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Data Collection Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Hark

Data Collection

San Jose, CA · On-site

$150K - $250K/yr

Data Collection San Jose About Hark Hark is an artificial intelligence company building advanced ... You'll work directly with researchers, engineers, and external partners, and the data you deliver ...

Hark

Data Collection

San Jose, CA · On-site

$150K - $250K/yr

You'll work directly with researchers, engineers, and external partners, and the data you deliver ... Design and run data collection programs end-to-end - scoping requirements, writing instructions ...

Hark

Data Collection

San Jose, CA · On-site

$150K - $250K/yr

You'll work directly with researchers, engineers, and external partners, and the data you deliver ... Design and run data collection programs end-to-end - scoping requirements, writing instructions ...

FOCUSKPI INC

Be Seen First

Data Collection Technician

Mountain View, CA · On-site

$30 - $36/hr

FocusKPI is seeking a Data Collection Technician ​​​​ to join one of our clients, a high ... Bachelor's degree in engineering (preferred) * Hands-on experience working with Robots ...

FOCUSKPI INC

Be Seen First

Data Collection Technician

Mountain View, CA · On-site

$30 - $36/hr

FocusKPI is seeking a Data Collection Technician ​​​​ to join one of our clients, a high ... Bachelor's degree in engineering (preferred) * Hands-on experience working with Robots ...

ALTEN

Data Collection Operator

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$28.50/hr

We're ALTEN Technology USA, an engineering company helping clients bring groundbreaking ideas to ... Experience with data collection or annotations Compensation Range: * $28.50/hour * The actual ...

Tacit

Data Collection Technician

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$20/hr

While we can't reveal too much just yet, our team is tackling cutting-edge engineering challenges to bring revolutionary products to life. About the Role We are looking to hire a Data Collection ...

TAC IT

Data Collection Technician

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$20/hr

While we can't reveal too much just yet, our team is tackling cutting-edge engineering challenges to bring revolutionary products to life. About the Role We are looking to hire a Data Collection ...

Tacit

Head of Data Collection

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$150K - $200K/yr

While we can't reveal too much just yet, our team is tackling cutting-edge engineering challenges to bring revolutionary products to life. About the role As Head of Data Collection , you'll own how ...

Trucking People

Driver - Data Collection

Sunnyvale, CA · On-site

$28/hr

Driver - Data Collection (Autonomous Vehicles) Location: Sunnyvale, CA (On-site) Pay: $28.00/hour ... Work alongside engineers and innovators in a high-growth tech environment * Gain exposure to ...

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All JobsData Collection Engineer JobsData Collection Engineer Jobs in California

Data Collection Engineer information

See California salary details

$50.8K

$145.5K

$194.4K

How much do data collection engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 17, 2026, the average yearly pay for data collection engineer in California is $145,530.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $82,900.00 and $193,400.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are some common challenges Data Collection Engineers face when gathering and managing large-scale datasets?

Data Collection Engineers frequently encounter challenges such as ensuring data quality and consistency across various sources, managing the volume and velocity of incoming data, and handling data privacy or compliance concerns. They must also design robust pipelines that can scale as data needs grow, and often collaborate with data scientists, software engineers, and product teams to align data collection strategies with project goals. Regularly troubleshooting data ingestion errors and adapting to changing data requirements are also key parts of the role.

What is the difference between Data Collection Engineer vs Data Analyst?

AspectData Collection EngineerData Analyst
Primary FocusDesigning and implementing data collection systems and pipelinesAnalyzing and interpreting data to support business decisions
Skills & CertificationsData engineering, SQL, programming (Python, Java), data architectureStatistical analysis, data visualization, SQL, Excel
Work EnvironmentData engineering teams, IT infrastructure, cloud platformsBusiness units, analytics teams, reporting tools

While Data Collection Engineers focus on building and maintaining data pipelines and infrastructure, Data Analysts interpret the collected data to generate insights. Both roles often collaborate but serve different stages of the data lifecycle, with the engineer ensuring data availability and the analyst deriving actionable insights.

What are Data Collection Engineers?

Data Collection Engineers are professionals who design, implement, and maintain systems for gathering data from various sources. Their work involves creating pipelines to collect, store, and preprocess data, often in support of analytics, machine learning, or business intelligence projects. They work closely with data scientists and software engineers to ensure data quality and reliability. Data Collection Engineers may use a range of tools and technologies, such as APIs, web scraping frameworks, and database management systems, to automate and optimize data acquisition processes.

Is AI replacing data engineers?

