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Research Software Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Google

Senior Research Engineer

Mountain View, CA · On-site

$241K/yr

Software design and systems architecture for performance and reliability. ML infrastructure ... research and engineering. Communicate research developments, experimental results, and project ...

OpenAI

Research Engineer, Codex

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$295K - $445K/yr

We operate across research, engineering, product, and infrastructure-owning the full lifecycle of ... Have strong software engineering skills and enjoy quickly turning ideas into working prototypes.

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See California salary details

$110K

$203.3K

How much do research software engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 13, 2026, the average yearly pay for research software engineer in California is $197,884.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $202,300.00 and $202,300.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

Can I make 200k a year as a software engineer?

Research Software Engineers working in high-demand industries, such as tech or finance, can potentially earn $200,000 or more annually, especially with extensive experience, specialized skills, or advanced degrees. Salaries vary based on location, company size, and expertise, with senior roles and those involving machine learning, data science, or leadership often reaching or exceeding this level.

What engineers make $300,000 a year?

Senior research software engineers with extensive experience, specialized skills in areas like machine learning or high-performance computing, and often advanced degrees can earn $300,000 or more annually. Compensation varies based on industry, location, and company size, with some roles in tech, finance, or biotech reaching this level through bonuses and stock options.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the Research Software Engineer position, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Research Software Engineer, you need strong programming skills (often in Python, C++, or Java), a solid understanding of algorithms, and an academic or industry background in computer science or a related field. Familiarity with version control systems like Git, cloud platforms, and experience using scientific computing libraries and frameworks are valuable, while a master's or Ph.D. can be advantageous for specialized roles. Excellent problem-solving, communication, and collaborative skills help in working closely with researchers and multidisciplinary teams. These capabilities are crucial for successfully translating complex research problems into robust, reproducible software solutions that advance scientific inquiry.

What does a research software engineer do?

A research software engineer develops, maintains, and optimizes software tools and systems to support scientific research. They often collaborate with researchers to implement algorithms, analyze data, and ensure software reliability, frequently using programming languages like Python, C++, or Java. Their work enables efficient data processing and reproducibility in research projects.

What are some typical daily responsibilities for a Research Software Engineer?

As a Research Software Engineer, your daily work often involves designing and implementing software to support cutting-edge research projects, collaborating with scientists to understand their computational needs, and ensuring code reliability and reproducibility. You may spend time optimizing algorithms, writing unit tests, documenting software, and participating in code reviews within a collaborative team environment. Additionally, you might help deploy research applications on high-performance or cloud computing platforms and contribute to research publications. Balancing independent programming tasks with ongoing communication is key to making meaningful contributions to both the research and software development processes.

What is a Research Software Engineer job?

A Research Software Engineer (RSE) combines expertise in software development and research to create, maintain, and optimize software used in scientific or academic projects. They work closely with researchers to develop efficient, reliable, and reproducible software solutions for data analysis, simulations, or machine learning. RSEs bridge the gap between research and software engineering, ensuring that computational tools meet the needs of scientific investigations. Their role may involve coding, performance optimization, software sustainability, and deploying applications on high-performance computing or cloud platforms.

What engineers make $500,000?

Senior research software engineers with extensive experience, specialized skills in machine learning or data science, and leadership roles can earn $500,000 or more annually, especially in high-cost-of-living areas or large tech companies. Compensation often includes base salary, bonuses, and stock options, reflecting their advanced expertise and impact on projects.
What are the most commonly searched types of Research Software Engineer jobs in California? The most popular types of Research Software Engineer jobs in California are:
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What job categories do people searching Research Software Engineer jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Research Software Engineer jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Research Software Engineer jobs? Cities in California with the most Research Software Engineer job openings:
What are popular job titles related to Research Software Engineer jobs in CA? For Research Software Engineer jobs in CA, the most frequently searched job titles are:
Research Software Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Research Software Engineer job openings in California as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 85% Full Time, 11% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $197,884 per year, or $95.1 per hour.

Senior Software Engineer, Operations Research, Google Research

Google

Mountain View, CA • On-site

$244K/yr

Full-time

Posted 8 days ago

Google rating

8.8

Company rating: 8.8 out of 10

Based on 92 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

32nd of 189 rated software companies

Job description

Job Summary:
Google is a leading technology company that develops next-generation technologies impacting billions of users. The Senior Software Engineer in Operations Research will design, develop, test, deploy, maintain, and enhance software solutions while managing project priorities and collaborating with teams to tackle critical projects.
Responsibilities:
• Write and test product or system development code.
• Participate in, or lead design reviews with peers and stakeholders to decide amongst available technologies.
• Review code developed by other developers and provide feedback to ensure best practices (e.g., style guidelines, checking code in, accuracy, testability, and efficiency).
• Contribute to the development of Operations Research technologies and their applications within the Waymo partnership.
• Triage product or system issues and debug/track/resolve by analyzing the sources of issues and the impact on hardware, network, or service operations and quality.
Qualifications:
Required:
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience.
• 5 years of experience with software development in C++.
• 3 years of experience testing, maintaining, or launching software products, and 1 year of experience with software design and architecture.
• Experience developing and implementing optimization algorithms or decision support tools in production environments.
• Experience designing, building, and maintaining large-scale distributed computing systems (e.g., distributed databases or data processing pipelines).
Preferred:
• Master's degree or PhD in Computer Science, or a related technical field.
• 5 years of experience with data structures and algorithms.
• 1 year of experience in a technical leadership role.
• Experience developing accessible technologies.
Company:
Google specializes in internet-related services and products, including search, advertising, and software. It is a sub-organization of Alphabet. Founded in 1998, the company is headquartered in Mountain View, USA, with a team of 10001+ employees. The company is currently Late Stage.

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