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Virtual Software Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Waymo

Software Engineer, Multiverse

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$170K - $216K/yr

Build the infrastructure to administer a "virtual driver's test" for the Waymo Driver. Design ... Apply software engineering best practices in order to improve code health and developer experience ...

Toyon

Software Engineer

Goleta, CA · On-site

$90K - $140K/yr

The experienced software engineer will design, develop, and perform analysis utilizing GIS tools ... Ability to configure and maintain virtual machines and host servers * Understanding of application ...

Toyon Research Corporation

Software Engineer

Goleta, CA · On-site

$90K - $140K/yr

The experienced software engineer will design, develop, and perform analysis utilizing GIS tools ... Ability to configure and maintain virtual machines and host servers * Understanding of application ...

Brahma Consulting Group

Software Engineer

Palo Alto, CA

$160K - $240K/yr

Education: BS/MS in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Mathematics or a related field. Core ... Comfortable in Linux environments, using virtual environments, Docker, and version control (Git)

Aveva

Software Engineer

Irvine, CA · On-site

$123K/yr

Job Title : Software Engineer - (ETAP Infrastructure) Location: Irvine, CA Employment Type ... virtual metering applications. This role includes developing enhancements and adjustments to ...

ETAP

Software Engineer

Irvine, CA · On-site

$123K/yr

Job Title : Software Engineer - (ETAP Infrastructure) Location: Irvine, CA Employment Type ... virtual metering applications. This role includes developing enhancements and adjustments to ...

Paramount

Software Engineer

Burbank, CA · On-site +1

$110K - $165K/yr

Software Engineer - AI Tooling & Quality Engineering Platforms Team : Global Quality Engineering ... Opportunities for both on-site and virtual engagement events. * Unique opportunities to make ...

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All JobsSoftware Engineer JobsVirtual Software Engineer JobsVirtual Software Engineer Jobs in California

Virtual Software Engineer information

See California salary details

$54.5K

$145.2K

$212.7K

How much do virtual software engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 15, 2026, the average yearly pay for virtual software engineer in California is $145,177.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $114,600.00 and $179,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

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

To thrive as a Virtual Software Engineer, you need strong programming skills, a solid understanding of software development methodologies, and a relevant degree in computer science or a related field. Familiarity with version control systems like Git, cloud platforms such as AWS or Azure, and proficiency in popular programming languages is typically required. Excellent communication, time management, and self-motivation are crucial soft skills for remote collaboration and productivity. These skills and qualities are important to ensure efficient code delivery, effective teamwork, and adaptability in remote or distributed work environments.

What is the difference between Virtual Software Engineer vs Remote Software Developer?

AspectVirtual Software EngineerRemote Software Developer
CredentialsBachelor's in CS or related field, possibly certificationsBachelor's in CS or related field, possibly certifications
Work EnvironmentRemote, often part of a distributed teamRemote, often part of a distributed team
Industry UsageTech companies, startups, consulting firmsTech companies, startups, consulting firms
Job FocusDesigning, developing, testing software solutionsDeveloping, maintaining software applications

Both Virtual Software Engineers and Remote Software Developers work remotely in tech environments, often sharing similar credentials and industry usage. The main difference lies in the job scope: Virtual Software Engineers may focus more on system architecture and high-level design, while Remote Software Developers typically concentrate on coding and implementation. However, these roles often overlap, and the titles are used interchangeably depending on the company.

What is a Virtual Software Engineer?

A Virtual Software Engineer is a professional who designs, develops, tests, and maintains software applications while working remotely rather than from a traditional office setting. They use online collaboration tools, version control systems, and cloud platforms to work with team members and manage projects virtually. This role requires strong technical skills, self-motivation, and effective communication to deliver high-quality software solutions from any location.

How do Virtual Software Engineers typically collaborate with remote teams to ensure project success?

