Did you know? America’s Finest City is home to 400 new startups every year. Add that to the hundreds of large-scale companies that call San Diego home, and you’ve got virtually unlimited opportunities to build a successful career in tech – be it as a recent graduate at a STEM startup, or as a seasoned professional at a Fortune 500 company.

SD’s tech scene is growing, innovating, and attracting more big-name companies – hello Google and Amazon! – than ever before. But where, exactly, are all these jobs? How can YOU land one?

It’s all in knowing where to look. We’ve all heard of Qualcomm and Petco, but can you name the small and midsize companies that avoid advertising on big websites?

That’s where we come in. We know where to find the hidden gems and we’re ready to share, so listen up.

The growing tech scene.

SD’s tech landscape by the numbers. Get the facts:

1. The money is flowing in: last year, more than 1/3^rd of SD’s total VC investment – $420 million – went to tech firms.

2. San Diego ranked 15th on Wallehub’s 2018 ‘Best Cities for STEM Jobs,’ which compared the top 100 metro areas on 17 key factors relating to STEM opportunity.

3. According to the San Diego Business Journal, San Diego is “home to 34 percent more STEM workers than the national average, ranks third in the U.S. for patent intensity and has the sixth highest rate of income mobility”

4. In 2016, Google bought 60,000 square feet of office space in Sorrento Mesa.

5. Not to be outdone, Amazon recently announced the purchase of 107,000 square feet in University City.

6. Opening in June 2018, Makers Quarter will be the first of many shiny new hubs for innovation in the East Village. It promises to bring creators and tech devotees together in a shared workspace.

7. I.D.E.A. District, a collaborative and dynamic workspace located in Downtown San Diego, is looking to open 13,000 tech and design jobs in the near future.

8. And finally, a (very) abbreviated list of key technology companies with offices in SD:

AT&T, Bose, Broadcom, CBS Digital, Dell, Fitbit, Expedia, GoDaddy, GoPro, HP, Huawei, Intel, Microsoft, Samsung, Rockstar Games, ServiceNow, Sony, Verizon, FanDuel, Lyft, Terradata, and Wag.

A lay of the land.

What are the current opportunities? Who are the biggest players, and what are they looking for?

SD’s tech scene is dominated by two things – research and military development. That being said, some of the biggest companies that you should be aware of include: Qualcomm, Intuit, Viasat, Illumina, ResMed, and Dexcom.

To get a foot in the door at these companies, you’ll likely need extensive experience in your field, an ‘insider’ to vouch for you, and/or a strong recruiter relationship.

Just remember – these companies are not your be-all and end-all. As with most things in life, the key is in diversification. That means that while you should certainly be reaching out to big-name organizations, you shouldn’t be hindered from forwardingresumes to equally exciting smaller companies. As a bonus, you’ll likely play a bigger role at small- to mid-sized companies.

Take a look at the list below and let us know which companies feel right for you!

Who’s hiring?

Check out these 10 SD companies hiring tech professionals right now:

1. MedImpact Healthcare Systems

“MedImpact is a pharmacy benefit manager who works with your health plan to get you the medication you need. Our goal is to make it as easy as possible for you by working with your health plan and pharmacy to provide timely and essential information about your medicine, including how to take it correctly, potential side effects, any lower-cost drug options, and more.”

2. Rock My World Media

“Rock My World is a digital health & fitness company changing the way people accomplish their goals. Through the use of audio and visual media, we use patented technology and behavioral psychology to adapt content in ways that are proven to drive behavior change.”

3. Nuvasive

“Nuvasive develops minimally disruptive, procedurally-integrated solutions for spine and beyond. Our mission is to improve the lives of patients who suffer from debilitating back, neck, or leg pain by creating cutting-edge products and procedures that revolutionize spine surgery.”

4. Scale Matrix

“By rethinking how every part of a data center works, Scale Matrix has developed future-proofed colocation and high-performance cloud services which will deliver you a competitive edge in today’s changing IT landscape.”

5. PatientSafe Solutions

“PatientSafe Solutions obsesses over the experience of care to help care teams communicate and work together reliably and efficiently. That’s why we developed PatientTouch, the only clinical communications and collaboration solution that enables work, not just communication. Designed by clinicians, PatientTouch combines workflow and context to improve productivity and clinical outcomes.”

6. PetDesk

“We’re PetDesk and we work in the best industry in the world. We build technology for the care providers of the best beings in the world – our pets.”

7. Motive Interactive

“Motive is a leading global mobile app marketing platform that drives user acquisition at scale using our proprietary programmatic media buying platform. Our platform leverages artificial intelligence and algorithmic learning to bid on the highest-performing inventory at the most competitive time and price. ”

8. SLANTRANGE

“SLANTRANGE systems create valuable new agricultural metrics through an innovative combination of remote sensing and in-field analytics.”

9. eSUB

“eSUB is a tool for Subcontractors to increase communication and coordination, so they can make more money on every project. Our Construction Software is a complete mobile and cloud collaboration platform designed for construction professionals, not computer professionals”

10. The Control Group

“A dynamic tech company built by people who love their work. We’re innovative, energetic, and constantly growing. Our days consist of building great applications, optimizing marketing campaigns, split testing web pages, hanging out with office dogs, and helping our community. ”

The opportunities are here – you just need some help in finding them. It’s our job as recruiters to connect leading-edge, growing companies with talented, liked-minded professionals like you.

In SD in particular, it’s crucial that you consult with an expert – recruiters are always engaged with the current market, and we possess the insider knowledge and connections to help match you with the right opportunities.

We’ve already done the work for you. Reach out to learn more about current tech openings in San Diego.