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Software Development Engineer Sde Jobs in California

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What we're looking for: • Highly motivated professionals • Motivated SDE-T/Builds and Release ... We are looking for an experienced, self-motivated, detail-oriented Senior Build Engineer/SDET who ...

Role We are looking for a Software Development Engineer to join our team. This is an on-site (San Jose, CA) role, reporting to the Director, Software Development Engineering in the Zero Trust ...

Software Development Engineer

Livermore, CA · On-site +1

$75K - $99K/yr

The Software Development Engineer is an entry-level professional responsible for designing, developing, testing, and maintaining software applications and systems that support business operations ...

Description As a Software Development Engineer, you will contribute to shaping our technical infrastructure and supporting operational excellence across our business processes. Bringing a thorough ...

The Software Development Engineer will contribute to building next-generation B2B marketing cloud solutions, focusing on developing innovative products and services while collaborating with various ...

Collaborate with Software Development Engineers to improve software quality by writing thorough tests and monitoring the testability of code * Measure test coverage and analyze continuous integration ...

Software Development Engineer

Sunnyvale, CA · On-site

$45.50 - $50.50/hr

Software Development Engineer Job Location: Sunnyvale, CA Job Type: Contract Job Overview: Pay Range: $45.50hr - $50.50hr Requirement/Must Have: * Strong proficiency in Data analytics, Excel, SQL.

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Software Development Engineer Sde information

See California salary details

$62.7K

$145.6K

$202.8K

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

As of Jul 13, 2026, the average yearly pay for software development engineer sde in California is $145,592.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $118,400.00 and $170,700.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

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

To thrive as a Software Development Engineer (SDE), you need strong programming skills, a solid understanding of computer science fundamentals, and typically a degree in computer science or related field. Familiarity with development tools, version control systems like Git, and experience with languages such as Java, Python, or C++ are essential, and certifications in cloud computing or relevant frameworks can be advantageous. Problem-solving ability, effective communication, and teamwork are crucial soft skills that help SDEs collaborate and innovate. These competencies enable SDEs to build reliable software solutions, adapt to evolving technologies, and contribute effectively within technical teams.

What are some common challenges faced by Software Development Engineers (SDEs) when working in cross-functional teams?

Software Development Engineers (SDEs) often collaborate closely with product managers, designers, QA testers, and other engineers. A common challenge is ensuring clear and consistent communication across disciplines, as each team may have different priorities or technical understanding. SDEs must balance writing clean, maintainable code with adapting to shifting project requirements and tight deadlines. Developing strong collaboration skills and staying adaptable are key to navigating these challenges and delivering successful products.

What are Software Development Engineers (SDE)?

Software Development Engineers (SDEs) are professionals who design, develop, test, and maintain software applications or systems. They work with programming languages, frameworks, and tools to build software solutions that meet user and business requirements. SDEs often participate in the full software development lifecycle, from concept to deployment and ongoing support. Their responsibilities may also include troubleshooting issues, improving performance, and collaborating with other team members such as product managers and designers.

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

AspectSoftware Development Engineer (SDE)Software Engineer
CredentialsBachelor's in CS or related field, coding skillsBachelor's in CS or related field, coding skills
Work EnvironmentTech companies, startups, large corporationsTech companies, startups, large corporations
Industry UsageCommon in tech industry, especially in North AmericaWidely used term, often interchangeable with SDE

Both roles typically require similar educational backgrounds and technical skills. The term 'Software Development Engineer' is often used in North American companies, while 'Software Engineer' is more universal. In practice, these titles usually refer to similar responsibilities involving software design, coding, and testing.

What job categories do people searching Software Development Engineer Sde jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Software Development Engineer Sde jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Software Development Engineer Sde jobs? Cities in California with the most Software Development Engineer Sde job openings:

Software Development Engineer III - AI & Agentic Systems

eNett

San Francisco, CA

$203K - $241K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 17 days ago


Job description

About the Role

At WEX, a Software Development Engineer (SDE) Level 3 is a senior technical leader who designs complete services, solves complex integration problems, and drives the lifecycle of major initiatives from end to end.

