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Director Emulation Engineer Jobs in Rodeo, CA (NOW HIRING)

... integration, Emulation, Design Verification, Test and Validation, and FW/SW engineering ... this modeling Direct tape-out experience with one or more of the following blocks: RF front-end ...

... integration, Emulation, Design Verification, Test and Validation, and FW/SW engineering ... this modeling Direct tape-out experience with one or more of the following blocks: RF front-end ...

Develop constrained-random, directed, and system-level testbenches using SystemVerilog/UVM or ... Familiarity with performance modeling, formal verification, or emulation is a plus. * Experience ...

Director Emulation Engineer information

See Rodeo, CA salary details

$65.7K

$123.3K

$224.2K

How much do director emulation engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 10, 2026, the average yearly pay for director emulation engineer in Rodeo, CA is $123,270.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $88,900.00 and $146,300.00 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 cities near Rodeo, CA are hiring for Director Emulation Engineer jobs? Cities near Rodeo, CA with the most Director Emulation Engineer job openings:
Infographic showing various Director Emulation Engineer job openings in Rodeo, CA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 77% Full Time, 19% Part Time, 2% Temporary, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 92% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 5% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $123,270 per year, or $59.3 per hour.

RFIC System Engineer

Apple

San Francisco, CA • On-site

Full-time

Posted 12 days ago


Apple rating

8.0

Company rating: 8.0 out of 10

Based on 677 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

7th of 30 rated technology retailers


Job description

Come and join Apple's growing wireless silicon development team. Our wireless SoC organization is responsible for all aspects of wireless silicon development, emphasizing highly energy-efficient design and new technologies that transform the user experience at the product level. All of this is driven by a world-class vertically integrated engineering team spanning RF/Analog architecture and design, Systems/PHY/MAC architecture and design, VLSI/RTL design and integration, Emulation, Design Verification, Test and Validation, and FW/SW engineering.
Description
The Wireless SoC Radio Team architects, designs and delivers state-of-art CMOS radios, from RF-to-bits. To deliver these radios, our team is responsible for the design of a wide range of RF, analog, and mixed-signal blocks, such as integrated PAs and LNAs, data converters, mixers, baseband filters, phase-locked loops, crystal oscillators, wideband LDOs and bandgap references. As an RFIC system engineer, you will be at the center of this wireless SoC design group. You will have a critical impact on developing Apple's state-of-the-art radios and getting them into hundreds of millions of products. In this highly visibility role, and as part of our team, you will have responsibilities on researching, designing and bringing the next-generation of wireless technologies into high-volume production in advanced CMOS technology nodes.
Minimum Qualifications
BS and a minimum of 10 years relevant industry experience
RF/analog and mixed signal design experience in RF CMOS design.
Experience with MATLAB, python , SystemVue or other system level modeling
Preferred Qualifications
Experience modeling RF/Analog circuits using MATLAB/Verilog-A/python and writing block-level specifications based on this modeling
Direct tape-out experience with one or more of the following blocks: RF front-end circuits, PA, LNA, mixer, oscillator, PLL, LO, VGA, filter, ADC/DAC, TIA or other baseband analog blocks in deep sub-micron CMOS technology.
Deep understanding of various RF transceiver architectures and their trade-offs.
Deep understanding of analog design concepts such as analysis of noise, linearity, mismatch, stability, and other analog impairments.
Deep understanding of CMOS device physics, RF device modeling, device noise parameters, inductor modeling, and circuit layout for optimum RF performance.
Familiarity with Bluetooth, WiFi and Ultra-Wideband standards
Experience in Si characterization and debug.

What Apple employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

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About Apple

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Imagine what you could do here! At Apple, new ideas have a way of becoming extraordinary products, services, and customer experiences very quickly. Bring passion and dedication to your job and there's no telling what you could accomplish. Dynamic, intelligent people and inspiring, innovative technologies are the norm here. The people who work here have reinvented entire industries with all Apple Hardware products. The same real passion for innovation that goes into our products also applies to our practices strengthening our dedication to leave the world better than we found it.

Industry

Computer and electronic product manufacturing

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Cupertino, CA, US

Year founded

1976