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1,806
Open Roles
$190K–$275K
Median Salary
$355K+
Top 10% Pay
6%
Remote-Friendly

About Engineering Jobs in San Francisco roles

San Francisco remains the undisputed epicenter of global software engineering, offering an unparalleled ecosystem fueled by a massive density of frontier AI labs, established tech giants, and hyper-growth startups like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Databricks. Engineers in the Bay Area command the highest compensation packages worldwide, significantly outpacing other major hubs like New York or London, while benefiting from a unique culture that heavily prioritizes in-person collaboration and rapid innovation despite the broader industry shift toward remote work. This intense concentration of capital and talent makes the city an essential destination for technical professionals looking to accelerate their careers, build cutting-edge infrastructure, and engage directly with the founders shaping the future of technology.

Hiring demand for engineering talent in San Francisco has experienced a massive resurgence driven largely by the generative AI boom, creating a stark contrast to the broader tech market cooling seen last year. Early-stage startups and specialized AI research labs are currently the most aggressive recruiters, frequently offering premium equity packages to secure specialized machine learning and backend infrastructure engineers.

Engineering Jobs in San Francisco salary overview

The median salary range across these 1,806 positions is $190K–$275K. Top earners make $355K+.

Latest openings

IT Engineer
Happyrobot · San Francisco, CA
$120K–$160K
Product Reliability Engineer
OpenAI · San Francisco, CA
$207K–$365K
$258K–$376K
$202K–$247K
Applied AI Architect, Cyber Specialist
Anthropic · San Francisco, CA
$300K–$400K
Software Validation Engineer, Energy Storage
Redwood Materials · San Francisco, CA
$152K–$342K
Senior Systems Engineer, Energy Storage
Redwood Materials · San Francisco, CA
$165K–$210K
Staff BESS Electrical Design Engineer, EPC
Redwood Materials · San Francisco, CA
$190K–$252K
$318K–$485K
Infrastructure Software Engineer, Energy Storage
Redwood Materials · San Francisco, CA
$180K–$237K
Senior Manager - Service Engineer, Energy Storage
Redwood Materials · San Francisco, CA
Staff Applications Engineer
Redwood Materials · San Francisco, CA
$167K–$220K
Software Engineer, Sandboxing
Anthropic · San Francisco, CA
$320K–$485K
Global Supply Manager, Electronics & PCBA
Redwood Materials · San Francisco, CA
$112K–$215K
$147K–$197K
Senior Battery Test and Validation Engineer
Redwood Materials · San Francisco, CA
$170K–$195K
Battery Software Integration Engineer, Energy Storage
Redwood Materials · San Francisco, CA
$152K–$287K
Senior Software Engineer, Energy Storage
Redwood Materials · San Francisco, CA
$150K–$237K
Functional Safety Engineer, Energy Storage
Redwood Materials · San Francisco, CA
$153K–$248K
Distinguished Agent Engineer
Fastino AI · San Francisco, CA
Senior Power Systems Engineer, Energy Storage
Redwood Materials · San Francisco, CA
$162K–$186K
Service Engineer, Energy Storage
Redwood Materials · San Francisco, CA
$150K–$207K
Research Engineer - RL Infrastructure
Prime Intellect · San Francisco, CA
$150K–$350K
$180K–$237K
Staff Power Systems Engineer, Hardware in Loop
Redwood Materials · San Francisco, CA
$172K–$198K
Lead Application Security Engineer
Zeta Global Holdings · San Francisco, CA
$220K–$250K
$163K–$204K
View all 1,806 roles →

Frequently asked questions

What is the average salary for software engineers at San Francisco startups compared to big tech?
While big tech companies in San Francisco typically offer higher liquid compensation with base salaries often exceeding $180,000 plus RSUs, early and growth-stage startups remain highly competitive by offering base salaries around $150,000 to $170,000 coupled with significant equity upside that can yield massive returns upon a successful exit.
Are San Francisco engineering roles mostly remote or in-office?
The current trend in San Francisco leans heavily toward hybrid and in-office models, particularly among AI and hardware startups that value rapid iteration and tight feedback loops, though many established SaaS companies still offer flexible or fully remote engineering positions.
Which engineering specialties are currently seeing the highest demand in the Bay Area?
Machine learning engineers, AI researchers, and backend systems engineers with experience in large-scale distributed systems and GPU optimization are currently experiencing the highest demand and commanding the most competitive offers from San Francisco's dense concentration of frontier tech companies.

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