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Defense Software Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Palantir

$10K/mo

As a Defense Tech Software Engineer Intern, you'll have an opportunity to grow more quickly than you ever envisioned, as you contribute high-quality code directly to Palantir's Gotham product.

TEKsystems

Software Engineer

Redondo Beach, CA

$45 - $75/hr

Description We are seeking Intermediate and Sr. Software Engineers to support a mission-critical national security program focused on advanced ground, space, and defense systems. This role offers the ...

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Defense Software Engineer information

See California salary details

$62.7K

$145.6K

$202.8K

How much do defense software engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 13, 2026, the average yearly pay for defense software engineer in California is $145,592.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $118,400.00 and $170,700.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a defense software engineer?

A Defense Software Engineer develops, tests, and maintains software for military and defense applications. They work on secure, mission-critical systems such as weapons control, cybersecurity, and communication networks. Their role requires proficiency in programming languages, security protocols, and compliance with defense standards. Due to the nature of the industry, security clearances and adherence to classified information policies are often required.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the defense software engineer position, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Defense Software Engineer, you need expertise in software development, a strong grasp of cybersecurity principles, and familiarity with defense industry standards, typically demonstrated by a degree in computer science, engineering, or a related field. Experience with programming languages such as C++, Java, or Python, knowledge of real-time operating systems, and certifications like Security+ or CISSP are often required. Attention to detail, problem-solving abilities, and the capacity to work collaboratively in multidisciplinary teams are valuable soft skills. These competencies ensure that complex, secure, and mission-critical software solutions are effectively developed and maintained to meet stringent defense requirements.

What types of projects and technologies do defense software engineers typically work on?

Defense Software Engineers often work on projects involving the development and maintenance of software for military systems, such as radar, communications, simulation, or weapons control platforms. They frequently use technologies like embedded systems, secure coding practices, and specialized hardware interfaces. Project work can range from upgrading legacy systems to designing cutting-edge capabilities, often requiring adherence to rigorous security and compliance protocols. Collaboration with systems engineers, hardware teams, and government stakeholders is typical, offering a dynamic and mission-driven work environment. This exposure helps engineers build specialized expertise while contributing directly to national security initiatives.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Defense Software Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Defense Software Engineer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Internship, 85% Full Time, 9% Part Time, 2% Temporary, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $145,592 per year, or $70 per hour.

Staff Software Engineer, Air Defense

Anduril Industries

Irvine, CA

Full-time

Re-posted 16 days ago

Anduril rating

9.1

Company rating: 9.1 out of 10

Anduril

Based on 17 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

7.4

Company rating compared to similar companies: 7.4 out of 10

Manufacturers average

Based on 75,298 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

Job description

ABOUT THE TEAM

The Air Defense team builds robots that find other robots and knock them out of the sky. At a time when air superiority can no longer be taken for granted, the Air Defense Team provides mission critical capabilities to warfighters. From detection to tracking, identification, deterrence, and defeat, our family of networked sensors and effectors enables our customers to rapidly close the kill chain against a broad range of Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) threats. Working across product, engineering, sales, logistics, operations, and mission success, the Air Defense team develops, tests, deploys, and sustains the Anduril Air Defense Family of Systems (FoS) in challenging operational environments worldwide.

ABOUT THE JOB

We're seeking a Staff Software Engineer to join our rapidly growing team in Irvine, CA. As a Staff Software Engineer, you will solve a wide variety of problems involving networking, autonomy, systems integration, robotics, and more, while making pragmatic engineering tradeoffs along the way. Your efforts will ensure that Anduril products seamlessly work together to achieve a variety of critical outcomes. Above all, Mission Software Engineers are driven by a "Whatever It Takes" mindset-executing in an expedient, scalable, and pragmatic way while keeping the mission top-of-mind and making sound engineering decisions to deliver successful outcomes correctly, on-time, and with high quality.

WHAT YOU'LL DO 

  • Own the software solutions that are deployed to customers
  • Write code to improve products and scale the mission capability to more customers
  • Collaborate across multiple teams to plan, build, and test complex functionality
  • Create and analyze metrics that are leveraged for debugging and monitoring
  • Triage issues, root cause failures, and coordinate next steps
  • Partner with end-users to turn needs into features while balancing user experience with engineering constraints
  • Travel up to 30% of time to build, test, and deploy capabilities in the real world

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS 

  • Strong engineering background from industry or school, ideally in areas/fields such as Computer Science, Software Engineering, Mathematics, or Physics
  • 10+ years working with a variety of programming languages such as Python, C++, Rust, Go, JavaScript, etc.
  • Strong Experience with React and Javascript/TypeScript
  • Experience building software solutions involving significant amounts of data processing and analysis
  • Ability to quickly understand and navigate complex systems and established code bases
  • A desire to work on critical software that has a real-world impact
  • Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • Strong background with focus in Physics, Mathematics, and/or Motion Planning to inform modeling & simulation (M&S) and physical systems
  • Developing and testing multi-agent autonomous systems and deploying in real-world environments
  • Feature and algorithm development with an understanding of behavior trees
  • Developing software/hardware for flight systems and safety critical functionality
  • Distributed communication networks and message standards
  • Knowledge of military systems and operational tactics

Working at Anduril

About Anduril, in their own words

From Anduril

As the world enters an era of strategic competition, Anduril delivers cutting-edge autonomy, AI, computer vision, sensor fusion, and networking technology to the warfighter in months, not years.

What Anduril employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom

Anduril Industries logo

About Anduril Industries

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Anduril Industries is a trailblazer in the technology industry based in Costa Mesa, CA, US. Founded in 2017 by Palmer Luckey, the creator of Oculus VR, the company focuses on developing innovative technology to equip and empower those in the defense sector. Its primary products include cutting-edge autonomous systems and AI software that assist in combating threats to national and global security. The mission of Anduril Industries is to integrate technology and defense by building transformative, scalable solutions that ensure a safer world.

Industry

Guided missile and space vehicle manufacturing

Company size

501 - 1,000 Employees

Headquarters location

Costa Mesa, CA, US

Year founded

2017

Social media

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