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Data Systems Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Valar Atomics

Senior OT Data Engineer

Long Beach, CA · On-site

$111K - $151K/yr

Data systems must preserve source timestamps/quality and cannot interfere with control or credited ... Engineer time-series retention/compression/query performance/replication/high availability/recovery ...

New

Valar Atomics

Senior OT Data Engineer

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$114K - $155K/yr

Data systems must preserve source timestamps/quality and cannot interfere with control or credited ... Engineer time-series retention/compression/query performance/replication/high availability/recovery ...

New

Valar Atomics

Senior OT Data Engineer

Torrance, CA · On-site

$108K - $147K/yr

Data systems must preserve source timestamps/quality and cannot interfere with control or credited ... Engineer time-series retention/compression/query performance/replication/high availability/recovery ...

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All JobsData Systems Engineer JobsData Systems Engineer Jobs in California

Data Systems Engineer information

See California salary details

$52.8K

$125.5K

$164.8K

How much do data systems engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 15, 2026, the average yearly pay for data systems engineer in California is $125,549.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $96,700.00 and $154,900.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a data systems engineer?

Data Systems Engineers are professionals who design, build, and maintain the infrastructure and systems that manage and process large volumes of data within an organization. They ensure data flows efficiently between databases, applications, and users, often working with technologies such as databases, data warehouses, and cloud platforms. Their responsibilities include optimizing data pipelines, ensuring data security, and supporting analytics and business intelligence initiatives. Data Systems Engineers collaborate closely with data scientists, software engineers, and IT teams to create reliable, scalable, and secure data environments.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a data systems engineer?

To excel as a Data Systems Engineer, you need strong skills in data architecture, database management, and programming, often backed by a degree in computer science or a related field. Familiarity with tools like SQL, Python, Hadoop, and cloud platforms, as well as certifications such as AWS Certified Data Analytics or Google Professional Data Engineer, is typically required. Exceptional problem-solving, collaboration, and analytical thinking help you design robust, scalable data solutions and communicate effectively with stakeholders. These skills and qualities are crucial for ensuring data integrity, optimizing system performance, and supporting organizational decision-making.

What are some common challenges data systems engineers face when integrating new data sources?

Data Systems Engineers often encounter challenges such as ensuring data compatibility across diverse formats, maintaining data integrity during migration, and managing system performance while integrating new sources. Collaborating closely with data analysts, software developers, and database administrators is key to anticipating and addressing these issues. Successful integration frequently requires thorough testing, robust error handling, and establishing clear data governance protocols to prevent inconsistencies or data loss.

What is the difference between Data Systems Engineer vs Data Engineer?

AspectData Systems EngineerData Engineer
CredentialsBachelor's in CS, certifications like AWS, AzureBachelor's in CS, certifications like AWS, Azure
Work EnvironmentDesigning and maintaining data infrastructure, systems integrationBuilding data pipelines, ETL processes, data storage solutions
Industry UsageIT, tech companies, large enterprisesTech, finance, healthcare, any data-driven industry

Both roles require similar technical skills and certifications, often working in data infrastructure environments. Data Systems Engineers focus on designing and maintaining data systems, while Data Engineers primarily build and optimize data pipelines. The roles are complementary and often overlap in organizations managing complex data architectures.

What are popular job titles related to Data Systems Engineer jobs in California?

For Data Systems Engineer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Data Systems Engineer jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Data Systems Engineer jobs in California are:

Data Systems Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Data Systems Engineer job openings in California as of September 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Internship, 1% As Needed, 82% Full Time, 13% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 84% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 14% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $125,549 per year, or $60.4 per hour.

Principal Systems Engineer / Sr. Principal Systems Engineer - Data Analyst

San Diego, CA

Northrop Grumman Corporation
Space Research Administration • 10K+ employees
Learn more about Northrop Grumman Corporationexternal

$114K - $213K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Life, PTO

Posted 13 days ago

Northrop Grumman rating

8.3

Company rating: 8.3 out of 10

Based on 372 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

Job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be availableCLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: YesCLEARANCE TYPE: SecretTRAVEL: Yes, 10% of the TimeDescriptionAt Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work - and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible. Our employees are not only part of history, they're making history.

Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems is seeking Principal / Sr Principal Systems Engineer - Data Analyst as an individual contributor within an engineering analytics and tools development team.

The selected candidate will collaborate with data analytics leads and other functions to articulate problem spaces and solutions to data processing and visualization projects.

Position can be filled at a level 3 or a level 4.

Job Responsibilities:

  • Engage with technical and programmatic teams to understand their questions and problems, and help translate them into clear data and analytical requirements.

  • Architect and develop modular, scalable data processing and analytics tools, following established coding and version-control practices.

  • Assist in designing and implementing end-to-end data solutions, from data ingestion/parsing, to relational data models, though analytics and reporting

  • Assist in designing and implementing intuitive user interfaces that enable users to enter, review, and interact with data accurately and efficiently.

  • Perform exploratory data analysis and applied analytics to identify trends, outliers and anomalies in engineering and business data. Synthesize findings into clear, actionable insights for technical and non-technical stakeholders

Basic Qualifications:

  • Principal Systems Engineer 3 - Bachelor's degree in a STEM discipline AND 5 years of related professional/military experience in Systems Engineering, Data Analytics, Data Engineering or Data Science, OR a Master's degree in a STEM discipline AND 3 years of related professional/military experience in Systems Engineering, Data Analytics, Data Engineering or Data Science. OR a PH.D. in a STEM discipline AND 1 years of related professional/military experience in Systems Engineering, Data Analytics, Data Engineering or Data Science.

  • Senior Principal Systems Engineer 4 - Bachelor's degree in a STEM discipline AND 8 years of related professional/military experience in Systems Engineering, Data Analytics, Data Engineering or Data Science, OR a Master's degree in a STEM discipline AND 6 years of related professional/military experience in Systems Engineering, Data Analytics, Data Engineering or Data Science. OR a PH.D. in a STEM discipline AND 4 years of related professional/military experience in Systems Engineering, Data Analytics, Data Engineering or Data Science.

  • Proficient/Advanced Python Skills; comfortable with large, production codebases

  • Experience with relational database design

  • Proficient SQL Skills; comfortable with complex joins

  • Comfortable working with data pipelines (ETL) that extract, transform, and load data to structured data stores for analytics and reporting

  • Comfortable with version control (Git, branching strategies, code review)

  • Strong analytics skills - proficient in exploratory data analysis (EDA), summarization, trend detection, and anomaly/outlier identification; ability to frame and answer engineering/business questions with appropriate metrics, statistical methods, and clear narrative.

  • Proficient in data visualization and storytelling. Skilled at designing effective visualizations that communicate insights to both technical and non-technical stakeholders

  • Ability to obtain a DOD Secret clearance

  • Ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program (SAP) clearance.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Experience designing and implementing data pipelines (ETL) to move data from raw sources into structured datasets for analytics and reporting

  • Experience with Web Development, especially with Django Framework

  • Experience with modern Business Insight (BI) tools, especially Tableau

  • Experience working with existing CI/CD pipelines and multiple environments (dev/stage/prod), including using virtual environments for local development

  • Active DoD Secret or Top Secret Clearance

  • Active/current SAP clearance (any SAP)

Primary Level Salary Range: $93,300.00 - $174,500.00Secondary Level Salary Range: $114,000.00 - $213,400.00The above salary range represents a general guideline; however, Northrop Grumman considers a number of factors when determining base salary offers such as the scope and responsibilities of the position and the candidate's experience, education, skills and current market conditions.Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. Annual bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results. Employees in Vice President or Director positions may be eligible for Long Term Incentives. In addition, Northrop Grumman provides a variety of benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, Company paid holidays and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business.The application period for the job is estimated to be 20 days from the job posting date. However, this timeline may be shortened or extended depending on business needs and the availability of qualified candidates.Northrop Grumman is an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. For our complete EEO and pay transparency statement, please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.

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About Northrop Grumman

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work - and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible.

Industry

Space research administration

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Falls Church, VA, US

Year founded

1939

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