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Emulation Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Emulation Engineer

San Jose, CA ยท On-site

$47.25 - $54/hr

Experienced Emulation Engineers with strong expertise in Palladium/ZeBu hardware emulation to support SoC/IP verification and validation activities. Key Responsibilities: Develop and maintain ...

Emulation Engineer

San Jose, CA ยท On-site

$55 - $60/hr

Experience in simulation-to-emulation bring-up. * Familiarity with SCE-MI / transactor-based acceleration. * Strong debugging skills across RTL, testbench, and firmware. * Knowledge of PCIe/AXI/DDR ...

Emulation Engineer

San Jose, CA ยท On-site

$75 - $85/hr

We are looking for an experienced Emulation Engineer with strong expertise in ZeBu platforms to support SoC/IP verification and pre-silicon validation. Key Responsibilities: * Develop and maintain ...

Emulation Engineer

San Jose, CA ยท On-site

$47.25 - $54/hr

Emulation Engineer Location: San Jose, CA (On-Site) Duration: 12+ Months Contract Experienced Emulation Engineers with strong expertise in Palladium/ZeBu hardware emulation to support SoC/IP ...

Emulation Engineer

Mountain View, CA ยท On-site

$175K - $450K/yr

MatX is seeking Emulation engineers to join our team as we create best-in-class silicon for high-performance and sustainable GenAI. Successful candidates for these roles will be responsible for ...

Emulation Engineer

Saratoga, CA ยท On-site

$185K - $250K/yr

Develop and deliver emulation models from RTL using synthesis, partitioning, and routing tools. * Plan and execute simulation acceleration, emulation, and prototyping activities aligned with project ...

Emulation Engineer

Mountain View, CA ยท On-site +1

$175K - $450K/yr

The role sits in the Emulation team, but the impact is broader: you'll create reusable flows that span emulation, SoC simulation, firmware/software bring-up, and post-silicon validation. We're ...

Emulation Engineer - Onsite

San Jose, CA ยท On-site

$159K - $194K/yr

Emulation Engineer - Onsite Mandatory skills: SoC/IP verification, emulation, palladium, ZeBu emulation platforms, SystemVerilog, UVM, simulation-to-emulation bring-up, Linux bring-up, SCE-MI ...

Emulation Engineer Location: Sunnyvale, CA JD: Minimum Qualifications 1. Experience with current emulation technologies and methods, including simulation acceleration, in-circuit emulation, speed ...

The SOC Emulation team is looking for a strong engineer to join our team focusing on the creation, deployment and support of advanced emulation environments. In this highly visible role, you will be ...

Emulation Engineer

San Jose, CA ยท On-site

$150K - $275K/yr

Oversee SoC bring-up on emulation platforms; diagnose and resolve failing SoC/processor tests. * Develop and maintain automated build and regression flows to accelerate pre-silicon validation and ...

Emulation Engineer

San Jose, CA ยท On-site

$150K - $275K/yr

Oversee SoC bring-up on emulation platforms; diagnose and resolve failing SoC/processor tests. * Develop and maintain automated build and regression flows to accelerate pre-silicon validation and ...

Emulation Verification Engineer

Cupertino, CA ยท On-site

$167K - $204K/yr

Description As a member of the Emulation verification team, we play a key role in using Emulation for verification of large SoCs. The overall work will involve porting the design onto the Palladium ...

The SOC Emulation team is looking for a strong engineer to join our team focusing on the creation, deployment and support of advanced emulation environments. In this highly visible role, you will be ...

Emulation Software Engineer About Etched Etched is building AI chips that are hard-coded for individual model architectures. Our first product (Sohu) only supports transformers, but has an order of ...

Emulation Software Engineer About Etched Etched is building AI chips that are hard-coded for individual model architectures. Our first product (Sohu) only supports transformers, but has an order of ...

Emulation Engineer

Campbell, CA ยท On-site

$150K - $190K/yr

As a Emulation Engineer at Arteris, you will work with an expert team to design and deliver interconnect & memory hierarchy solutions for some of the world's most sophisticated mobile, telecom ...

$100K - $500K/yr

We are seeking a junior-to-mid level SOC Emulation Engineer to support our hardware emulation infrastructure and internal chip design teams. This role focuses on integrating vendor and custom ...

Design, implement, and optimize emulation testbenches, balancing performance and debug capabilities based on user needs and hardware constraints * Write end-to-end synthesizable transactors to ...

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Emulation information

See California salary details

$22

$51

$77

How much do emulation jobs pay per hour?