AI is transforming the role of data collection engineers by automating certain tasks such as data preprocessing and integration, but it does not fully replace the need for human expertise in designing data pipelines, managing data quality, and ensuring system reliability. Data engineers continue to be essential for building and maintaining the infrastructure that supports AI and machine learning models. Skills in programming, database management, and cloud platforms remain critical in this evolving field.

What engineers make $500,000?

Senior data collection engineers or related roles in data engineering, machine learning, and AI often reach or exceed $500,000 annually, especially with extensive experience, advanced skills in cloud platforms, and leadership responsibilities. Compensation varies by industry, location, and company size, with some positions offering bonuses and stock options that contribute to total earnings.

What engineers make $300,000 a year?

Senior data collection engineers, especially those with extensive experience, advanced skills in data systems, and expertise in tools like SQL, Python, or cloud platforms, can earn $300,000 or more annually. High compensation is often associated with roles in large organizations, specialized industries, or positions requiring leadership and strategic oversight.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Data Collection Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Data Collection Engineer, you need a solid background in computer science or engineering, experience with data acquisition, and proficiency in programming languages like Python or Java. Familiarity with data collection frameworks, APIs, sensor technologies, and cloud platforms is commonly required, along with certifications in data engineering or related fields. Strong analytical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and effective communication are crucial soft skills for collaborating with cross-functional teams and troubleshooting issues. These skills and qualities are important to ensure accurate, reliable, and scalable data pipelines that support critical business analytics and decision-making.
What are popular job titles related to Data Collection Engineer jobs in California? For Data Collection Engineer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Data Collection Engineer jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Data Collection Engineer jobs in California are:
Data Collection Engineer jobs near you
Data Collection

Data Collection

Hark

San Jose, CA • On-site

$150K - $250K/yr

Other

Posted 18 hours ago

Job description

Data Collection

San Jose

About Hark

Hark is an artificial intelligence company building advanced, personalized intelligence. One that is proactive, multimodal, and capable of interacting with the world through speech, text, vision, and persistent memory.

We're pairing that intelligence with next-generation hardware to create a universal interface between humans and machines. While today's AI largely operates through chat boxes and decade-old devices, Hark is focused on what comes next: agentic systems that interact naturally with people and the real world.

To get there, we're developing multimodal models and next-generation AI hardware together - designed from the ground up as a single, unified interface for a new era of intelligent systems.

About the Role

You'll own data collection at Hark — the programs, the vendors, and the pipelines that turn raw signal into training data our models can actually learn from.

That means running end-to-end campaigns across human feedback, synthetic data, and product-embedded signals. The quality of what we collect shapes the quality of what we ship, and this role owns that loop.

This is a high-ownership role on a small team. You'll work directly with researchers, engineers, and external partners, and the data you deliver will directly influence how our models behave in the real world.

Responsibilities
  • Design and run data collection programs end-to-end — scoping requirements, writing instructions, defining success criteria, and driving execution with vendors and annotators.
  • Manage external vendor relationships. Be the primary interface between Hark and data partners, keeping quality high and timelines on track.
  • Assess collected data using internal tooling, identify quality issues, and feed clear, actionable feedback back to vendors and annotators.
  • Collaborate closely with model researchers and engineers to understand what data is needed, translate that into operational plans, and deliver.
  • Track program metrics, surface insights, and drive continuous improvements to quality, throughput, and process.
  • Identify gaps in tooling and workflows and propose concrete improvements.
Requirements
  • Operational excellence. You can manage multiple programs simultaneously, keep track of details under pressure, and bring structure to fast-moving situations.
  • Experience working with external vendors or contractors. You know how to set expectations, manage relationships, and hold partners accountable to quality.
  • A knack for data. You've gone beyond surface-level metrics — you dig in, find patterns, and use what you find to make things better.
  • Strong communication. You can translate between research requirements and operational reality, and you keep everyone aligned without letting things slip.
  • Comfort with ambiguity and fast iteration. You take a rough problem, build a process around it, get feedback, and tighten it quickly.
  • Genuine curiosity about AI. You don't need to be an ML researcher, but you care about how models learn and why data quality matters.
  • 2+ years of relevant experience in data operations, program management, or a related field.
Bonus Qualifications
  • Experience managing human feedback or preference data programs.
  • Familiarity with data annotation platforms or labeling pipelines.
  • Experience with synthetic data generation or evaluation dataset design.
  • Background working at a fast-moving AI or research-driven company.
Compensation

The US base salary range for this full-time position is between $150,000 - $250,000 annually.

The pay offered for this position may vary based on several individual factors, including job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package may also include additional components/benefits depending on the specific role. This information will be shared if an employment offer is extended.

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