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Executive Engineering Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Hyphen Connect

VP of Engineering (AI)

San Francisco, CA

$212K - $273K/yr

They are hiring a Executive Engineering hire (SF, Hybrid) to building the Infrastructure, Platform, and SRE functions from the ground up. Key Responsibilities * Lead the design and evolution of the ...

Cadence

Sr Account Executive II

San Jose, CA · On-site

$248K - $372K/yr

They will act as a trusted advisor to executive and engineering leadership while coordinating a cross-functional team of Application Engineers, Account Technical Managers, Business Development ...

KBR, Inc.

Senior Data Visualization Engineer

El Segundo, CA · On-site

$111K - $152K/yr

This role will transform complex operational, engineering, and machine learning outputs into intuitive dashboards, reports, and analytical applications that enable executive, engineering, and ...

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Executive Engineering information

See California salary details

$26.2K

$92.3K

$181.6K

How much do executive engineering jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 15, 2026, the average yearly pay for executive engineering in California is $92,327.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $57,200.00 and $118,900.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is executive engineering?

Executive engineering refers to high-level leadership roles within engineering organizations, typically involving positions such as Chief Engineer, VP of Engineering, or Engineering Director. Professionals in executive engineering are responsible for setting technical vision, developing engineering strategies, overseeing large teams, and ensuring successful project delivery. They bridge the gap between business objectives and technical execution, often collaborating with other executives to drive company growth and innovation.

What are some common challenges faced by executive engineering professionals when managing cross-functional teams?

Executive Engineering professionals often encounter challenges in aligning diverse teams with varying technical backgrounds and priorities. Effective communication is crucial, as they must translate complex engineering concepts for non-technical stakeholders while ensuring that project goals remain clear to all team members. Balancing innovation with budget, timeline, and resource constraints is another key challenge, requiring strong leadership and strategic decision-making skills. Building trust and fostering collaboration across departments is essential for driving successful outcomes.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an executive engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Executive Engineer, you need a solid background in engineering principles, project management experience, and typically a relevant engineering degree with professional certification (such as PE or equivalent). Familiarity with CAD software, project management tools (like MS Project), and industry-specific standards is essential. Leadership, strategic thinking, and effective communication are crucial soft skills for managing teams and projects. These skills and qualifications ensure successful project delivery, innovation, and the ability to lead teams in complex technical environments.

What is the difference between Executive Engineering vs Mechanical Engineering?

AspectExecutive EngineeringMechanical Engineering
Required CredentialsBachelor's or Master's in Engineering, often with leadership certificationsBachelor's or Master's in Mechanical Engineering, professional engineering license often preferred
Work EnvironmentLeadership roles in project management, strategic planning, and client interactionDesign, analysis, testing, and manufacturing in labs or on-site
Employer & Industry UsageEngineering firms, corporations, government agencies in leadership positionsManufacturing, automotive, aerospace, energy sectors

Executive Engineering focuses on leadership, strategic decision-making, and project oversight, often requiring advanced degrees and certifications. Mechanical Engineering involves technical design, analysis, and development of mechanical systems. While both roles require engineering credentials, Executive Engineering emphasizes management skills, whereas Mechanical Engineering emphasizes technical expertise.

What does an executive engineer do?

An executive engineer oversees engineering projects, manages teams, and ensures technical standards and project deadlines are met. They often coordinate between management and technical staff, utilize engineering software, and may hold professional engineering licenses. Their role combines technical expertise with leadership and strategic planning.

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

The most popular types of Engineering jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Executive Engineering jobs?

Cities in California with the most Executive Engineering job openings:

Infographic showing various Executive Engineering job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 94% Full Time, 3% Part Time, 2% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 85% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 10% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $92,327 per year, or $44.4 per hour.

VP of Engineering (AI)

San Francisco, CA

Hyphen Connect
See more jobs at Hyphen Connectexternal

$212K - $273K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted yesterday

Job description

Our Client is an AI company working on revolutionizing the AI landscape with our GPU marketplace and AI inference service, making high-performance computing affordable and accessible to all. They are hiring a Executive Engineering hire (SF, Hybrid) to building the Infrastructure, Platform, and SRE functions from the ground up. 
Key Responsibilities

  • Lead the design and evolution of the AI cloud platform architecture — GPU orchestration, compute scheduling, networking, storage, and distributed systems
  • Build and scale large GPU clusters supporting customer workloads, including GPU provisioning, scheduling, utilization optimization, and capacity management
  • Personally participate in architecture reviews, system design, and key technical initiatives (expect 40%+ of time on technical contribution)
  • Act as the technical escalation point for complex infrastructure challenges — debug production issues, review proposals, and drive decisions
  • Establish best practices for Kubernetes, observability, CI/CD, security, and operational excellence
  • Build SRE and Platform Engineering functions from scratch — define SLOs, SLIs, incident response, and capacity planning
  • Recruit and develop world-class Infrastructure, Platform, and SRE teams
  • Partner with executive leadership on company strategy and infrastructure investments
  • Manage infrastructure budgets, vendor relationships, and capacity planning
Requirements
  • 12+ years building and operating large-scale infrastructure systems, with experience leading infrastructure organizations while remaining deeply hands-on technically.
  • Previous experience building or operating a cloud platform at scale — ideally GPU-native cloud infrastructure supporting AI training and inference workloads
  • Expert-level Kubernetes knowledge and experience designing multi-region cloud infrastructure
  • Deep expertise in Linux, networking, distributed systems, and storage architecture
  • Proven track record scaling infrastructure in high-growth startup environments — not just maintaining systems at large companies
  • Strong understanding of Infrastructure-as-Code, automation frameworks, observability, monitoring, and reliability engineering
  • Experience building highly available production systems with clear SLOs and incident response processes