1

Senior Software Quality Engineer Jobs in California

Senior Software Quality Engineer - Mobile Applications Would you like to help ensure the quality of world‑class mobile applications used by millions of users? Join the team building innovative ...

Software Quality Engineer

Santa Clara, CA · On-site

$120K - $188K/yr

Agilent is seeking a Software Quality Engineer (QA Engineer / Software Test Engineer) to join the Software Quality organization supporting the Automation Productivity Solutions team. This team ...

Software Quality Engineer

Santa Clara, CA · On-site

$120K - $188K/yr

Agilent is seeking a Software Quality Engineer (QA Engineer / Software Test Engineer) to join the Software Quality organization supporting the Automation Productivity Solutions team. This team ...

next page

Showing results 1-20

Senior Software Quality Engineer information

See California salary details

$21.2K

$122.5K

$186.5K

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

As of Aug 24, 2026, the average yearly pay for senior software quality engineer in California is $122,498.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $100,700.00 and $135,700.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a senior software quality engineer?

Senior Software Quality Engineers are experienced professionals responsible for ensuring the quality and functionality of software products. They design and implement test plans, develop automated and manual tests, and identify software defects. In addition, they often mentor junior engineers, collaborate with development teams, and help establish best practices for software testing. Their role is crucial in delivering reliable, stable, and user-friendly applications.

What skills and qualifications are needed to be a senior software quality engineer?

To thrive as a Senior Software Quality Engineer, you need expertise in software testing methodologies, test automation, and a solid understanding of software development lifecycles, typically backed by a degree in computer science or related field. Familiarity with tools like Selenium, JIRA, Jenkins, and programming languages such as Python or Java, as well as certifications like ISTQB, are commonly required. Strong analytical thinking, attention to detail, effective communication, and the ability to mentor junior team members are essential soft skills. These competencies ensure the delivery of robust, high-quality software products and help maintain efficient collaboration within development teams.

What are common challenges faced by senior software quality engineers, and how can they be addressed?

Senior Software Quality Engineers often encounter challenges such as managing complex test environments, balancing the need for thorough testing with tight project deadlines, and ensuring effective communication across multidisciplinary teams. Addressing these challenges typically involves adopting automation tools to streamline repetitive tests, prioritizing testing efforts based on risk, and fostering strong collaboration with developers and product managers. Continuous learning and staying updated on the latest quality assurance methodologies also help in proactively solving issues and driving high-quality software releases.

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

AspectSenior Software Quality EngineerSoftware Quality Engineer
QualificationsTypically requires 5+ years experience, certifications like ISTQB, and advanced testing skillsUsually 1-3 years experience, foundational testing knowledge, and relevant certifications
ResponsibilitiesLeading testing efforts, designing test strategies, mentoring team membersExecuting test cases, reporting bugs, and supporting testing activities
Work EnvironmentOften in senior or lead roles within development teams, collaborating across departmentsPrimarily in QA teams, working under supervision to perform testing tasks
Industry UsageCommon in software development, tech, and IT companiesWidespread across software firms, startups, and enterprise organizations

The main difference between a Senior Software Quality Engineer and a Software Quality Engineer lies in experience, responsibilities, and leadership roles. Senior professionals typically lead testing efforts and mentor others, while Software Quality Engineers focus on executing tests and supporting quality assurance processes.

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

The most popular types of Software Quality Engineer jobs in California are:

What are popular job titles related to Senior Software Quality Engineer jobs in California?

For Senior Software Quality Engineer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Senior Software Quality Engineer jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Senior Software Quality Engineer jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Senior Software Quality Engineer jobs?

Cities in California with the most Senior Software Quality Engineer job openings:

Infographic showing various Senior Software Quality Engineer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 76% Full Time, 17% Part Time, 5% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 84% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 15% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $122,498 per year, or $58.9 per hour.

