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Search Startup Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Exa

GTM Recruiter

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$100K - $180K/yr

Build and optimize recruiting systems and workflows using Exa's in-house agentic search tools * Experiment with creative sourcing strategies to stand out in the competitive SF startup market * Help ...

DRH Search

Product Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

I'm assisting a well-funded, fast-growing recruiting marketplace startup with their search for Product Engineers. The role will work onsite in their Jackson Square San Francisco office. What you'll ...

talentpluto

Head of Marketing

San Francisco, CA · On-site

Strong understanding of SEO and GEO. * A track record of inventive, memorable marketing campaigns. * Experience at a pre-Series C startup, with comfort in ambiguity and wearing multiple hats. * Bias ...

talentpluto

Head of Marketing

San Francisco, CA

Strong understanding of SEO and GEO. * A track record of inventive, memorable marketing campaigns. * Experience at a pre-Series C startup, with comfort in ambiguity and wearing multiple hats. * Bias ...

talentpluto

Head of Marketing

San Francisco, CA

Strong understanding of SEO and GEO. * A track record of inventive, memorable marketing campaigns. * Experience at a pre-Series C startup, with comfort in ambiguity and wearing multiple hats. * Bias ...

talentpluto

Head of Marketing

San Francisco, CA · On-site +1

Strong understanding of SEO and GEO. * A track record of inventive, memorable marketing campaigns. * Experience at a pre-Series C startup, with comfort in ambiguity and wearing multiple hats. * Bias ...

talentpluto

Head of Marketing

San Francisco, CA · On-site

Strong understanding of SEO and GEO. * A track record of inventive, memorable marketing campaigns. * Experience at a pre-Series C startup, with comfort in ambiguity and wearing multiple hats. * Bias ...

talentpluto

Head of Marketing

San Francisco, CA · On-site

Strong understanding of SEO and GEO. * A track record of inventive, memorable marketing campaigns. * Experience at a pre-Series C startup, with comfort in ambiguity and wearing multiple hats. * Bias ...

talentpluto

Head of Marketing

San Francisco, CA · On-site

Strong understanding of SEO and GEO. * A track record of inventive, memorable marketing campaigns. * Experience at a pre-Series C startup, with comfort in ambiguity and wearing multiple hats. * Bias ...

talentpluto

Head of Marketing

San Francisco, CA · On-site

Strong understanding of SEO and GEO. * A track record of inventive, memorable marketing campaigns. * Experience at a pre-Series C startup, with comfort in ambiguity and wearing multiple hats. * Bias ...

talentpluto

Head of Marketing

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$90 - $130/hr

Strong understanding of SEO and GEO. * A track record of inventive, memorable marketing campaigns. * Experience at a pre-Series C startup, with comfort in ambiguity and wearing multiple hats. * Bias ...

Zilliz

Solutions Architect - SF Bay Area

Redwood City, CA · On-site

$250K - $285K/yr

... startup environment Nice to have: * Experience with distributed databases, large-scale data pipelines or lakehouses. * Experience with search stack, including embedding model, full-text search ...

Zilliz

Solutions Architect - SF Bay Area

Redwood City, CA · On-site

$250K - $285K/yr

... startup environment Nice to have: * Experience with distributed databases, large-scale data pipelines or lakehouses. * Experience with search stack, including embedding model, full-text search ...

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How much do search startup jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 12, 2026, the average hourly pay for search startup in California is $70.06, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $60.48 and $80.67 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a search startup founder?

To thrive as a Search Startup Founder, you need strong expertise in search algorithms, product development, and business strategy, typically supported by a technical degree or relevant experience. Familiarity with search engine technologies (like Elasticsearch or Solr), cloud infrastructure, and data analytics tools is highly valuable. Exceptional leadership, resilience, and the ability to articulate a clear vision are vital soft skills in this role. These skills and qualities are crucial for building innovative products, attracting investment, and guiding a team through the challenges of a competitive technology landscape.

What are some common challenges faced when working at a search startup, and how can new hires prepare for them?

At a search startup, team members often face the challenge of rapidly iterating on algorithms and features to meet evolving user needs and market demands. The work environment is typically fast-paced, with cross-functional collaboration between engineers, data scientists, and product managers. New hires can prepare by brushing up on their problem-solving skills, staying adaptable, and being proactive in communication. Embracing a growth mindset and being open to feedback will help you thrive and contribute meaningfully in this dynamic setting.

What is a search startup?

A Search Startup is a company or organization focused on developing new search technologies, platforms, or engines that help users find information online or within specific data sets. These startups typically innovate in areas like web search, enterprise search, AI-powered search, or niche-specific search solutions. They aim to improve how information is indexed, retrieved, and presented to users, often leveraging the latest advancements in machine learning and data analysis. Search Startups play a crucial role in shaping the future of information discovery and accessibility.
What cities in California are hiring for Search Startup jobs? Cities in California with the most Search Startup job openings:
Search Startup jobs near you
Infographic showing various Search Startup job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Locum Tenens, 64% Full Time, 29% Part Time, 2% Temporary, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 92% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 5% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $145,732 per year, or $70.1 per hour.

Performance Marketing / Paid Acquisition

CM Search

San Francisco, CA

Full-time

Posted 13 hours ago

Posted today

Job description

Our client offers meaningful early-stage equity as part of the compensation package, with significant upside potential given the company's $5M raise from top-tier investors including angels from Anthropic, OpenAI, Ramp, and Sierra. A commission/variable compensation structure may be introduced as the role evolves.

About this role

We need someone with experience running paid acquisition at a consumer brand who can own our entire top-of-funnel engine — from the first ad a parent sees to the moment they book a call. You should be comfortable being the sole marketing function at a small, fast-moving AI startup and have a track record of scaling campaigns with measurable CAC results. Bonus points if you've built short-form video content pipelines or marketed to parents/family decision-makers.

What you'll do:

  • Own performance marketing end-to-end: creative strategy, campaign structure, budgets, attribution, and CAC optimization across Meta, Google Search, Reddit, X, and new channels as they earn their spend
  • Build and run our short-form video content engine — make it yourself, direct creators, or grow our Content Fellowship into a consistent creative pipeline
  • Audit and refresh our existing Meta ads strategy, setting a rigorous testing cadence grounded in data: what we launch, what we kill, and why
  • Ship and iterate landing pages and funnel experiments with our engineering team, routing visitors dynamically by ad and instrumenting everything
  • Turn parent and student feedback into sharper positioning and creative that converts
  • Manage influencer relationships and UGC pipelines to scale creative volume
  • Explore and experiment with in-person activations and events as a complementary channel to digital acquisition

Requirements

  • 2–5 years of experience in performance marketing or paid acquisition at consumer companies.
  • Scaled Meta paid ads at a consumer or DTC startup.
  • Direct budget ownership of $50K+ spend with measurable results.
  • Strong Meta Ads campaign management and optimization expertise.
  • Built or managed a short-form video content pipeline.
  • Expert Meta Ads campaign management and optimization
  • Measurable CAC / acquisition results
  • Run a successful creator channel or influencer strategy, ideally including YouTube.
  • Hands-on, data-driven experimentation
  • No specific degree required; scrappy self-starters preferred.
  • Consumer / DTC performance marketing
  • Team works from the downtown SF office daily, typically 10am–7pm.