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Senior Design Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Senior Design Engineer

Carlsbad, CA · On-site

$85K - $95K/yr

... Engineering Change Orders (ECO's) * Other duties as assigned. Requirements * Experience with 3D CAD ... Strong verbal and written communication skills; comfortable presenting to senior management ...

Senior Design Engineer

San Jose, CA · On-site

$116K - $246K/yr

As a Senior Engineer in the NVE Design Engineering Core group at Micron Technology, Inc., you will contribute to the development of memory products that are best-in-class, using your specialized ...

Senior Design Engineer

San Jose, CA · On-site

$116K - $198K/yr

As a Senior Design Engineer at Micron, you will play a pivotal role in highly technical teams! You will be responsible for crafting and analyzing digital circuits used in memory product development.

Senior Design Engineer

Carlsbad, CA · On-site

$85K - $95K/yr

... Engineering Change Orders (ECO's) * Other duties as assigned. Requirements * Experience with 3D CAD ... Strong verbal and written communication skills; comfortable presenting to senior management ...

Senior Design Engineer

San Jose, CA · On-site

$116K - $246K/yr

As a Senior Engineer in the NVE Design Engineering Core group at Micron Technology, Inc., you will contribute to the development of memory products that are best-in-class, using your specialized ...

Senior Design Engineer

San Jose, CA · On-site

$116K - $198K/yr

As a Senior Design Engineer at Micron, you will play a pivotal role in highly technical teams! You will be responsible for crafting and analyzing digital circuits used in memory product development.

Senior Design Engineer

San Jose, CA · On-site

$116K - $198K/yr

As a Senior Design Engineer at Micron, you will play a pivotal role in highly technical teams! You will be responsible for crafting and analyzing digital circuits used in memory product development.

Senior Design Engineer

San Jose, CA · On-site

$116K - $198K/yr

As a Senior Design Engineer at Micron, you will play a pivotal role in highly technical teams! You will be responsible for crafting and analyzing digital circuits used in memory product development.

Design Engineers live at the intersection of design, engineering, and product strategy, combining strong technical depth, sharp design sensibility, and the ability to move ideas into production ...

The Design Engineer will play a crucial role in ensuring the successful completion of design projects, meeting established goals, and adhering to schedules and budgets. The ideal candidate will bring ...

The Design Engineer will play a crucial role in ensuring the successful completion of design projects, meeting established goals, and adhering to schedules and budgets. The ideal candidate will bring ...

The Design Engineer will play a crucial role in ensuring the successful completion of design projects, meeting established goals, and adhering to schedules and budgets. The ideal candidate will bring ...

Analyze engineering data, troubleshoot technical issues, and drive continuous improvements in device performance, manufacturability, and yield. * Document design methodologies, experimental results ...

Senior Design Engineer

Fremont, CA · On-site

$130 - $190/hr

Analyze engineering data, troubleshoot technical issues, and drive continuous improvements in device performance, manufacturability, and yield. Document design methodologies, experimental results ...

Showing results 41-60

Senior Design Engineer information

See California salary details

$62.2K

$119.9K

$189K

How much do senior design engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 19, 2026, the average yearly pay for senior design engineer in California is $119,875.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $93,800.00 and $136,700.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a senior design engineer do?

A Senior Design Engineer is responsible for leading the design and development of products, systems, or components, often within engineering or manufacturing industries. They create detailed technical drawings and specifications, oversee project timelines, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure designs meet safety, quality, and efficiency standards. Additionally, they mentor junior engineers, troubleshoot design challenges, and may interact with clients or stakeholders to clarify requirements and present solutions. Their role combines technical expertise, project management, and leadership skills.

How does a senior design engineer typically collaborate with cross-functional teams during a product development cycle?

Senior Design Engineers frequently work alongside professionals from manufacturing, quality assurance, project management, and marketing to ensure the successful development and launch of products. They lead design reviews, gather input from other departments, and address technical challenges collaboratively. This role requires strong communication skills and the ability to balance design intent with practical constraints such as cost, manufacturability, and regulatory requirements. Regular meetings and iterative feedback loops are a standard part of the process, making teamwork and adaptability essential for success.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a senior design engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Senior Design Engineer, you need a strong background in engineering principles, advanced problem-solving abilities, and a relevant bachelor's or master's degree in engineering. Proficiency with CAD software, simulation tools, and familiarity with industry standards or certifications such as PE (Professional Engineer) are typically required. Leadership, effective communication, and project management skills set top performers apart in this role. These competencies ensure the delivery of innovative, reliable designs while leading teams and projects to successful outcomes.

What is the difference between Senior Design Engineer vs Mechanical Design Engineer?

