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Senior Engineering Manager Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Senior Engineering Manager Suno is hiring two Senior Engineering Managers to help lead our Product Engineering organization as we build the applications that unlock creative fulfillment for over 100 ...

The Senior Engineering Manager is accountable for developing engineering strategies that improve product quality, manufacturing capability, productivity, and reliability while supporting customer ...

Senior Engineering Manager

Irvine, CA · On-site

$170K - $200K/yr

SENIOR ENGINEERING MANAGER - Irvine, CA What we're looking for? The Senior Engineering Manager holds the highest level of responsibility and accountability. The success of a project is dependent on ...

Senior Engineering Manager (LAND DEVELOPMENT) - Santa Clara, CA What we're looking for? The Senior Engineering Manager holds the highest level of responsibility and accountability. The success of a ...

The Senior Engineering Manager holds the highest level of responsibility and accountability. The success of a project is dependent on their expertise in project management, design and execution ...

Senior Engineering Manager

Irvine, CA · On-site

$170K - $200K/yr

SENIOR ENGINEERING MANAGER - Irvine, CA What we're looking for? The Senior Engineering Manager holds the highest level of responsibility and accountability. The success of a project is dependent on ...

Summary The Senior Engineering Manager holds the highest level of responsibility and accountability. The success of a project is dependent on their expertise in project management, design and ...

About you We're looking for a Senior Engineering Manager to lead a team of server, web, and full-stack engineers building a business management platform designed for professional photographers ...

About you We're looking for a Senior Engineering Manager to lead a team of server, web, and full-stack engineers building a business management platform designed for professional photographers ...

Working with your team, product management, and engineering leadership to craft your team ... Coaching a senior engineer, helping them gain the skills needed to lead and mentor other engineers ...

We're looking for a Senior Engineering Manager who can hold that standard while also scaling a team that keeps pace with Rad AI's growth. Someone who has lived through the full lifecycle of ...

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Showing results 1-20

Senior Engineering Manager information

See California salary details

$62.7K

$134.4K

$195.4K

How much do senior engineering manager jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 31, 2026, the average yearly pay for senior engineering manager in California is $134,363.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $112,000.00 and $160,900.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a Senior Engineering Manager?

A Senior Engineering Manager is a seasoned leader responsible for overseeing multiple engineering teams or large projects within an organization. They manage engineering managers or team leads, set technical direction, and ensure alignment with business goals. Their duties include mentoring staff, driving process improvements, managing budgets, and collaborating with other departments. Senior Engineering Managers play a key role in hiring, performance evaluations, and fostering a productive engineering culture. They typically have extensive industry experience and strong leadership skills.

What is the highest salary for an engineering manager?

The highest salaries for senior engineering managers can exceed $200,000 annually, especially in high-cost-of-living areas or within large tech companies. Compensation often includes bonuses, stock options, and other benefits, reflecting experience, industry, and company size.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Senior Engineering Manager, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Senior Engineering Manager, you need a robust background in engineering principles, leadership experience, and a relevant degree, often complemented by prior management roles. Familiarity with project management tools (such as Jira or Asana), software development methodologies (like Agile), and technical certifications can be highly beneficial. Exceptional communication, conflict resolution, and mentoring skills set top performers apart in this role. These skills are vital for effectively guiding teams, delivering projects on time, and fostering an innovative and collaborative engineering environment.

What engineer makes $500,000 a year?

Senior engineering managers, especially in high-paying industries like technology or finance, can earn $500,000 or more annually, often including bonuses and stock options. Such compensation typically requires extensive experience, leadership skills, and working in companies with large-scale projects or high revenue.

What Is a Senior Engineering Manager?

Senior engineering managers oversee the project team to ensure each phase is completed accurately, on time, and within budget. They coordinate with the company’s marketing and sales departments to determine what products or services are offered to clients and then develop those offerings to specifications. As a senior engineering manager, you may also need to troubleshoot equipment or software. To become a senior engineering manager, you need a certificate or degree in computer science or a related field, several years of working in software development, and management experience.

How much does a senior engineering manager make in the US?

A senior engineering manager in the US typically earns between $130,000 and $180,000 annually, with total compensation often including bonuses and stock options. Salaries vary based on industry, company size, location, and experience, and strong leadership and technical skills are highly valued in this role.

What is the difference between Senior Engineering Manager vs Engineering Director?

AspectSenior Engineering ManagerEngineering Director
ResponsibilitiesOversees multiple engineering teams, manages project delivery, and mentors managersSets strategic direction, manages multiple departments, and aligns engineering goals with company objectives
Required CredentialsBachelor's or Master's in Engineering or related field, 8+ years experience, leadership skillsSimilar credentials, often with 10+ years experience, strategic planning skills
Work EnvironmentHands-on team management within engineering teamsHigh-level strategic planning, cross-department coordination
Industry UsageCommon in tech companies, startups, and large enterprisesTypically found in larger organizations with complex structures

While both roles require strong technical backgrounds and leadership skills, Senior Engineering Managers focus more on team management and project execution, whereas Engineering Directors are responsible for strategic planning and organizational alignment across multiple teams.

What does a senior engineering manager do?

