1

Senior Software Development Engineer Jobs in California

Senior Software Development Engineer

San Jose, CA · On-site

$143K - $189K/yr

The Opportunity Adobe is looking for hands on senior engineers who have architected, developed and ... software engineering processes. Person would get opportunity to work on scale of Fortune 500 ...

Senior Software Development Engineer

San Jose, CA · On-site

$143K - $189K/yr

The Opportunity Adobe is looking for a Senior Software Engineer to help build the platform that ... Participating in all aspects of software development activities, including design, coding, code ...

Senior Software Development Engineer

San Jose, CA · On-site

$143K - $189K/yr

The Opportunity Adobe is looking for a Senior Software Engineer to help build the platform that ... Participating in all aspects of software development activities, including design, coding, code ...

Senior Software Development Engineer

San Jose, CA · On-site

$143K - $189K/yr

... development, owning critical infrastructure while ensuring systems are world-ready by design. We are seeking a Senior Software Engineer to design, build, and scale core GenAI services, evaluation ...

Senior Software Development Engineer

San Jose, CA · On-site

$143K - $189K/yr

... development, owning critical infrastructure while ensuring systems are world-ready by design. We are seeking a Senior Software Engineer to design, build, and scale core GenAI services, evaluation ...

The Data Plane Team at F5 is seeking an experienced Sr. Engineer with deep technical knowledge of ... software development efforts. * Hands-on experience with Docker, K8s, and microservices ...

Senior Software Development Engineer

San Jose, CA · On-site

$143K - $189K/yr

We are seeking a Senior Software Engineer - a uniquely hybrid role that sits at the intersection of ... You will also support internal development by building tools and services to improve product ...

Senior Software Development Engineer

San Jose, CA · On-site

$143K - $189K/yr

As a senior engineer, we expect the candidate to contribute and own heavily used and technically ... Tasks here can range from software design and reviews to developing highly efficient enterprise ...

Senior Software Development Engineer

San Jose, CA · On-site

$143K - $189K/yr

We are seeking a Senior Software Engineer - a uniquely hybrid role that sits at the intersection of ... You will also support internal development by building tools and services to improve product ...

Sr Software Dev Engineer

La Honda, CA · On-site

$126K - $185K/yr

Senior ML Infrastructure & MLOps Engineer (Core Platform) Role Overview We are seeking an ownership ... Collaborate closely with ML researchers and core software engineers to translate theoretical models ...

The Opportunity We are seeking an experienced Senior Software Engineer to build, develop, and ... Champion a culture of engineering excellence and AI native development What You Need to Succeed ...

Senior Software Development Engineer

San Jose, CA · On-site

$143K - $189K/yr

We are looking for an engineer with a real passion for innovation and learning to join the Adobe Sign team. We are a dynamic software development team passionate about producing scalable and high ...

Senior Software Development Engineer

San Jose, CA · On-site

$143K - $189K/yr

The Opportunity Join Adobe's world-class team as a Software Development Engineer in Lehi and become part of a company that is defining the future of digital experiences. This is an outstanding ...

next page

Showing results 1-20

Senior Software Development Engineer information

See California salary details

$74.5K

$141.4K

$189.5K

How much do senior software development engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 6, 2026, the average yearly pay for senior software development engineer in California is $141,415.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $120,900.00 and $159,400.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Senior Software Development Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Senior Software Development Engineer, you need deep expertise in software engineering principles, advanced programming skills in languages such as Java, Python, or C++, and a bachelor's or higher degree in computer science or a related field. Familiarity with version control systems like Git, cloud platforms such as AWS or Azure, and experience with CI/CD pipelines are typically required, and certifications in these technologies can be advantageous. Strong problem-solving, leadership, and communication skills help you mentor junior engineers and collaborate effectively across teams. These competencies are critical for delivering robust solutions, driving technical innovation, and ensuring project success in complex engineering environments.

What are some common challenges Senior Software Development Engineers face when leading cross-functional projects?

