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Cpu Design Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Tenstorrent

$100K - $500K/yr

We are looking for a talented engineer to join our CPU design team to define and implement RTL for high-performance CPUs. You'll work on a CPU based on RISC-V ISA, collaborating with DV, PD, and ...

Nvidia

Senior CPU Design Engineer

Santa Clara, CA · Hybrid

NVIDIA is seeking best-in-class CPU Design Engineers to design the world's leading CPUs. This position offers you the opportunity to have a real impact in a dynamic, technology-focused company ...

Apple

CPU Design Timing Engineer

Santa Clara, CA · On-site

Description As the CPU Design Timing Engineer, you will be responsible for the timing closure of the project. Responsibilities include but are not limited to: • Working with the CAD team to develop ...

Apple

CPU Design Timing Engineer

Santa Clara, CA · On-site

Description As the CPU Design Timing Engineer, you will be responsible for the timing closure of the project. Responsibilities include but are not limited to: • Working with the CAD team to develop ...

Apple

CPU Design Verification Engineer

Santa Clara, CA · On-site

$159K - $195K/yr

Description As a CPU Verification Engineer owning the verification of a certain area of functionality in a CPU design, you will have the responsibilities as follows: • Work closely with ...

Apple

CPU Design Verification Engineer

Santa Clara, CA · On-site

$159K - $195K/yr

Description As a CPU Verification Engineer owning the verification of a certain area of functionality in a CPU design, you will have the following responsibilities: • Work closely with architecture ...

Apple

CPU Design Verification Engineer

Santa Clara, CA · On-site

$159K - $195K/yr

Description As a CPU Verification Engineer owning the verification of a certain area of functionality in a CPU design, you will have the following responsibilities: • Work closely with architecture ...

Apple

CPU Design Verification Engineer

Santa Clara, CA · On-site

$159K - $195K/yr

Description As a CPU Verification Engineer owning the verification of a certain area of functionality in a CPU design, you will have the responsibilities as follows: • Work closely with ...

Apple

CPU Design Verification Engineer

Santa Clara, CA · On-site

$159K - $195K/yr

Description As a CPU Verification Engineer owning the verification of a certain area of functionality in a CPU design, you will have the following responsibilities: • Work closely with architecture ...

Apple

CPU Design Verification Engineer

Santa Clara, CA · On-site

$159K - $195K/yr

Description As a CPU Verification Engineer owning the verification of a certain area of functionality in a CPU design, you will have the following responsibilities: • Work closely with architecture ...

Apple

CPU Physical Design Engineer

Santa Clara, CA · On-site

$159K - $164K/yr

Description As a CPU Physical Design Engineer, you will drive or participate in the following: • Drive RTL-to-GDS design convergence through logic synthesis and place-and-route tools targeting ...

Apple

CPU Design Timing Engineer

Santa Clara, CA

$150K - $277K/yr

Description As the CPU Design Timing Engineer, you will be responsible for the timing closure of the project. Responsibilities include but are not limited to: • Working with the CAD team to develop ...

Apple

CPU Design Timing Engineer

Santa Clara, CA

$150K - $277K/yr

Description As the CPU Design Timing Engineer, you will be responsible for the timing closure of the project. Responsibilities include but are not limited to: • Working with the CAD team to develop ...

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Cpu Design information

What job designs Cpus?

CPU design is typically performed by hardware engineers or microprocessor designers who develop the architecture and circuitry of central processing units. These professionals use specialized tools and programming languages such as HDL (Hardware Description Language) to create and simulate CPU models, often working in teams within technology companies or research institutions. A strong understanding of digital logic, computer architecture, and engineering principles is essential for this role.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the Cpu Design position, and why are they important?

To excel in CPU Design, a strong background in computer engineering, digital logic design, and microarchitecture is generally required, often supported by a relevant degree. Familiarity with HDL languages like Verilog or VHDL, experience in EDA tools such as Synopsys or Cadence, and knowledge of performance modeling are vital. Excellent problem-solving, attention to detail, and teamwork skills help designers address complex technical issues and collaborate effectively across teams. Mastery of these skills enables the creation of efficient, reliable CPUs that meet rigorous performance and power requirements.

How much do CPU engineers make?

CPU engineers typically earn between $80,000 and $150,000 annually, depending on experience, education, and location. Senior roles or those with specialized skills in hardware design and verification can earn higher salaries, often exceeding $180,000. Compensation may also include bonuses and stock options in some companies.