AspectSenior Design EngineerMechanical Design Engineer
Required CredentialsBachelor's degree in engineering, experience in design, possibly professional engineering licenseBachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or related field, design experience
Work EnvironmentDesign teams, project management, cross-disciplinary collaborationDesign and development of mechanical components, CAD work, prototype testing
Employer & Industry UsageEngineering firms, manufacturing, aerospace, automotiveManufacturing, product design, machinery development

The main difference is that a Senior Design Engineer typically has more experience, leadership responsibilities, and may oversee projects, while a Mechanical Design Engineer focuses on creating and testing mechanical components. Both roles require similar technical skills and work in related environments, but the senior position involves more oversight and strategic input.

What are the most commonly searched types of Design Engineer jobs in California?

The most popular types of Design Engineer jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Senior Design Engineer jobs?

Cities in California with the most Senior Design Engineer job openings:

Infographic showing various Senior Design Engineer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 96% Full Time, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $119,875 per year, or $57.6 per hour.

Senior Design Engineer

Southland Industries Inc.

Sacramento, CA • On-site

$132K - $161K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 26 days ago


Southland Industries rating

8.6

Company rating: 8.6 out of 10

Based on 28 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz


Job description

Position Summary

Watch your engineering designs come to life! As a Senior Design Engineer at Southland Industries, you'll experience the excitement of working on design-build and design-assist projects in healthcare, education, biotech, mission critical, commercial and entertainment markets. You'll work hand in hand with our model coordinators, estimators, and trade staff through all aspects of a project to create a design that is practical, efficient and cost effective. You'll also have access to internal teams using the most innovative practices in virtual construction design (VDC) and computational fluid dynamics, along with just-in-time feedback from the field.

Position Details

  • Serves as design professional at project team design meetings
  • Prepares complex preliminary redline design layouts for estimating
  • Performs more complex calculations for a project, such as heating/cooling loads, equipment selection and sizing, friction loss calculations, etc
  • Performs site inspections to determine compliance with construction documents and resolves design issues during construction phase
  • Supervises or directs the workflow of less-experienced engineers in performing HVAC or other system design and do
  • Provides conceptual design for specific projects

Qualifications

  • Four-year degree in Engineering or related field
  • 5+ years experience
  • PE License required
  • Excellent knowledge of applicable systems design, such as HVAC, plumbing, etc., as well as general understanding of system operations
  • Ability to read mechanical and plumbing plans
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills and ability to communication with all levels of employees, clients and general contractors
  • Strong public speaking skills
  • Strong computer skills, including Revit, CADD, and Microsoft Office Products, such as Excel
  • Four-year degree in Engineering or related field
  • PE License required

Benefits

As a 100% employee-owned company, we offer a comprehensive benefits package for you and your family:

  • 401(k) plan with 50% company match (no cap) and immediate 100% vesting
  • Medical, dental, and vision insurance (100% paid for employee)
  • Annual bonus program based upon performance, achievement, and company profitability
  • Term life, AD&D insurance, and voluntary life insurance
  • Disability income protection insurance
  • Pre-tax flexible spending plans (health and dependent care)
  • Paid parental leave
  • Paid holidays, vacation, and personal time
  • Training/professional development opportunities and company-paid memberships for professional associations and licenses
  • Wellness benefits

About Southland Industries

As one of the nation's largest MEP companies, Southland Industries is built on the foundation of great people. Since 1949, we have put our people first, enabling growth, professional achievement, and innovation. If you want to join a fast-paced environment where you're engaged, challenged, and valued, apply now to join our dynamic team.

To learn more about careers at Southland, explore our career opportunities, follow us on social media, and check out our website.

Southland Industries and all its subsidiaries are an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind. We are committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing our employees with a safe work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at Southland Industries are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, gender, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, medical condition, marital status, family care or medical leave status, veteran status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. Southland Industries will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics.

Pay: Final pay is determined by the education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities of the applicant, internal equity, and alignment with market data. For California, this ranges from $132,293.00-$161,692.00 yearly plus annual incentive, benefits, and retirement program as outlined above.

Contingent Employment: All employment offers are contingent upon successful drug tests, background checks, and professional reference checks. Roles that include driving as an essential job duty will be required to have a successful Motor Vehicle Record check (MVR). We are not able to offer sponsorship of employment at this time.

External Agency Announcement: Its Southland Industries' policy not to accept candidate submissions from recruiting agencies without an active and authorized work order. Candidate ownership can only be established after a bona fide work order is issued by a member of the Southland Industries Talent Acquisition team and the candidate is appropriately submitted through our Applicant Tracking System (ATS).


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