Senior Software Development Engineers often encounter challenges such as aligning priorities across diverse teams, managing technical debt while delivering new features, and ensuring effective communication among stakeholders. Balancing hands-on coding with mentorship responsibilities and architectural decision-making can also be demanding. Success in this role typically requires strong interpersonal skills, proactive problem-solving, and the ability to adapt to shifting project requirements while maintaining high code quality.

What are Senior Software Development Engineers?

Senior Software Development Engineers are experienced professionals who design, develop, and maintain complex software systems. They often lead technical projects, mentor junior developers, and ensure software quality and best practices within a team. Their responsibilities include writing code, conducting code reviews, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and solving challenging technical problems. Senior Software Development Engineers typically have several years of industry experience and a deep understanding of software engineering principles.

What is the difference between Senior Software Development Engineer vs Software Development Engineer?

AspectSenior Software Development EngineerSoftware Development Engineer
ExperienceTypically 5+ years, with leadership responsibilitiesEntry to mid-level, 1-3 years of experience
ResponsibilitiesDesigning complex systems, mentoring juniors, leading projectsImplementing features, fixing bugs, collaborating on code
Skills & CertificationsProficiency in multiple programming languages, system design, often with certificationsStrong coding skills, foundational knowledge, less emphasis on certifications
Work EnvironmentOften leads teams, involved in architecture decisionsFocused on individual contributions, team collaboration

The main difference between a Senior Software Development Engineer and a Software Development Engineer lies in experience, responsibilities, and leadership. Seniors typically lead projects and mentor others, while juniors focus on coding and task completion. Both roles are vital in software development teams, with seniors bringing more strategic input and mentorship.

What are the most commonly searched types of Software Development Engineer jobs in California? The most popular types of Software Development Engineer jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Senior Software Development Engineer jobs? Cities in California with the most Senior Software Development Engineer job openings:
Infographic showing various Senior Software Development Engineer job openings in California as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 89% Full Time, 5% Part Time, 2% Temporary, 2% Contract, and 2% Nights. Highlights an 88% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $141,415 per year, or $68 per hour.
Senior Software Development Engineer

Senior Software Development Engineer

Adobe

San Jose, CA • On-site

$143K - $189K/yr

Full-time

Posted 3 days ago


Job description

Our Company
Changing the world through digital experiences is what Adobe's all about. We give everyone-from emerging artists to global brands-everything they need to design and deliver exceptional digital experiences! We're passionate about empowering people to create beautiful and powerful images, videos, and apps, and transform how companies interact with customers across every screen.
We're on a mission to hire the very best and are committed to creating exceptional employee experiences where everyone is respected and has access to equal opportunity. We realize that new ideas can come from everywhere in the organization, and we know the next big idea could be yours!


The Opportunity

Adobe is looking for hands on senior engineers who have architected, developed and deployed large scale applications. Senior engineers should demonstrate a strong focus on customers, curiosity about new technologies, and a collaborative attitude. Person should be able to lead a technical feature, provide guidance to other engineers and able to set standards on software engineering processes. Person would get opportunity to work on scale of Fortune 500 companies with innovative technologies.

What you'll do

  • Define, drive and implement a variety of new services and components that will enhance Adobe RTCDP and RTCDP Collaboration like service.
  • Mentor junior engineers and create a highly performing team. Collaborate closely with other partners like architecture and product management and collaborating teams to ensure transparency at every stage of development.
  • Innovate and be curious. Open to introduce new technologies and processes. Encouraging process improvements.

What you need to succeed

  • Collaborative attitude to ensure team and product success.
  • Proven experience building highly performant, sophisticated, and extendable middle tier, backend and data applications.
  • Hands-on expertise in Java and/or Scala.
  • Bachelor's or higher degree in Computer Science
  • 10+ years experience spanning in technologies like Java, scala, Relations and NoSQL databases, micro service architecture, REST, Big data, Apache Spark etc.
  • Ability to give code reviews with constructive feedback
  • Proficiency in writing and maintaining tests
  • Have shipped and validated production quality applications.
  • Clear technical communication and extensive documentation.

