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Modem Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

KBR

Senior Systems Engineer

San Diego, CA

$125/hr

Senior Systems Engineer Belong. Connect. Grow. with KBR! KBR's National Security Solutions team ... Analyze and define modem and RF subsystem architectures for SATCOM or tactical radio systems ...

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Modem Engineer information

See California salary details

$37.5K

$114.3K

$189K

How much do modem engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 9, 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 June 2026, with employment types broken down into 77% Full Time, and 23% Contract. Highlights an 95% In-person, and 5% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $114,347 per year, or $55 per hour.

Modem Power Firmware Engineer, Pixel

Google

San Diego, CA • On-site

Full-time

Posted 20 days ago

Google rating

8.8

Company rating: 8.8 out of 10

Based on 92 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

31st of 186 rated software companies

Job description

Minimum qualifications:
  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related technical field, or equivalent practical experience.
  • 1 year of experience in coding with a general purpose programming language (e.g. C/C ).
  • Experience with power management of embedded mobile devices.
  • Experience in performance analysis, debugging, and optimization for distributed or low-level systems.

Preferred qualifications:
  • Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related technical field.
  • 3 years of experience writing test scripts in Python for data collection and analysis.
  • 2 years of experience in modem power optimization and analysis.
  • Experience in 3GPP, 5G/4G, or LTE cellular testing, including cellular test equipment setups.
  • Familiarity with AI tools.
  • Excellent communication and collaborative working skills.

About the job
Google's software engineers develop the next-generation technologies that change how billions of users connect, explore, and interact with information and one another. Our products need to handle information at massive scale, and extend well beyond web search. We're looking for engineers who bring fresh ideas from all areas, including information retrieval, distributed computing, large-scale system design, networking and data storage, security, artificial intelligence, natural language processing, UI design and mobile; the list goes on and is growing every day. As a software engineer, you will work on a specific project critical to Google's needs with opportunities to switch teams and projects as you and our fast-paced business grow and evolve. We need our engineers to be versatile, display leadership qualities and be enthusiastic to take on new problems across the full-stack as we continue to push technology forward.
With your technical expertise you will manage project priorities, deadlines, and deliverables. You will design, develop, test, deploy, maintain, and enhance software solutions.
The Google Pixel team focuses on designing and delivering the world's most helpful mobile experience. The team works on shaping the future of Pixel devices and services through some of the most advanced designs, techniques, products, and experiences in consumer electronics. This includes bringing together the best of Google's artificial intelligence, software, and hardware to build global smartphones and create transformative experiences for users across the world.
Individual pay is determined by factors including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.
US: $116000 - $166000 (USD) 15% bonus target bonus equity benefits
Learn more about benefits at Google .
Responsibilities
  • Design, develop, and implement modem power optimization features and algorithms within modem protocol stack.
  • Analyze modem power consumption across various use cases and network conditions (LTE, 5G NR) to identify optimization opportunities.
  • Collaborate with the modem system team, modem vendors, platform teams, and application developers to define power goals and drive power reduction initiatives.
  • Develop and execute power validation plans and test cases for new features and software releases.
  • Build and maintain automated power measurement and analysis tools and dashboards to track power key performance indicators (KPIs) and detect regressions.

Information collected and processed as part of your Google Careers profile, and any job applications you choose to submit is subject to Google's Applicant and Candidate Privacy Policy .
Google is proud to be an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. We are committed to building a workforce that is representative of the users we serve, creating a culture of belonging, and providing an equal employment opportunity regardless of race, creed, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy or related condition (including breastfeeding), expecting or parents-to-be, criminal histories consistent with legal requirements, or any other basis protected by law. See also Google's EEO Policy , Know your rights: workplace discrimination is illegal , Belonging at Google , and How we hire .
If you have a need that requires accommodation, please let us know by completing our Accommodations for Applicants form .
Google is a global company and, in order to facilitate efficient collaboration and communication globally, English proficiency is a requirement for all roles unless stated otherwise in the job posting.
To all recruitment agencies: Google does not accept agency resumes. Please do not forward resumes to our jobs alias, Google employees, or any other organization location. Google is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.

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