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Design Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Cartesia

Design Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$180K - $250K/yr

About the Role Cartesia is hiring a Design Engineer to work on React design systems and product polish on our web surfaces. Your Impact * Own the appearance of our web-based surfaces, with high ...

ControlsJobs

BAS Design Engineer

San Jose, CA · On-site

$85K - $140K/yr

BAS Design Engineer - San Jose, CA - $85,000 to $140,000 + Excellent Benefits + Office-Based RoleAbout the Opportunity: A long-standing, stable Building Automation contractor is seeking a skilled BAS ...

Infotech Sourcing

Design Engineer V

Sunnyvale, CA · Hybrid

Core Engineering - Design Engineer V Duration:6 months with possible extension Location: US - CA - Sunnyvale Hybrid Role: ASIC Power Engineer DUTIES ASIC Power Engineer to perform power analysis and ...

Infotech Sourcing

Design Engineer V

Sunnyvale, CA · On-site

Core Engineering - Design Engineer V Duration:6 months with possible extension Location: US - CA - Sunnyvale Hybrid Role: ASIC Power Engineer DUTIES ASIC Power Engineer to perform power analysis and ...

Serval

Design Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

As the first Design Engineer, you will collaborate with design and engineering teams to create high-quality frontend experiences, ensuring precision in translating designs into production-ready code.

Orthofix

Design Engineer

Carlsbad, CA · On-site

JOB PURPOSE As a Design Engineer on our Product Development Team, you'll collaborate with other engineers and work cross-functionally with our Marketing, Regulatory, Manufacturing, and Quality teams ...

Gumloop

Design Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

Role Overview We're looking for a Product Design Engineer to help shape, design, and build high-craft product experiences end to end. This role sits at the intersection of product, design, and ...

Roblox

Design Engineer

San Mateo, CA · On-site

$163K - $202K/yr

As a Design Engineer on the Design Acceleration team, you'll be an individual contributor focused on evolving the systems and processes which power Roblox's design organization through scalable ...

Belcan

Design Engineer

San Diego, CA · On-site

$145K - $170K/yr

Design Engineer Location: San Diego, CA Zip Code: 92123 Duration: 7 Months Pay Rate: $145k-$170k DOE Keyword's: #SanDiegojobs; #DesignEngineerjobs ; Start Date: Immediate We provide a competitive pay ...

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Sim

Design Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$160K - $220K/yr

Your work blends UI/UX design with engineering, shaping the interface, experience, and real-time systems at the heart of our product. Sim has been called "Figma for AI agents," and you'll push this ...

Replit

Design Engineer

Foster City, CA · On-site

$180K - $290K/yr

About the role: We're seeking a Design Engineer to bridge the gap between design and engineering at Replit. In this role, you'll help shape our design system implementation, architect front-end ...

Cervélo

Design Engineer

Aliso Viejo, CA · On-site

The Design Engineer is a core member of the Product Development Team. Product Development's mission is the timely delivery of new products and technologies to market. The DE conceptualizes and ...

Console Systems, Inc

Design Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$200K - $350K/yr

The Role As a Design Engineer at Console, you'll be responsible for the touches that make our product feel like magic. You will work closely with the product and design, and build out the front-end ...

Santacruzbicycles

Design Engineer

Aliso Viejo, CA

The Design Engineer is a core member of the Product Development Team. Product Development's mission is the timely delivery of new products and technologies to market. The DE conceptualizes and ...

Serval Inc

Design Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$175K - $300K/yr

As Serval's first Design Engineer, you are first and foremost a great frontend engineer - someone who's exceptional at React, ships fast, and genuinely cares about UI quality and design craft. You ...

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All JobsDesign Engineer JobsDesign Engineer Jobs in California

Design Engineer information

See California salary details

$40K

$87K

$156.4K

How much do design engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 5, 2026, the average yearly pay for design engineer in California is $86,995.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $67,100.00 and $97,200.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

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

To thrive as a Design Engineer, you need a solid background in engineering principles, CAD software proficiency, and a relevant engineering degree. Familiarity with tools like SolidWorks, AutoCAD, and simulation software, along with certifications such as Professional Engineer (PE), are commonly required. Creativity, problem-solving, and effective communication are standout soft skills for collaborating with teams and translating ideas into workable designs. These abilities ensure innovative, efficient, and manufacturable solutions that meet both technical and client requirements.

What is the difference between Design Engineer vs Mechanical Engineer?

AspectDesign EngineerMechanical Engineer
Required CredentialsBachelor's in Engineering, Design certifications often preferredBachelor's in Mechanical Engineering, Professional Engineer (PE) license optional
Work EnvironmentDesign offices, CAD software, project planningManufacturing plants, labs, fieldwork, CAD and testing
Employer & Industry UsageProduct design firms, automotive, aerospace, consumer goodsManufacturing, automotive, aerospace, energy sectors

Design Engineers focus on creating and developing product designs using CAD tools, while Mechanical Engineers often work on the broader application, testing, and manufacturing of mechanical systems. Both roles require engineering degrees, but Design Engineers typically emphasize design skills and software proficiency, whereas Mechanical Engineers may engage more in analysis and system integration.

What does a Design Engineer do?

