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Engineering Graphics Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Principal Graphics Engineer

Santa Clara, CA

$164K - $203K/yr

We are equally interested in candidates with a deep graphics engineering background (game engines, browser graphics, GPU systems, real-time rendering) and candidates from adjacent low-level systems ...

Senior Graphics Engineer

Sunnyvale, CA

$164K - $203K/yr

Senior Graphics Engineer 100% Remote 6 months contract(with possibility of extension) Desired ... engineering, or related technical fields, or equivalent practical experience #TB_EN #ZR Why ...

Graphics Software Engineer, Staff

San Diego, CA · On-site

$148K - $183K/yr

Engineering Group, Engineering Group > Graphics Software Engineering General Summary: As a leading technology innovator, Qualcomm pushes the boundaries of what's possible to enable next-generation ...

CAD Graphics Engine Software Engineer

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$150K - $186K/yr

About The Role We're looking for a Graphics Engine Software Engineer to join our growing team to help us build out the core functionality of our next-generation CAD Graphics Engine! In this role, you ...

What the Role Entails LightSpeed LA is seeking for a talented and enthusiastic Senior Graphics Engineer to join our new studio in sunny Irvine California. The ideal candidate will have a strong ...

Senior Graphics Engineer

Irvine, CA · On-site

$116K - $269K/yr

What the Role Entails LightSpeed LA is seeking for a talented and enthusiastic Senior Graphics Engineer to join our new studio in sunny Irvine California. The ideal candidate will have a strong ...

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Engineering Graphics information

See California salary details

$61.7K

$140.6K

$172.7K

How much do engineering graphics jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 22, 2026, the average yearly pay for engineering graphics in California is $140,603.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $138,200.00 and $156,900.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Engineering Graphics vs Drafting?

AspectEngineering GraphicsDrafting
CredentialsTypically requires a diploma or degree in engineering or technical drawingOften requires a certificate or diploma in drafting or technical drawing
Work EnvironmentDesign studios, engineering firms, manufacturing companiesArchitectural firms, engineering offices, manufacturing plants
Industry UsageUsed across engineering disciplines for creating detailed technical drawingsPrimarily used for producing precise technical drawings and plans

Engineering Graphics and Drafting are closely related roles involving technical drawing creation. Engineering Graphics often encompasses a broader scope, including conceptual design and visualization, while Drafting focuses specifically on producing detailed technical drawings. Both roles require similar skills and certifications, and they are integral to engineering and manufacturing industries.

What are engineering graphics?

Engineering graphics are visual representations and drawings used by engineers and designers to communicate ideas, technical information, and specifications for engineering projects. These graphics include technical drawings, diagrams, schematics, and blueprints that detail the dimensions, materials, and assembly of components or systems. Mastery of engineering graphics is essential for accurately conveying design intent and ensuring that manufactured products meet required standards. Modern engineering graphics often utilize computer-aided design (CAD) software to create precise and detailed drawings.

How do Engineering Graphics professionals typically collaborate with engineers and designers during a project?

Engineering Graphics professionals work closely with engineers and designers to translate conceptual ideas and technical requirements into precise visual representations, such as CAD drawings or schematics. They often participate in project meetings to clarify design intent, incorporate feedback, and ensure that all graphical documentation aligns with industry standards and project specifications. Effective communication and attention to detail are key, as their work forms the basis for manufacturing, construction, or further design iterations.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an Engineering Graphics professional, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Engineering Graphics professional, you need strong spatial reasoning, technical drawing skills, and a background in engineering principles, often supported by a degree in engineering or drafting. Proficiency with CAD software such as AutoCAD, SolidWorks, or Revit, along with knowledge of industry standards, is essential. Attention to detail, creativity, and strong communication skills help you accurately interpret requirements and collaborate with engineers and designers. These skills ensure precise technical documentation, effective collaboration, and the successful realization of engineering projects.

What engineers make $500,000?

Senior engineering roles in fields such as petroleum engineering, aerospace engineering, and software engineering can reach or exceed $500,000 annually, especially with experience, advanced skills, and leadership responsibilities. High compensation often involves bonuses, stock options, or profit sharing, particularly in the tech and energy sectors.

What jobs can you get with engineering, graphics, and design?

Engineering graphics skills are essential for roles such as CAD technician, mechanical drafter, civil engineer, or design engineer, where creating technical drawings and models is required. These jobs often involve using software like AutoCAD or SolidWorks and may require relevant certifications or a degree in engineering or design. They are typically found in manufacturing, construction, aerospace, automotive, and product development industries.

Is engineering graphics a good career?

Engineering graphics is a valuable skill used in designing and visualizing engineering projects, often requiring proficiency in CAD software and technical drawing standards. It offers opportunities in manufacturing, construction, and product design, with a typical work environment involving detailed planning and collaboration. Career prospects depend on industry demand and individual skill development.

What does a graphics engineer do?

A graphics engineer designs and develops visual content, such as computer graphics, animations, and rendering techniques, often working with software tools like OpenGL or DirectX. They may also optimize graphics performance and collaborate with developers and artists to create realistic visuals for games, simulations, or visualizations.
What are popular job titles related to Engineering Graphics jobs in California? For Engineering Graphics jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
Infographic showing various Engineering Graphics job openings in California as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 40% Full Time, and 60% Part Time. Highlights an 83% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 13% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $140,603 per year, or $67.6 per hour.

