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Semiconductor Design Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Micron Technology

Principal Design Engineer

San Jose, CA · On-site

$145 - $298/hr

Proficient fundamentals in semiconductor and device physics and analog/mixed‑signal circuit design. An understanding of semiconductor reliability issues including CHC, NBTI, stress, and snapback ...

Micron

New College Grad - EDA/CAD Engineer

San Jose, CA

$64K - $159K/yr

The AI Design Enablement team focuses on applying AI-Assisted methods, Generative AI, Large Language Models (LLMs), and advanced automation technologies to real semiconductor design challenges. By ...

Micron

New College Grad - EDA/CAD Engineer

San Jose, CA

$64K - $159K/yr

The AI Design Enablement team focuses on applying AI-Assisted methods, Generative AI, Large Language Models (LLMs), and advanced automation technologies to real semiconductor design challenges. By ...

ChipAgents

Customer Success Manager

San Jose, CA · On-site

About ChipAgents ChipAgents is reinventing semiconductor design and verification through agentic AI workflows. Founded by leading experts in AI and chip design, we work with top-20 semiconductor ...

ChipAgents

Customer Success Manager

San Jose, CA · On-site

About ChipAgents ChipAgents is reinventing semiconductor design and verification through agentic AI workflows. Founded by leading experts in AI and chip design, we work with top-20 semiconductor ...

Micron

DMTS, DRAM Systems

Folsom, CA

$215K - $416K/yr

As a Semiconductor Design Engineer, you will play a key role in designing next-generation DRAM products that deliver industry-leading performance, power efficiency, quality, and reliability. This is ...

Micron

DMTS, DRAM Systems

San Jose, CA

$215K - $416K/yr

As a Semiconductor Design Engineer, you will play a key role in designing next-generation DRAM products that deliver industry-leading performance, power efficiency, quality, and reliability. This is ...

Micron Technology

DMTS, DRAM Systems

San Jose, CA · On-site

$215K - $416K/yr

As a Semiconductor Design Engineer, you will play a key role in designing next-generation DRAM products that deliver industry-leading performance, power efficiency, quality, and reliability. This is ...

ChipAgents

Product Line Director, AMS

San Jose, CA · On-site

$180 - $450/hr

Founded by experts in AI and semiconductor design, we partner with top-10 semiconductor companies, hyperscale cloud providers, and cutting-edge startups. Our platform accelerates RTL development ...

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Showing results 21-40

All JobsSemiconductor Design JobsSemiconductor Design Jobs in California

Semiconductor Design information

See California salary details

$27.6K

$73.4K

$95.2K

How much do semiconductor design jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 14, 2026, the average yearly pay for semiconductor design in California is $73,438.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $62,200.00 and $90,800.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in semiconductor design?

To thrive in Semiconductor Design, you need a solid background in electrical engineering, circuit design, and semiconductor physics, usually supported by a relevant degree. Familiarity with Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools like Cadence, Synopsys, or Mentor Graphics, as well as knowledge of VHDL/Verilog and industry-standard design methodologies, is critical. Strong problem-solving abilities, attention to detail, and the ability to collaborate across multidisciplinary teams are valuable soft skills in this field. These competencies ensure precise, innovative chip designs and effective teamwork in complex, fast-evolving technological environments.

Is semiconductor design a good career?

Semiconductor design is a specialized field involving creating integrated circuits and microchips, requiring skills in electronics, CAD tools, and programming. It offers strong job growth, competitive salaries, and opportunities in technology and manufacturing sectors, making it a promising career choice for those interested in electronics and innovation.

What is a semiconductor design?

A Semiconductor Design job involves creating and optimizing integrated circuits (ICs) used in electronic devices. Engineers in this role work on designing digital, analog, or mixed-signal circuits using software tools and hardware description languages (HDLs). They ensure performance, power efficiency, and manufacturability while collaborating with fabrication teams. This job requires strong knowledge of electronics, semiconductor physics, and design methodologies.

What do semiconductor design engineers do?

Semiconductor design engineers develop and optimize integrated circuits and microchips used in electronic devices. They use electronic design automation (EDA) tools, create circuit schematics, simulate performance, and ensure the chips meet specifications and manufacturing standards. Their work often involves collaboration with manufacturing teams and requires knowledge of semiconductor physics and circuit theory.

What are the typical career growth opportunities for someone in semiconductor design?

A career in Semiconductor Design offers several avenues for advancement, such as transitioning from junior design roles to senior or lead engineer positions, project management, or technical specialist tracks. As you gain experience, you might take on more responsibility in overseeing design projects, mentoring junior engineers, or influencing technology direction within your organization. Additionally, many professionals eventually move into roles focused on system architecture, product management, or research and development. The dynamic nature of the semiconductor industry ensures ongoing opportunities for skill development and career progression.

What are the most commonly searched types of Semiconductor Design jobs in California?

The most popular types of Semiconductor Design jobs in California are:

What are popular job titles related to Semiconductor Design jobs in California?

