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Ocean Engineering Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Odin Dynamics, Inc

Fall Engineering Intern

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$18 - $23.50/hr

S. in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Robotics, Ocean Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field. * Genuine interest in building ...

Sofar Ocean

Staff Software Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

... engineering. Loves making beautiful, functional interfaces for humans • Curious and experimental in the face of rapid tech change like LLM's Company : Sofar Ocean is a build accessible ocean ...

Knife River

PROJECT ENGINEER

Long Beach, CA · On-site

Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, Ocean Engineering, Construction Management, or a related field. * Minimum 5 years of combined experience in roles such as Field Engineer, Project Engineer ...

Knife River

PROJECT ENGINEER

Long Beach, CA · On-site

Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, Ocean Engineering, Construction Management, or a related field. * Minimum 5 years of combined experience in roles such as Field Engineer, Project Engineer ...

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All JobsOcean Engineering JobsOcean Engineering Jobs in California

Ocean Engineering information

See California salary details

$45.9K

$144.9K

$171.7K

How much do ocean engineering jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 26, 2026, the average yearly pay for ocean engineering in California is $144,945.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $115,000.00 and $170,700.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is ocean engineering?

Ocean engineering is a branch of engineering focused on the design, development, and maintenance of structures and systems that operate in the ocean environment. This field combines elements of mechanical, civil, electrical, and environmental engineering to address challenges such as offshore energy production, underwater robotics, coastal protection, and marine transportation. Ocean engineers work on projects like oil platforms, underwater vehicles, renewable energy installations, and coastal infrastructure, ensuring they are safe, efficient, and environmentally sustainable. The work often involves multidisciplinary collaboration and adapting to the unique and harsh conditions of marine environments.

How much money do ocean engineers make?

Ocean engineers typically earn a median annual salary of around $90,000, with salaries ranging from approximately $60,000 to over $130,000 depending on experience, location, and industry. Advanced skills, certifications, and working in specialized environments can lead to higher compensation.

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

To thrive as an Ocean Engineer, you need a solid background in mechanical, civil, or marine engineering principles, typically supported by a bachelor's degree in ocean engineering or a related field. Familiarity with CAD software, ocean modeling tools, and industry certifications such as Professional Engineer (PE) licensure are commonly required. Strong problem-solving abilities, teamwork, and effective communication skills help you excel in multidisciplinary, often challenging marine environments. These competencies are crucial for designing safe, innovative solutions to complex problems in ocean structures, vessels, and coastal systems.

What can you do with an ocean engineering degree?

An ocean engineering degree prepares individuals for careers designing, building, and maintaining offshore structures, ships, and underwater systems. Graduates often work in fields such as marine renewable energy, subsea engineering, and coastal protection, utilizing skills in fluid dynamics, materials science, and computer-aided design. Certification and knowledge of industry standards are also important for many roles.

What is the difference between Ocean Engineering vs Marine Engineering?

AspectOcean EngineeringMarine Engineering
CredentialsBachelor's or Master's in Ocean Engineering or related fieldsBachelor's or Master's in Marine Engineering or Naval Architecture
Work EnvironmentOffshore platforms, research vessels, coastal facilitiesShip design, propulsion systems, shipyard environments
Industry UsageResearch, offshore oil & gas, renewable energyShipbuilding, maritime transportation, naval defense

Ocean Engineering and Marine Engineering share overlapping skills and credentials, but differ mainly in focus. Ocean Engineering emphasizes offshore structures, ocean systems, and research, while Marine Engineering concentrates on ship design, propulsion, and maritime operations. Both fields are vital in maritime industries, but their specific applications and work environments distinguish them.

Is ocean engineering a good career?

Ocean engineering is a specialized field focused on designing and maintaining systems related to the ocean environment, such as ships, offshore structures, and underwater vehicles. It offers opportunities in research, environmental protection, and energy sectors, often requiring strong technical skills in mathematics, physics, and engineering tools. The career can be rewarding for those interested in marine environments and technological innovation, with job prospects varying by industry demand and geographic location.

What are some typical challenges ocean engineers face when working on offshore projects?

Ocean engineers often encounter challenges such as harsh weather conditions, unpredictable sea states, and complex logistical issues when working offshore. Ensuring the safety and durability of structures like oil rigs, underwater pipelines, or renewable energy platforms in these environments requires careful planning, advanced engineering techniques, and close collaboration with multidisciplinary teams. Additionally, ocean engineers must consider environmental regulations and the impact of their projects on marine ecosystems. These challenges make strong problem-solving skills and adaptability essential for success in this field.

What engineering jobs pay $500,000?

