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Defense Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Chipton Ross Inc.

GNC Engineer

Sunnyvale, CA · On-site

$75 - $85/hr

Company Description Join Chipton-Ross, one of the nation's leading staffing firms supporting the aerospace, defense, engineering, and technology industries.

New

Skylimit Systems

Project Engineer

Simi Valley, CA

$105K - $140K/yr

About the Role Join a growing aerospace and defense engineering organization leading the development and production of mission-critical technologies supporting space, defense, and national security ...

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Showing results 21-40

All JobsDefense Engineer JobsDefense Engineer Jobs in California

Defense Engineer information

See California salary details

$35.7K

$103K

$159.6K

How much do defense engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 16, 2026, the average yearly pay for defense engineer in California is $103,038.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $75,890.00 and $127,789.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

How do defense engineers typically collaborate with multidisciplinary teams during project development?

Defense Engineers frequently work alongside professionals from various disciplines, including software developers, systems analysts, project managers, and manufacturing specialists. Effective communication and teamwork are essential, as complex defense projects require integrating multiple technologies and adhering to strict security protocols. Regular meetings, technical reviews, and cross-functional design sessions are common, ensuring that engineering solutions meet both technical requirements and regulatory standards. Being adaptable and open to feedback from different perspectives is key to success in this collaborative environment.

What is the difference between Defense Engineer vs Systems Engineer?

AspectDefense EngineerSystems Engineer
Required CredentialsBachelor's in Engineering, Security Clearances often preferredBachelor's or Master's in Engineering, Systems or related fields
Work EnvironmentDefense contractors, government agencies, military projectsVarious industries including aerospace, IT, manufacturing
Employer & Industry UsagePrimarily defense and military sectorsBroad industry use, including defense, tech, and aerospace
Common Search & ComparisonOften compared for technical and security aspectsCompared for project management and system integration skills

Defense Engineers focus on designing and developing military and defense systems, often requiring security clearances and working within defense sectors. Systems Engineers have a broader role in integrating complex systems across various industries, including defense, but with less emphasis on security clearances. Both roles require engineering backgrounds but differ in industry focus and project scope.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a defense engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Defense Engineer, you need a strong background in engineering principles, problem-solving, and systems design, typically supported by a degree in engineering or a related field and security clearance. Familiarity with CAD software, modeling tools, and knowledge of defense industry standards or certifications like ITAR compliance is often required. Critical thinking, attention to detail, and effective teamwork are essential soft skills for success in this role. These skills and qualities ensure the development of reliable, secure, and innovative defense systems that meet stringent safety and regulatory requirements.

What is a defense engineer?

Defense Engineers are professionals who design, develop, and maintain technologies and systems used for national defense and security. Their work may include developing weapons, surveillance equipment, communications systems, and protective gear for military use. They often collaborate with government agencies and defense contractors to ensure that products meet stringent safety and performance standards. Defense Engineers apply principles from fields such as mechanical, electrical, and aerospace engineering to solve complex challenges related to defense technology.

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

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

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

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

What cities in California are hiring for Defense Engineer jobs?

Cities in California with the most Defense Engineer job openings:

Defense Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Defense Engineer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 88% Full Time, 5% Part Time, 2% Temporary, and 5% Contract. Highlights an 86% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $103,038 per year, or $49.5 per hour.

Software Engineer- Cybersecurity and Cryptography

Xona

Burlingame, CA • On-site

Full-time

Re-posted 19 days ago

Job description

Job Summary:
Xona is a navigational intelligence company focused on providing real-time positioning solutions. They are seeking a high-caliber Software Engineer specializing in Cybersecurity and Cryptography to lead the development of production-grade ground segment software that protects their satellite constellation and sensitive data.
Responsibilities:
• Design and implement production-ready cryptographic modules for key management, identity and access management (IAM), and secure communication protocols (e.g., TLS, AES-GCM, ECC).
• Apply rigorous defensive programming techniques to eliminate common vulnerabilities (buffer overflows, integer underflows, race conditions) and ensure software resilience against adversarial inputs.
• Develop secure data-at-rest solutions for persistent memory (PMEM) architectures, ensuring that sensitive cryptographic material stored in non-volatile RAM is encrypted and protected against cold-boot or physical extraction attacks.
• Lead the development of high-availability ground station software that manages the security lifecycle of the satellite constellation.
• Integrate Hardware Security Modules (HSMs) and Trusted Platform Modules (TPMs) into the ground infrastructure to ensure secure key storage and signing operations.
Qualifications:
Required:
• Cryptographic Implementation: Design and implement production-ready cryptographic modules for key management, identity and access management (IAM), and secure communication protocols (e.g., TLS, AES-GCM, ECC).
• Defensive Programming: Apply rigorous defensive programming techniques to eliminate common vulnerabilities (buffer overflows, integer underflows, race conditions) and ensure software resilience against adversarial inputs.
• Persistent Memory Integration: Develop secure data-at-rest solutions for persistent memory (PMEM) architectures, ensuring that sensitive cryptographic material stored in non-volatile RAM is encrypted and protected against cold-boot or physical extraction attacks.
• Ground Software Development: Lead the development of high-availability ground station software that manages the security lifecycle of the satellite constellation.
• Root of Trust & HSM Integration: Integrate Hardware Security Modules (HSMs) and Trusted Platform Modules (TPMs) into the ground infrastructure to ensure secure key storage and signing operations.
• Experience: 5+ years of software engineering experience with a heavy focus on security-sensitive applications.
• Languages: Mastery of C/C++ with a focus on memory-safe patterns and defensive coding standards (e.g., MISRA C, SEI CERT). Proficiency in Python for security tooling.
• Systems Programming: Direct experience programming for persistent memory or non-volatile storage, including an understanding of memory-mapped files and data consistency models.
• Applied Cryptography: Deep understanding of symmetric/asymmetric encryption, digital signatures, hashing, and Public Key Infrastructure (PKI).
• Security Infrastructure: Hands-on experience with Cloud Security (AWS), Kubernetes security, and automated CI/CD security scanning (SAST/DAST).
• For U.S. Roles: To comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the United States (i.e. Green Card holder), or other protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).
• For U.K. Roles: To comply with U.K. regulations, this role requires Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks, and successful candidates must be eligible to obtain UK Security Clearance (SC).
• For Canada Roles: Successful candidates must obtain and hold a security clearance at the reliability status level, and pass security assessment for the Canadian Controlled Goods Program (CGP) and ITAR.
Preferred:
• Experience with Satellite Ground Segment software or aerospace communications.
• Knowledge of Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) standards.
• Familiarity with hardware-level security and side-channel attack mitigation.
• Experience implementing Zero Trust architecture in hybrid-cloud environments.
Company:
Xona develops satellite navigation services delivering positioning, navigation, and timing data via a low Earth orbit network. Founded in 2019, the company is headquartered in Burlingame, USA, with a team of 51-200 employees. The company is currently Growth Stage.

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