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Entry Level Trainee Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Synergize

Entry-Level Management Trainee

Roseville, CA · On-site

Join our growing team as an Entry-Level Management Trainee and gain the hands-on experience, mentorship, and professional development needed to build a successful long-term career. Whether you're a ...

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Entry Level Trainee information

See California salary details

$25.2K

$43K

$62.7K

How much do entry level trainee jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 14, 2026, the average yearly pay for entry level trainee in California is $42,960.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $32,600.00 and $50,300.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an entry level trainee?

To thrive as an Entry Level Trainee, a basic educational background relevant to the industry, strong willingness to learn, and foundational computer skills are essential. Familiarity with standard office software such as Microsoft Office Suite or Google Workspace is often required, and some roles may seek candidates with introductory certifications or knowledge of industry-specific tools. Eagerness, adaptability, teamwork, and effective communication are standout soft skills for this position. These skills and qualities enable trainees to quickly absorb new information, collaborate with colleagues, and successfully contribute to organizational goals.

What kinds of support and training can an entry level trainee expect during their first few months on the job?

As an Entry Level Trainee, you can typically expect a structured onboarding process that includes formal training sessions, mentorship from experienced team members, and opportunities to observe and gradually participate in hands-on tasks. Many organizations pair trainees with a supervisor or mentor to guide them through daily responsibilities and provide feedback. During the initial months, you’ll likely rotate through different departments or projects to gain a broad understanding of the company’s operations, while receiving regular check-ins to track your progress and address any challenges. This supportive environment is designed to build your confidence and help you transition smoothly into a full-time role.

What is the difference between Entry Level Trainee vs Intern?

AspectEntry Level TraineeIntern
CredentialsHigh school diploma or equivalent; some roles may require a degreeUsually students or recent graduates; may have limited or no formal credentials
Work EnvironmentFull-time, structured training programs within companiesPart-time or temporary, often in educational settings or company projects
Employer UsageUsed by companies to develop new talent for entry-level rolesUsed by organizations for educational experience and skill development

Entry Level Trainee positions are typically full-time roles designed to train new employees for future responsibilities, often requiring some educational background. Internships are usually part-time or temporary roles aimed at students or recent graduates to gain practical experience. While both serve as entry points, trainees are often hired as permanent staff after training, whereas interns are temporary and may or may not lead to full-time employment.

What is an entry level trainee?

Entry level trainees are individuals who are new to a particular industry or job role and are undergoing training to gain the necessary skills and knowledge for their positions. Typically, these are recent graduates or individuals transitioning into a new field, and they work under the supervision of experienced staff. The trainee period allows them to learn company processes, develop technical abilities, and adapt to workplace culture. Upon successful completion of their training, entry level trainees may be promoted to full-time positions or more advanced roles within the organization.

What are the most commonly searched types of Trainee jobs in California?

The most popular types of Trainee jobs in California are:

What are popular job titles related to Entry Level Trainee jobs in California?

For Entry Level Trainee jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Entry Level Trainee jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Entry Level Trainee jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Entry Level Trainee jobs?

Cities in California with the most Entry Level Trainee job openings:

Entry Level Trainee jobs near you
Infographic showing various Entry Level Trainee job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 87% Full Time, 9% Part Time, 2% Temporary, 1% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 97% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 2% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $42,960 per year, or $20.7 per hour.

