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Junior Rtl Design Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

RTL Design Engineer

San Jose, CA · On-site

$150K - $275K/yr

Job Summary As an RTL Engineer at Etched, you will be critical in ensuring that our AI chips operate correctly and efficiently. You will develop and implement design verification strategies for both ...

RTL Design Engineer

San Jose, CA · On-site

$150K - $275K/yr

Job Summary As an RTL Engineer at Etched, you will be critical in ensuring that our AI chips operate correctly and efficiently. You will develop and implement design verification strategies for both ...

... RTL design and test planning - Timing closure experience including timing constraints and PTSI. - Prior experience in digital and mixed signal circuit design for high speed PHYs - Hands-on experience ...

... design, VLSI/RTL design and integration, Emulation, Design Verification, Test and Validation, and FW/SW engineering. Develop signal processing intensive design for wireless communication SoCs ...

... design, VLSI/RTL design and integration, Emulation, Design Verification, Test and Validation, and FW/SW engineering. Develop signal processing intensive design for wireless communication SoCs ...

... design, VLSI/RTL design and integration, Emulation, Design Verification, Test and Validation, and FW/SW engineering. Develop signal processing intensive design for wireless communication SoCs ...

TPU RTL Design Engineer

Sunnyvale, CA · On-site

$159.60K/yr

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, a related field, or equivalent practical experience. * 2 years of experience in ASIC RTL design, with a focus on ...

PHY RTL Design Engineer

Irvine, CA

$120.30K - $210.10K/yr

... RTL design and integration, Emulation, Design Verification, Test and Validation, and FW/SW engineering. Description Develop signal processing intensive design for wireless communication SoCs ...

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Junior Rtl Design Engineer information

See California salary details

$33.1K

$70.9K

$108.1K

How much do junior rtl design engineer jobs pay per year?

As of May 30, 2026, the average yearly pay for junior rtl design engineer in California is $70,859.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $47,900.00 and $79,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Junior RTL Design Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Junior RTL Design Engineer, a solid background in digital logic design, hardware description languages (such as Verilog or VHDL), and a relevant engineering degree are essential. Experience with simulation and synthesis tools (like ModelSim, Synopsys, or Xilinx Vivado) and a basic understanding of ASIC or FPGA flows are typically required. Strong analytical thinking, attention to detail, and effective teamwork skills help individuals excel in translating specifications into efficient hardware designs. These skills ensure accurate, reliable, and high-performance digital circuit development, which is crucial for meeting project goals and industry standards.

What are some common challenges faced by Junior RTL Design Engineers when transitioning from academic projects to industry roles?

Junior RTL Design Engineers often find the transition from academic projects to industry roles challenging due to the increased complexity and scale of commercial designs. In industry, there is a strong emphasis on meeting strict timing, power, and area requirements, as well as adhering to rigorous verification and documentation standards. Collaboration with verification, physical design, and software teams is essential, and juniors may need to quickly adapt to using industry-standard EDA tools and workflows. Gaining proficiency in debugging and understanding legacy codebases are also typical hurdles. However, most teams provide mentorship and structured onboarding to help new engineers succeed.

What are Junior RTL Design Engineers?

Junior RTL Design Engineers are entry-level professionals who work on designing and verifying the Register Transfer Level (RTL) logic for digital integrated circuits. They typically use hardware description languages like Verilog or VHDL to describe and simulate the functionality of hardware blocks according to specifications. Their responsibilities often include coding, simulation, debugging, and collaborating with senior engineers to ensure the design meets performance and functional requirements. This role is crucial in the process of creating chips and digital systems used in various electronic devices.

What is the difference between Junior Rtl Design Engineer vs Digital Design Engineer?

AspectJunior Rtl Design EngineerDigital Design Engineer
Required CredentialsBachelor's in Electrical Engineering or related field; some certificationsBachelor's or higher in Electrical/Electronic Engineering; certifications vary
Work EnvironmentDesign teams in semiconductor or electronics companiesDesign and development teams in similar industries
Employer & Industry UsageCommonly employed in chip design, FPGA, ASIC developmentUsed in digital circuit and system design across industries

Both roles involve digital circuit design, but Junior Rtl Design Engineers focus more on RTL coding and verification, while Digital Design Engineers may handle broader digital system development. The roles often overlap in skills and work environment, with the main difference being scope and experience level.

What job categories do people searching Junior Rtl Design Engineer jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Junior Rtl Design Engineer jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Junior Rtl Design Engineer jobs? Cities in California with the most Junior Rtl Design Engineer job openings:
ASIC/ SoC RTL Design Engineer

ASIC/ SoC RTL Design Engineer

Oxford Global Resources

Burlingame, CA

Other

Posted 23 days ago


Job description

Title: ASIC/SoC RTL Design Engineer

Location: Palo Alto, CA (Or potentially Burlington, MA)

Length of Contract: 6 months+ (Temp-to-Perm)

Ideal Start: 6/1/2026

Responsibilities :

Own end-to-end design of complex SoC subsystems, driving architecture, RTL implementation, and tapeout. Focus on high-performance Datapath, PPA optimization, and cross-functional integration across silicon, firmware, and system teams.

Must haves:

  • 8 12+ years in ASIC/SoC digital design with hands-on RTL ownership
  • Strong SystemVerilog/Verilog RTL development (Datapath, control logic, state machines)
  • Proven experience owning subsystems from architecture RTL tapeout
  • Deep understanding of PPA tradeoffs, timing closure, clock/reset, and power-aware design
  • Experience designing high throughput Datapath (buffering, arbitration, memory hierarchy)
  • Background in advanced nodes ( 28nm) and cross-functional collaboration (verification, systems, firmware)

Pluses:

  • Experience with compute-intensive pipelines (DSP, AI, beamforming, MAC Datapath)
  • Exposure to sensor / imaging systems (e.g., ultrasound, data acquisition)
  • Experience with programmable compute blocks (AI accelerators, MPUs, eFPGA)

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About Oxford Global Resources

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Oxford Global Resources delivers tailored solutions for any technical challenges you face using our partnership-first approach. We specialize in workforce mobilization, digital transformation, and modern enterprise. We are committed to providing you with The Right Talent. Right Now. In 1984, we started Oxford with a handful of employees in a converted schoolhouse in Reading, Massachusetts. The people that shape our organization are some of the best in the industry. They are dedicated to making an impact and are with you every step of the way. We strive to meet the most pressing needs, solve the most complex problems, and go beyond expectations for our clients and our consultants. Together, we drive great outcomes. Whether you’d like to join the thousands of professionals who trust Oxford to advance their careers or partner with us to solve a challenge your business is facing, contact us at any of our 35 global offices.

Industry

Recruiting and staffing services

Company size

501 - 1,000 Employees

Headquarters location

Beverly, MA, US

Year founded

1984

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