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Prototyping Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Seekr

Senior Frontend Engineer - AI Prototyping

Austin, TX · On-site

$121K - $167K/yr

About the Opportunity: We're looking for a Senior Frontend Engineer - AI Prototyping to join Seekr as a bridge between high-level product concepts and technical reality. In this role, you will be the ...

comma.ai

CNC Machinist (Head of Prototyping)

San Diego, CA · On-site

$21.75 - $29.75/hr

You'll lead prototyping manufacturing for all our products, from comma four-style products to our new datacenter products. We're building SendCutSend at home. The shop has a Haas VF2, lathe, 3D ...

Neuralink

Prototyping Lab Engineer & Manager

Austin, TX · On-site

$68K - $114K/yr

As our Prototyping Lab Engineer & Manager, you will be instrumental in creating and maintaining an environment that enables our engineering and manufacturing teams to innovate and deliver ...

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How much do prototyping jobs pay per hour?

As of Jun 28, 2026, the average hourly pay for prototyping in the United States is $26.86, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $21.15 and $31.01 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is prototyping?

Prototyping is the process of creating an early sample, model, or release of a product to test and validate ideas before full-scale production or development. It allows designers, engineers, and stakeholders to explore concepts, identify potential issues, and gather user feedback in the early stages of a project. Prototypes can range from simple paper sketches to interactive digital models or functional physical items, depending on the project's needs. This iterative approach helps save time and resources by uncovering improvements and reducing risks before committing to final designs.

What is the difference between Prototyping vs UX Designer?

AspectPrototypingUX Designer
Primary FocusCreating interactive models of products or featuresResearching, designing, and improving user experiences
Skills & ToolsPrototyping tools (e.g., Figma, Adobe XD), UI designUser research, wireframing, usability testing
Work EnvironmentDesign teams, product developmentDesign teams, user research teams
CredentialsDesign background, proficiency in prototyping toolsDesign or psychology background, UX certifications

Prototyping involves creating interactive models to test ideas, while UX Design encompasses the broader process of understanding user needs and designing overall user experiences. Both roles often collaborate but focus on different stages of product development.

What jobs make $10,000 a month without a degree?

Prototyping roles in industries like software development, product design, or engineering can sometimes pay $10,000 or more monthly, especially for experienced professionals or freelancers with specialized skills in CAD, 3D modeling, or UX/UI design. High-paying opportunities often require strong portfolios, technical proficiency, and industry experience rather than formal degrees.

What jobs pay 500,000 a year in the US?

In the field of prototyping, high-paying roles such as senior product designers, lead engineers, or executive positions in technology companies can reach or exceed $500,000 annually, especially with bonuses and stock options. These roles typically require extensive experience, advanced technical skills, and often involve leadership responsibilities or specialized expertise in areas like hardware or software development.

What jobs make $1,000,000 a year?

In the field of prototyping, highly experienced product designers, lead engineers, or entrepreneurs involved in successful startups can earn over $1 million annually through salaries, bonuses, and equity. Such roles often require advanced skills, extensive industry experience, and involvement in high-growth or innovative projects.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Prototyping Specialist, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Prototyping Specialist, you need a solid background in design principles, engineering fundamentals, and hands-on fabrication, often supported by a degree in industrial design or engineering. Familiarity with CAD software, 3D printing technology, CNC machines, and rapid prototyping tools is typically required. Creativity, problem-solving, and effective communication distinguish standout professionals in this role. These skills are crucial for efficiently translating ideas into tangible models, iterating designs, and collaborating with cross-functional teams in product development.

What are some common challenges faced in a prototyping role, and how can they be addressed?

Professionals in prototyping often encounter challenges such as rapidly iterating ideas within tight deadlines, balancing functionality with available resources, and effectively communicating design intent to cross-functional teams. To overcome these, it's helpful to prioritize clear documentation, maintain open communication with engineers and designers, and use agile methodologies to adapt quickly to feedback. Embracing a collaborative mindset and being comfortable with ambiguity are key to navigating the dynamic nature of prototyping work.

What is a prototype job?

