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Freelance Graduate Software Engineer Jobs in California

CreativeCircle

Software Engineer

San Mateo, CA · On-site

$90 - $95.79/hr

Software Engineer Software Engineer - ML Data Infrastructure & Pipeline Engineering Scope: Contract ... Benefits Creative Circle's Freelance Employee benefits package includes eligibility for Minimum ...

SpaceX

New Graduate Engineer, Software

Hawthorne, CA · On-site

$125K - $145K/yr

NEW GRADUATE ENGINEER, SOFTWARE Our SpaceX team is working on the toughest and most audacious projects on our planet: making humanity multiplanetary. As a software engineer on the SpaceX team, you ...

SpaceX

New Graduate Engineer, Software

Hawthorne, CA · On-site

$125K - $145K/yr

NEW GRADUATE ENGINEER, SOFTWARE Our SpaceX team is working on the toughest and most audacious projects on our planet: making humanity multiplanetary. As a software engineer on the SpaceX team, you ...

SpaceX

New Graduate Engineer, Software

Hawthorne, CA

$125K - $145K/yr

NEW GRADUATE ENGINEER, SOFTWARE Our SpaceX team is working on the toughest and most audacious projects on our planet: making humanity multiplanetary. As a software engineer on the SpaceX team, you ...

Abbott

Cloud Software Engineer II

Los Angeles, CA

$81K - $141K/yr

Minimum 2 years of experience in software development (combination of programming-heavy coursework, school projects, freelance work and professional experience). * Excellent communication skills and ...

Abbott

Cloud Software Engineer II

Sylmar, CA · On-site

$81K - $141K/yr

Minimum 2 years of experience in software development (combination of programming-heavy coursework, school projects, freelance work and professional experience). * Excellent communication skills and ...

Abbott

Cloud Software Engineer II

Los Angeles, CA

$81K - $141K/yr

Minimum 2 years of experience in software development (combination of programming-heavy coursework, school projects, freelance work and professional experience). * Excellent communication skills and ...

SpaceX

New Graduate Engineer, Software

Hawthorne, CA · On-site

As a software engineer on the SpaceX team, you will demonstrate extreme ownership through detailed and thorough design, testing, and deployment, ultimately seeing your software through all aspects of ...

Equation Staffing

Software Engineer

Menlo Park, CA

Learn to Win Senior Software Engineer Learn to Win (L2W) is actively seeking senior software ... In hope of bridging the gap, a group of graduate students from Harvard and Stanford has teamed up ...

Cadence

Lead Software Engineer

San Jose, CA · On-site

... new PhD Graduate • Should be versatile in C++, data structure, algorithms Preferred : • ... software to accelerate innovation in the engineering design of silicon to systems. Founded in 1988 ...

STR

Software Engineer

San Diego, CA

$110K - $138K/yr

Software Engineer The Mission: Do you want to build software that solves the world's most complex ... Experience: 2+ years (BS) or recent MS graduate with professional experience building maintainable ...

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Freelance Graduate Software Engineer information

What is the difference between Freelance Graduate Software Engineer vs Junior Software Developer?

AspectFreelance Graduate Software EngineerJunior Software Developer
CredentialsTypically recent graduates or those with basic coding skillsEntry-level professionals with foundational knowledge
Work EnvironmentSelf-employed, project-based, remote or freelanceFull-time or part-time employment in a company or team
Employer & Industry UsageFreelance platforms, startups, tech companiesSoftware firms, tech departments, corporate environments

The main difference is that a Freelance Graduate Software Engineer works independently on various projects, often remotely, and manages their own clients. In contrast, a Junior Software Developer is typically employed by a company, working within a team on ongoing projects. Both roles require basic coding skills, but the freelance role offers more flexibility and self-direction, while the junior role provides structured training and team collaboration.

What are some common challenges faced by freelance graduate software engineers when starting out, and how can they overcome them?

Freelance graduate software engineers often face challenges such as building a client base, managing multiple projects, and adapting to varying client expectations. It's common to feel overwhelmed by the need to market oneself while maintaining high coding standards. To overcome these challenges, many new freelancers focus on networking, maintaining an up-to-date portfolio, and improving time-management skills. Joining professional communities and seeking mentorship can also provide support and open doors to project opportunities.

What is a freelance graduate software engineer?

A freelance graduate software engineer is an individual who has recently completed a degree in software engineering, computer science, or a related field and works independently on a contract or project basis. Instead of being employed full-time by a single company, they offer their programming and software development skills to various clients. This role allows for flexibility in choosing projects and clients, but also requires self-management, networking, and business skills. Freelance graduate software engineers may work on web development, app creation, debugging, or contributing to larger software projects. This path is ideal for those seeking diverse experience and the ability to set their own work schedule.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Freelance Graduate Software Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Freelance Graduate Software Engineer, you need strong programming skills, a relevant degree in computer science or engineering, and a foundational understanding of software development principles. Familiarity with popular programming languages, version control systems like Git, and basic project management or collaboration tools is typically expected. Excellent problem-solving, effective communication, and time management skills help you deliver quality work and manage client expectations. These abilities are crucial for successfully handling diverse projects, building client relationships, and progressing in a competitive freelance environment.
What are the most commonly searched types of Graduate Software Engineer jobs in California? The most popular types of Graduate Software Engineer jobs in California are:
What are popular job titles related to Freelance Graduate Software Engineer jobs in California? For Freelance Graduate Software Engineer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Freelance Graduate Software Engineer jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Freelance Graduate Software Engineer jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Freelance Graduate Software Engineer jobs? Cities in California with the most Freelance Graduate Software Engineer job openings:
Freelance Graduate Software Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Freelance Graduate Software Engineer job openings in California as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 12% As Needed, 6% Full Time, 70% Part Time, and 12% Contract. Highlights an 73% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 24% Remote job distribution.

