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C Software Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

SpaceXAI

Software Engineer - Network (C++)

Palo Alto, CA

$180K - $440K/yr

... engineering, math, or a related technical discipline; OR 2+ years of professional software development experience in lieu of a degree. * Strong development experience in C or C++. PREFERRED SKILLS ...

Xai

Software Engineer - Network (C++)

Palo Alto, CA

$180K - $440K/yr

Software Engineer - Network (C++) Palo Alto, California; Seattle, Washington SpaceXAI's mission is to create AI systems that can accurately understand the universe and aid humanity in its pursuit of ...

New

Xai

Software Engineer - Network (C++)

Palo Alto, CA

$180K - $440K/yr

Software Engineer - Network (C++) Palo Alto, California; Seattle, Washington SpaceXAI's mission is to create AI systems that can accurately understand the universe and aid humanity in its pursuit of ...

New

SpaceX

Software Engineer, C++ (Starlink)

Sunnyvale, CA · On-site

$155K - $185K/yr

SOFTWARE ENGINEER, C++ (STARLINK) At SpaceX we're leveraging our experience in building rockets and spacecraft to deploy Starlink, the world's most advanced broadband internet system. Starlink is the ...

SpaceX

Software Engineer, C++ (Dragon)

Hawthorne, CA · On-site

$145K - $175K/yr

SOFTWARE ENGINEER, C++ (DRAGON) As a software engineer on the Dragon team, you will develop, analyze and verify the mission critical software configurations that fly our Dragon Crewed and Cargo ...

SpaceXAI

Software Engineer - Network (C++)

Palo Alto, CA · On-site

$180K - $440K/yr

... engineering, math, or a related technical discipline; OR 2+ years of professional software development experience in lieu of a degree. * Strong development experience in C or C++. PREFERRED SKILLS ...

Toyon

Flight Software C++ Engineer

Goleta, CA

$130K - $220K/yr

Toyon is seeking a passionate and talented Flight Software C++ Engineer to join our growing team developing cutting-edge aerospace flight systems and diagnostic tools. This role is critical to ...

SpaceXAI

Software Engineer - Network (C++)

Palo Alto, CA · On-site

$180K - $440K/yr

... engineering, math, or a related technical discipline; OR 2+ years of professional software development experience in lieu of a degree. * Strong development experience in C or C++. PREFERRED SKILLS ...

SpaceX

Software Engineer, C++ (Starlink)

Sunnyvale, CA

$155K - $185K/yr

SOFTWARE ENGINEER, C++ (STARLINK) At SpaceX we're leveraging our experience in building rockets and spacecraft to deploy Starlink, the world's most advanced broadband internet system. Starlink is the ...

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Showing results 21-40

All JobsC Software Engineer JobsC Software Engineer Jobs in California

C Software Engineer information

See California salary details

$24.2K

$121.5K

$189.5K

How much do c software engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 1, 2026, the average yearly pay for c software engineer in California is $121,525.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $96,700.00 and $142,600.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a C software engineer do?

A C Software Engineer designs, develops, tests, and maintains software applications and systems using the C programming language. They typically work on performance-critical applications, embedded systems, operating systems, or device drivers. Their responsibilities include writing efficient code, debugging, optimizing existing code, and collaborating with other engineers to ensure software reliability and maintainability. C Software Engineers must have a strong understanding of computer science fundamentals and problem-solving skills.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a C software engineer?

To thrive as a C Software Engineer, you need a deep understanding of C programming, algorithms, data structures, and a relevant degree in computer science or a related field. Familiarity with development tools such as GCC, Git, debugging profilers, and sometimes certifications in software development are commonly required. Strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and effective teamwork set outstanding C Software Engineers apart. These competencies are essential for building reliable, efficient software and collaborating effectively in technical environments.

How does a C software engineer typically collaborate with other teams during a development project?

C Software Engineers frequently work alongside cross-functional teams, including hardware engineers, QA testers, and project managers. Collaboration often involves participating in code reviews, integrating low-level code with hardware components, and ensuring software meets performance and reliability standards. Effective communication is essential, as these engineers must translate technical requirements and troubleshoot issues that may arise at the intersection of software and hardware. Regular meetings and documentation are standard practices to keep everyone aligned and maintain project momentum.