Principal Graphics Engineer

Parallelz

Santa Clara, CA

$164K - $203K/yr

Other

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement

Posted 12 days ago


Job description

About Parallelz

Parallelz is building a new technology platform that enables new ways of delivering, discovering, and extending mobile applications, ways that were never thought possible. We allow developers to, with no modifications to their code, transform existing mobile apps into web-native apps that can run anywhere, all without a walled garden app store.

You will be getting in at a pivotal stage, contributing to the technical strategic roadmap, helping build a world-class technical team, and working in a small, agile, flat organization to evolve our R&D initiatives into a live, scaled operational platform that will have an impact across the industry.

Parallelz is an AI-native organization. We expect every engineer to use AI tools and agentic systems as a core part of how they design, build, debug, and ship. Not as a side experiment, but as a multiplier on judgment, velocity, and quality.

Our founding team and advisors are serial entrepreneurs and technologists from Google, Mozilla, MIT Media Labs, and other top organizations. The company is joined by top-tier and global venture funds and angel investors.

About the Role

We are seeking a passionate and resilient Principal Graphics Engineer to own a foundational piece of our infrastructure: the rendering and runtime layer that lets unmodified mobile apps execute and stream pixel-perfect, low-latency experiences to any browser.

You will spend your time deep in graphics pipelines, shaders, GPU compositing, frame timing, and the cross-stack interactions between Android/Linux graphics, browser engines, and WebGL/WebGPU. The role demands first-principles thinking, an instinct for getting to the root of difficult problems, and the maturity to ship performance-critical code that holds up at scale.

We are equally interested in candidates with a deep graphics engineering background (game engines, browser graphics, GPU systems, real-time rendering) and candidates from adjacent low-level systems backgrounds with demonstrated graphics depth.

What You'll Do
  • Own the design, implementation, and evolution of our graphics and rendering stack across native (Android/Linux) and web (WebGL, WebGPU) targets.
  • Write efficient, maintainable, performance-critical C/C++ for system-level and rendering components, with hard requirements on frame budgets, memory, and latency.
  • Profile and tune the full pipeline: CPU/GPU bottlenecks, shader cost, texture and buffer management, compositor interactions, and end-to-end streaming latency.
  • Investigate and resolve faults in complex environments, tracing issues from the browser engine down through the runtime to the OS, kernel, and graphics driver.
  • Drive upgrades to the underlying platforms (AOSP versions, browser engines, GLES/WebGPU evolution) while keeping the system stable and shippable.
  • Partner with other teams to define and implement robust testing strategies for rendering correctness, performance regressions, and cross-device fidelity.
  • Operate as a senior independent contributor: scope your own work, drive it to completion, and communicate clearly with a small, high-trust team.
  • Work natively with AI coding agents and tooling (Claude Code, Cursor, agentic workflows, custom internal agents) to accelerate research, prototyping, code generation, debugging, and review, treating these tools as a junior pair you direct and verify, not a passenger.

Requirements

This is a technically demanding role that rewards resilience, creative problem-solving, and out-of-the-box thinking.

Must-Haves
  • Strong systems programming foundation: C/C++ proficiency on performance-critical, low-level codebases, with deep familiarity with Linux and OS-level internals.
  • Deep experience with one or more real-time graphics stacks: OpenGL ES, WebGL, WebGPU, Vulkan, Metal, or DirectX, including shader programming, GPU memory and pipeline optimization, and frame/latency budgeting.
  • Track record of owning complex, multi-component graphics or systems products end-to-end, from research prototype through production at scale.
  • Daily fluency with AI coding agents and LLM tooling, with a clear bias toward verifying and pushing back on AI output rather than accepting it.
  • A "dig until it bleeds" investigative instinct: the drive to understand every layer of the system.
  • Strong written communication and a self-directed working style suited to a small, senior, high-trust team.

We'd love to see depth in two or more of the following:

  • Browser engine internals (Chromium/Blink, Gecko, WebKit), particularly the graphics, compositor, or rendering subsystems.
  • Game engine internals, real-time renderers, or GPU compute frameworks.
  • Android internals and custom AOSP development (kernel, HAL, SurfaceFlinger, System Services, GMS, Android Build System).
  • Android/Linux graphics stack (EGL, Gralloc, DRM/KMS, Mesa) and graphics driver work.
  • Web platform technologies: WebAssembly, WebRTC, and the surrounding browser security/sandboxing model.
  • Containers and virtualization (LXC, namespaces, cgroups) and their interaction with hardware-accelerated graphics.
  • Real-time network and socket programming, including low-latency streaming protocols and frame pacing.
  • Linux device driver programming.
Nice-to-Haves
  • Experience building, fine-tuning, or evaluating internal AI/agent tooling that augments engineering work.
  • A data-driven mindset, relying on qualitative and quantitative signal to make informed decisions.
  • Mobile game development experience, including engines, SDKs, and the broader ecosystem.
  • Background in advanced compression, video codecs, or color management.
  • Graduate work or research background in computer graphics, systems, or a related area.

Benefits

  • Group Retirement Savings Plan matching and participation
  • Comprehensive benefits package (health, dental, vision), including Health and Wellness spending account
  • Generous time off policies
  • Access to leading AI tools and platforms