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Remote Cto Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Workato

Field Chief Technology Officer

Palo Alto, CA · On-site +1

Quartz ranked us the #1 best company for remote workers The Opportunity We are hiring a Field CTO to serve as the most senior technology voice to our largest customers, prospects, and the market. The ...

Codazen

Chief Technology Officer

Irvine, CA · Remote

President Location: [Southern California / Remote] Type: Full-time Travel: 25% About the Role Codazen is hiring a CTO to set our technology direction, stay close enough to the work to actually build ...

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Cornelis Networks

Global Field CTO

San Jose, CA · On-site +1

S. states and six countries, and we continue to expand with exceptional talent in onsite, hybrid, and fully remote roles. Cornelis Networks is seeking a Global Field CTO to serve as a highly visible ...

Cisco

Field CTO

San Jose, CA · On-site +1

$319K - $427K/yr

The Field CTO role is essential to help customers understand and maximize the full value of current and potential future investments customers make in Splunk and Cisco capabilities. Field CTOs build ...

ResourceWell

Field CTO - Bay Area or Remote

San Jose, CA · On-site +1

$200K - $250K/yr

Field CTO - Generative AI About Our Client Our Client is a leader in the development of cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions, empowering businesses with innovative Generative AI ...

Glutopia

Co-Founder and CTO

Fremont, CA · On-site +1

Maintain and scale the existing technologies and build on it. * Keep abreast of latest developments in science, medicine and ML as they relate to diabetes therapeutics. * Collaborate on study design ...

Federato Technologies

Data Scientist

San Francisco, CA · Remote

$160K - $200K/yr

The role will report directly to the CTO. Next to the CTO, you will be first Data Scientist on the team building out models and algorithms pivotal to our value proposition. This is a remote position ...

Federato Technologies

Data Scientist

San Francisco, CA · On-site +1

$160K - $200K/yr

The role will report directly to the CTO. Next to the CTO, you will be first Data Scientist on the team building out models and algorithms pivotal to our value proposition. This is a remote position ...

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All JobsCto JobsRemote Cto JobsRemote Cto Jobs in California

Remote Cto information

See California salary details

$25.2K

$164.3K

$272.9K

How much do remote cto jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 2, 2026, the average yearly pay for remote cto in California is $164,330.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $130,300.00 and $192,400.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

How does a Remote CTO effectively lead and communicate with distributed engineering teams?

As a Remote CTO, effective leadership hinges on clear, consistent communication and establishing structured processes for virtual collaboration. Utilizing project management tools, regular video meetings, and clear documentation helps ensure everyone stays aligned on goals and progress. Building trust and fostering a culture of transparency are especially important in remote settings, as is providing mentorship and support across different time zones. Proactively addressing challenges related to distance and asynchronous work enables a Remote CTO to maintain team cohesion and drive technological success.

What Does a Remote CTO Do?

As a remote CTO or Chief Technology Officer, you are responsible for your company’s vision and strategy with regards to all things technology, and your duties revolve around managing the technical infrastructure of your company. You develop and implement plans for hardware and software upgrades, maintenance, and deployment, and you manage the IT support desk, working to ensure consistent availability of computer resources for your team members throughout the organization. Additionally, you are typically responsible for information security, strategic decisions around IT investments, and policy development. As a remote employee, you telecommute from a satellite office or work from home.

What is the difference between Remote Cto vs Remote Software Engineer?

AspectRemote CtoRemote Software Engineer
Required CredentialsTypically requires extensive experience in software development, leadership, and strategic planning; often a bachelor's or master's in CS or related fieldUsually requires a bachelor's degree in CS, software engineering, or related field; experience varies
Work EnvironmentExecutive leadership role overseeing entire tech strategy; collaborates with C-suite and stakeholdersIndividual contributor role focused on coding, testing, and implementing software solutions
Employer & Industry UsageUsed in tech companies, startups, and enterprises for strategic tech leadershipCommon across tech companies, startups, and organizations needing software development

The main difference between a Remote Cto and a Remote Software Engineer lies in their responsibilities and seniority. The Remote Cto focuses on strategic technology leadership and decision-making, while the Remote Software Engineer concentrates on developing and implementing software solutions. Both roles are vital in tech organizations but serve different functions within the company's hierarchy.

