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Ride Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Ride Engineering Technician Division: Maintenance Grade: E Department: Ride Maintenance Reports to: Ride Maintenance Supervision Reporting to this Position: Qualifications & Experience Scope of Job:

NVH Engineer II

Irvine, CA ยท On-site

$80K - $93K/yr

NVH Engineer II * Evaluate, Test and Develop the Total Vehicle performance / Noise and Vibration performance / Ride & Handling performance of North American Market Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis vehicles ...

NVH Engineer II

Irvine, CA ยท On-site

$80K - $93K/yr

NVH Engineer II * Evaluate, Test and Develop the Total Vehicle performance / Noise and Vibration performance / Ride & Handling performance of North American Market Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis vehicles ...

NVH Engineer I

Irvine, CA ยท On-site

$78K/yr

NVH Engineer I * Evaluate, Test and Develop the Total Vehicle performance / Noise and Vibration performance / Ride & Handling performance of North American Market Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis vehicles ...

NVH Engineer I

Irvine, CA ยท Hybrid

$78K/yr

NVH Engineer I * Evaluate, Test and Develop the Total Vehicle performance / Noise and Vibration performance / Ride & Handling performance of North American Market Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis vehicles ...

Event Coordinator

Pasadena, CA ยท On-site

$65K - $75K/yr

JOB SUMMARY As an Event Coordinator at RIDE, you will play a pivotal role in planning, coordinating ... Work closely with internal teams (sales, engineering, and executive leadership) to align event ...

Collaborate with other engineers to build reliable systems for the ride hailing service, real time communications between cars and offboard infrastructure, and more * Manage end-to-end availability ...

Software Reliability Engineer

Mountain View, CA ยท On-site

$175K - $215K/yr

The Waymo Driver powers Waymo's fully autonomous ride-hail service and can also be applied to a ... Waymo's software reliability engineers (SRE) are responsible for the stable operation of Waymo ...

Showing results 41-60

Ride Engineer information

See California salary details

$58.7K

$89.3K

$151.5K

How much do ride engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 9, 2026, the average yearly pay for ride engineer in California is $89,326.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $67,600.00 and $103,600.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What skills and qualifications are needed to be a ride engineer?

To thrive as a Ride Engineer, you need a solid background in mechanical or electrical engineering, often supported by a relevant engineering degree and experience with ride design or theme park systems. Familiarity with CAD software, PLC programming, and safety compliance standards like ASTM F24 is typically required. Strong problem-solving abilities, teamwork, and clear communication help you excel in cross-functional environments. These skills are crucial for ensuring the safety, reliability, and innovation of amusement park rides.

What challenges do ride engineers face when maintaining and upgrading amusement park rides?

Ride Engineers often encounter challenges such as diagnosing complex mechanical and electrical issues, ensuring compliance with rigorous safety standards, and coordinating maintenance schedules to minimize ride downtime. They must quickly adapt to evolving technologies and work collaboratively with operations teams, electricians, and mechanics to resolve problems efficiently. Balancing preventative maintenance with urgent repairs, especially during peak park seasons, requires strong organizational and communication skills.

What is the difference between Ride Engineer vs Ride Technician?

AspectRide EngineerRide Technician
CredentialsEngineering degree or technical certification, specialized trainingTechnical diploma or certification, hands-on training
Work EnvironmentDesign, testing, and overseeing ride systems; office and manufacturing settingsMaintenance, repair, and troubleshooting on-site at amusement parks or facilities
Industry UsageUsed in design and development phases, ensuring safety and performance standards

Ride Engineers focus on designing, testing, and ensuring the safety of amusement rides, often working in offices or labs. Ride Technicians perform maintenance, repairs, and troubleshooting on rides at parks or facilities. While both roles require technical knowledge, Ride Engineers typically hold engineering credentials and work in development, whereas Ride Technicians focus on operational safety and maintenance on-site.

What is a ride engineer?