Mechanical Engineer (Recent Graduate)

Bureau of Reclamation

Folsom, CA • On-site, Remote

$57K - $125K/yr

Full-time

Posted 7 days ago

Bureau Of Reclamation rating

9.2

Company rating: 9.2 out of 10

Based on 8 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

56th of 846 rated public administrative organizations

Job description

Summary
Reclamation is seeking a career professional looking for an opportunity to capitalize on their expertise as a Mechanical Engineer (Recent Graduate). You can make a difference in the West by assisting in meeting increasing water demands while protecting the environment.
Learn more about this agency
Duties
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  • Engineering Analysis- Performs engineering analyses to include performing and/or coordinating technical planning activities; data collection (including validation and management); design; modeling and data analyses; analyses of site location and/or conditions; troubleshooting mechanical equipment and systems; and risk estimation and analyses.
  • Documentation and Presentation- Prepares and reviews technical documentation such as technical memorandums and reports, engineering study analyses and results, correspondence, etc.
  • Investigations, Assessments, and/or Inspections- Plans, schedules, coordinates, and conducts mechanical engineering facility examinations, reviews, and/or inspections which include conducting condition assessments and construction and transfer inspections.
  • Other Duties: Project Management, Administration of contracts and agreements, Database Operation.

GS-05: Serves as a basic entry-level trainee mechanical engineer. Assignments are like those assigned to non-professional employees, but such tasks are primarily for training purposes, and, in some cases, to relieve higher-grade engineers of routine work.
GS-07: Serves as an advanced entry-level trainee mechanical engineer. Assignments are primarily for training purposes, and, in some cases, to relieve higher-grade engineers of routine work.
GS-09: Serves as an advanced trainee mechanical engineer. Participates with higher graded engineer in planning and accomplishment of specific work assignments. Performs design and layout of mechanical equipment systems such as plumbing, heating, air conditioning, steam distribution, etc.
GS-11: Serves as a journey level Mechanical Engineer performing a full range of conventional, journey level assignments.
Requirements
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Conditions of employment
  • Must provide proof of U.S. citizenship.
  • Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
  • Direct Deposit participation required.
  • Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, visit www.dhs.gov/EVerify/.
  • Must have and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment.
  • You are required to wear a uniform and comply with the uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
  • You are required to complete training, obtain and maintain a government credit card with travel and purchase authority.
  • You must be at least (1)18 years old or (2) at least 16 years old and: (a) Have graduated from high school or been awarded a certificate equivalent to graduating from high school; or (b) Have completed a formal vocational training program; or (c) Have received a statement from school authorities agreeing with their preference for employment rather than continuing their education; or (d) Be currently enrolled in a secondary school and either work only during school vacation periods or work part-time during the school year under a formal student employment program.
  • Recent Graduates will enter a formal training program with a mentor and execute an Individual Development Plan outlining training requirements and program expectations.
  • Recent Graduates must receive at least 40 hours of formal training directly linked to their employment field.
  • Recent Graduates will be required to sign a Pathways Recent Graduate Participant Agreement.

Recent Graduate applicants must meet all eligibility and qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement, 08/20/2026.
To be eligible, you must meet one of the following:
  1. A student that has completed, within the previous two years, a qualifying associate's, bachelor's, master's, professional, doctorate, vocational or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution. Certain exceptions to the two-year limitation will be made for veterans who, due to military service obligations, were precluded from applying to the Program during the two-year eligibility period. OR,
  2. An individual who has completed a qualifying career or technical education program which may include Registered Apprenticeship Programs, Job Corps, Climate Corps, AmeriCorps, and Peace Corps or specific Volunteer Service Programs.

