Electronics technician jobs in California: what to know
What an electronics technician does
Electronics technicians build, test, repair and calibrate electronic equipment. Depending on the employer, that could be testing circuit boards for a hardware startup in Silicon Valley, maintaining avionics on aircraft in Southern California, servicing medical equipment in a hospital, or working on semiconductor tools in a clean room. Engineers design the product; technicians make sure it actually works.
Common job titles
- Test technician: runs tests on finished boards or products and finds the cause of failures.
- Electronics or electrical technician: builds, wires and repairs equipment and prototypes.
- Electromechanical technician: works on systems that mix electronics with motors, sensors and mechanics.
- Calibration technician: checks that measuring equipment reads correctly.
- Field service technician: travels to customer sites to install and fix equipment.
Skills employers look for
- Using a multimeter, oscilloscope and power supply.
- Reading schematics and wiring diagrams.
- Soldering and rework, with safe handling of static-sensitive parts.
- Troubleshooting step by step and writing down what you found.
- Basic computer skills for test software and logging results.
Training and certificates
Many technicians have a certificate or associate degree in electronics technology from a California community college, or electronics training from the military. Employers also value IPC certificates for soldering and inspection. No state license is needed for most electronics technician jobs.
How to get hired
- If you're starting out, look at assembler and test technician roles, which often lead to technician jobs.
- Show hands-on projects: a repair you did, a kit you built or a lab from school, with photos.
- Name the tools you can use on your resume (oscilloscope, soldering station, specific software).
- For roles at defense and aerospace companies, check the citizenship and security rules in the listing before applying.
Questions people ask
Do I need a degree?
Not always. Many employers hire with a certificate, military training or solid hands-on experience, though an associate degree helps for higher-paying roles.
What's the next step after technician?
Senior technician, lead, test engineer or field service engineer, especially if you keep learning and take on harder troubleshooting.
Your pay and breaks in California
- Minimum wage: the statewide minimum is $16.90 an hour in 2026, and many cities set a higher local minimum. Some healthcare employers have their own, higher minimum wage schedule.
- Overtime: most hourly workers earn 1.5 times their pay after 8 hours in a day or 40 hours in a week, and double pay after 12 hours in a day.
- Breaks: a 30-minute meal break when you work more than 5 hours, and a paid 10-minute rest break for every 4 hours worked (or major part of 4 hours).
- Pay in job posts: employers with 15 or more workers must include a pay range in their job posts, so check the listing before you apply.
Questions about pay or breaks? The California Labor Commissioner explains your rights and how to file a claim.
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