ZipRecruiter

Log In

1

Director Emulation Engineer Jobs in Reston, VA (NOW HIRING)

Nwis

Principle Cyber Test Engineer (Onsite)

Sterling, VA · On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

... emulation, system engineering, and data analytics. Our engineers do more than just work with ... In this role, you will make a direct positive impact on the customer's needs and mission. You will ...

Nwis

Senior Cyber Test Engineer (Onsite)

Sterling, VA · On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

... emulation, system engineering, and data analytics. Our engineers do more than just work with ... In this role, you will make a direct positive impact on the customer's needs and mission. You will ...

Nightwing

Senior Cyber Test Engineer (Onsite)

Sterling, VA · On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

... emulation, system engineering, and data analytics. Our engineers do more than just work with ... In this role, you will make a direct positive impact on the customer's needs and mission. You will ...

Nightwing

Principle Cyber Test Engineer (Onsite)

Sterling, VA · On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

... emulation, system engineering, and data analytics. Our engineers do more than just work with ... In this role, you will make a direct positive impact on the customer's needs and mission. You will ...

Nightwing

Senior Cyber Test Engineer (Onsite)

Sterling, VA · On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

... emulation, system engineering, and data analytics. Our engineers do more than just work with ... In this role, you will make a direct positive impact on the customer's needs and mission. You will ...

Nightwing

Principle Cyber Test Engineer (Onsite)

Sterling, VA · On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

... emulation, system engineering, and data analytics. Our engineers do more than just work with ... In this role, you will make a direct positive impact on the customer's needs and mission. You will ...

previous pagenext page

Showing results 21-40

All JobsEmulation Engineer JobsDirector Emulation Engineer JobsDirector Emulation Engineer Jobs in Reston, VA

Director Emulation Engineer information

See Reston, VA salary details

$61.9K

$116.1K

$211.2K

How much do director emulation engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 16, 2026, the average yearly pay for director emulation engineer in Reston, VA is $116,137.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $83,700.00 and $137,800.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a director emulation engineer?

To excel as a Director Emulation Engineer, you need deep expertise in hardware verification, emulation methodologies, and a solid background in electrical or computer engineering, often with an advanced degree. Familiarity with industry-standard tools like Cadence Palladium, Synopsys ZeBu, or Mentor Veloce, as well as experience with scripting languages and EDA workflows, is essential. Leadership, strategic thinking, and effective communication distinguish top performers by enabling them to guide teams and coordinate complex projects. These skills ensure efficient verification cycles, high-quality silicon development, and successful cross-functional collaboration in fast-paced semiconductor environments.

What are some common challenges faced by a director emulation engineer when leading emulation projects?

A Director Emulation Engineer often navigates challenges such as aligning cross-functional teams, managing resource allocation, and ensuring timely delivery of complex emulation solutions. Balancing the technical intricacies of hardware and software integration while meeting aggressive project timelines is frequently required. Additionally, keeping up with evolving emulation technologies and fostering team expertise are critical to maintaining project success and supporting innovation.

What does a director emulation engineer do?

A Director Emulation Engineer oversees the development and implementation of hardware emulation systems used to test and validate the functionality of semiconductor designs before they are manufactured. This role involves managing a team of engineers, setting technical direction, and ensuring that emulation platforms meet project and company requirements. Responsibilities also include collaborating with design, verification, and software teams to optimize workflows and improve overall productivity. The Director Emulation Engineer plays a critical role in reducing time-to-market and ensuring design quality in the semiconductor industry.

What is the difference between Director Emulation Engineer vs Senior Emulation Engineer?

AspectDirector Emulation EngineerSenior Emulation Engineer
CredentialsBachelor's/Master's in Electrical Engineering or Computer Science, possibly with leadership experienceBachelor's/Master's in Electrical Engineering or Computer Science, with extensive emulation experience
Work EnvironmentLeads teams, manages projects, collaborates with multiple departmentsPerforms hands-on emulation design, testing, and optimization
Industry UsageUsed in semiconductor, electronics, and chip design companiesCommonly found in semiconductor and hardware development firms

The main difference is that a Director Emulation Engineer oversees teams and projects, focusing on strategic leadership, while a Senior Emulation Engineer primarily handles technical tasks and hands-on emulation work. Both roles require strong technical skills, but the director position emphasizes management and coordination.

What job categories do people searching Director Emulation Engineer jobs in Reston, VA look for?

The top searched job categories for Director Emulation Engineer jobs in Reston, VA are:

What cities near Reston, VA are hiring for Director Emulation Engineer jobs?

Cities near Reston, VA with the most Director Emulation Engineer job openings:

Director Emulation Engineer jobs near you

Head of Engineering LEADERSHIP CYBER R&D VR EMBEDDED WINDOWS Washington, DC / On Site →

Zealot Labs, Inc.

Washington, DC • On-site

$230 - $260/hr

Other

Posted 11 days ago

Job description

Zealot is deploying AI systems at the center of western cyber operations , backed by tier-1 US VCs and industry leaders. Our team includes alumni of Anthropic, xAI, and Anduril. Soon live with close U.S. allies abroad.

LEADERSHIP CYBER R&D VR EMBEDDED WINDOWS

Compensation 230K-260K + skin in the game equity

Location Washington, DC On Site

Stage Early-stage startup backed by tier 1 investors. Small, growing team with exceptionally high ownership.

  • + Own the technical direction and execution of Zealot's engineering organization.
  • + Lead, grow, and manage a team of world-class security researchers and engineers building AI-driven cyber capabilities.
  • + Set engineering standards, priorities, and culture across the company.
  • + Drive architecture decisions across the platform, from firmware emulation to exploitation to effects delivery.
  • + Work directly with founders to translate strategic objectives into engineering reality.
  • + Proven technical leadership in cyber R&D, vulnerability research, Windows internals research, embedded R&D, or implant development.
  • + Background in offensive security research at organizations like NSA, USCYBERCOM, or defense contractors with similar mandates.
  • + Deep technical credibility, your team respects you because you've done the work, not because of your title.
  • + Ability to recruit, retain, and develop elite technical talent in a competitive market.
  • + Strong judgment on technical risk, prioritization, and resource allocation.
Nice to Have
  • + Experience managing managers or team leaders, not just individual contributors.
  • + Experience scaling an engineering org from early-stage to growth-stage.
  • + Familiarity with AI/ML systems and how they integrate into offensive tooling.
  • + Prior experience building and shipping offensive tools or platforms at scale.
  • + Active security clearance or prior work in classified environments.
  • + A technical leader who still thinks like a researcher.
  • + Someone who builds teams that punch far above their weight.
  • + Building something massive matters more to you than comfort, titles, or predictability.
  • + You want to be early at a company that will change an industry, and you're ready to do what that actually takes.

Note to recruiting firms: We need someone with deep roots in cyber capabilities R&D who has also demonstrated they can lead and scale teams. The ideal candidate has built or led vulnerability research, exploit development, or implant engineering teams at government, military, or defense organizations. Management experience is important but secondary to technical credibility.

Ready?

#J-18808-Ljbffr

Apply