A Design Engineer is responsible for creating and developing new products, systems, or structures by combining engineering principles with creative design. They use computer-aided design (CAD) software to produce detailed drawings and specifications, working closely with other engineers and teams to ensure functionality, safety, and cost-effectiveness. Design Engineers are involved in every stage of product development, from initial concept through prototyping, testing, and final production. Their work often requires problem-solving skills, technical knowledge, and the ability to communicate ideas clearly.

How does a Design Engineer typically collaborate with other departments during a project?

Design Engineers regularly work alongside teams such as manufacturing, quality assurance, and product management to ensure that designs are both innovative and feasible for production. Collaboration often involves participating in cross-functional meetings, reviewing prototypes, and incorporating feedback from various stakeholders. This teamwork is essential to address technical and practical challenges early in the design process, which ultimately helps in delivering a successful product to market. Strong communication and adaptability are key skills for thriving in this collaborative environment.

What Is a Design Engineer?

Design engineers develop ideas for new products and determine ways to improve existing products. As a design engineer, you put a creative perspective on your technical engineering knowledge to perform your job duties, which include creating sketches of design ideas and using Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software to generate plans for prototypes. To ensure the product is viable, you also evaluate other aspects of the product design, such as safety, cost, sustainability, aesthetics, and user experience. You collaborate with a team of technicians and other engineers to run tests, troubleshoot problems, and ultimately produce a newly designed product.

More about Design Engineer jobs
What are the most commonly searched types of Design Engineer jobs in California? The most popular types of Design Engineer jobs in California are:
What are popular job titles related to Design Engineer jobs in California? For Design Engineer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Design Engineer jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Design Engineer jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Design Engineer jobs? Cities in California with the most Design Engineer job openings:
What are popular job titles related to Design Engineer jobs in CA? For Design Engineer jobs in CA, the most frequently searched job titles are:
Design Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Design Engineer job openings in California as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 96% Full Time, 2% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 86% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 10% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $86,995 per year, or $41.8 per hour.

Design Engineer

Cartesia

San Francisco, CA • On-site

$180K - $250K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Posted 9 days ago

Job description

About Cartesia
Our mission is to architect AI that learns from and interacts with the world like humans do.
We're pioneering the model architectures that will make this possible. Our founding team met as PhDs at the Stanford AI Lab, where we invented State Space Models or SSMs, a new primitive for training efficient, large-scale foundation models. Our team combines deep expertise in model innovation and systems engineering paired with a design-minded product engineering team to build and ship cutting edge models and experiences.
We're funded by leading investors at Index Ventures and Lightspeed Venture Partners, along with Factory, Conviction, A Star, General Catalyst, SV Angel, Databricks and others. We're fortunate to have the support of many amazing advisors, and 90+ angels across many industries, including the world's foremost experts in AI.
About the Role
Cartesia is hiring a Design Engineer to work on React design systems and product polish on our web surfaces.
Your Impact
  • Own the appearance of our web-based surfaces, with high agency to proactively fix design and performance issues.
  • Design and implement UI features from scratch.
  • Work on last-mile polish, making sure every pixel counts.
  • Develop and maintain a React design system intended to multiply product engineering velocity.
  • Build a process that enables Cartesia to proactively identify gaps & opportunities in the design of its web surfaces.

What You Bring
  • 2+ years of experience
  • Exceptional at both design and engineering
  • Ability to spot pixel-level imperfections in digital interfaces; on the engineering side
  • Proficient in TypeScript, with a focus on writing well-typed, maintainable code
  • Portfolio (website or social profile) showcasing design engineering work
  • Perfectionism in the fundamentals: last-mile polish, clear copy, accessibility, and web performance
  • Experiencing developing and maintaining React-based design systems from scratch

Nice-To-Haves
  • Experience working with shadcn/ui, Radix Primitives, or Base UI
  • Experience optimizing React interfaces to minimize renders, possibly with profiling tools like React Scan

Note: Cartesia participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with Form I-9 information to confirm employment eligibility after hire.
More Details
In-office policy: We're an in-person team based out of offices in S San Francisco, GB London and I Bangalore. We love being in the office, hanging out together, and learning from each other every day.
Visa sponsorship: We provide visa sponsorship support and assess each circumstance on a case-by-case basis. However, visa sponsorship is dependent on many factors, including the role you are applying for, and the location you are going to be based, and so we can't always guarantee success. Your Recruiter will work with you to understand your visa sponsorship needs from the first call.
We ship fast. All of our work is novel and cutting edge, and execution speed is paramount. We have a high bar, and we don't sacrifice quality or design along the way.
We support each other. We have an open & inclusive culture that's focused on giving everyone the resources they need to succeed.
Our Benefits (US Employees Only)
Compensation Competitive base salary alongside attractive equity package.
Health Insurance Fully covered medical insurance along with dental and vision for you and your family.
Parental Leave 9 weeks paternity & 12 weeks maternity leave
401(k)
Commuter Allowance A monthly stipend to help you get to and from the office.
Flexible PTO Take as much time as you need to recharge your batteries.
Meals & Snacks Lunch, dinner and plenty of snacks, provided daily.
Your own personal Yoshi
Our Commitment to Equal Opportunity
Cartesia is an equal opportunity employer. We consider qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status.

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