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Export Operator Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Principal, Export Controls

San Francisco, CA ยท On-site

$210 - $290/hr

About the Role We're hiring a Senior Manager, Export Controlsto lead OpenAI's export controls strategy and operating model. This is a senior role with broad scope across advanced computing ...

Showing results 21-40

Export Operator information

See California salary details

$12

$19

$27

How much do export operator jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 22, 2026, the average hourly pay for export operator in California is $19.20, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $16.15 and $21.83 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is an export operator?

Export Operators are professionals responsible for managing and coordinating the logistics and documentation required to ship goods internationally. Their main duties include preparing export documents, arranging transportation, ensuring compliance with customs regulations, and communicating with clients, freight forwarders, and customs authorities. Export Operators play a key role in ensuring that shipments are delivered on time and in accordance with international trade laws and standards. They often work for freight forwarding companies, exporters, or logistics firms. Strong organizational and communication skills are essential for this role.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an export operator?

To thrive as an Export Operator, you need a solid understanding of international trade regulations, logistics coordination, and documentation, often supported by relevant experience or a degree in international business or logistics. Familiarity with export management systems, customs clearance software, and tools like SAP or other ERP systems is typically required. Attention to detail, problem-solving abilities, and strong communication skills are vital for managing complex export processes and liaising with clients and authorities. These skills ensure efficient, compliant export operations and help maintain smooth global supply chain activities.

What are some common challenges export operators face when coordinating international shipments?

Export Operators often encounter challenges such as navigating complex customs regulations, handling unexpected shipment delays, and ensuring accurate documentation for each destination country. They must stay organized and communicate effectively with freight forwarders, customs brokers, and internal teams to resolve issues quickly. Adapting to changing international trade laws and working across different time zones can also require flexibility and strong problem-solving skills.

What is the difference between Export Operator vs Freight Forwarder?

AspectExport OperatorFreight Forwarder
CredentialsHigh school diploma, certifications in logistics or customsSimilar certifications, often with additional licensing
Work EnvironmentWarehouses, shipping docks, portsOffices, logistics centers, ports
Industry UsageManufacturing, shipping companies, portsLogistics, shipping, import/export companies
Primary RoleHandling export documentation, loading goods, coordinating shipmentsArranging transportation, customs clearance, managing freight logistics

While both roles are involved in international shipping, Export Operators focus on executing export procedures and handling shipments directly, whereas Freight Forwarders coordinate the entire logistics process, including transportation and customs clearance. Understanding these differences helps employers and job seekers identify the right role for their skills and career goals.

What job categories do people searching Export Operator jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Export Operator jobs in California are:

Infographic showing various Export Operator job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 51% Full Time, 47% Part Time, 1% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 99% Physical, and 1% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $39,934 per year, or $19.2 per hour.

Principal, Export Controls

OpenAI

San Francisco, CA โ€ข On-site

$210 - $290/hr

Other

Posted 23 days ago


Job description

Tax and Trade at OpenAI shapes business strategy by embedding critical tax, export control, customs, and cross-border considerations into how the company builds, sources, scales, and operates in support of the mission. We combine deep expertise with practical systems thinking to look around corners, identify emerging risks and opportunities early, and help teams make smarter decisions at the point where strategy becomes execution. Across procurement, hardware operations, manufacturing, logistics, finance, legal, supplier onboarding, and operator workflows, we build robust, scalable support services leveraging cutting-edge technologyโ€”including governed AI and automationโ€”to make complex regulated work more durable, more efficient, and easier to scale.

About the Role

Weโ€™re hiring a Senior Manager, Export Controlsto lead OpenAIโ€™s export controls strategy and operating model. This is a senior role with broad scope across advanced computing, semiconductors, software, hardware, manufacturing, and high technology partnerships.

You will refine how OpenAI classifies controlled technology, software, and hardware, structures access-controlled environments, manages licensing and supplier commitments, and scales export-control operations in a way that supports the companyโ€™s pace of innovation. You will also shape how OpenAI applies AI and agentic workflows to policy-heavy operational work, building systems that make complex rules easier to navigate and easier to execute.

You might thrive in this role if you:
  • A Bachelorโ€™s degree or equivalent practical experience in engineering, computer science, physics, international trade, law, public policy, or a related field. Advanced technical, legal, or policy training is valuable.
  • Significant experience leading export controls, trade compliance, or a closely related function in advanced computing, semiconductors, electronics, or other high-technology domains.
  • Deep expertise in export controls, including classification, licensing, deemed exports, end-use and end-user restrictions, and controls on technical data and software.
  • Direct experience working on advanced computing and advanced semiconductor controls.
  • Strong leadership judgment and a track record of building and scaling programs in fast-moving technology companies and complex multinational environments.
  • Experience translating policy into workflows, systems requirements, service levels, operating guidance, and measurable business outcomes.
  • The ability to work credibly with researchers, infrastructure engineers, hardware engineers, chip-design teams, Security, and Legal.
  • Experience managing service providers, and cross-functional programs that require speed, discretion, and strong execution.
  • Strong writing and communication skills, with the ability to turn complex requirements into clear process documentation and guidance for technical and business audiences.
  • Experience building AI-enabled workflows, internal tools, knowledge systems, or agentic processes for policy-heavy or operational work.
About OpenAI

OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company dedicated to ensuring that general-purpose artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity. We push the boundaries of the capabilities of AI systems and seek to safely deploy them to the world through our products. AI is an extremely powerful tool that must be created with safety and human needs at its core, and to achieve our mission, we must encompass and value the many different perspectives, voices, and experiences that form the full spectrum of humanity.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or other applicable legally protected characteristic.

Background checks for applicants will be administered in accordance with applicable law, and qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment consistent with those laws, including the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, and the California Fair Chance Act, for US-based candidates. For unincorporated Los Angeles County workers: we reasonably believe that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship with the following job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of a conditional offer of employment: protect computer hardware entrusted to you from theft, loss or damage; return all computer hardware in your possession (including the data contained therein) upon termination of employment or end of assignment; and maintain the confidentiality of proprietary, confidential, and non-public information. In addition, job duties require access to secure and protected information technology systems and related data security obligations.

To notify OpenAI that you believe this job posting is non-compliant, please submit a report through this form . No response will be provided to inquiries unrelated to job posting compliance.

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, and requests can be made via this link.

At OpenAI, we believe artificial intelligence has the potential to help people solve immense global challenges, and we want the upside of AI to be widely shared. Join us in shaping the future of technology.

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