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Vp Engineering Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Common Sense

Vice President, Engineering

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$175K - $205K/yr

Vice President, Engineering Common Sense Media is the leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of kids and families by providing the research-backed information, education, and ...

Reit Tv

Vice President - Engineering

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$230 - $280/hr

The Vice President of Engineering is responsible for all engineering operations of premium office, Life-Science, and mix-used properties in San Diego, Greater Los Angeles, San Francisco, Pacific ...

AEG Worldwide

VP Engineering

Los Angeles, CA

$194K - $250K/yr

Reporting to the SVP of Engineering, this leader oversees an engineering organization of approximately 100 professionals across DevOps, platform infrastructure, product engineering, and data ...

Kody

VP Engineering

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$180 - $250/hr

As VP of Engineering, you will be responsible for building and leading a high-performing engineering organisation aligned with Kody's values and mission. You'll define the technical vision, guide ...

AEG Worldwide

VP Engineering

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$194K - $250K/yr

Reporting to the SVP of Engineering, this leader oversees an engineering organization of approximately 100 professionals across DevOps, platform infrastructure, product engineering, and data ...

AEG Presents

VP Engineering

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$194K - $250K/yr

Reporting to the SVP of Engineering, this leader oversees an engineering organization of approximately 100 professionals across DevOps, platform infrastructure, product engineering, and data ...

Hp

Vice President, Engineering Engagement

Palo Alto, CA

$211K - $272K/yr

Vice President, Engineering Engagement Description - HP is a technology company founded on the belief that companies should do more than just make a profit. Having helped launch Silicon Valley ...

Workato

VP, Engineering

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$212K - $273K/yr

Responsibilities Workato is seeking a VP of Engineering, Developer Products & Platforms to lead the engineering organization responsible for our developer platform and tooling experience. This leader ...

Menlo Ventures

VP, Engineering

Torrance, CA · On-site

$255 - $345/hr

The marine industry is going electric and Arc is building the platform that powers it Who we're looking for As Arc's VP of Engineering you will define and build the core technology platforms that ...

Turn/River Capital

VP, Engineering

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$345K - $355K/yr

About the Role Turn/River is seeking a VP of Engineering to unlock engineering capacity in our portfolio companies. You'll work directly with CTOs, CPOs, and engineering teams at our portfolio ...

Arc Boat Company

VP, Engineering

Torrance, CA · On-site

$188K - $242K/yr

The marine industry is going electric and Arc is building the platform that powers it Who we're looking for As Arc's VP of Engineering you will define and build the core technology platforms that ...

Delphi AI Inc

VP Engineering

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$212K - $273K/yr

Learn more about Delphi and this position by calling the CEO's digital mind here The Role As VP of Engineering, you will own and scale Delphi's engineering organization as we move into our next phase ...

Workato

VP, Engineering

San Francisco, CA · On-site +1

$212K - $273K/yr

Quartz ranked us the #1 best company for remote workers Responsibilities Workato is seeking a VP of Engineering, Developer Products & Platforms to lead the engineering organization responsible for ...

Arc Boat Company

VP, Engineering

Torrance, CA · On-site

$188K - $242K/yr

The marine industry is going electric and Arc is building the platform that powers it Who we're looking for As Arc's VP of Engineering you will define and build the core technology platforms that ...

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Vp Engineering information

See California salary details

$111K

$212.8K

$393.3K

How much do vp engineering jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 1, 2026, the average yearly pay for vp engineering in California is $212,772.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $177,600.00 and $229,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a VP of Engineering do?

A VP of Engineering is a senior executive responsible for overseeing the engineering department and aligning its goals with the company’s overall strategy. They lead engineering teams, set technical direction, manage budgets, and ensure high-quality product delivery. Additionally, they work closely with other departments, such as product management and operations, to support business objectives and drive innovation. The VP of Engineering is also responsible for hiring, mentoring, and developing engineering talent within the organization.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a VP of Engineering?

To thrive as a VP of Engineering, you need deep technical expertise, leadership experience, and a proven track record of managing software development or engineering teams, often supported by a degree in engineering or computer science. Familiarity with project management tools (like Jira), cloud platforms (such as AWS or Azure), and methodologies (like Agile/Scrum) is typically required, along with experience using relevant technical stacks. Exceptional communication, strategic thinking, and the ability to inspire and mentor teams are crucial soft skills for this role. These skills and qualities are vital for aligning engineering efforts with business goals, fostering innovation, and ensuring successful project delivery at scale.

What are the main challenges a VP of Engineering might face when scaling an engineering team?

A VP of Engineering often encounters challenges such as maintaining high code quality and team productivity while rapidly hiring and onboarding new engineers. Balancing the need for fast growth with preserving a strong engineering culture and clear communication can be demanding. Additionally, aligning technical goals with business objectives and fostering collaboration across product, design, and operations teams are crucial. Successfully navigating these challenges requires strong leadership, strategic planning, and a focus on both people and process management.

What are the most commonly searched types of Engineering jobs in California?

The most popular types of Engineering jobs in California are:

What are popular job titles related to Vp Engineering jobs in California?

For Vp Engineering jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Vp Engineering jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Vp Engineering jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Vp Engineering jobs?

Cities in California with the most Vp Engineering job openings:

Vp Engineering jobs near you
Infographic showing various Vp Engineering job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 84% Full Time, 10% Part Time, 5% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 85% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 11% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $212,772 per year, or $102.3 per hour.