A senior engineering manager oversees engineering teams, manages project timelines, and ensures technical goals are met. They coordinate between teams, set strategic direction, and often have responsibilities related to hiring, budgeting, and process improvement to support product development and technical excellence.

How does a Senior Engineering Manager typically balance technical leadership with people management responsibilities?

A Senior Engineering Manager often splits their time between guiding technical strategy and supporting their team’s professional development. This involves overseeing complex engineering projects, setting clear technical direction, and ensuring best practices are followed, while also mentoring engineers, conducting performance reviews, and fostering a collaborative team culture. Balancing these areas requires strong delegation, prioritization, and communication skills, as well as regularly collaborating with other departments like Product and Design to align goals. Most organizations expect Senior Engineering Managers to actively contribute to both technical and people-focused initiatives, which can be challenging but is essential for team and project success.
What are the most commonly searched types of Senior Engineering jobs in California? The most popular types of Senior Engineering jobs in California are:
What job categories do people searching Senior Engineering Manager jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Senior Engineering Manager jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Senior Engineering Manager jobs? Cities in California with the most Senior Engineering Manager job openings:
What are popular job titles related to Senior Engineering Manager jobs in CA? For Senior Engineering Manager jobs in CA, the most frequently searched job titles are:
Infographic showing various Senior Engineering Manager job openings in California as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 95% In-person, and 5% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $134,363 per year, or $64.6 per hour.

Senior Engineering Manager

Suno

Los Angeles, CA • On-site

Other

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

This job post has expired today. Applications are no longer accepted.


Job description

Senior Engineering Manager

Suno is hiring two Senior Engineering Managers to help lead our Product Engineering organization as we build the applications that unlock creative fulfillment for over 100 million creators. Each Senior EM will own a pillar of the product, manage a group of Engineering Managers, and partner closely with product, design, and data science to set direction and ship experiences people love. These are hands-on leadership roles for people who want to shape both the technical roadmap and the managers who execute it, in a fast-paced, music-obsessed environment.

You'll bring together a group of engineering teams under a shared roadmap, set the technical bar across that group, and grow the managers and engineers who report to you. You'll work closely with the other Senior Engineering Managers and with senior product, design, and data science partners to make sure your teams' work connects to Suno's broader strategy.

What You'll Do
  • Own the technical direction across your pillar, setting architecture strategy and ensuring scalable, high-quality systems that serve millions of creators
  • Manage and coach a group of Engineering Managers setting a hiring bar, running effective performance cycles, and building a culture where teams do their best work
  • Partner with senior product, design, and data science leaders to define multi-team roadmaps, sequence bets, and ship features that move the needle
  • Navigate the full development lifecycle from ideation through launch across multiple teams simultaneously, managing tradeoffs and removing blockers at the organizational level
  • Champion engineering craft across your pillar code quality, robust testing, and the right balance of rapid iteration with long-term maintainability
  • Represent your pillar in cross-functional planning and leadership discussions, connecting day-to-day execution to Suno's broader strategy
  • Contribute to Suno's mission of making creative fulfillment a daily reality for everyone by delivering the tools and platform that turn imagination into music
What You'll Need

Must-Haves

  • 7+ years managing software engineering teams in a direct-to-consumer product organization, including experience managing other engineering managers, with a track record of shipping impactful consumer products at scale
  • Strong technical foundation you can review code, guide architectural decisions across multiple teams, and jump into the codebase when needed
  • Experience setting multi-team roadmaps and translating ambiguous, org-level problems into clear plans and shipped features alongside senior product, design, and data science partners
  • A demonstrated ability to hire, develop, and retain strong engineering managers and engineers you care deeply about growing people's careers
  • Hands-on experience building and operating systems at scale in a production environment
  • Comfort thriving in fast-paced, ambiguous environments while keeping multiple teams focused across competing priorities
  • Forward-looking perspective on integrating AI and agentic coding into production engineering workflows
  • A love of music (listening, exploring, making we're not picky about genre)

Nice-to-Haves

  • Experience at a consumer tech or creator-platform company
  • Time spent at both larger organizations and smaller, high-growth startups
  • Familiarity with AI/ML-powered product development
  • Working knowledge of Modern web and native mobile technologies, consumer media systems, or real-time systems

Additional Notes:

  • Applicants must be eligible to work in the U.S.
  • These are in-person roles based in Suno's New York City or Los Angeles office please indicate your location preference when applying
Perks & Benefits for Full-Time Employees
  • Company Equity Package
  • 401(k) with 3% Employer Match & Roth 401(k)
  • Medical, Dental, & Vision Insurance (PPO w/ HSA & FSA options)
  • 11 Paid Holidays + Unlimited PTO & Sick Time
  • 16 Weeks of Paid Parental Leave
  • Creative Education Stipend
  • Generous Commuter Allowance
  • In-Office Lunch (5 days per week)

Suno is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider qualified applicants without regard to race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital or family status, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other legally protected basis under provincial, federal, state, and local laws, regulations, or ordinances. We will also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of state and local laws, including the Massachusetts Fair Chance in Employment Act, NYC Fair Chance Act, LA City Fair Chance Ordinance, and San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance.