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Modem Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Planet

Sr. Satcom Modem Engineer

San Francisco, CA · Hybrid

$65 - $84/hr

We are seeking an experienced Satcom Modem Engineer to develop and mature our next-generation onboard satcom links, ground radios, and antenna systems, pushing the frontiers of satellite ...

Planet

Sr. Satcom Modem Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$123K - $169K/yr

We are seeking an experienced Satcom Modem Engineer to develop and mature our next-generation onboard satcom links, ground radios, and antenna systems, pushing the frontiers of satellite ...

Planet

Sr. Satcom Modem Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$123K - $169K/yr

We are seeking an experienced Satcom Modem Engineer to develop and mature our next-generation onboard satcom links, ground radios, and antenna systems, pushing the frontiers of satellite ...

Logos Space

Director, Modem Engineering

San Diego, CA · On-site

Position Summary & Responsibilities The Director, Modem Engineering is a high profile role and this engineering lead is responsible for conceiving, planning, partnering and executing the waveform ...

Qualcomm

Software Engineer - Modem

San Diego, CA · On-site

$104K - $156K/yr

Engineering Group, Engineering Group > Modem Technologies Software General Summary: As a leading technology innovator, Qualcomm pushes the boundaries of what's possible to enable next-generation ...

Qualcomm

Modem Integration & Test Engineer

San Diego, CA · On-site

$89K - $133K/yr

Engineering Group, Engineering Group > Cellular System Test Engineering General Summary: As a member of the Modem SW Image Integration & Test (I&T) team, you will be responsible for the integration ...

Ericsson

Sr Modem Firmware Engineer

San Diego, CA · On-site

$126K - $167K/yr

About this opportunity Join Ericsson as a Senior Modem Firmware Engineer based in the USA, where you will design, develop, and integrate cellular modem modules into OpenWrt-based platforms. You will ...

Ericsson Inc.

Sr Modem Firmware Engineer

San Diego, CA · On-site

$126K - $167K/yr

About this opportunity Join Ericsson as a Senior Modem Firmware Engineer based in the USA, where you will design, develop, and integrate cellular modem modules into OpenWrt-based platforms. You will ...

Qualcomm Technologies

Sr. Modem Power Engineer

San Diego, CA · On-site

$110K - $152K/yr

Engineering Group, Engineering Group > Modem Software Engineering General Summary: As a leading technology innovator, Qualcomm pushes the boundaries of what's possible to enable next-generation ...

New

Protingent

Senior Engineer, Modem Software

San Jose, CA · On-site

$65 - $85/hr

Senior Engineer, Modem Software Position Description : Protingent Staffing has an exciting contract Senior Engineer, Modem Software with our client located in San Jose, CA. * Looking for highly ...

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All JobsModem Engineer JobsModem Engineer Jobs in California

Modem Engineer information

See California salary details

$37.5K

$114.3K

$189K

How much do modem engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 14, 2026, the average yearly pay for modem engineer in California is $114,347.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $81,900.00 and $149,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are some typical challenges faced by modem engineers when integrating new wireless technologies?

Modem Engineers often encounter challenges such as ensuring compatibility between new wireless technologies and existing hardware, managing signal interference, and optimizing performance across different network environments. They must also stay updated with rapidly evolving standards, like 5G or Wi-Fi 6, and work closely with cross-functional teams, including firmware developers and hardware designers. Effective troubleshooting and continuous testing are essential parts of overcoming these challenges and delivering robust modem solutions.

What is a modem engineer?

A Modem Engineer is a professional who designs, develops, tests, and maintains modem technologies, which are essential for enabling communication between devices over networks such as cellular, Wi-Fi, and wired systems. They work on the physical layer and protocol stack, ensuring data is transmitted efficiently and reliably. Modem Engineers collaborate with hardware and software teams to optimize performance, troubleshoot issues, and implement new features, often for smartphones, IoT devices, and networking equipment.

What is the difference between Modem Engineer vs Network Engineer?

AspectModem EngineerNetwork Engineer
CredentialsBachelor's in Electrical/Telecommunications Engineering, certifications like Cisco CCNABachelor's in Computer Science, Networking, or related fields; certifications like Cisco CCNP
Work EnvironmentDesigning, testing, and troubleshooting modems and communication hardwareDesigning, implementing, and managing network infrastructure
Industry UsageTelecom companies, hardware manufacturersIT firms, service providers, large organizations

While both roles involve networking technology, a Modem Engineer focuses on developing and maintaining modem hardware and firmware, whereas a Network Engineer manages overall network infrastructure and connectivity. Both roles require technical certifications and work in related environments, but their core responsibilities differ significantly.

What are popular job titles related to Modem Engineer jobs in California?

For Modem Engineer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Modem Engineer jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Modem Engineer jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Modem Engineer jobs?

Cities in California with the most Modem Engineer job openings:

Modem Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Modem Engineer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 80% Full Time, and 20% Contract. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $114,347 per year, or $55 per hour.

Senior FPGA/ASIC Modem Engineer

Logos Space

Mountain View, CA • On-site

$190K - $280K/yr

Full-time

Posted 24 days ago

Job description

Senior FPGA/ASIC Modem Engineer
About Logos Space
Logos Space is a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite system purpose-built to serve the connectivity needs of the commercial enterprise users and government users. We will help fill an important gap in the market, providing resilient, high-performance satellite-based connectivity services to enterprise and government customers worldwide. Business customers have contracts with agreed-upon performance standards for their broadband, and Logos will build these capabilities into the system from the beginning. Speed and reliability are the foundation of the system. Logos is designed to extend cloud and data center network connectivity anywhere in the world to fixed, seaborne, and airborne terminals.
Logos is led by a team of highly experienced engineers with proven track records in the networking and satellite industries.
Position Summary
The Baseband Modem hardware team at Logos Space is building a high-performance digital modem payload for the Logos LEO satellite system that supports high-throughput, secure, reliable and resilient communications with an emphasis on waveform flexibility using Software Defined Radio (SDR) technology.
As a Senior FPGA Modem Engineer, you will design, implement, verify and release FPGA-based modem solutions for end-to-end wireless satellite communications links. You will work closely with the modem systems team on realization of waveform designs using fixed-point FPGA digital hardware and DSP blocks. This role is an exciting opportunity to help build a LEO satellite communications system from the ground up using cutting-edge FPGA technology.
We are looking for digital FPGA hardware engineers who can work well in a fast-paced environment, turn sometimes ambiguous requirements into practical hardware implementations, and collaborate closely with adjacent teams.
Responsibilities
  • Own one or more FPGA-based modem chains through all development phases, from micro-architecture through to lab deployment.
  • Define the micro-architecture of high-rate FPGA modem blocks and surrounding digital infrastructure. Implement designs using SystemVerilog or Verilog.
  • Develop block-level and end-to-end self-checking hardware verification environments using golden reference models provided by the modem systems team.
  • Develop FPGA synthesis and place and route build scripts including timing and placement constraints. Analyze results and implement design changes required to close timing and meet system-level FPGA power and resource requirements.
  • Define and implement clean hardware/software interfaces, including registers, configuration, telemetry, fault and status signaling, and test hooks.
  • Conduct code and design reviews and participate in multi-functional reviews.
  • Collaborate with systems architects, HW engineering design teams and FW/SW design teams for lab bring-up of boards combining FPGA, firmware, RF, and Networking functions.
  • Mentor junior engineers and provide technical leadership on FPGA best practices.
Basic Qualifications
  • Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related STEM field.
  • A minimum of 10+ years experience in design, development and implementation of wireless baseband modems using FPGA devices. Equivalent experience in ASIC modem design will also receive consideration.
  • Proficiency in one or more HDL programming languages such as VHDL, Verilog, or SystemVerilog.
  • Experience writing verification frameworks using SystemVerilog/UVM, Cocotb or transactional-level modeling.
  • Thorough knowledge of modern FPGA architecture including experience with advanced floorplanning clock-domain crossing (CDC) analysis, false-path isolation, and timing closure techniques . Experience using these techniques with AMD UltraScale+ and Versal FPGA families is highly preferred.
  • Deep understanding of Digital Front End (DFE) architectures, including digital up/down conversion (DUC/DDC), interpolation/decimation filters, and interfacing with high-speed ADCs and DACs.
  • Experience with industry-standard bus interfaces such as AXI and AXI-streaming and high-speed interfaces such as DDR4/5, 10/40/100 Gb Ethernet and SERDES interfaces like JESD-204B/C, Aurora and Interlaken.
  • Experience with FPGA toolchains and workflows such as AMD Vivado, including simulation, synthesis, place-and-route, timing analysis and closure as well as power analysis.
  • Experience debugging FPGA or digital hardware in the lab using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, spectrum analyzers, time-interval measurement tools, or similar instrumentation.
  • Experience working with embedded software design, especially in complex debugging of FPGA on-target SW/HW interaction.
  • Familiarity with Linux-based development environments, Git, and automated testing.
  • Strong written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills. Ability to prioritize work, complete multiple tasks and work under deadlines with minimal supervision.
Preferred Qualifications
  • Experience implementing both the MAC and PHY layers of a wireless modem such as 5G OFDMA or Single-Carrier DVB-S2(X) through the entire product life cycle for an FPGA or ASIC target.
  • Experience with space, defense, or other reliability-critical electronics, including radiation-tolerant design, Triple Modular Redundancy (TMR), and single-event upset (SEU) mitigation techniques.
  • Experience with embedded firmware or low-level software for device control, board bring-up, telemetry, and calibration workflows.
  • Experience with board-level digital or mixed-signal hardware design, schematic review, clock-tree or oscillator circuitry and hardware bring-up.
  • Experience writing tests and automation scripts using C, C++ or Python.
  • Experience designing HW accelerators tightly coupled with the embedded processor subsystems present in most modern FPGA devices.
  • Experience with the architecture, toolchains and programming of SIMD vector DSP engines for wireless modem applications.

Even if you don't meet every qualification, we encourage you to apply. We value strong fundamentals, sound judgment, and growth potential, and we know great candidates do not always match every item on a job description.
Additional Information
Logos Space is an equal opportunity employer and values creativity, curiosity, and diverse perspectives. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, or any other status protected by applicable law. Employment offers are contingent on the candidate's ability to access export-controlled information in accordance with U.S. law.

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