Ride engineers are professionals who design, develop, and maintain amusement park rides and attractions. They combine knowledge of mechanical, electrical, and structural engineering to ensure rides are safe, reliable, and enjoyable for guests. Ride engineers work closely with architects, designers, and safety inspectors throughout the planning, construction, and operation phases. Their responsibilities often include troubleshooting technical issues, performing regular safety checks, and implementing upgrades or repairs as needed.
What are popular job titles related to Ride Engineer jobs in California? For Ride Engineer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What cities in California are hiring for Ride Engineer jobs? Cities in California with the most Ride Engineer job openings:
Infographic showing various Ride Engineer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 81% Full Time, 13% Part Time, 2% Temporary, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $89,326 per year, or $42.9 per hour.

Software Engineer - Ride and Fleet Services

Zoox

San Diego, CA โ€ข On-site

$145K - $219K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Life, PTO

Re-posted 29 days ago


Job description

Our Ride and Fleet Backend team is looking for a Software Engineer to build out the Fleet Dispatch System to efficiently dispatch missions to our robots. Zoox robots take missions like Rideshare Trips, Charging, Cleaning, Return to Depot, R&D missions, and Roaming missions. It is the backbone of our autonomous fleet management system and the brains behind connecting our riders and vehicle operators to our robots!
In this role, you will:
  • Design and build a scalable, efficient, and robust robotaxis dispatch service.
  • Craft and refine algorithms for real-time dispatch optimization and route planning, leveraging operational research techniques.
  • Apply operational research methods such as linear programming, integer programming, stochastic processes, and queuing theory to solve complex dispatch problems.
  • Use operational research tools for data analysis, forecasting demand, and modeling transport networks to improve robotaxi service efficiency.
  • Integrate optimization algorithms into the robotaxi platform.
  • Build and use in-house or 3rd-party simulation models to test dispatch optimization algorithms' effectiveness.
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Qualifications
  • Bachelor's/Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, Operations Research, or related field.
  • Proven experience in algorithm development, with a strong emphasis on operational research methodologies.
  • Proficiency in programming languages Java or Kotlin
  • Solid background in machine learning, AI, operational research, and data analysis.
  • Passion for learning new technologies, domains, and challenging the status quo.
  • Strong mathematics skills.
  • Exceptional problem-solving, analytical, and quantitative skills.
Bonus Qualifications
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  • Experience with GIS and mapping software.
  • Experience in transportation, logistics, or autonomous vehicles.
  • Experience in building/using fleet simulation tools.
  • Ability to lead through ambiguity and work with diverse stakeholders.
  • Ability to Iterate quickly and efficiently on building end-to-end experiences.
  • Experience handling large data sets and scaling service horizontally to a large number of users.
  • Experience developing cloud services and an understanding of design for scalability, performance and reliability.
  • Knowledge about microservice design patterns and DB access.
  • Knowledge of engineering practices and patterns for the full software development life cycle, including coding standards, code reviews, source control management, build processes, testing, certification, and live site operations.
$145,000 - $219,000 a year
Base Salary Range
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There are three major components to compensation for this position: salary, Amazon Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), and Zoox Stock Appreciation Rights. A sign-on bonus may be offered as part of the compensation package. The listed range applies only to the base salary. Compensation will vary based on geographic location and level. Leveling, as well as positioning within a level, is determined by a range of factors, including, but not limited to, a candidate's relevant years of experience, domain knowledge, and interview performance. The salary range listed in this posting is representative of the range of levels Zoox is considering for this position.
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Zoox also offers a comprehensive package of benefits, including paid time off (e.g. sick leave, vacation, bereavement), unpaid time off, Zoox Stock Appreciation Rights, Amazon RSUs, health insurance, long-term care insurance, long-term and short-term disability insurance, and life insurance.
About Zoox
Zoox is developing the first ground-up, fully autonomous vehicle fleet and the supporting ecosystem required to bring this technology to market. Sitting at the intersection of robotics, machine learning, and design, Zoox aims to provide the next generation of mobility-as-a-service in urban environments. We're looking for top talent that shares our passion and wants to be part of a fast-moving and highly execution-oriented team.

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Accommodations
If you need an accommodation to participate in the application or interview process please reach out to [emailย protected] or your assigned recruiter.

A Final Note:
You do not need to match every listed expectation to apply for this position. Here at Zoox, we know that diverse perspectives foster the innovation we need to be successful, and we are committed to building a team that encompasses a variety of backgrounds, experiences, and skills.
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.
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