As of Jun 30, 2026, the average hourly pay for emulation in California is $51.32, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $38.89 and $62.40 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is emulation in the context of technology jobs?

Emulation refers to the process of imitating the functionality of one computer system or device on another. In technology jobs, emulation professionals often create software or hardware environments that mimic the behavior of different platforms, allowing software to run as if it were on the original hardware. This is especially useful for testing, development, and running legacy applications. Emulation plays a crucial role in areas like software development, gaming, and chip design, ensuring compatibility and preserving older systems.

What is the difference between Emulation vs Simulation?

AspectEmulationSimulation
PurposeReplicates hardware/software behavior in real-time for testing and developmentModels system behavior to analyze performance or predict outcomes
AccuracyHigh fidelity, closely mimics actual hardware/softwareVariable accuracy, focuses on behavior over exact replication
Work EnvironmentUsed in hardware/software development, testing labsUsed in research, training, and analysis
CredentialsKnowledge of hardware, software, and testing toolsUnderstanding of system modeling and analysis

Emulation and simulation are both vital in technology development. Emulation provides a real-time, high-fidelity replication of hardware or software, ideal for testing and debugging. Simulation offers a broader analysis of system behavior, useful for research and performance prediction. While they share overlapping skills, emulation emphasizes real-world accuracy, whereas simulation focuses on modeling system dynamics.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an Emulation Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Emulation Engineer, you need a strong background in digital design, hardware verification, and a relevant degree in electrical engineering or computer science. Familiarity with hardware description languages (HDLs) like Verilog/VHDL, emulation platforms (such as Cadence Palladium or Mentor Veloce), and scripting languages is crucial. Strong analytical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and effective collaboration distinguish top professionals in this field. These skills are vital for efficiently validating complex hardware systems, reducing time-to-market, and ensuring product reliability.

What are some common challenges faced by professionals working in emulation, and how can they overcome them?

Professionals in emulation roles often encounter challenges such as keeping pace with rapidly evolving hardware architectures and ensuring accurate replication of complex system behaviors. Debugging compatibility issues and optimizing for performance without sacrificing accuracy are also frequent hurdles. Collaboration with hardware engineers and software developers is vital, as is staying informed about new tools and best practices. Developing strong problem-solving skills and engaging with the emulation community can help address these challenges effectively.
What job categories do people searching Emulation jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Emulation jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Emulation jobs? Cities in California with the most Emulation job openings:
Infographic showing various Emulation job openings in California as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 67% Full Time, and 33% Contract. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $106,736 per year, or $51.3 per hour.
Emulation Engineer

Emulation Engineer

VIVA USA INC

San Jose, CA โ€ข On-site

$47.25 - $54/hr

Contractor

Posted 16 days ago


Job description

Experienced Emulation Engineers with strong expertise in Palladium/ZeBu hardware emulation to support SoC/IP verification and validation activities.
Key Responsibilities:
Develop and maintain emulation environments using Palladium/ZeBu platforms
Port RTL/UVM testbenches from simulation to emulation
Debug SoC/IP level issues in emulation and provide root-cause analysis
Optimize performance and compile time for large SoC designs
Integrate transactors, BFMs, and acceleration models
Work closely with DV, RTL, and software teams for bring-up and validation
Develop/employ hybrid verification (simulation + emulation) flows
Support pre-silicon software validation and boot flows
Create scripts for build, run, and regression automation
Required Skills:
3+ years in SoC/IP verification with emulation experience
Strong hands-on experience with palladium/ZeBu emulation platforms
Good knowledge of SystemVerilog and UVM
Experience in simulation-to-emulation bring-up
Familiarity with SCE-MI / transactor-based acceleration
Strong debugging skills across RTL, testbench, and firmware
Knowledge of PCIe/AXI/DDR or similar standard protocols
Experience with Linux bring-up on emulation is a plus
Preferred Qualifications:
Experience in full-chip emulation environments
Exposure to performance tuning and capacity planning
Scripting knowledge (Python/Shell/Perl)
Experience with FPGA prototyping is an added advantage
Soft Skills:
Strong problem-solving and debugging mindset
Good communication and cross-team collaboration
Ability to work in fast-paced project schedules
Top 3 skills:
1. Tools : Palladium, ZeBu, VCS, Vivado
2. Languages : Verilog, System Verilog, C
3. Protocols : AXI, PCIe
VIVA is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants have an equal opportunity for placement, and all employees have an equal opportunity to develop on the job. This means that VIVA will not discriminate against any employee or qualified applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.