What is a CPU Design job?

A CPU Design job involves creating and optimizing the architecture, microarchitecture, and circuits of central processing units. Engineers in this role work on performance, power efficiency, and scalability to meet computing needs. Responsibilities include designing instruction sets, implementing pipelines, optimizing data paths, and verifying functionality. This requires expertise in hardware description languages (HDLs), computer architecture, and semiconductor technologies.

What engineer makes $500,000 a year?

In CPU design, senior engineers or principal engineers with extensive experience, specialized skills, and leadership roles can earn salaries around or exceeding $500,000 annually, especially in high-cost regions or large tech companies. These roles often require advanced knowledge of microarchitecture, hardware description languages, and industry certifications, along with years of experience and a strong track record of successful projects.

What are some typical challenges CPU designers face in their daily work?

CPU designers often encounter challenges such as balancing performance, power consumption, and area constraints while meeting project deadlines. Debugging and verifying complex hardware designs can require meticulous attention and innovative problem-solving. Additionally, staying updated with evolving architectures and design methodologies is necessary to remain competitive. Collaboration with verification engineers, software teams, and hardware architects is key to integrating feedback and ensuring holistic system performance. Embracing these challenges can be both demanding and rewarding for those passionate about pushing the limits of microprocessor technology.

What is the highest paid design job?

In CPU design, senior hardware design engineers and architecture leads tend to have the highest salaries, often exceeding six figures annually. These roles require advanced skills in digital logic, microarchitecture, and experience with EDA tools, and they typically involve leadership responsibilities and extensive industry experience.
What are the most commonly searched types of Cpu Design jobs in California? The most popular types of Cpu Design jobs in California are:
What are popular job titles related to Cpu Design jobs in California? For Cpu Design jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Cpu Design jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Cpu Design jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Cpu Design jobs? Cities in California with the most Cpu Design job openings:
Cpu Design jobs near you
Infographic showing various Cpu Design job openings in California as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 85% Full Time, and 15% Contract. Highlights an 77% In-person, 6% Hybrid, and 17% Remote job distribution.

Sr. Engineer, CPU RTL Design

Tenstorrent

Hybrid

$100K - $500K/yr

Other

Posted 5 days ago

Job description

We are looking for a talented engineer to join our CPU design team to define and implement RTL for high-performance CPUs. You'll work on a CPU based on RISC-V ISA, collaborating with DV, PD, and performance teams to deliver a functional, timing, and power-converged design.

This role is hybrid, based out of Austin, TX or Santa Clara, CA.

We welcome candidates at various experience levels for this role. During the interview process, candidates will be assessed for the appropriate level, and offers will align with that level, which may differ from the one in this posting.

Who You Are

  • Experienced in CPU microarchitecture with expertise in Rename, Scheduler, ROB, Load Store, Branch Prediction, Cache or Datapath.
  • Skilled in RTL coding (Verilog/VHDL) and familiar with industry-standard tools for simulation, synthesis, and power analysis.
  • Proficient in debugging RTL/logic across multiple design hierarchies and pre/post-silicon environments.
  • Background in microarchitecture definition, design specification, and performance-driven trade-off analysis.

What We Need

  • Own RTL design and microarchitecture development for a portion of a CPU block of a high-performance RISC-V CPU.
  • Collaborate closely with DV, PD, and performance engineers to meet functional, timing, and power goals.
  • Use innovative techniques to optimize power, performance, and area while driving RTL experiments and evaluating results.
  • Partner with validation and test teams to ensure robust pre-silicon and post-silicon execution.
  • Enhance RTL design environment, tools, and methodologies to improve development efficiency.

What You Will Learn

  • End-to-end exposure to CPU design from microarchitecture through timing and power convergence.
  • Hands-on experience optimizing high performance CPU designs in both pre-silicon and post-silicon phases.
  • Integration of open-source and industry-standard tools to improve RTL flows and results.
  • Work in a deeply technical, highly collaborative team solving cutting-edge CPU design challenges.

Compensation for all engineers at Tenstorrent ranges from $100k - $500k including base and variable compensation targets. Experience, skills, education, background and location all impact the actual offer made.

Tenstorrent offers a highly competitive compensation package and benefits, and we are an equal opportunity employer.

Apply