1

Experienced Software Engineer Jobs in California

Experienced Software Engineer

San Francisco, CA ยท On-site

$185K - $225K/yr

As an Experienced Software Engineer, you'll partner with leadership to ensure that our product experiences are truly best-in-class by architecting solutions across our technology stack, overseeing ...

As an Experienced Software Engineer, you'll partner with leadership to ensure that our product experiences are truly best-in-class by architecting solutions across our technology stack, overseeing ...

Experienced Software Developer

San Leandro, CA ยท On-site

$141K - $235K/yr

Experienced Software Developer Qualifications: Experience designing and developing in C#/.NET framework Employment type: Full-time regular (flexible working options available) Location: San Leandro ...

Experienced Software Developer

San Leandro, CA ยท Hybrid

$141K - $235K/yr

Experienced Software Developer Qualifications: Experience designing and developing in C#/.NET framework Employment type: Full-time regular (flexible working options available) Location: San Leandro ...

An experienced Software Engineer will know the skills and aptitude of junior staff and assign tasks accordingly. Roles and Responsibilities * Interface with other team leads to fully understand all ...

Software Engineer

Culver City, CA ยท On-site

$120K - $130K/yr

An experienced Software Engineer will know the skills and aptitude of junior staff and assign tasks accordingly. Roles and Responsibilities * Interface with other team leads to fully understand all ...

Software Engineer

Culver City, CA ยท On-site

$120K - $130K/yr

An experienced Software Engineer will know the skills and aptitude of junior staff and assign tasks accordingly. Roles and Responsibilities * Interface with other team leads to fully understand all ...

Software Engineer

Culver City, CA ยท On-site

$120K - $130K/yr

An experienced Software Engineer will know the skills and aptitude of junior staff and assign tasks accordingly. Roles and Responsibilities * Interface with other team leads to fully understand all ...

This is an unpaid internship designed to provide meaningful hands-on experience. The intern will contribute to software development, full stack web development, and programming projects , applying ...

Experience supporting software through the product lifecycle, including mass production * Strong ... Programming languages: C, C++, Java, HTML5, and scripting languages * Familiarity with connected ...

next page

Showing results 1-20

Experienced Software Engineer information

See California salary details

$62.7K

$145.6K

$202.8K

How much do experienced software engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 14, 2026, the average yearly pay for experienced software engineer in California is $145,592.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $118,400.00 and $170,700.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is L1, L2, L3, and L4 developer?

In the context of an experienced software engineer, L1, L2, L3, and L4 typically refer to different levels of seniority or experience within a company's technical ladder. L1 is usually entry-level, while L4 indicates a senior or lead role with increased responsibilities, expertise, and often mentorship duties. These levels help define expectations for skills, problem-solving, and project ownership in a software engineering career path.

Can I make 200k a year as a software engineer?

Experienced software engineers can earn $200,000 or more annually, especially in high-cost living areas, senior roles, or specialized fields like machine learning or cloud computing. Achieving this salary often requires advanced skills, extensive experience, and sometimes working at large tech companies or in leadership positions.

What engineers make $500,000?

Experienced software engineers, especially those in senior or specialized roles such as machine learning engineers, data engineers, or those working at major tech companies, can earn $500,000 or more annually. High compensation often includes base salary, bonuses, stock options, and other incentives, typically requiring advanced skills, extensive experience, and often working in competitive or leadership positions.

What are experienced software engineers?

Experienced software engineers are professionals who design, develop, test, and maintain software applications and systems. They typically have several years of industry experience, which enables them to take on complex projects, mentor junior engineers, and contribute to architecture and strategic decisions. In addition to strong programming skills, experienced software engineers often possess expertise in software design patterns, system architecture, and project management. Their role is crucial for ensuring code quality, scalability, and the successful delivery of software products.

What is the difference between Experienced Software Engineer vs Software Developer?

AspectExperienced Software EngineerSoftware Developer
Required CredentialsBachelor's degree in CS or related field, relevant certificationsBachelor's degree often preferred, coding bootcamps accepted
Work EnvironmentCollaborative teams, project management, system designFocus on coding, application development, and implementation
Employer & Industry UsageTech companies, startups, enterprise ITSoftware firms, tech startups, freelance projects

While both roles involve coding and software development, an Experienced Software Engineer typically has a broader scope, including system design and team leadership, whereas a Software Developer primarily focuses on writing code and building applications. The roles often overlap, but the engineer's experience usually encompasses more complex project responsibilities.

Will AI replace coders by 2040?

As an experienced software engineer, it is unlikely that AI will fully replace human coders by 2040. AI tools can automate routine coding tasks and assist in development, but complex problem-solving, creativity, and understanding user needs remain human strengths. Software engineering will continue to evolve with AI as a complementary tool rather than a complete replacement.