Software Engineer

CreativeCircle

San Mateo, CA • On-site

$90 - $95.79/hr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement

Posted 6 days ago

Job description

Software Engineer

Software Engineer - ML Data Infrastructure & Pipeline Engineering

Scope: Contract
Duration: 6 Months (Potential Extension)
Hours: 40 Hours/Week
Location: Foster City, CA
Onsite Requirement: 5 Days/Week Preferred (Hybrid flexibility may be considered for exceptional candidates)
Pay Range: $90-$95.79/hour (W2)

Ideal Candidate
A mid-level software engineer with strong C++ skills and experience processing large-scale datasets. Candidates who have built robust data pipelines, backend services, or distributed systems (and have exposure to embeddings, vector search, similarity search, or ML infrastructure) will be especially successful in this role.

Interview Process

Round 1: C++ Coding Assessment
Round 2: Systems Design / Technical Interview
Final Round: Hiring Team Interview

Overview
We are partnering with a leading autonomous vehicle company seeking a Software Engineer to help build and scale the data infrastructure that supports production machine learning and autonomous vehicle systems.

This team is responsible for preparing and processing large-scale datasets used to train production ML models. The engineer will focus on improving the reliability, scalability, automation, and performance of the pipelines and services that power data preparation workflows.

The ideal candidate has experience building robust data processing systems, working with large volumes of data, and developing production-grade software in distributed environments. Experience with vector search, embeddings, similarity search, or ML infrastructure is highly desirable.

What You'll Do

Data Processing & Pipeline Engineering

  • Design, build, and maintain large-scale data processing pipelines
  • Improve the stability, reliability, and automation of existing data workflows
  • Process and manage massive datasets in distributed computing environments
  • Optimize performance and scalability across data infrastructure
  • Build systems that support continuous, production-grade data processing

Backend & Infrastructure Development

  • Develop and maintain backend services that support data preparation workflows
  • Build infrastructure that enables efficient dataset generation and management
  • Create robust, maintainable software focused on operational excellence
  • Partner with engineering teams to improve service reliability and system performance

Machine Learning Data Infrastructure

  • Support workflows used to prepare training datasets for production ML models
  • Contribute to infrastructure that enables embedding generation, vector processing, and similarity search
  • Help scale systems that support ML and LLM-related development efforts

Required Qualifications

  • 3+ years of software engineering experience
  • Strong C++ development skills (required)
  • Experience building and maintaining large-scale data processing pipelines
  • Experience working with high-volume datasets in distributed or scalable environments
  • Strong understanding of data processing, data infrastructure, and system reliability
  • Experience building production-quality backend services or infrastructure
  • Familiarity with SQL and large-scale data operations
  • Ability to write efficient, scalable, and maintainable code

Technologies & Backgrounds That Translate Well
Candidates may come from backgrounds involving:

  • Distributed Data Processing
  • Data Infrastructure Engineering
  • ML Platform Engineering
  • Search Infrastructure
  • Backend Systems Engineering
  • Large-Scale Analytics Platforms

Relevant technologies may include:

  • C++
  • Spark
  • Databricks
  • Presto
  • Distributed Compute Platforms
  • Vector Databases
  • Similarity Search Systems
  • Embedding Pipelines

We are looking forward to your application! No remote candidates will be considered; please only apply if you are able to be on site in Foster City, CA.

In this position, you may have access to client or customer systems, confidential and/or proprietary information or data. This position is onsite and requires you to work closely with other individuals in a collaborative team environment.

Benefits

Creative Circle's Freelance Employee benefits package includes eligibility for Minimum Essential Coverage (MEC) medical plan, dental/vision/term life package, discount prescription program, critical illness, accident, tele-behavioral health, and 401(k) plan. Sick leave is provided to Candidates whose assignment work location is in a state or city subject to sick leave laws. A Minimum Value (MV) PPO medical plan, Employee Stock Purchase Plan, and paid holiday eligibility are based on length and dates of service.

- For Creative Circle to represent you for this opportunity, you must be currently authorized to work in the United States without the need of employer sponsorship for a non-immigrant visa such as a H-1B, TN, or O visa. We do not support or provide training for STEM/OPT programs. Additionally, you must be physically located in and perform the work for our client in the United States.This job was first posted by Creative Circle on 07/20/2026 and applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled or closed.Everforth Creative Circle is an Equal Opportunity Employer
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, genetic information, registered domestic partner status, marital status, disability, status as a crime victim, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Our hiring process includes AI screening for keywords and minimum qualifications. Recruiters review all results. Everforth Creative Circle will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local law, including but not limited to the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and the California Fair Chance Act. If you need a reasonable accommodation in the application process, please contact your Recruiter (the person you'll be interviewing with) or a member of our Human Resources team to make arrangements. Anthem / Blue Cross Blue Shield creates and publishes the Transparency in Coverage Machine-Readable Files on behalf of Everforth Creative Circle.