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Director Of Software Development Jobs in California

Diality

Director, Software Engineering

Irvine, CA · Hybrid

$223K - $260K/yr

The Director of Software Engineering reports to Director of Product Development and leads Diality's Software Engineering and Software Verification & Validation organizations. This role serves as the ...

Diality Inc

Director, Software Engineering

Irvine, CA · On-site

$223K - $260K/yr

The Director of Software Engineering reports to Director of Product Development and leads Diality's Software Engineering and Software Verification & Validation organizations. This role serves as the ...

OneSpan

Director, Software Development

San Jose, CA · On-site

Trusted by 60% of the world's top 100 banks, we protect over 300 million endpoints globally with ... We're looking for a Director of Software Development to join our team in San Jose, CA . You will ...

Fervo Energy Company

Director of Software Engineering

Oakland, CA · On-site

$290K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Position Description Fervo is hiring a Director of Software Engineering to build and lead the ... Lead the development of internal applications that translate data and operational context into ...

Fervo Energy

Director of Software Engineering

Oakland, CA · On-site

$290K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Position Description Fervo is hiring a Director of Software Engineering to build and lead the ... Lead the development of internal applications that translate data and operational context into ...

Cadence

Director of Software Security

San Jose, CA · On-site

Cadence is a technology company seeking a Director of Software Security to lead secure software development practices across the enterprise. This role involves driving DevSecOps transformation ...

Agilent

Software Development Director

Santa Clara, CA · On-site

$213K - $333K/yr

... are seeking a Software Development Director to lead global software R&D teams within the ... You will drive the delivery of software solutions for regulated life sciences applications ...

Agilent

Software Development Director

Santa Clara, CA · Hybrid

$213K - $333K/yr

... are seeking a Software Development Director to lead global software R&D teams within the ... You will drive the delivery of software solutions for regulated life sciences applications ...

Cadence Design Systems

Director of Software Security

San Jose, CA · On-site

$164.50 - $305.50/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Cadence InfoSec is seeking a Director of Software Security to lead the strategy, architecture, and execution of secure software development practices across the enterprise. This role will drive ...

Socket.dev

Director, Software Engineering

San Diego, CA · On-site

$205 - $220/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

JOB SUMMARY Truvian is seeking a Director of Software Engineering to lead software development for ... its recently FDA-cleared blood testing platform, TruVerus(TM). This role will follow software ...

OneSpan

Director, Software Development

San Jose, CA · On-site

$230 - $315/hr

Trusted by 60% of the world's top 100 banks, we protect over 300 million endpoints globally with ... We\'re looking for a Director of Software Development to join our team in San Jose, CA . You will ...

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Showing results 21-40

All JobsOf Software Development JobsDirector Of Software Development JobsDirector Of Software Development Jobs in California

Director Of Software Development information

See California salary details

$103.1K

$175.6K

$237.8K

How much do director of software development jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 18, 2026, the average yearly pay for director of software development in California is $175,648.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $151,000.00 and $203,800.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a director of software development do?

As a director of software development, your responsibilities are to oversee the organization and daily operations of a software development department. You manage multiple projects, meet with customers to determine their needs, and then pass on the work to project managers who assemble development teams that include QA testers, coders, programmers, and developers. As the director of the department, you are also responsible for HR and administrative duties, such as hiring and orienting new employees and meeting regularly with other department directors.

What does a director of software development do?

A Director of Software Development leads and manages software engineering teams, overseeing the design, development, and delivery of software products. They are responsible for setting technical direction, ensuring high-quality code, mentoring managers and engineers, and aligning software projects with business goals. Additionally, they collaborate with other departments, manage budgets, and help develop strategic plans to ensure the success of software initiatives within the organization.

What are some common challenges faced by a director of software development, and how can they be effectively managed?

Directors of Software Development often encounter challenges such as balancing strategic leadership with day-to-day technical oversight, aligning team goals with business objectives, and managing multiple projects with competing priorities. Effective communication across cross-functional teams and stakeholders is crucial for success. To navigate these challenges, directors typically implement agile methodologies, foster a culture of continuous improvement, and prioritize mentorship and career development for their teams.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a director of software development, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Director Of Software Development, you need extensive experience in software engineering, strong leadership abilities, and often a degree in computer science or a related field. Familiarity with agile methodologies, cloud platforms, project management tools, and relevant certifications such as PMP or Scrum Master are commonly expected. Excellent communication, strategic thinking, and conflict resolution skills help you lead teams and align technology goals with business objectives. These skills ensure effective project delivery, team motivation, and a strong alignment between technical solutions and organizational strategy.

What is the difference between Director Of Software Development vs Software Engineering Manager?

AspectDirector Of Software DevelopmentSoftware Engineering Manager
ResponsibilitiesOversees multiple teams, strategic planning, and long-term goalsManages day-to-day engineering teams, project execution, and technical guidance
Required CredentialsBachelor's/Master's in CS or related, leadership experienceBachelor's/Master's in CS or related, technical expertise
Work EnvironmentExecutive-level, cross-department collaborationTechnical team management, project-focused
Industry UsageCommon in large organizations and tech companiesCommon in mid to large tech companies and startups

The main difference is that the Director Of Software Development focuses on strategic leadership and overseeing multiple teams, while the Software Engineering Manager handles daily technical management and project execution. Both roles require technical background and leadership skills, but the director role is more strategic and broad in scope.