For Semiconductor Design jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Semiconductor Design jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Semiconductor Design jobs in California are:

Semiconductor Design jobs near you
Infographic showing various Semiconductor Design job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Internship, 85% Full Time, 8% Part Time, 2% Temporary, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 84% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 11% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $73,438 per year, or $35.3 per hour.

Senior Principal Applied ML Engineer

Cadence Design Systems, Inc.

San Jose, CA • On-site

$147K - $203K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 12 hours ago

Cadence Design Systems rating

9.0

Company rating: 9.0 out of 10

Based on 5 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

33rd of 244 rated software companies

Job description

At Cadence, we hire and develop leaders and innovators who want to make an impact on the world of technology.
Chips are at the center of today's tech-driven world. But how we design and verify them has not fundamentally changed in decades, while their complexity and specialization have skyrocketed due to increasing performance demands from AI. We are a dynamic, fast-moving team of software developers, ML scientists, and research-minded engineers on a mission to change that.
Operating with the agility of a startup but backed by industry-leading verification technologies, we are part of the System Verification Group (SVG). Our charter is to develop state-of-the-art EDA software and hardware platforms (including Xcelium, Jasper, Palladium, Protium, and Helium) and supercharge them with cutting-edge AI, automation, and advanced data-driven workflows.
About This Role
Cadence Design Systems is the leading provider of design automation tools for electronic and intelligent systems design. The ML / Software Engineer - ChipStack SuperAgent Team will be responsible for designing, implementing, and evaluating AI agents that enhance productivity across the semiconductor design lifecycle. This engineer will contribute to the development of robust agent infrastructure, evaluation systems, and production-grade AI capabilities integrated within Cadence's electronic design automation (EDA) ecosystem.
The role focuses on building reliable, scalable agentic systems that operate within complex engineering workflows. The ideal candidate combines strong software engineering fundamentals with practical experience in ML systems and agent infrastructure, enabling deployment of high-impact AI solutions in production environments.
In this role, you will be part of the ChipStack AI Super Agent team and will operate at the forefront of semiconductor design and AI innovation, utilizing advanced AI tools to architect, design, and validate the next generation of verification methodologies. You will collaborate closely with a highly skilled team of machine learning engineers experienced in training large language models at scale, as well as accomplished software engineers with proven expertise in product development and deployment. You will be working on the world's first agentic AI platform that autonomously designs and verifies chips with up to 10× productivity gains.
Responsibilities
  • Design and implement scalable infrastructure for AI agents operating within Cadence's ChipStack SuperAgent ecosystem.
  • Build robust evaluation frameworks to measure agent performance, reliability, and alignment with engineering workflows.
  • Develop data pipelines, retrieval systems, and context-engineering strategies to support consistent and grounded agent behavior.
  • Contribute to continuous integration, automated testing, and observability systems to ensure production-quality deployment of AI-enabled systems.
  • Optimize system performance across latency, cost, reliability, and scalability dimensions.

Required Qualifications
  • BS with a minimum of 10 years of experience OR MS with a minimum of 7 years of experience OR PhD with a minimum of 5 years of experience
  • Strong software engineering fundamentals, including design, refactoring, debugging, and testing of complex distributed systems. Demonstrated experience building production-quality systems.
  • Understanding of large language models (LLMs) and practical considerations for deploying them in real-world systems (latency, cost, reliability, monitoring).
  • Experience designing evaluation frameworks for AI systems, including benchmarking, regression testing, and failure analysis.

Skills of Interest
  • Agent architecture: Experience with reason-act loops, planning/evaluation/self-correction patterns, tool/function calling, persistent memory systems, and structured outputs.
  • LLM engineering: Familiarity with frontier LLMs and trade-offs across model families; experience with prompt engineering, context management, and alignment techniques.
  • Retrieval and data systems: Understanding of RAG pipelines, embeddings, indexing strategies, chunking methodologies, and grounding techniques.
  • Infrastructure and observability: Experience building logging, tracing, monitoring, and evaluation systems for ML/AI applications.
  • AI-assisted development workflows: Leveraging AI tools to enhance engineering productivity and code quality.
  • Interest in semiconductor design, EDA workflows, and high-performance computing environments.

Our Culture
  • Challenge the status quo: We are innovators who challenge industry norms and push forward our vision of how silicon should be built.
  • Strong opinions, loosely held: We are low on ego, but high on collaboration. We are okay to be wrong and are always open to learning.
  • Ship fast, ship quality: We ruthlessly prioritize what matters. We build at lightning speed, but never compromise on the high standards required by the semiconductor industry.
  • Proud of our craft: Attention to detail is in our DNA. We take pride in what we build and go the extra mile to ensure an exceptional experience for our users.

The annual salary range for California is $154,000 to $286,000. You may also be eligible to receive incentive compensation: bonus, equity, and benefits. Sales positions generally offer a competitive On Target Earnings (OTE) incentive compensation structure. Please note that the salary range is a guideline and compensation may vary based on factors such as qualifications, skill level, competencies and work location. Our benefits programs include: paid vacation and paid holidays, 401(k) plan with employer match, employee stock purchase plan, a variety of medical, dental and vision plan options, and more.
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