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Hardware Systems Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

EE Hardware System Engineer Etched is looking for exceptional hardware system engineers to join our team. The candidate will be responsible for schematic design for our accelerator module, and will ...

Lead Hardware Systems Engineer

San Bruno, CA ยท On-site

$195K - $255K/yr

Collaborates with other systems engineers to ensure these are well documented and have visibility to other stakeholders. * Collaborate with mechanical engineers to optimize custom hardware such as ...

Lead Hardware Systems Engineer

San Bruno, CA ยท On-site

$195K - $255K/yr

Collaborates with other systems engineers to ensure these are well documented and have visibility to other stakeholders. * Collaborate with mechanical engineers to optimize custom hardware such as ...

Collaborates with other systems engineers to ensure these are well documented and have visibility to other stakeholders. * Collaborate with mechanical engineers to optimize custom hardware such as ...

Hardware Systems Integration Engineer

Sunnyvale, CA ยท On-site

$144K - $191K/yr

... engineering 3+ years of relevant industry experience focusing on hardware system design Strong working experience in electrical design, including component selection, circuit design, schematic ...

Hardware Systems Integration Engineer

Cupertino, CA ยท On-site

$152K - $201K/yr

... engineering required. 2+ years of relevant industry experience focusing on hardware system design. Excellent EE fundamentals and analog design knowledge focusing on DC/DC, power and signal integrity ...

Hardware System Engineer

San Jose, CA ยท On-site

$144K - $191K/yr

Hardware System Engineer Location: San Jose, CA - onsite Your impact: * Lead system design for ... Bring up systems and implement engineering validation in the lab. * Drive products from concept ...

Showing results 41-60

Hardware Systems Engineer information

See California salary details

$50.3K

$144.3K

$193.9K

How much do hardware systems engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 9, 2026, the average yearly pay for hardware systems engineer in California is $144,315.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $121,900.00 and $160,900.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a hardware systems engineer?

To thrive as a Hardware Systems Engineer, you need a solid background in electrical engineering principles, circuit design, and hardware integration, typically supported by a relevant engineering degree. Proficiency with CAD tools (like Altium or OrCAD), simulation software, and familiarity with industry standards and certifications such as IPC or IEEE is crucial. Strong problem-solving abilities, attention to detail, and effective teamwork and communication skills set exceptional engineers apart. These skills ensure reliable hardware solutions, efficient development processes, and successful collaboration across multidisciplinary teams.

What are some common challenges faced by hardware systems engineers during cross-functional projects?

Hardware Systems Engineers often work closely with software teams, product managers, and manufacturing to deliver integrated solutions. One common challenge is ensuring clear communication and alignment across these diverse teams, especially when requirements or timelines shift. Additionally, balancing system performance, cost, and manufacturability can be complex, requiring careful coordination and frequent design iterations. Proactively engaging with stakeholders and maintaining thorough documentation can help mitigate these challenges and ensure successful project outcomes.
What job categories do people searching Hardware Systems Engineer jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Hardware Systems Engineer jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Hardware Systems Engineer jobs? Cities in California with the most Hardware Systems Engineer job openings:
Infographic showing various Hardware Systems Engineer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 85% Full Time, 9% Part Time, 5% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 89% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $144,315 per year, or $69.4 per hour.

Electrical Engineer, Hardware Systems

Etched

Cupertino, CA โ€ข On-site

$2.0K/mo

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision

Re-posted 17 days ago


Job description

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 magnitude more throughput and lower latency than a B200. With Etched ASICs, you can build products that would be impossible with GPUs, like real-time video generation models and extremely deep chain-of-thought reasoning.
EE Hardware System Engineer
Etched is looking for exceptional hardware system engineers to join our team. The candidate will be responsible for schematic design for our accelerator module, and will help us pave the way for manufacturing scale.
Representative projects:
  • Lead schematic design of the mezzanine card and base board for Etched's accelerator systems
  • Work with Signal Integrity, PCB, and Mechanical Engineering to solve system level design problems
  • Collaborate with ODMs/OEMs on system requirements, including bringup and validation plans
  • Understand datacenter customer requirements and ensure our servers meet them
  • Bring up of system base board and mezzanine card
  • Create and manage PCBA documentation including BOMs and special assembly processes
  • Define test plans and test equipment for bring-up and manufacturing

Requirements:
  • 5-10 years of experience in complex server/switch system design and development
  • Extensive experience on 100G Ethernet, PCIe Gen5, I2C, SPI, UART interfaces
  • Familiar with modern AI/datacenter system architecture
  • Proven track record of designing systems alongside silicon
  • Deep understanding of datacenter needs, especially with respect to high power (>10 kW) AI servers
  • Passionate about modern AIs like ChatGPT, and willing to learn about them on the job

We encourage you to apply even if you do not believe you meet every single qualification.
How we're different:
Etched believes in the Bitter Lesson. We think most of the progress in the AI field has come from using more FLOPs to train and run models, and the best way to get more FLOPs is to build model-specific hardware. Larger and larger training runs encourage companies to consolidate around fewer model architectures, which creates a market for single-model ASICs.
We are a fully in-person team in Cupertino, and greatly value engineering skills. We do not have boundaries between engineering and research, and we expect all of our technical staff to contribute to both as needed.
Benefits:
  • Full medical, dental, and vision packages, with 100% of premium covered, 90% for dependents
  • Housing subsidy of $2,000/month for those living within walking distance of the office
  • Daily lunch and dinner in our office
  • Relocation support for those moving to Cupertino