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

To thrive as a Remote CTO, you need deep expertise in software architecture, leadership experience, and a track record of guiding technology strategy, often supported by a degree in computer science or related fields. Familiarity with cloud platforms, DevOps tools, and project management systems like Jira or Trello is essential, and certifications such as AWS Certified Solutions Architect can be advantageous. Exceptional communication, strategic thinking, and the ability to lead and inspire distributed teams are crucial soft skills. These skills ensure effective decision-making, seamless remote collaboration, and successful delivery of technology initiatives in a virtual environment.

What are Remote CTOs?

Remote CTOs, or Chief Technology Officers, are executive leaders who oversee a company's technology strategy and operations while working remotely rather than on-site. They are responsible for guiding the technical vision, managing development teams, making high-level architecture decisions, and aligning technology initiatives with business goals. Remote CTOs may work full-time for a single company or serve multiple clients as fractional or interim CTOs. Advances in collaboration tools and cloud technologies have made it increasingly common for CTO roles to be performed remotely, especially in startups and tech-focused organizations.
More about Remote Cto jobs
What are the most commonly searched types of Cto jobs in California? The most popular types of Cto jobs in California are:
What are popular job titles related to Remote Cto jobs in California? For Remote Cto jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Remote Cto jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Remote Cto jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Remote Cto jobs? Cities in California with the most Remote Cto job openings:
Remote Cto jobs near you
Infographic showing various Remote Cto job openings in California as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 4% Locum Tenens, 81% Full Time, 6% Part Time, 3% Contract, and 6% Nights. Highlights an 82% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 14% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $164,330 per year, or $79 per hour.

Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Artificial Intelligence (AI) Required, Work From Home

Next Step Systems

San Francisco, CA • Remote

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, PTO

Posted 23 days ago

Job description

Job Description

Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Artificial Intelligence (AI) Required, Work From Home

We are looking for a Chief Technology Officer (CTO) who can think clearly about systems, make strong technical decisions, and help build the engineering organization from the ground up.  The Chief Technology Officer (CTO)  will be part of founding team to shape the technical direction of the company, while helping build a strong engineering team across the globe.  This position is 100% Remote.

Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Responsibilities:

Technical Direction:

- Define the long-term architecture for AI systems, infrastructure, and developer platform.

- Evaluate trade-offs between speed of iteration and long-term system design.

- Ensure systems are designed for scalability, reliability, and long-term evolution.

- Guide key decisions across model integration, data pipelines, distributed systems, and product architecture.

Engineering Leadership:

- Work with engineers to translate product direction into clear technical execution.

- Help structure engineering workstreams and keep teams aligned on priorities.

- Maintain high engineering standards while keeping the team focused on shipping.

- Establish engineering culture, development practices, and technical standards across the company.

Building the Team:

- Build and scale a world-class engineering team across key talent hubs including China and US.

- Identify strong technical leaders and help build a high-quality engineering organization.

- Define hiring standards and interview processes to maintain a high engineering bar.

Coordination and Execution:

- Work closely with product, research, and leadership teams.

- Ensure technical workstreams move forward smoothly across teams and locations.

- Help resolve cross-team technical and execution challenges.

Qualifications

Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Qualifications:

- Strong technical foundation in system architecture, large-scale systems, distributed architecture.

- Artificial Intelligence (AI) experience required.

- Ability to reason clearly about complex systems and make pragmatic technical decisions.

- Experience building or leading high-performing engineering teams.

- Strong judgment on technical trade-offs and engineering priorities.

- Comfortable operating in early-stage environments with high ambiguity.

- Clear communication and ability to align teams.

- We are particularly interested in candidates who enjoy building teams, superior products and shaping engineering organizations.

Benefits include medical insurance, Dental, Vision, Savings Plan Options, PTO, etc.

Keywords:  San Francisco CA Jobs, Chief Technology Officer (CTO), AI, Architecture, Artificial Intelligence, Chief Technology Officer, CTO, Data Pipelines, Distributed Systems, Engineering, Infrastructure, Product Architecture, Software Developers, Remote, Work From Home, California Recruiters, IT Jobs, California Recruiting

Looking to hire a Chief Technology Officer (CTO) in San Francisco, CA or in other cities?  Our IT recruiting agencies and staffing companies can help.

We help companies that are looking to hire Chief Technology Officers (CTOs) for jobs in San Francisco, California and in other cities too.  Please contact our IT recruiting agencies and IT staffing companies today!


Additional Information

Please check out all of our jobs at www.nextstepsystems.com.