More about Director Of Software Development jobs

What are the most commonly searched types of Of Software Development jobs in California?

The most popular types of Of Software Development jobs in California are:

What are popular job titles related to Director Of Software Development jobs in California?

For Director Of Software Development jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Director Of Software Development jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Director Of Software Development jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Director Of Software Development jobs?

Cities in California with the most Director Of Software Development job openings:

Director Of Software Development jobs near you
Infographic showing various Director Of Software Development job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 86% Full Time, 11% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 89% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $175,648 per year, or $84.4 per hour.

Senior Director of Software Engineering

GPL Technologies

Los Angeles, CA • On-site

$272K/yr

Other

Posted 6 days ago

Job description

Senior Director of Software Engineering
ABOUT US
Since 2003, GPL Technologies has helped studios around the world run faster, more reliable production environments. Trusted by 500+ studios in media, entertainment, post-production, and VFX, our team of engineers, consultants, and specialists understands the real pressure of creative deadlines. Our services span managed IT, software services, security & compliance (TPN), cloud, and production-ready technical staffing.
THE ROLE
GPL Technologies is recruiting a Senior Director of Software Engineering on behalf of our client. This is a hands-on technical leadership role reporting to the SVP of Technology, leading the software development function while remaining actively involved in building software. You will write production code, design solutions, make architecture decisions, review code, troubleshoot complex issues, and lead a team of 5-10 engineers. This is not a meetings-only management position; the role requires staying close to the technology and contributing directly to development.
The client's environment is primarily Microsoft Azure, but they are not tied to a specific programming language or framework. They value strong engineering fundamentals, modern cloud architecture, adaptability, and the ability to select the right technology for the problem.
A major focus of this role is AI-native software development. You will actively use tools such as Cursor, Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, AI coding agents, and LLM APIs to build software, and will help establish how AI is applied throughout the engineering lifecycle, with AI amplifying strong engineering judgment rather than replacing it. Our client is looking for a leader who builds: someone equally comfortable partnering with executive leadership on business problems, developing technical strategy, guiding the engineering team, reviewing architecture, mentoring developers, debugging production issues, and writing production code.
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
  • Lead, mentor, and develop a software engineering team of 5-10
  • Personally write and ship production code
  • Design and build applications, APIs, integrations, automation, and internal tools
  • Own software architecture, technical direction, engineering standards, software quality, security, and reliability
  • Use AI-assisted development tools (Cursor, Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, AI coding agents) as part of the daily development workflow
  • Establish standards for AI-assisted coding, testing, debugging, documentation, and code review, and help the engineering team become highly effective at developing software with AI
  • Design scalable, secure, and reliable solutions within Microsoft Azure
  • Review code and help engineers solve complex technical problems
  • Improve engineering practices including CI/CD, automated testing, deployment, monitoring, and observability
  • Identify and reduce technical debt
  • Lead technical planning, development priorities, resource planning, delivery commitments, and the technical roadmap
  • Partner with the SVP of Technology and business leaders to translate business needs into software solutions
  • Identify opportunities where AI, automation, and custom development can improve business operations
  • Evaluate emerging AI tools, models, frameworks, development platforms, and technologies
  • Recruit, coach, and develop engineering talent as the team grows

WHAT YOU NEED TO SUCCEED
  • 10+ years of professional software engineering experience
  • 5+ years of engineering leadership or management experience
  • Significant hands-on experience designing and building production software; currently coding and committed to remaining hands-on
  • Experience leading software engineering teams and developing technical talent
  • Strong software architecture and system-design skills
  • Experience building modern applications, APIs, integrations, and cloud-based systems
  • Strong experience with Microsoft Azure or comparable cloud platforms
  • Strong understanding of databases, APIs, authentication, application security, distributed systems, and cloud architecture
  • Experience with modern DevOps practices, CI/CD, automated testing, monitoring, and source control
  • Demonstrated hands-on use of Cursor, Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, or similar AI development tools and coding agents
  • Experience with agentic development workflows and LLM APIs such as OpenAI, Anthropic, or similar platforms
  • Practical use of AI for code generation, refactoring, testing, debugging, documentation, and prototyping
  • Experience with prompt and context engineering, generative AI applications, RAG, AI agents, or workflow automation
  • Ability to evaluate emerging AI tools based on security, quality, productivity, and business value
  • Ability to quickly evaluate and adopt new technologies, frameworks, and development approaches
  • Strong problem-solving and debugging skills
  • Experience taking complex projects from concept through architecture, development, deployment, and production support
  • Strong communication skills with both technical teams and senior business leaders

NICE TO HAVE
Familiarity with the following Microsoft Azure technologies is valuable. Experience with every service is not required; our client is looking for someone who understands cloud architecture and can quickly learn the services needed to build the right solution.
  • Azure App Services, Azure Functions, Azure Container Apps
  • Azure SQL, Azure Storage, Azure Service Bus
  • Azure Key Vault, Azure API Management, Application Insights
  • Microsoft Entra ID, Azure DevOps and/or GitHub Actions

Apply