What opportunities for mentorship and leadership are available to experienced software engineers within most organizations?

Experienced software engineers often have the chance to mentor junior team members, lead project teams, or take ownership of significant technical initiatives. Many companies encourage senior engineers to participate in code reviews, architecture discussions, and knowledge-sharing sessions, which can enhance leadership skills while contributing to the team's growth. Additionally, organizations frequently offer pathways into technical leadership roles, such as Tech Lead or Engineering Manager, enabling experienced engineers to expand their influence and impact across projects.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an Experienced Software Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Experienced Software Engineer, you need strong proficiency in programming languages (such as Java, Python, or C++), problem-solving abilities, and a relevant degree in computer science or related fields. Familiarity with development frameworks, version control systems (like Git), cloud platforms, and often certifications in specific technologies are highly valuable. Effective communication, teamwork, and adaptability help engineers collaborate on complex projects and respond to evolving requirements. These skills and qualities are crucial to delivering reliable, efficient software solutions and excelling in dynamic engineering environments.
What are popular job titles related to Experienced Software Engineer jobs in California? For Experienced Software Engineer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Experienced Software Engineer jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Experienced Software Engineer jobs in California are:
Infographic showing various Experienced Software Engineer job openings in California as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 91% Full Time, 3% Part Time, 3% Temporary, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $145,592 per year, or $70 per hour.
Experienced Software Engineer

Experienced Software Engineer

Stytch

San Francisco, CA โ€ข On-site

$185K - $225K/yr

Full-time

Medical

Posted 27 days ago


Job description

What We're Looking For
Stytch is the most powerful identity platform built for developers. With advanced features like device fingerprinting and account takeover-resistant authentication, Stytch provides the infrastructure to make your company's identity and access management secure, reliable, and scalable. As an Experienced Software Engineer, you'll partner with leadership to ensure that our product experiences are truly best-in-class by architecting solutions across our technology stack, overseeing the design and execution of the team's projects, and ultimately working on the most critical projects on our product roadmap.
This is a hybrid, full-time position based in the SF Bay Area. We aren't looking for someone to be in-office 5 days per week, but are looking for someone who is excited to collaborate in-person on a weekly basis (3 days per week in-office).
What Excites You
  • A collaborative environment with a tight feedback loop between the work you do and the impact it has on users
  • Mentoring engineers across Stytch - you have a passion for helping engineers grow and learn and are excited to help grow the future engineering leaders of the company
  • Designing for the future, and building for the present - you have a vision for the systems you work on, but know how to build incremental milestones, and when to make trade-offs between completeness and utility to get to value fast
  • You love code - you're a pro at building roadmaps and design docs, but you don't like stopping there. You're incredibly proud of the code you write and review, and like staying close to the systems you own
  • Putting your stamp on the team - shaping the culture and growing the team through recruiting leadership and senior engineers, and working closely with engineering managers to develop the operations and processes that allow the team to execute at the highest level
  • Building products that make developers lives easier - both internally and externally. You're excited to make our systems easy to use and safe for internal developers, as well as the impact your work will have on Stytch's customers.

What Excites Us
  • 5+ years as a backend or backend-leaning full-stack engineer
  • Familiarity with frontend (ability to debug on FE as needed, but FE expertise not required)
  • Familiarity with Go, Node.js, TypeScript, and React

What Success Looks Like
  • Technical - build new, highly reliable services that our customers can depend on in their critical path. Improve our existing systems to be both delightful and safe to build on for Stytch developers, as well as performant, reliable, and secure for our customers.
  • Ownership - partner with your manager to build the roadmap for the team, partner with product to prioritize the most critical work and projects, and then ship it to production
  • Leadership - level up the team and the industry by growing the next generation of full-stack engineers at Stytch

Our Tech Stack
  • Go for backend services
  • Node and Typescript for our web services
  • Next.js and React/Typescript on the frontend
  • We run on AWS with Kubernetes for containerization
  • gRPC and protobufs for internal service communication

Expected base salary $185,000-$225,000. The anticipated base salary range is not inclusive of full benefits including equity, health care insurance, time off, paid parental leave, etc. This base salary is accurate based on information at the time of posting. Actual compensation for hired candidates will be determined using a number of factors including experience, skills, and qualifications.
We're looking to hire a GREAT team and that means hiring people who are highly empathetic, ambitious, and excited about building the future of user authentication. You should feel empowered to apply for this role even if your experience doesn't exactly match up to our job description (our job descriptions are directional and not perfect recipes for exactly what we need).
We are committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workspace where everyone (regardless of age, education, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or any personal characteristics) feels like they belong. We look forward to hearing from you!
Learn more about our team and culture here!
Stytch participates in e-verify and will provide the federal government with your form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the United States.
#li-hybrid