Virtual Software Engineers often work closely with distributed teams using collaboration tools like Slack, Jira, and GitHub. Regular video meetings, clear documentation, and agile methodologies help keep everyone aligned despite differing time zones. Successful engineers proactively communicate progress, ask clarifying questions, and participate in code reviews to maintain project momentum. Building strong virtual relationships and being adaptable are key to thriving in this environment.
What are the most commonly searched types of Software Engineer jobs in California? The most popular types of Software Engineer jobs in California are:
What are popular job titles related to Virtual Software Engineer jobs in California? For Virtual Software Engineer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Virtual Software Engineer jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Virtual Software Engineer jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Virtual Software Engineer jobs? Cities in California with the most Virtual Software Engineer job openings:
Virtual Software Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Virtual Software Engineer job openings in California as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 92% Full Time, 4% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $145,177 per year, or $69.8 per hour.
Software Engineer, Multiverse

Software Engineer, Multiverse

Waymo

San Francisco, CA • On-site

$170K - $216K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 23 days ago

Job description

Waymo is an autonomous driving technology company with the mission to be the world's most trusted driver. Since its start as the Google Self-Driving Car Project in 2009, Waymo has focused on building the Waymo Driver-The World's Most Experienced Driver™-to improve access to mobility while saving thousands of lives now lost to traffic crashes. The Waymo Driver powers Waymo's fully autonomous ride-hail service and can also be applied to a range of vehicle platforms and product use cases. The Waymo Driver has provided over ten million rider-only trips, enabled by its experience autonomously driving over 100 million miles on public roads and tens of billions in simulation across 15+ U.S. states.
The Multiverse team at Waymo is responsible for the end-to-end evaluation of our autonomous driving software. We don't just look at what happened; we look at what could have happened. Using a mix of real-world testing and counterfactual simulation, we stress-test the Waymo Driver's safety and reliability before it ever hits the road. Join us in the Driver Understanding and Evaluation (DUE) group to develop the rich metrics that define the future of autonomous mobility.
You will:
  • Build the infrastructure to administer a "virtual driver's test" for the Waymo Driver. Design, implement, and operate scalable simulation data pipelines and/or real world monitoring in order to evaluate the driving capability of the Waymo Driver, and at low latency in the real world.
  • Improve the signal quality provided by the "virtual driver's test" and measured in the real world. Measure and improve the quality of individual simulations as well as that of the overarching simulation workflows. Seek to answer whether the results of the "virtual driver's test" are predictive of the Waymo Driver's real-world driving behavior.
  • Apply ML models from partner teams, and optionally contribute to them yourself, to improve the efficiency of our "virtual driver's test": simulate the most interesting situations and report the most interesting simulation results.
  • Apply software engineering best practices in order to improve code health and developer experience in the "virtual driver's test" and the real world monitoring development ecosystems.
  • Partner with cross-functional teams including Data Science and Systems Engineering who will help with number crunching and expert understanding of the Waymo Driver internals.

You have:
  • 3+ years of full-time software engineering experience, or a quantitative PhD with software engineering experience
    • C++ proficiency
    • Python familiarity
    • SQL familiarity
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills
  • Excited about autonomous driving, Sim+Eval, eager to learn

We prefer:
  • Industry or doctoral experience in a quantitative- or quality- focused engineering role in which you were performing tasks like developing hypotheses, designing and running experiments, processing data from experiments, synthesizing conclusions, and ensuring the long term stability and health of the production system.
  • B.Sc. in Computer Science
  • Experience working with large FAANG scale distributed systems.

The expected base salary range for this full-time position across US locations is listed below. Actual starting pay will be based on job-related factors, including exact work location, experience, relevant training and education, and skill level. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for the role location or, if the role can be performed remote, the specific salary range for your preferred location, during the hiring process.
Waymo employees are also eligible to participate in Waymo's discretionary annual bonus program, equity incentive plan, and generous Company benefits program, subject to eligibility requirements.
Salary Range
$170,000-$216,000 USD

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