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Graduate Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

SpaceX

$100K/yr

  • Medical

  • Retirement

SUMMER 2027 GRADUATE ENGINEER As a Graduate Engineer, you will be responsible for working on creative solutions to real aerospace challenges. This is not an ordinary "internship" - you will be given ...

New

SpaceX

$100K/yr

  • Medical

  • Retirement

SUMMER 2027 GRADUATE ENGINEER As a Graduate Engineer, you will be responsible for working on creative solutions to real aerospace challenges. This is not an ordinary "internship" - you will be given ...

New

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All JobsGraduate Engineer JobsGraduate Engineer Jobs in California

Graduate Engineer information

See California salary details

$10.9K

$71.6K

$123.9K

How much do graduate engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 17, 2026, the average yearly pay for graduate engineer in California is $71,640.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $44,400.00 and $81,900.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a graduate engineer?

Graduate Engineers are individuals who have recently completed an engineering degree and are beginning their professional careers in the engineering field. They typically work under the supervision of experienced engineers to gain practical experience, develop technical skills, and apply their academic knowledge to real-world projects. Graduate Engineers may work in various domains, such as civil, mechanical, electrical, or software engineering, depending on their specialization. Their roles often include assisting with project design, analysis, testing, and documentation while learning industry standards and best practices.

What does a graduate engineer do?

A graduate engineer may find employment in a variety of industries depending on their background, engineering specialty, and training. As a graduate engineer in the field of civil engineering, for instance, you work on scientific projects as part of a team, design civil grading, and prepare reports. In a graduate mechanical engineering role, you are involved in preparing building models, coordinating technical project components, and participating in team meetings. Regardless of your specialty, as a graduate engineer, you get to build work experience in lower level roles while working with veterans in your chosen field.

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

To thrive as a Graduate Engineer, you need a relevant engineering degree, strong analytical skills, and a solid understanding of engineering principles. Familiarity with CAD software, project management tools, and, in some fields, foundational certifications like EIT or FE are typically expected. Standout soft skills include teamwork, effective communication, adaptability, and a willingness to learn. These competencies are crucial for contributing to technical projects, collaborating across multidisciplinary teams, and progressing in a dynamic engineering environment.

What types of projects and responsibilities can a graduate engineer expect during their first year on the job?

As a Graduate Engineer, you can expect to work on a variety of entry-level projects that help you build practical skills and industry knowledge. Responsibilities often include assisting senior engineers with design work, preparing documentation, conducting research, and participating in site visits or quality checks. You'll likely rotate through different departments or project teams to gain a broad understanding of the company's operations. Collaboration with multidisciplinary teams is common, providing valuable exposure to project management and communication within engineering contexts. These experiences are designed to support your professional development and prepare you for more specialized roles as you progress.

What is the difference between Graduate Engineer vs Junior Engineer?

AspectGraduate EngineerJunior Engineer
Required CredentialsBachelor's degree in engineering or related field; some internships or co-op experienceBachelor's degree; typically less work experience
Work EnvironmentEntry-level, training-focused, often in design, testing, or project supportEntry-level to early career, performing basic engineering tasks under supervision
Employer & Industry UsageCommon in engineering firms, construction, manufacturing, and consultingUsed interchangeably with Graduate Engineer in many companies, often indicating similar roles

Both roles are entry-level engineering positions requiring a bachelor's degree. The term 'Graduate Engineer' often emphasizes recent graduation and training, while 'Junior Engineer' may imply a slightly broader range of early career roles. In many organizations, these titles are used interchangeably, focusing on entry-level responsibilities in engineering environments.

What jobs do engineering graduates get?

Engineering graduates can pursue roles such as civil, mechanical, electrical, software, or chemical engineers. These positions often require knowledge of technical skills, problem-solving, and proficiency with industry tools like CAD or programming languages. Entry-level engineering jobs typically involve design, analysis, testing, and project management tasks.

What jobs do graduate engineers get?

Graduate engineers typically find entry-level positions such as design engineer, project engineer, manufacturing engineer, or quality engineer. These roles often involve applying technical skills, using engineering software, and working under supervision to gain practical experience in their field.
More about Graduate Engineer jobs

What cities in California are hiring for Graduate Engineer jobs?

Cities in California with the most Graduate Engineer job openings:

What are popular job titles related to Graduate Engineer jobs in CA?

For Graduate Engineer jobs in CA, the most frequently searched job titles are:

Graduate Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Graduate Engineer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 2% As Needed, 68% Full Time, 26% Part Time, 2% Temporary, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 97% Physical, and 3% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $71,640 per year, or $34.4 per hour.

Graduate Engineer - Construction Engineering

Walter P Moore

San Francisco, CA • Hybrid

Full-time

Re-posted 6 days ago

Job description

Responsibilities

Walter P Moore seeks a well prepared graduate from one of the top engineering schools to join our firm's Construction Engineering Services team, a specialized team within the Structures Group.  In this role, the graduate engineer in the Construction Engineering Services team will work on projects for contractors, steel fabricators and erectors, and the like.  Primary roles supporting their Project Manager will include: analyzing and validating structures at different stages of construction, developing construction sequencing for complex structures, analysis and design of temporary structures to support construction, and steel connection design.  Candidates must have strong computer analysis skills and coursework covering a broad array of topics in steel design.

As a graduate engineer in the Construction Engineering Services group, you will participate on project design teams for architectural projects of all types, including commercial, sports, aviation, healthcare, education, and cultural buildings.  In addition, you will have the opportunity to participate in our industry leading staff development program, MOORELearning.

Qualifications
  • Master's in Civil Engineering with emphasis in Structural
  • EIT
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Experience with Tekla and Building Information Modeling (BIM) is preferred
  • Demonstrated strength in steel design, steel connection design and structural analysis
  • SAP 2000 modeling experience
  • Work experience/internships with contractors, steel fabricators, or steel erectors strongly preferred
As a Hybrid Firm, Walter P Moore combines the best of both worlds - blending work options to include in-office and home office environments. This allows us to offer more flexibility and work-life integration to our employees. Candidates applying for this position should have the ability to commute to or periodically travel to the affiliated office. To ensure the ability to setup a suitable home office space, Walter P Moore offers a one-time $1,000 stipend that would be paid upon completion of the first week of employment. An additional $50 monthly stipend will also be provided to cover ongoing home office expenses. Pay Transparency Disclosure Statement:This position has an annual salary range as stated below and is, in good faith, an estimate. The actual offered salary will be dependent on the candidate's knowledge, skills, abilities, geographic location, industry experience and internal equity. Walter P Moore reserves the right to offer more or less than the posted range based on the criteria previously stated and will do so in a manner that does not discriminate against a candidate's protected status per local, state and federal law.$75K - $93K in Denver$78K - 98K in San Diego & Chicago$82K - $103K in DC, LA & Seattle$86K - $107K in NYC$90K - $112K in San Francisco  

Walter P Moore is an equal employment opportunity employer, and provides equal employment opportunities (including offering competitive compensation and benefit packages) to all employees and applicants for employment. We prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to any characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws and encourage all to apply including veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Overview

Walter P Moore is an international company of engineers, architects, innovators, and creative people who solve some of the world's most complex structural and infrastructure challenges. Providing structural, diagnostics, civil, traffic, parking, transportation, enclosure, WPM technology and construction engineering services, we design solutions that are cost- and resource-efficient, forward-thinking, and help support and shape communities worldwide. Founded in 1931 and headquartered in Houston, Texas, our 1000+ professionals work across 26 U.S. offices and 8 international locations.

Employment Type: OTHER

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