automotive cybersecurity or functional safety standards such as ISO/SAE 21434, ISO 26262, or UNECE WP.29
  • Exposure to hardware security concepts, RTL design, design verification, or silicon validation workflows
  • Experience developing AI-assisted tools for compliance, audit, or regulatory process automation
  • Demonstrated experience leading cross-functional technical initiatives or contributing to platform-level AI/ML solutions
Principal Duties and Responsibilities
  • Autonomy: Work independently with minimal supervision on complex, ambiguous AI/ML engineering problems
  • Communication: Use verbal and written skills to convey complex technical concepts to diverse audiences, including senior leadership and cross-functional teams
  • Influence: Provide input to senior leadership and have a notable impact on key organizational and technical decisions
  • Task Management: Execute multi-step technical tasks requiring simultaneous cognitive abilities and cross-domain coordination
  • Innovation: Exercise creativity to develop new AI/ML-driven tools, automation frameworks, and intelligent systems
  • Problem Solving: Apply advanced analytical and deductive reasoning to solve complex engineering and security challenges using data-driven approaches

Qualcomm is an equal opportunity employer. If you are an individual with a disability and need an accommodation during the application/hiring process, rest assured that Qualcomm is committed to providing an accessible process. You may e-mail disability-accomodations@qualcomm.com or call Qualcomm's toll-free number found here. Upon request, Qualcomm will provide reasonable accommodations to support individuals with disabilities to be able participate in the hiring process. Qualcomm is also committed to making our workplace accessible for individuals with disabilities. (Keep in mind that this email address is used to provide reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. We will not respond here to requests for updates on applications or resume inquiries).

Qualcomm expects its employees to abide by all applicable policies and procedures, including but not limited to security and other requirements regarding protection of Company confidential information and other confidential and/or proprietary information, to the extent those requirements are permissible under applicable law.

EEO Employer: Qualcomm is an equal opportunity employer; all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, Veteran status, or any other protected classification.

Pay range and Other Compensation & Benefits:

$158,400.00 - $237,600.00 The above pay scale reflects the broad, minimum to maximum, pay scale for this job code for the location for which it has been posted. Even more importantly, please note that salary is only one component of total compensation at Qualcomm. We also offer a competitive annual discretionary bonus program and opportunity for annual RSU grants (employees on sales-incentive plans are not eligible for our annual bonus). In addition, our highly competitive benefits package is designed to support your success at work, at home, and at play. Your recruiter will be happy to discuss all that Qualcomm has to offer – and you can review more details about our US benefits at this link.

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About Qualcomm

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Qualcomm is enabling a world where everyone and everything can be intelligently connected. You interact with products and technologies made possible by Qualcomm every day, including 5G-enabled smartphones that double as pro-level cameras and gaming devices, smarter vehicles and cities, and the technology behind the smart, connected factories that manufactured your latest purchase. Our powerful connectivity solutions keep you connected—even in remote areas. Qualcomm 5G and AI innovations are the power behind the connected intelligent edge. You’ll find our technologies behind and inside the innovations that deliver significant value across multiple industries and to billions of people every day.

Industry

Technology, communication and media

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

San Diego, CA, US

Year founded

1985