Qualifications
Qualifications:
All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-08/20/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.
To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience. Failure to adequately provide information needed to determine number of hours worked in each position may result in that time not being credited when evaluating qualifying experience. For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the full and/or part-time hours requirement as the service dates will be reflected.
Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications:
Basic Educational Requirement AND/OR Specialized Experience for the series to which you are applying.
Basic Educational Requirements: In addition to the specialized experience requirements for this position, you must meet at least one of the following:
  • A. Degree: I possess a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in engineering. To be acceptable, the program must: (1) lead to a bachelor's degree in a school of engineering with at least one program accredited by ABET; or (2) include differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first-year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics: (a) statics, dynamics; (b) strength of materials (stress-strain relationships); (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics; (d) thermodynamics; (e) electrical fields and circuits; (f) nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); and (g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics. You must submit transcripts. -OR-
  • B. Combination of education and experience: College-level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying engineering, and (2) a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the engineering sciences and techniques and their applications to one of the branches of engineering. The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by one of the following: 1. Professional registration or licensure Current registration as an Engineer Intern (EI), Engineer in Training (EIT)1, or licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE) by any State, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico. Absent other means of qualifying under this standard, those applicants who achieved such registration by means other than written test (e.g., State grandfather or eminence provisions) are eligible only for positions that are within or closely related to the specialty field of their registration. For example, an applicant who attains registration through a State Board's eminence provision as a manufacturing engineer typically would be rated eligible only for manufacturing engineering positions. 2. Written Test Evidence of having successfully passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE)2 examination or any other written test required for professional registration by an engineering licensure board in the various States, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico. 3. Specified academic courses Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and that included the courses specified in the basic requirements under paragraph A. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of an engineering program as described in paragraph A. 4. Related curriculum Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in an appropriate scientific field, e.g., engineering technology, physics, chemistry, architecture, computer science, mathematics, hydrology, or geology, may be accepted in lieu of a bachelors degree in engineering, provided the applicant has had at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance. Ordinarily there should be either an established plan of intensive training to develop professional engineering competence, or several years of prior professional engineering-type experience, e.g., in interdisciplinary positions.

Applicants that meet the basic qualification requirements minimally qualify for the GS-05 grade level.
-AND-
To qualify for this position at the GS-07 grade level:
  • Specialized Experience Requirement: you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: Perform trainee level duties to assist higher-graded engineers in data collection, designs; knowledge of mechanical engineering concepts. You must include hours per week worked. -OR-
  • Education: Successful completion of at least one full academic year of graduate level education (18 semester hours) in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as Mechanical Engineering. You must include transcripts. -OR-
  • Superior Academic Achievement (SAA): Successfully completed a bachelor's degree in a directly related field AND meet one of the following: (1) Class Standing: rank in the upper 3rd of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, based on the completed courses; OR (2) Grade-Point Average (GPA): earn a GPA of (a) 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) based on 4 years of education, or based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum -or- (b) 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field, or the required courses completed during the final two years. Note: GPA will be rounded to one decimal place, for example, 2.95 = 3.0, 2.94 = 2.9; OR (3) Membership in a National Scholastic Honor Society.
  • Combination of education and experience. To combine education and experience, first take the number of months of full-time experience and divide by 12 months. Then, divide your semester hours of graduate education by 18. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include hours per week and transcripts.

** Continued below in Education **
Education
Qualifications Continued...
To qualify for this position at the GS-09 grade level:
  • Specialized Experience Requirement: you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: Provide support to higher-graded engineers in reviewing inspection data of equipment/systems; knowledge of mechanical engineering concepts; experience developing mechanical engineering designs and plans for mechanical utility systems using computer software. You must include hours per week worked. -OR-
  • Education: Successful completion of at least a masters or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years (36 semester hours) of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the work of the position, such as Mechanical Engineering. You must include transcripts. -OR-
  • Combination of education and experience. To combine education and experience, first take the number of months of full-time experience and divide by 12 months. Then, divide your semester hours of graduate education beyond the first year (total graduate semester hours minus 18) by 18. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include hours per week and transcripts.

To qualify for this position at the GS-11 grade level:
  • Specialized Experience Requirement: you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: Performing more independent data collection, designs, preparing cost estimates, and engineering duties concerned with design, construction, maintenance and operation for hydroelectric powerplants, pumping plant, dams, reservoirs, canal structures, various offices and shop facilities; knowledge of mechanical engineering concepts; perform inspections and investigation of equipment/systems. You must include hours per week worked. -OR-
  • Education: Successful completion of at least a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years (54 semester hours) of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the work of the position, such as Mechanical Engineering. You must include transcripts. -OR-
  • Combination of education and experience. To combine education and experience, first take the number of months o

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