What is the difference between C Software Engineer vs C++ Software Engineer?

AspectC Software EngineerC++ Software Engineer
Required CredentialsBachelor's in Computer Science or related field; knowledge of C languageBachelor's in Computer Science or related field; knowledge of C and C++ languages
Work EnvironmentEmbedded systems, operating systems, device driversApplication development, game engines, software tools
Industry UsageEmbedded systems, firmware, hardware interfacingSoftware applications, game development, high-performance computing

The main difference between a C Software Engineer and a C++ Software Engineer lies in the programming languages they specialize in. C engineers focus on low-level programming for embedded systems and hardware interfaces, while C++ engineers work on more complex applications that require object-oriented features. Both roles require similar foundational skills but differ in application scope and complexity.

What are popular job titles related to C Software Engineer jobs in California?

For C Software Engineer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching C Software Engineer jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for C Software Engineer jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for C Software Engineer jobs?

Cities in California with the most C Software Engineer job openings:

C Software Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various C Software Engineer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 90% Full Time, 6% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $121,525 per year, or $58.4 per hour.

Software Engineer - Network (C++)

SpaceXAI

Palo Alto, CA

$180K - $440K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement

Re-posted 20 hours ago

SpaceX rating

8.7

Company rating: 8.7 out of 10

Based on 150 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

16th of 72 rated aerospace companies

Job description

ABOUT THE ROLE:

At SpaceXAI, we design, build, and operate Colossus from the ground up. This includes the massive GPU clusters, high-speed interconnect fabric, and the software that makes it all work at unprecedented scale. Colossus powers Grok and our frontier AI models with a custom, high-performance datacenter network that delivers ultra-low latency and massive bandwidth across hundreds of thousands of GPUs.

As a Software Engineer on the Colossus Networking team, you will develop the core networking software that maximizes the performance and reliability of our datacenter fabric. Your work will directly impact training efficiency, model convergence, and the speed at which we can push the frontier of AI.

Our engineers own the full lifecycle of their software - from design and implementation to deployment, monitoring, and iteration based on real-world performance at scale. You will solve hard problems in distributed systems, high-performance networking, and real-time control of one of the largest AI supercomputers on Earth.

RESPONSIBILITIES:
  • Develop routing and traffic-engineering algorithms for the Colossus high-performance datacenter network.
  • Develop highly reliable, real-time software designed to run on the switches that form the backbone of our low-latency, high-bandwidth AI training fabric.
  • Participate in and lead architecture, design, and code reviews.
  • Develop prototypes and run experiments to validate key design decisions at both small and full-cluster scale.
  • Build tools for software development, deployment, data analysis, visualization, and testing across virtualized environments, hardware-in-the-loop setups, and live production clusters.
  • Deploy reliable software updates through continuous integration and release systems with rigorous testing and monitoring.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
  • Bachelor's degree in computer science, engineering, math, or a related technical discipline; OR 2+ years of professional software development experience in lieu of a degree.
  • Strong development experience in C or C++.
PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
  • Strong professional experience writing high-performance C/C++ in production environments.
  • Experience developing, debugging, and deploying software that runs at scale in real-world systems.
  • Deep knowledge of networking protocols (UDP, TCP/IP, RDMA, etc.), distributed systems, and large-scale datacenter fabrics.
  • Background in real-time systems, high-performance computing, low-latency networking, or resource-constrained environments.
  • Creative problem-solving ability with exceptional analytical skills and strong engineering fundamentals.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
  • Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with evolving requirements.
  • Experience with security considerations in large-scale distributed systems.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
  • Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed.
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

$180,000 - $440,000 USD

Base salary is just one part of our total rewards package at SpaceXAI, which also includes equity, comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, short & long-term disability insurance, life insurance, and various other discounts and perks.

What SpaceX employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom

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About SpaceX

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Industry

Aerospace product and parts manufacturing, data services, guided missile and space vehicle manufacturing and satellite telecommunications

Company size

1,001 - 5,000 Employees

Headquarters location

Hawthorne, CA, US

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