Senior Software Quality Engineer

Worky

San Mateo, CA • On-site

$130 - $165/hr

Other

Posted 6 days ago


Job description

Sony Interactive Entertainment isn’t just the Best Place to Play — it’s also the Best Place to Work. Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) is the company behind the PlayStation brand. As a subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation, we’re part of a proud legacy of innovation and excellence. SIE is a dynamic technology company, delivering cutting‑edge hardware and network services to more than 100 million people and an entertainment leader, home to some of the most beloved and recognizable intellectual properties (IP) in the world. Our role at SIE is to create and nurture the experiences under the PlayStation brand, a name synonymous with entertainment excellence and creativity.

Senior Software Quality Engineer – Mobile Applications

Would you like to help ensure the quality of world‑class mobile applications used by millions of users? Join the team building innovative quality engineering solutions for mobile platforms, where your work directly impacts app performance, stability, and the overall user experience.

Sony Interactive Entertainment has a great opportunity within the Quality Engineering organization! We are looking for a motivated and creative Senior Software Quality Engineer (SQE) to define mobile test strategies, drive end‑to‑end quality, and leverage automation to improve testing across our iOS mobile application ecosystem.

As a Senior Software Quality Engineer, you will work closely with engineering teams to define quality strategies, create comprehensive test plans, execute manual and automated testing, and identify opportunities to expand automation. While this role is not focused on day‑to‑day software development, candidates should have strong automation experience and be comfortable working with automation frameworks, reviewing automated tests, and partnering with SDETs to improve automation coverage and CI/CD validation.

What You’ll Be Doing
  • Lead end‑to‑end mobile application testing efforts, including defining test strategies, writing test plans, identifying test scenarios, and ensuring comprehensive coverage across new and existing features.
  • Review product requirements, UX flows, high‑level system designs, and architecture diagrams to design effective testing strategies for iOS applications.
  • Partner with SDETs and development teams to identify automation opportunities and ensure appropriate automation coverage across the mobile application stack.
  • Support triaging application issues by analyzing logs, identifying root causes, validating fixes, and working closely with development teams.
  • File clear, actionable defects supported by logs, reproduction steps, and failure data, and drive them through resolution.
  • Validate mobile interactions with backend services through API testing and integration testing, including working with mocked dependencies where appropriate.
  • Drive quality improvements by identifying testing gaps, recommending tooling or process enhancements, and improving overall test effectiveness.
  • Review and validate automated test coverage and support integration of automated tests into CI/CD pipelines such as Jenkins and GitHub Actions.
  • Collaborate in an agile, distributed environment with engineering, product, architecture, QA, and operations teams.
What We’re Looking For
  • 5+ years of experience in UI, API, and end‑to‑end testing, with significant hands‑on experience testing iOS mobile applications.
  • Strong experience defining test strategies, creating test plans, and executing comprehensive manual and automated testing.
  • Experience working with mobile automation frameworks such as Appium and familiarity with Python‑based automation.
  • Understanding of mobile application release lifecycle, including build pipelines, TestFlight, versioning, and release validation.
  • Familiarity with automation frameworks and tools such as pytest, WebdriverIO, or Playwright, with the ability to review, troubleshoot, and work alongside automation engineers.
  • Experience working with CI/CD pipelines such as Jenkins or GitHub Actions.
  • Strong analytical, debugging, and problem‑solving skills with a high sense of ownership.
  • Excellent collaboration and communication skills, with experience working across globally distributed teams.
  • Ability to learn quickly and thrive in a fast‑paced environment.
Nice to Have
  • Prior experience with PlayStation SDK development.
  • Experience with GitHub Actions.
  • Familiarity with PlayStation products and games.

Please note, Sony Interactive Entertainment conducts background checks at the offer stage for all new employees (which may include criminal background checks for some roles) and will need to process personal information to support these checks.

Please refer to ourCandidate Privacy Notice for more information about what personal information we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and your data protection rights.

Equal Opportunity Statement:

Sony is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All persons will receive consideration for employment without regard to gender (including gender identity, gender expression and gender reassignment), race (including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin), religion or belief, marital or civil partnership status, disability, age, sexual orientation, pregnancy, maternity or parental status, trade union membership or membership in any other legally protected category.

We strive to create an inclusive environment, empower employees and embrace diversity. We encourage everyone to respond.

Sony Interactive Entertainment is a Fair Chance employer and qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records will be considered for employment.

#J-18808-Ljbffr