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Scientific Visualization Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Senior Data Visualization Engineer

El Segundo, CA · On-site

$111K - $152K/yr

This position requires close collaboration with systems engineers, data scientists, network ... Data Visualization & Analytics * Develop interactive dashboards, visual analytics platforms, and ...

New

This team applies their passion for data visualization in 2D and 3D to help bring foundational ... Bachelor's degree in computer science, computer engineering, or a related field Recommended ...

New

Scientific Data Engineer

Bodega Bay, CA · On-site

$135K - $163K/yr

Design, implement and maintain high performance computing and cloud solutions for visualization and ... Train scientists and research software engineers in the use of the developed software products at ...

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Showing results 1-20

Scientific Visualization information

See California salary details

$25.7K

$61.2K

$99.2K

How much do scientific visualization jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 29, 2026, the average yearly pay for scientific visualization in California is $61,244.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $48,900.00 and $71,600.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a scientific visualization?

A Scientific Visualization job involves creating graphical representations of complex scientific data to help researchers, scientists, and the public understand patterns, relationships, and trends. Professionals in this field use tools like computer graphics, data analysis software, and programming languages to translate numerical or experimental data into visual formats such as 3D models, animations, or interactive simulations. These visualizations are widely used in fields such as medicine, engineering, climatology, and astrophysics to communicate findings effectively. The role requires a combination of technical skills, domain knowledge, and creativity to present data in an accessible and meaningful way.

What does a scientific visualization professional do?

Scientific Visualization professionals often work on projects that involve transforming large or complex datasets—such as those from simulations, experiments, or sensors—into interactive graphics, animations, or 3D models that reveal underlying patterns and trends. Day-to-day tasks may include collaborating closely with scientists and engineers to understand their data needs, developing custom visualization scripts, preparing publication-quality images, or building user-friendly visual interfaces for data exploration. Team structures can vary, but it's common to work in multidisciplinary groups where clear communication and iterative development are key. This hands-on, collaborative approach helps ensure that the resulting visuals are both scientifically accurate and accessible to the intended audience.

What skills and qualifications are needed for scientific visualization?

Excelling in Scientific Visualization requires a solid background in data analysis, computer graphics, and a relevant scientific discipline, often backed by a degree in fields like computer science, physics, or engineering. Familiarity with visualization software (e.g., ParaView, VTK, MATLAB), programming languages (such as Python or C++), and experience with 3D modeling tools are commonly expected. Strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and the ability to communicate complex information clearly are invaluable. These combined abilities are crucial for transforming intricate scientific data into visual formats that are both accurate and easily interpretable for various audiences.

Is data visualization a good career?

Scientific visualization is a viable career that involves creating visual representations of complex data to aid understanding and decision-making. It requires skills in programming, data analysis, and visualization tools like Tableau or D3.js, and often offers opportunities in research, healthcare, engineering, and technology sectors.

What is a scientific visualization specialist?

A scientific visualization specialist is a professional who creates visual representations of complex scientific data to help researchers and scientists interpret and communicate their findings. They often use tools like 3D modeling software, programming languages, and visualization techniques to produce accurate and informative graphics for research, presentations, or publications.

What are popular job titles related to Scientific Visualization jobs in California?

For Scientific Visualization jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

Infographic showing various Scientific Visualization job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Internship, 1% As Needed, 82% Full Time, 14% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 74% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 23% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $61,244 per year, or $29.4 per hour.

Research Software Engineer, Scientific Instrumentation

Mountain View, CA • On-site

$140K - $180K/yr

Full-time

Posted 5 days ago


Job description

About Subsense
Subsense is a deep-tech company developing the world's first non-surgical, bidirectional brain-computer interface powered by plasmonic and magnetoelectric nanoparticles. Our mission is to unlock direct communication between the human brain and AI - starting with medical applications such as stroke recovery and moving toward cognitive enhancement for healthy users. Headquartered in Palo Alto, Subsense brings together leading scientists and engineers to redefine the future of human-machine interaction.
The Opportunity
Subsense is looking for a Research Software Engineer, Scientific Instrumentation to build the software foundation that connects our experimental hardware, scientific instruments, and data. In this role, you'll work directly with scientists and engineers to translate complex laboratory workflows into reliable, intuitive software for instrument control, data acquisition, real-time visualization, experimental monitoring, and data handling.
This is a highly hands-on role for an engineer who enjoys working at the intersection of software, hardware, and experimental science. You'll help establish scalable patterns for how instruments are integrated, how multiple data streams are synchronized, and how experimental data moves from acquisition through storage and downstream analysis. You'll have meaningful ownership over the tools researchers use every day and the opportunity to shape the scientific software infrastructure of a growing R&D organization.
Key Responsibilities
  • Build and maintain Python interfaces for lab equipment and scientific instruments, using ScopeFoundry or similar instrument-control frameworks where appropriate.
  • Develop applications for instrument control, data acquisition, real-time visualization, recording, and experimental monitoring.
  • Design reliable software for synchronized, high-throughput acquisition from multiple instruments and data streams.
  • Build data ingestion and conversion pipelines for large scientific datasets, maintaining consistency between acquired data, derived data, and experimental metadata.
  • Work directly with scientists to turn experimental workflows into robust, usable software.
  • Maintain and improve existing laboratory software, and establish common patterns for instrument interfaces, acquisition, logging, and data storage.
  • Troubleshoot hardware/software integration issues in the lab in collaboration with scientists and hardware engineers.
  • Help establish and maintain reliable data handling from acquisition through storage and downstream use, and ensure acquired data meets minimum data standardization requirements.

What You'll Bring
  • 3+ years of relevant professional or equivalent experience. Degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, a computational science, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
  • Strong software engineering skills in Python and experience building maintainable production or research software.
  • Experience building desktop applications or user interfaces for scientific or technical users (PyQt/PySide, Qt, or a comparable framework).
  • Hands-on experience interfacing software with scientific instruments, DAQ hardware, cameras, sensors, controllers, or other physical devices.
  • Experience designing parallel acquisition, processing, visualization, and/or instrument control software.
  • Experience working with scientific datasets and chunked scientific data formats such as Zarr, HDF5, or similar
  • Experience working closely with scientists or engineers and an understanding of experimental/scientific workflows.
  • Flexibility and willingness to wear multiple hats as a part of a growing team of computational and data scientists.
Nice to Have
  • C++ experience, particularly for performance-critical or hardware-interfacing/device code.
  • Experience synchronizing acquisition or control across multiple instruments or multimodal data streams.
  • Experience with instrument-control packages like ScopeFoundry and/or general Python instrumentation packages like PyVisa
  • Experience with scientific visualization libraries such as pyqtgraph, Matplotlib, or Plotly
  • Basic understanding of signal processing
  • Data engineering experience, including schemas, pipelines, databases, or PostgreSQL.
  • Background in neuroscience, biotechnology, or another experimental science.

$140,000 - $180,000 a year
Subsense is an equal-opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.
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.