In engineering fields, senior roles such as petroleum engineers, aerospace engineers, and certain specialized software or systems engineers can earn $500,000 or more annually, often with experience, advanced certifications, and leadership responsibilities. High-paying positions typically require advanced degrees, extensive expertise, and work in high-demand industries or executive-level roles.
What are the most commonly searched types of Ocean Engineering jobs in California? The most popular types of Ocean Engineering jobs in California are:
What are popular job titles related to Ocean Engineering jobs in California? For Ocean Engineering jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Ocean Engineering jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Ocean Engineering jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Ocean Engineering jobs? Cities in California with the most Ocean Engineering job openings:
Ocean Engineering jobs near you
Infographic showing various Ocean Engineering job openings in California as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 91% Full Time, 6% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 10% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $144,945 per year, or $69.7 per hour.
Principal Scientist - Marine Acoustics

Principal Scientist - Marine Acoustics

Sofar Ocean

San Francisco, CA • On-site

$137K - $185K/yr

Full-time

Posted 19 days ago

Job description

The Role
Sofar designs, builds, and deploys ocean sensing networks at a global scale to power ocean intelligence. We are expanding our sensing and intelligence capabilities into underwater acoustics and looking for a world-class expert in ocean acoustics to set the technical product vision for Sofar's underwater acoustics platform.
Responsibilities
  • Lead Sofar's underwater acoustics strategy, defining the technical vision for an underwater acoustics platform that supports real-world marine applications.
  • Develop capabilities to detect, classify, localize, and track acoustic sources and targets using passive and/or active techniques.
  • Drive AI/ML model development for edge-based and cloud-based acoustic intelligence models.
  • Advance methods for mapping and characterizing the ocean soundscape-including ambient noise fields, acoustic propagation conditions (e.g., sound-speed structure and transmission loss), and the oceanographic and geoacoustic context that drives them.
  • Provide an acoustics-centric perspective on sensing system design-including hydrophone/array selection, calibration, and geometry-as well as deployment strategy, data quality, and performance validation.
  • Collaborate with Sofar's ocean and sensing scientists, hardware and software engineers, to translate acoustics domain expertise into operational products.
  • Design and conduct field experiments, at-sea data collection, data analyses, and modeling and simulation studies (including propagation and detection-performance modeling) to evaluate acoustic system performance under realistic ocean conditions.
  • Help define product requirements, technical roadmaps, and priorities for new underwater acoustic capabilities.
  • Represent Sofar externally with customers, research partners, government agencies, and the broader ocean acoustics community.
Minimum Job Qualifications
  • Deep expertise in underwater acoustics
  • Practical experience developing acoustic sensing systems or algorithms for detection, classification, localization, mapping, or environmental characterization
  • Strong understanding of marine acoustic propagation, ambient noise, signal processing, and the practical constraints of ocean sensing in the real world
  • Experience working with real-world acoustic datasets, field deployments, and/or operational sensing systems
  • Experience applying statistical signal processing, machine learning, or modern AI methods to acoustic detection, classification, or environmental inference.
  • Excellent communication skills, and you excel working in a cross-functional team
  • Experience translating scientific research into operational products or customer-facing capabilities
  • Ph.D. in acoustics, ocean engineering, electrical engineering, applied physics, oceanography, or a related field, but we will consider highly qualified candidates of any education level with equivalent experience
  • Strong reputation within the ocean acoustics community, with experience leading externally funded research programs or strategic technical partnerships.
  • Enthusiasm and experience in leveraging LLMs to magnify personal impact
Bonus Points
  • Familiarity with embedded sensing systems, firmware constraints, or edge processing for acoustic applications
  • Familiarity with the constraints of autonomous ocean platforms, including limited power, bandwidth, onboard compute, sensor calibration, and long-duration deployments.
  • Comfort working in production codebases when necessary to personally deliver changes.
Estimated Salary Range
  • $137,000 - $185,000
  • The range listed is what we reasonably expect to pay for this role at the time of this posting. We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range and may be modified in the future. Actual compensation packages are based on several factors that are unique to each candidate, including but not limited to skill set, experience, and equity package.
Our Approach to AI in the Hiring Process:
At Sofar, we use AI tools in our day-to-day work, and we don't expect our hiring process to be any different. Here's how we think about it:
Applying: Write your own first draft - we want to hear your voice and understand your real experience. AI is fine for refining and polishing, not for generating your story.
Take-home assessments: Complete these on your own unless we've explicitly said otherwise. We'll always be upfront about it when AI is allowed.
Interview prep: Go for it. Use AI to research Sofar, practice your responses, and sharpen your thinking before we meet.
During interviews: This is you. We're a small team and we move fast - live conversations are how we get to know you, and we're genuinely curious how you think in real time.
A note on transparency: We're a lean People team, and we use AI to help with things like drafting job descriptions, preparing interview questions, and candidate communications. We don't use it to make hiring decisions - those are always ours.
The through line: use AI to show more of yourself, not less :)
About Working at Sofar:
Hybrid work: We're a hands-on team building hardware and software that operates in the real world - so being together matters. We ask that most team members are in office at least 70% of the time, though some roles (like field technicians or hardware engineering) may require more. Fully remote roles are designated as such in the job posting.
Visa sponsorship: We do sponsor visas and retain an immigration lawyer to support the process. While we can't guarantee sponsorship for every role or situation, if we make you an offer, we'll make every reasonable effort to make it work.
A note on applying: We mean it when we say we want the strongest people - not the most credentialed ones. If you're excited about this work but don't check every box, please apply anyway. Research consistently shows that underrepresented candidates are more likely to self-select out, and that's a loss for everyone. Sofar operates at the intersection of ocean science, climate, and technology - the problems we're solving are consequential, and the perspectives we bring to them matter. We're actively working to build a team that reflects that.

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