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Network Engineering Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

VAST Networks

Be Seen First

Sr Network Engineer

Fresno, CA · On-site

$100K - $125K/yr

We are seeking network engineering candidates that have a strong LAN/WAN network experience, excellent IP routing experience, excellent oral and written communication skills, and the ability to ...

Sigma Defense

1699 - Network Engineer IV

San Diego, CA

$125K - $145K/yr

Strong network engineering and troubleshooting skills. * Familiarity with Navy tactical networks and enclaves (NIPR/SIPR/CANES). * Ability to operate across shipboard, NIWC, and TYCOM stakeholders.

Sigma Defense

1699 - Network Engineer IV

San Diego, CA · On-site

$125K - $145K/yr

Strong network engineering and troubleshooting skills. * Familiarity with Navy tactical networks and enclaves (NIPR/SIPR/CANES). * Ability to operate across shipboard, NIWC, and TYCOM stakeholders.

In-N-Out Burger

Network Engineer II

Irvine, CA · On-site

$114K - $134K/yr

Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Network Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent experience. * 5+ years of experience in network engineering, with a focus on enterprise-level ...

In-N-Out Burgers

Network Engineer II

Irvine, CA · On-site

$114K - $134K/yr

Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Network Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent experience. * 5+ years of experience in network engineering, with a focus on enterprise-level ...

Eliassen Group

Tactical Network - Engineer

Fort Irwin, CA · On-site

$65 - $85/hr

Coordinate system development tasks with systems engineering leads based on integration challenges and new requirements. * Oversee development and testing of SATCOM systems, baseband networking ...

Saalex

Network Engineer

Corona, CA · On-site

$85K - $109K/yr

Saalex is seeking a Network Engineer in Corona, CA ... Saalex is an Engineering and Information Technology Services company with a focus on Test Range ...

Saalex

Network Engineer

Corona, CA · Hybrid

$85K - $109K/yr

Saalex is seeking a Network Engineer in Corona, CA ... Saalex is an Engineering and Information Technology Services company with a focus on Test Range ...

Accelint

Senior Network Engineer

San Diego, CA · On-site

$110K - $151K/yr

Required : • + 7-10 years of Network Engineering experience in the following areas: • Proficient in Cisco network devices including switches, routers and firewalls • Proficient in designing ...

Saalex

Network Engineer

Corona, CA · On-site

$85K - $109K/yr

Saalex is seeking a Network Engineer in Corona, CA ... Saalex is an Engineering and Information Technology Services company with a focus on Test Range ...

Forhyre

Network Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

You will be part of a systems engineering team that is responsible for designing and developing scalable, maintainable, highly available network architectures that meet business objectives and SLAs.

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All JobsNetwork Engineering JobsNetwork Engineering Jobs in California

Network Engineering information

See California salary details

$30.6K

$107.6K

$155.9K

How much do network engineering jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 12, 2026, the average yearly pay for network engineering in California is $107,612.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $87,800.00 and $131,800.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are some common challenges network engineers face when managing large-scale enterprise networks?

Network engineers in large-scale enterprise environments often encounter challenges such as maintaining network security across multiple sites, ensuring minimal downtime during upgrades or outages, and troubleshooting complex connectivity issues. Balancing the need for high performance with scalability and cost efficiency can also be demanding. Collaboration with cybersecurity, systems administration, and support teams is essential to address these challenges effectively and to keep the network resilient and efficient.

What is the work of a network engineer?

A network engineer designs, implements, manages, and maintains computer networks such as local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), and intranets. They troubleshoot network issues, configure hardware and software, and ensure network security using tools like firewalls and VPNs. Certifications like Cisco's CCNA or CompTIA Network+ are often required for this role.

Are network engineers still in demand?

Network engineers are currently in demand due to ongoing growth in IT infrastructure, cloud computing, and cybersecurity needs. They typically require skills in network design, troubleshooting, and certifications like Cisco CCNA or CompTIA Network+ to stay competitive in the job market.

What is the difference between Network Engineering vs Network Administration?