Bonus

  • Experience in Adobe technologies like Adobe Experience Platform
  • Hands on experience on Customer Data Platforms, Marketing platforms and CRMs.
  • Exposure to generative AI technologies and machine learning.

About Adobe

Adobe empowers everyone to create through innovative platforms and tools that unleash creativity, productivity and personalized customer experiences. Adobe's industry-leading offerings including Adobe Acrobat Studio, Adobe Express, Adobe Firefly, Creative Cloud, Adobe Experience Platform, Adobe Experience Manager, and GenStudio enable people and businesses to turn ideas into impact, powered by AI and driven by human ingenuity.

Our 30,000+ employees worldwide are creating the future and raising the bar as we drive the next decade of growth. We're on a mission to hire the very best and believe in creating a company culture where all employees are empowered to make an impact. At Adobe, we believe that great ideas can come from anywhere in the organization. The next big idea could be yours.


Let's Adobe together

At Adobe, we believe in creating a company culture where all employees are empowered to make an impact. Learn more about Adobe life, including our values and culture, focus on people, purpose and community, Adobe for All, comprehensive benefits programs, the stories we tell, the customers we serve, and how you can help us advance our mission of empowering everyone to create.

Adobe is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based on gender, race or color, ethnicity or national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. Learn more.

Adobe aims to make our Careers website and recruiting process accessible to any and all users. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation to navigate our website or complete the application process, email accommodations@adobe.com or call +1 408-536-3015.

AI Use Guidelines for Interviews:
Our interviews are designed to reflect your own skills and thinking. The use of AI or recording tools during live interviews is not permitted unless explicitly invited by the interviewer or approved in advance as part of a reasonable accommodation. If these tools are used inappropriately or in a way that misrepresents your work, your application may not move forward in the process.

At Adobe, we empower employees to innovate with AI - and we look for candidates eager to do the same. As part of the hiring experience, we provide clear guidance on where AI is encouraged during the process and where it's restricted during live interviews. See how we think about AI in the hiring experience.

Expected Pay Range:

Our compensation reflects the cost of labor across several U.S. geographic markets, and we pay differently based on those defined markets. The U.S. pay range for this positionis $159,200 -- $301,600 annually. Paywithin this range varies by work locationand may also depend on job-related knowledge, skills,and experience. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for the job location during the hiring process. In California, the pay range for this position is $208,300 - $301,600 In New York, the pay range for this position is $208,300 - $301,600

At Adobe, for sales roles starting salaries are expressed as total target compensation (TTC = base + commission), and short-term incentives are in the form of sales commission plans. Non-sales roles starting salaries are expressed as base salary and short-term incentives are in the form of the Annual Incentive Plan (AIP).

In addition, certain roles may be eligible for long-term incentives in the form of a new hire equity award.

State-Specific Notices:

California:

Fair Chance Ordinances

Adobe will consider qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records for employment in accordance with state and local laws and "fair chance" ordinances.

Colorado:

Application Window Notice

If this role is open to hiring in Colorado (as listed on the job posting), the application window will remain open until at least the date and time stated above in Pacific Time, in compliance with Colorado pay transparency regulations. If this role does not have Colorado listed as a hiring location, no specific application window applies, and the posting may close at any time based on hiring needs.

Massachusetts:

Massachusetts Legal Notice

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.


Adobe logo

About Adobe

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Adobe for All is our vision to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) across our company and in our communities. We’re focused on creating a more diverse and inclusive workforce; unleashing the full potential of every employee; and driving meaningful impact for Adobe, our industry, and society at large. Creativity has the power to unite us and inspire us to change the world. Through a vision we call Creativity for All, we’re empowering millions of people of all ages and backgrounds to express themselves, reach their full potential, and share their diverse perspectives with the world. We’re committed to advancing the responsible use of technology and driving a positive environmental impact through sustainability and climate action. Our innovations are making a significant impact across AI ethics, security, privacy, trust and safety, accessibility, and sustainability.

Industry

Computer and computer peripheral equipment and software wholesalers

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

San Jose, CA, US

Year founded

1982