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Staff Software Engineer Salaries Jobs in Riverside, CA

Rivian

Staff Software Engineer, Enterprise Services

Irvine, CA

$206K - $258K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Pay Disclosure The salary range for this role is $206,500 - $258,100 for California based ... Experience: 5+ years of professional software engineering experience, with a proven track record of ...

Anduril Industries

Software Engineer, Robotics

Irvine, CA · On-site

$166K - $282K/yr

ABOUT THE ROLE We're looking for a Staff Software Engineer specializing in Robotics to join our ... Actual salary offer may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or ...

Anduril Industries

Software Engineer, Robotics

Irvine, CA · On-site

$166K - $282K/yr

ABOUT THE ROLE We're looking for a Staff Software Engineer specializing in Robotics to join our ... Actual salary offer may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or ...

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Showing results 21-40

All JobsStaff Software Engineer Salaries JobsStaff Software Engineer Salaries Jobs in Riverside, CA

Staff Software Engineer Salaries information

See Riverside, CA salary details

$63.1K

$168.1K

$229.5K

How much do staff software engineer salaries jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 14, 2026, the average yearly pay for staff software engineer salaries in Riverside, CA is $168,120.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $140,300.00 and $198,700.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are some common challenges faced by staff software engineers in balancing technical leadership with hands-on development?

Staff Software Engineers often encounter the challenge of balancing their responsibilities as technical leaders with their passion for hands-on coding. They are expected to architect solutions, mentor team members, and drive technical strategy, while also contributing directly to codebases. This balancing act requires strong time management skills and effective prioritization to ensure both team guidance and project delivery remain high-quality. Additionally, Staff Engineers frequently collaborate with cross-functional teams, requiring excellent communication to align technical goals with business objectives.

What does a staff software engineer do?

A staff software engineer designs, develops, and maintains complex software systems, often leading technical projects and mentoring junior engineers. They typically have advanced coding skills, expertise in system architecture, and collaborate across teams to ensure scalable and reliable solutions.

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

To thrive as a Staff Software Engineer, you need deep expertise in software development, strong problem-solving abilities, and an extensive understanding of system architecture, typically backed by a relevant degree and significant industry experience. Proficiency with programming languages (such as Java, Python, or C++), cloud platforms, and development tools, as well as familiarity with CI/CD systems and code review processes, is crucial. Leadership, effective communication, and mentorship abilities distinguish top performers in this role. These skills are essential for designing scalable solutions, guiding teams, and ensuring technical excellence across projects.

What is the difference between Staff Software Engineer Salaries vs Senior Software Engineer Salaries?

AspectStaff Software EngineerSenior Software Engineer
Required CredentialsBachelor's or Master’s in CS or related field, extensive experienceBachelor's or Master’s in CS, 5+ years experience
Work EnvironmentLead projects, mentor teams, influence technical decisionsDevelop features, troubleshoot, contribute to codebase
Employer & Industry UsageUsed in large tech companies, startups, consulting firmsCommon across tech companies, startups, enterprise firms

Staff Software Engineers typically have more experience, leadership responsibilities, and influence over technical strategy compared to Senior Software Engineers. They often lead projects and mentor teams, whereas Senior Software Engineers focus on developing and maintaining software. Salary differences reflect these roles' scope and responsibilities.

What are typical salaries for staff software engineers?

Staff Software Engineers are senior-level professionals, and their salaries can vary widely based on location, industry, and company size. In the United States, the average base salary ranges from $150,000 to $220,000 annually, with total compensation (including bonuses and stock options) sometimes exceeding $300,000 at top tech companies. Staff Software Engineers often receive additional benefits such as equity, performance bonuses, and comprehensive health coverage. Factors like experience, expertise in specific technologies, and negotiation skills can also impact the total compensation package.

What are popular job titles related to Staff Software Engineer Salaries jobs in Riverside, CA?

For Staff Software Engineer Salaries jobs in Riverside, CA, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Staff Software Engineer Salaries jobs in Riverside, CA look for?

The top searched job categories for Staff Software Engineer Salaries jobs in Riverside, CA are:

What cities near Riverside, CA are hiring for Staff Software Engineer Salaries jobs?

Cities near Riverside, CA with the most Staff Software Engineer Salaries job openings:

Staff Software Engineer Salaries jobs near you
Infographic showing various Staff Software Engineer Salaries job openings in Riverside, CA as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 97% Full Time, 1% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $168,120 per year, or $80.8 per hour.

Staff Software Engineer, Active Clearance, Air Defense

Anduril Industries

Irvine, CA • On-site

Full-time

Re-posted 3 days ago

Anduril rating

9.1

Company rating: 9.1 out of 10

Anduril

Based on 17 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

7.4

Company rating compared to similar companies: 7.4 out of 10

Manufacturers average

Based on 75,359 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

Job description

Job Summary:
Anduril Industries is a defense technology company focused on transforming military capabilities with advanced technology. They are seeking a Staff Software Engineer to solve complex problems involving networking, autonomy, and robotics, ensuring seamless integration of Anduril products to achieve critical outcomes.
Responsibilities:
• Own the software solutions that are deployed to customers
• Write code to improve products and scale the mission capability to more customers
• Collaborate across multiple teams to plan, build, and test complex functionality
• Create and analyze metrics that are leveraged for debugging and monitoring
• Triage issues, root cause failures, and coordinate next-steps
• Partner with end-users to turn needs into features while balancing user experience with engineering constraints
• Travel 30% of time to build, test, and deploy capabilities in the real world
Qualifications:
Required:
• Strong engineering background from industry or school, ideally in areas/fields such as Computer Science, Software Engineering, or Computer Engineering
• 10+ years working with a variety of programming languages such as Python, Rust, Go, etc.
• Experience building software solutions involving significant amounts of data processing and analysis
• Ability to quickly understand and navigate complex systems and established code bases
• A desire to work on critical software that has a real-world impact
• Active U.S. Secret clearance
Preferred:
• Experience with NixOS
• Developing and testing multi-agent autonomous systems and deploying in real-world environments
• Feature and algorithm development with an understanding of behavior trees
• Developing software/hardware for flight systems and safety critical functionality
• Distributed communication networks and message standards
• Knowledge of military systems and operational tactics
Company:
Anduril Industries is a defense technology company that specializes in developing advanced autonomous systems to enhance national security. Founded in 2017, the company is headquartered in Costa Mesa, USA, with a team of 1001-5000 employees. The company is currently Late Stage.

Working at Anduril

About Anduril, in their own words

From Anduril

As the world enters an era of strategic competition, Anduril delivers cutting-edge autonomy, AI, computer vision, sensor fusion, and networking technology to the warfighter in months, not years.

What Anduril employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom

Anduril Industries logo

About Anduril Industries

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Anduril Industries is a trailblazer in the technology industry based in Costa Mesa, CA, US. Founded in 2017 by Palmer Luckey, the creator of Oculus VR, the company focuses on developing innovative technology to equip and empower those in the defense sector. Its primary products include cutting-edge autonomous systems and AI software that assist in combating threats to national and global security. The mission of Anduril Industries is to integrate technology and defense by building transformative, scalable solutions that ensure a safer world.

Industry

Guided missile and space vehicle manufacturing

Company size

501 - 1,000 Employees

Headquarters location

Costa Mesa, CA, US

Year founded

2017

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