A prototype job involves creating early models or samples of products, designs, or systems to test concepts and functionality. Professionals in this role often use tools like CAD software or 3D printers and work closely with designers and engineers to refine ideas before mass production.
More about Prototyping jobs
What cities are hiring for Prototyping jobs? Cities with the most Prototyping job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Prototyping jobs? The most popular types of Prototyping jobs are:
What states have the most Prototyping jobs? States with the most job openings for Prototyping jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Prototyping jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Prototyping jobs are:
Prototyping jobs near you
Infographic showing various Prototyping job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 89% Full Time, 9% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 81% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 16% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $55,867 per year, or $26.9 per hour.
Senior FPGA Prototyping Platform Engineer

Senior FPGA Prototyping Platform Engineer

Nvidia Corporation

Santa Clara, CA • On-site

$144K - $199K/yr

Full-time

Posted 26 days ago

Job description

Are you passionate about FPGA prototyping? Are you interested in pushing the boundaries of innovation to make FPGA prototypes faster and more efficient? Can you work in a fast-paced environment that requires coordination between many teams across geographies and resolving sophisticated problems daily? If so, we are looking for hardworking engineers who will craft FPGA prototypes of our next generation GPUs and SOCs on standard FPGA prototyping platforms.
We are now looking for a Senior FPGA Prototyping Platform Engineer to join our Emulation team onsite in Santa Clara, CA.
What you'll be doing:
  • Build FPGA prototypes by taking the design through synthesis and place and route, analyzing timing and generating bitstreams.
  • Bring up the design on FPGA prototyping platforms involving hands-on lab debug with HW and SW debuggers.
  • Release the prototype to the customers and support them when they face problems.
  • Using HW diagnostics specific to Prototyping platforms to help isolate issues between HW platform, FPGA design programmed on to platform.
  • Good coordination with verification engineers and SW teams and Lab Technicians will be needed to accomplish your tasks.

What we need to see:
  • BS (or equivalent experience) in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related fields with 7+ years of experience in FPGA prototyping, or MS with 5+ years of proven experience in FPGA prototyping.
  • Good understanding of FPGA prototyping hardware architecture, flows and tools.
  • Experience with hands-on FPGA prototyping lab tasks and working with or managing lab technicians in lab environment of medium to large scale.
  • Experience in backend flows of FPGA Prototyping - Synthesis, P&R and Timing closure, with emphasis on Synopsys Protocompiler and Xilinx Vivado.
  • Hands-on experience with lab FPGA debug methodologies, tools (Identify and/or ChipScope), and lab debug equipment (oscilloscopes, logic/protocol analyzers).

Ways to stand out from the crowd:
  • Experience with carrying out independent as well as collaborative debug tasks and ability to quickly triage and root-cause issues is a major plus.
  • Prior experience with prototyping (Synopsys HAPS or FPGA platforms) of a high-performance processor or SOC is a plus.

NVIDIA has continuously reinvented itself over two decades. Our invention of the GPU in 1999 sparked the growth of the PC gaming market, redefined modern computer graphics, and revolutionized parallel computing. More recently, GPU deep learning ignited modern AI - the next era of computing. NVIDIA is a "learning machine" that constantly evolves by adapting to new opportunities that are hard to solve, that only we can tackle, and that matter to the world. This is our life's work, to amplify human imagination and intelligence. Make the choice to join us today!
Your base salary will be determined based on your location, experience, and the pay of employees in similar positions. The base salary range is 168,000 USD - 264,500 USD for Level 4, and 196,000 USD - 310,500 USD for Level 5.
You will also be eligible for equity and benefits.
Applications for this job will be accepted at least until June 6, 2026.
This posting is for an existing vacancy.
NVIDIA uses AI tools in its recruiting processes.
NVIDIA is committed to fostering an inclusive work environment and proud to be an equal opportunity employer. As we highly value diversity in our current and future employees, we do not discriminate (including in our hiring and promotion practices) on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status or any other characteristic protected by law.
Nvidia logo

About Nvidia

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

NVIDIA has been transforming computer graphics, PC gaming, and accelerated computing for more than 25 years. It's a unique legacy of innovation that's fueled by great technology--and amazing people. Today, we're tapping into the unlimited potential of AI to define the next era of computing. An era in which our GPU acts as the brains of computers, robots, and self-driving cars that can understand the world. Doing what's never been done before takes vision, innovation, and the world's best talent.

Industry

Computer and electronic product manufacturing

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Santa Clara, CA, US

Year founded

1993

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