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Engineering Leader Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Opal

Engineering Leader

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$220K - $290K/yr

We have a team of awesome engineers, we have a product that sells itself, and we are now looking to add an engineering leader to make sure we continue to thread the needle between delivering value ...

M.C. Dean, Inc

Engineering Leader 1

San Jose, CA · On-site

We are seeking a Engineering Leader 1 to join our Security and Electronic Systems (SES) business Unit. As part of (SES) Strategic Business Unit you will be part of a team that designs, engineers ...

Intel

Software Engineering Leader

Santa Clara, CA · On-site

$233K - $330K/yr

We are seeking an innovative and experienced engineering leader to join our developer software team. In this pivotal role, you will be responsible for leading Analyzer and Debugger software ...

Eve

Platform Engineering Leader

San Mateo, CA · On-site

As a Senior Engineering Leader, you'll be responsible for the platform engineering organization-leading and scaling high-impact engineering teams that enable Eve's Applied AI products. This includes ...

Intel

Software Engineering Leader

Folsom, CA

$233K - $330K/yr

We are seeking an innovative and experienced engineering leader to join our developer software team. In this pivotal role, you will be responsible for leading Analyzer and Debugger software ...

Skydrop

Engineering Leader Back-End

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$150 - $200/hr

Joy is growing, and we're looking for talented engineering leaders. In this role, you will build and lead a team of engineers. Your team will be entrusted to implement features of all sizes. You will ...

New

PPG Industries Inc

Process Engineering Leader

Mojave, CA · On-site

$124K - $161K/yr

PPG has a job opening for a Process Engineering Leader in the Aerospace Science and Technology team. You will be based in Burbank and Mojave, CA, with global responsibilities for process engineering ...

PPG Industries, Inc.

Process Engineering Leader

Mojave, CA · On-site

$124K - $161K/yr

PPG has a job opening for a Process Engineering Leader in the Aerospace Science and Technology team. You will be based in Burbank and Mojave, CA, with global responsibilities for process engineering ...

Skydrop

Engineering Leader Front-End

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$120 - $160/hr

Joy is growing, and we're looking for talented engineering leaders. In this role, you will build and lead a team of front-end engineers. Your team will be entrusted to implement features of all sizes.

New

Arup

Civil Engineering Leader

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

We are looking for an experienced Civil Engineering Leader to join us in the Los Angeles office and play a pivotal role in leading and growing our healthcare business as well as leading the ...

Arup

Civil Engineering Leader

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

We are looking for an experienced Civil Engineering Leader to join us in the Los Angeles office and play a pivotal role in leading and growing our civil engineering team. The ideal candidate should ...

PPG

Process Engineering Leader

Burbank, CA · On-site

$110K - $143K/yr

PPG has a job opening for a Process Engineering Leader in the Aerospace Science and Technology team. You will be based in Burbank and Mojave, CA, with global responsibilities for process engineering ...

Eve

Engineering Leader - Product Engineering

San Mateo, CA

$190K - $197K/yr

A leader who knows when to coach, intervene, or move out of the way, enabling engineers to operate with ownership and pride. * Strong product and business intuition: You care as much about what we ...

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Showing results 1-20

All JobsEngineering Leader JobsEngineering Leader Jobs in California

Engineering Leader information

See California salary details

$41.9K

$122.2K

$178.1K

How much do engineering leader jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 20, 2026, the average yearly pay for engineering leader in California is $122,163.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $101,200.00 and $133,200.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Engineering Leader vs Software Engineer?

AspectEngineering LeaderSoftware Engineer
CredentialsBachelor's or Master's in Engineering, Management experience often preferredBachelor's or Master's in Computer Science or related field
Work EnvironmentLeads teams, manages projects, collaborates with stakeholdersDevelops code, tests software, follows technical specifications
Employer & Industry UsageUsed in tech companies, engineering firms, startupsCommon across tech, finance, healthcare, and other industries

Engineering Leaders focus on managing teams, strategic planning, and project oversight, while Software Engineers concentrate on coding, developing, and testing software. Both roles are essential in tech organizations, but they differ significantly in responsibilities and scope.

What careers can engineering leaders lead to?

Engineering leaders can advance to executive roles such as Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Vice President of Engineering, or Director of Engineering. They often transition into roles involving strategic planning, product management, or technical consulting, leveraging their leadership and technical expertise to guide organizational growth and innovation.

What is the hierarchy of engineering leader positions?

The hierarchy of engineering leader positions typically starts with Engineering Manager, followed by Senior Engineering Manager, Director of Engineering, Vice President of Engineering, and Chief Technology Officer (CTO). Each level involves increasing responsibility for team management, strategic planning, and technical oversight, often requiring relevant experience and leadership skills.

What is the role of an engineering leader?

An engineering leader oversees technical teams, manages project execution, and aligns engineering efforts with organizational goals. They provide technical guidance, facilitate collaboration, and often have skills in project management and engineering best practices to ensure successful delivery of products or systems.

What cities in California are hiring for Engineering Leader jobs?

Cities in California with the most Engineering Leader job openings:

Infographic showing various Engineering Leader job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 83% Full Time, 12% Part Time, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 93% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 4% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $122,163 per year, or $58.7 per hour.

Engineering Leader

Opal

San Francisco, CA • On-site

$220K - $290K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 13 days ago

Job description

About Opal Security:
At Opal, we're building modern identity governance for the AI era-intelligent access management that empowers enterprises to move fast while staying secure. Our mission is to bring clarity, control, and confidence to complex enterprise environments, helping teams govern access without slowing down innovation.
The Role:
Most people seek that 0-1 build experience but the 1-n is a much bigger challenge and we need you to get us to n. We have a team of awesome engineers, we have a product that sells itself, and we are now looking to add an engineering leader to make sure we continue to thread the needle between delivering value, scaling up, and growing our engineers.
What You'll Do:
  • This role is all about balancing: balancing priorities, finding the right balance between structure and speed, knowing when to apply a short-term fix versus something more durable, and balancing those unique engineers personalities
  • This role is all about saying yes: yes to speed, yes to crazy ideas, yes to team bonding, yes to coding one day and helping your IC through heartbreak the next day
  • This role is also all about saying no: our engineers need to be (appropriately) insulated from the never-ending requests

You Might Be a Fit If You:
  • You're technical enough to understand the trade-offs of building a scalable platform
  • You're an excellent engineer that quickly gains the confidence and technical trust from those around them
  • You know your team's strengths and how to deploy them against the right problems
  • You understand that different people need different things to be effective, and you're good at translating organizational noise into useful signal
  • You actively contribute to company culture

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