AspectNetwork EngineeringNetwork Administration
CertificationsCCNA, CCNP, Cisco Certified Network ProfessionalCCNA, CompTIA Network+
Work EnvironmentDesigning, planning, and implementing network solutionsManaging, maintaining, and troubleshooting existing networks
ResponsibilitiesBuilding new networks, optimizing performance, and scaling infrastructureMonitoring network health, configuring devices, and resolving issues

Network engineering focuses on designing and developing network systems, while network administration involves managing and maintaining those networks. Both roles require similar certifications and often work closely within the same industry, but their core functions differ in scope and focus.

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

To thrive as a Network Engineer, you need a solid understanding of networking protocols, network design, troubleshooting, and a degree in computer science or a related field. Familiarity with routers, switches, firewalls, and certifications like Cisco CCNA/CCNP or CompTIA Network+ are typically required. Strong problem-solving abilities, attention to detail, and effective communication skills help network engineers excel in diagnosing issues and collaborating across teams. These skills are critical to ensure reliable, secure, and efficient network operations within an organization.

What is network engineering?

Network engineering is a field of information technology focused on designing, implementing, managing, and maintaining computer networks. Network engineers ensure that data can move efficiently and securely between devices and locations, whether within a single office or across the globe. They work with hardware like routers, switches, and firewalls, as well as software to optimize performance and troubleshoot issues. Network engineers play a critical role in keeping organizations connected and their communications secure.
What are the most commonly searched types of Network Engineering jobs in California? The most popular types of Network Engineering jobs in California are:
What are popular job titles related to Network Engineering jobs in California? For Network Engineering jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Network Engineering jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Network Engineering jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Network Engineering jobs? Cities in California with the most Network Engineering job openings:
Network Engineering jobs near you
Infographic showing various Network Engineering job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 79% Full Time, 15% Part Time, 2% Temporary, 3% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 87% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 10% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $107,612 per year, or $51.7 per hour.

Software Engineer, Core Network Engineering

OpenAI

San Francisco, CA • On-site

Full-time

Re-posted 6 days ago

Job description

Job Summary:
OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company dedicated to ensuring that general-purpose artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity. They are seeking engineers to help build and operate the networking foundation behind OpenAI’s frontier AI systems, focusing on large-scale AI training and inference infrastructure.
Responsibilities:
• Design, build, and operate networking systems that support large-scale AI training and inference infrastructure
• Improve performance, reliability, and scalability across host networking, datacenter fabrics, and WAN systems
• Develop automation for provisioning, configuration management, validation, upgrades, and lifecycle management of networking infrastructure
• Build tooling and observability systems for network health, performance analysis, debugging, and automated remediation
• Optimize network performance across technologies such as RDMA, RoCE, InfiniBand, Ethernet, and high-performance GPU interconnects
• Define and operationalize networking protocols, readiness criteria, and continuous validation systems
• Partner closely with compute, storage, hardware, and infrastructure teams to ensure networking scales predictably with fleet growth
• Contribute to architecture decisions around topology design, capacity planning, failure domains, and network reliability
• Diagnose complex distributed systems and networking issues across large heterogeneous compute environments
Qualifications:
Required:
• Have experience building or operating large-scale networking or distributed systems infrastructure
• Are comfortable working close to the hardware/software boundary
• Have experience with Linux networking, kernel systems, NICs, RDMA, or performance-sensitive infrastructure software
• Have worked with high-performance networking technologies such as InfiniBand, RoCE, DPDK, or large-scale Ethernet fabrics
• Have experience with datacenter networking, WAN systems, or host networking stacks
• Enjoy debugging complex systems and performance bottlenecks across multiple layers of the stack
• Are comfortable writing production software in languages such as C++, Python, or Go
• Have strong systems fundamentals across networking, operating systems, distributed systems, or infrastructure engineering
• Are motivated by building infrastructure that directly accelerates frontier AI research and deployment
Company:
OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company that develops advanced AI models, including ChatGPT. It is a sub-organization of OpenAI Foundation. Founded in 2015, the company is headquartered in San Francisco, USA, with a team of 1001-5000 employees. The company is currently Late Stage.

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