Vice President, Engineering

Common Sense

San Francisco, CA • On-site

$175K - $205K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement

Re-posted 10 days ago

Job description

Vice President, Engineering
Common Sense Media is the leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of kids and families by providing the research-backed information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in the age of apps, algorithms, and AI. We rate, educate, and advocate for policies to protect and prepare kids online. Our ratings, research, and resources reach more than 150 million users globally, over 1.4 million educators, and more than 100,000 schools worldwide every year. Learn more at commonsense.org.
The Opportunity
The Vice President of Engineering leads all of Engineering at Common Sense Media, setting the technical and organizational direction for the platforms and products serving our Families and Education divisions. The role is accountable for building a contemporary engineering practice that ships ambitious product roadmaps with velocity and quality, scales engineering capacity sustainably across in-house and global teams, and applies AI thoughtfully across both our products and the way we build them. This is a strategic, people-leadership role that partners closely with peer leaders across Product, Data, and the broader organization, and stays hands-on where it matters most, whether that means unblocking teams or shaping critical technical decisions.
Location: San Francisco, California
Reports to: Chief Product & Technology Officer
Salary: $175,000-$205,000
Type: Full-time, exempt
What You'll Do
Engineering Strategy & Vision
  • Define and steward a multi-year engineering vision and roadmap for Common Sense Media, aligned with product strategy and the broader organizational mission, that anticipates how engineering must evolve in a world increasingly shaped by AI.
  • Set the technical and organizational direction across the Families and Education divisions, ensuring that engineering investments compound into durable platforms, capabilities, and competitive advantage.

Team Leadership & Development
  • Lead and develop a high-performing engineering organization, including direct management of the Engineering Managers across Families and Education and the Principal Architect.
  • Coach and grow engineering leaders, raising the bar on people management, technical judgment, and execution discipline, and build the next generation of engineering leadership at Common Sense Media.

Product Partnership & Delivery
  • Serve as a true thought partner to the VP, Product Growth & Engineering, ensuring that engineering and product strategies are tightly integrated and that engineering execution keeps pace with product velocity.
  • Build the systems, operating cadence, and engineering muscle that move concepts and prototypes into production-grade products quickly, reliably, and at quality.

Engineering Organization Scaling
  • Design and evolve a sustainable operating model for engineering, including the thoughtful use of in-house, distributed, and global engineering capacity, to scale delivery cost-effectively as the organization's ambitions grow.
  • Establish the structure, processes, hiring strategy, and tooling that enable Common Sense Media to grow engineering capacity without compromising quality, cohesion, or culture.

Engineering Excellence & Modernization
  • Modernize engineering practices across the organization, including delivery methodologies, quality, security, observability, performance, and developer experience.
  • Champion the responsible adoption of AI across both our products and the software development lifecycle, raising the productivity, quality, and creative ceiling of every team.

Cross-Functional Partnership
  • Partner closely with the VP, Product Growth & Engineering, the Senior Director, Data & Analytics, and other senior leaders to translate ambitious cross-functional strategies into delivery, including the platforms and architectures that allow Common Sense Media to leverage data effectively across the organization.

Hands-On Technical Leadership
  • Maintain technical credibility by staying close to the work, reviewing key designs and decisions, and engaging substantively in technical discussions across the stack.
  • Roll up sleeves where required, including unblocking teams on complex problems, contributing to high-leverage technical work, and setting the bar for engineering excellence by example.

What We're Looking For
  • Bachelor's degree in computer science, engineering, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
  • Minimum of 15 years of engineering experience, including at least 5 years leading other engineering managers (i.e., second-line leadership) in fast-paced product organizations.
  • Proven track record of leading engineering organizations of meaningful scale across multiple product areas, with a clear pattern of accelerating delivery while raising quality.
  • Demonstrated experience scaling engineering capacity through a mix of in-house, distributed, and global engineering teams, while preserving a strong engineering culture.
  • Deep technical fluency across modern web and mobile stacks (e.g., PHP/Drupal, Flutter, Node.js, Python), with the credibility to engage substantively in design and architecture discussions and the willingness to be hands-on where required.
  • Strong working understanding of how to apply AI and emerging technologies across both products and the software development lifecycle.
  • Track record of partnering closely and constructively with senior product, design, and data leaders to ship ambitious roadmaps on time.
  • Outstanding people leadership skills: hires exceptional talent, develops emerging leaders, and sets a high bar for performance and culture.
  • Strategic, systems-thinking mindset combined with operational rigor and a strong execution orientation.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication; able to explain complex technical and organizational decisions clearly to engineers, executives, and external stakeholders.
  • Experience in mission-driven, nonprofit, education technology, or media organizations is a plus.
  • A passion for the mission of helping kids and families thrive in a world of media and technology.

What We Offer
  • The chance to work with talented, passionate professionals.
  • A great health and welfare benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, and a matching 401(k).
  • An organization that offers work/life balance.
  • The opportunity to really make a difference in the lives of kids and families!

Common Sense Media provides equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or any other protected classification or characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.
Common Sense Media will also consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. However, job offers are made on the condition that the applicant subsequently passes a criminal background check. If the background check indicates a prior criminal conviction, we will conduct an individualized assessment to determine whether the conviction should result in denial of employment. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider employment for qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

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