In this role, you will directly participate in WEX's fast-paced AI-driven opportunities, acting as a key builder and strategist for next-generation technology. You will champion internal AI adoption by helping build AI-powered sofrware (using tools such as Google Gemini, AWS Agent Core, Claude, and other third-party agentic integrations) while sharing education and coaching within the organization.

What You'll Do

AI & Agentic Engineering

  • Agentic Workflows: Design and deploy multi-agent workflows within AWS Agent Core, effectively handling state management, memory persistence, and complex tool interactions.

  • AI Leadership & Enablement: Help drive internal education and coaching initiatives for tools with as Google Gemini Enterprise; collaborate with external AI partners on new agentic opportunities.

Architecture & System Design

  • End-to-End Ownership: Design, build, and own the lifecycle of entire services and cross-platform integrations. Solve complex system gaps and drive overarching audit strategies.

  • Strategic Data Orchestration: Make critical trade-off decisions on data orchestration (e.g., MCP/API, Agents/Skills) based on robust data and requirements.

  • Resilient Design: Build systems that handle failure gracefully by implementing retries, circuit breakers, and fallbacks. Ensure all designs are testable and maintainable long-term.

  • Security First: Review code for security flaws and ensure all services adhere strictly to WEX's authentication standards (e.g., OAuth scopes).

Cloud Infrastructure, Reliability & CI/CD

  • Cost-Aware Cloud Architecture: Design reliable cloud infrastructure (e.g., auto-scaling groups, failover strategies) while proactively avoiding resource over-provisioning.

  • Deployment & Environment Management: Own the automated deployment package and metadata framework. Write scripts or automation manifests to deploy configurations cleanly across sandbox tiers, preventing environment drift.

  • CI/CD Optimization: Build and optimize CI/CD pipelines, focusing heavily on reducing build times and tightening feedback loops.

  • Root Cause Resolution: Capable of solving complex bugs (intermittent issues, race conditions, memory leaks), ensuring the root cause is fixed permanently.

  • Incident & Operations Leadership: Own Incidents for your services during outages. Create step-by-step triage runbooks and playbooks that empower Tier 1/2 helpdesk teams or junior analysts to resolve common platform errors without escalation.

Product Partnership & Technical Leadership

  • Requirement Definition: Partner with Product Managers who define Functional requirements by owning the Non-Functional requirements (Performance, Security, Scalability) needed to meet business KPIs.

  • Backlog & Scope Negotiation: Work with PMs to prioritize the backlog, explicitly negotiating the inclusion of "Tech Debt" and "Refactoring" by explaining long-term business risks. Negotiate "Must Haves" vs. "Nice to Haves" to ensure sprint achievability.

  • Solution-Oriented Mindset: You don't say "No"; you say "Not like that." You offer alternative solutions that respect time and budget constraints.

  • Empathic Mentorship & Review: Enforce strict quality standards during code reviews with empathy ("Check tone"). Reject sloppy or brittle "quick fixes" while setting the organizational standard for clean design patterns. Proactively mentor SDE 1s and 2s, delegating work specifically to help them grow.

  • Consensus Building: Facilitate data-driven discussions to resolve engineering disagreements, effectively de-escalating "religious wars" about technology and ensuring "quiet" voices are heard in design meetings.

  • Continuous Learning: Rapidly learn and apply new languages or frameworks, lead knowledge-sharing sessions, seek out critical feedback, and context-switch effectively across workstreams when project parameters change.

The base pay range represents the anticipated low and high end of the pay range for this position. Actual pay rates will vary and will be based on various factors, such as your qualifications, skills, competencies, and proficiency for the role. Base pay is one component of WEX's total compensation package. Most sales positions are eligible for commission under the terms of an applicable plan. Non-sales roles are typically eligible for a quarterly or annual bonus based on their role and applicable plan. WEX's comprehensive and market competitive benefits are designed to support your personal and professional well-being. Benefits include health, dental and vision insurances, retirement savings plan, paid time off, health savings account, flexible spending accounts, life insurance, disability insurance, tuition reimbursement, and more. For more information, check out the "About Us" section.Pay Range: $121,500.00 - $145,500.00