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Senior Rf Design Engineer Jobs in Santa Clara, CA

... design of RF analog integrated circuits with a Master's degree in Electrical Engineering. • Ph.D ... interaction with senior leadership (e.g., Director and above). Principal Duties and ...

As an NFC Hardware Design Engineer, you will contribute to the architecture, design, and ... Solid understanding of RF fundamentals including Noise Figure, Sensitivity/De-sense, Error Vector ...

Effector RF Design Section Lead

San Jose, CA

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Our engineers develop advanced technologies that create a safer, more secure world. The Effector RF Design (ERFD) Department is the engineering organization responsible for the design and technical ...

NFC RF Design Engineer

Sunnyvale, CA

$184K - $324K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Retirement

As an NFC Hardware Design Engineer, you will contribute to the architecture, design, and ... Solid understanding of RF fundamentals including Noise Figure, Sensitivity/De-sense, Error Vector ...

Senior Principal RF Subsystems Engineer

San Jose, CA

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

The Effector RF Team at Raytheon is seeking a talented Senior Principal Engineer to join our team ... Specify, design, and test advanced RF sensors and subsystems across frequencies from MHz through ...

NFC RF Design Engineer

Sunnyvale, CA

$129K - $225K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Retirement

As an NFC Hardware Design Engineer, you will contribute to the architecture, design, and ... Solid understanding of RF fundamentals including Noise Figure, Sensitivity/De-sense, Error Vector ...

Be Seen First

RF Design Associate

Sunnyvale, CA · On-site

$85K - $90K/yr

  • Medical

Are you ready to be part of a leading global engineering design house specializing in the design ... Perform RF front end optimization to support multiple configs for the build * Use ADS simulations ...

We're recruiting for a Senior RF/EMC Engineer role with an established, privately-held wireless testing and certification lab in the East Bay (Pleasanton, CA), accredited by the FCC, Canada's ISED ...

Senior RF Data Link Engineer

San Jose, CA

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Communications systems design * Data link hardware development * Algorithm development * Digital ... Experience with system engineering of RF subsystems. * Experience with waveform simulations using ...

RF/EMC Engineer

Dublin, CA · On-site

$135K - $150K/yr

We're recruiting for a Senior RF/EMC Engineer role with an established, privately-held wireless testing and certification lab in the East Bay (Pleasanton, CA), accredited by the FCC, Canada's ISED ...

Senior RF Test Engineer

Milpitas, CA · On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

Must have experience working with RF design engineers to test their designs * "Hands-on" experience in the lab, testing boards and developing test routines * Experience with RF test equipment: Signal ...

Senior RF Test Engineer

Milpitas, CA · On-site

$120K - $155K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

Must have experience working with RF design engineers to test their designs * "Hands-on" experience in the lab, testing boards and developing test routines * Experience with RF test equipment: Signal ...

Principal RF Engineer

Menlo Park, CA · On-site

$221 - $299/hr

Design and analyze RF circuits including receivers, transmitters, amplifiers, filters, frequency synthesis, and antenna interfaces * Develop system‑level RF budgets, cascade analyses, and ...

Showing results 41-60

Senior Rf Design Engineer information

See Santa Clara, CA salary details

$82.8K

$158.1K

$229K

How much do senior rf design engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 15, 2026, the average yearly pay for senior rf design engineer in Santa Clara, CA is $158,053.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $126,300.00 and $185,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a senior RF design engineer?

Senior RF Design Engineers are experienced professionals who design, develop, and optimize radio frequency (RF) circuits and systems used in communication devices, radar, wireless networks, and other applications. They lead projects, solve complex technical issues, and often mentor junior engineers. Their work typically involves simulation, prototyping, testing, and ensuring compliance with industry standards. These engineers play a critical role in advancing wireless technology and supporting reliable, high-performance electronics.

What is the difference between Senior Rf Design Engineer vs RF Engineer?

AspectSenior RF Design EngineerRF Engineer
CredentialsBachelor's or Master's in Electrical Engineering, specialized in RF design, often with certifications like FCC or IEEEBachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or related field, with some certifications optional
Work EnvironmentDesign labs, R&D departments, product development teamsField testing, system integration, troubleshooting in various environments
ResponsibilitiesLeading RF circuit design, simulation, and optimization; mentoring junior engineersImplementing RF systems, testing, and troubleshooting existing designs

The main difference is that Senior RF Design Engineers focus on advanced design, simulation, and leadership in RF projects, while RF Engineers typically handle implementation, testing, and troubleshooting. Senior roles require more experience and often involve guiding projects and teams.

What are the main challenges faced by senior RF design engineers during the product development cycle?

Senior RF Design Engineers often encounter challenges such as balancing performance with cost and manufacturability, mitigating interference and signal integrity issues, and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards. They may also need to troubleshoot complex integration problems when working with cross-functional teams in hardware, software, and testing. Staying updated with evolving technologies and adapting designs to meet tight project timelines are also common aspects of the role.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a senior RF design engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Senior RF Design Engineer, you need advanced knowledge of RF circuit design, electromagnetic theory, and a degree in electrical engineering or a related field. Expertise in using simulation tools such as ADS, HFSS, or CST, as well as familiarity with PCB layout and test equipment, is typically required. Strong problem-solving, project management, and communication skills set top performers apart in this role. These skills are crucial for developing high-performance RF systems, meeting project deadlines, and effectively collaborating with multidisciplinary teams.

What are the most commonly searched types of Rf Design Engineer jobs in Santa Clara, CA?

The most popular types of Rf Design Engineer jobs in Santa Clara, CA are:

What cities near Santa Clara, CA are hiring for Senior Rf Design Engineer jobs?

Cities near Santa Clara, CA with the most Senior Rf Design Engineer job openings:

Infographic showing various Senior Rf Design Engineer job openings in Santa Clara, CA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 87% Full Time, 8% Part Time, and 5% Contract. Highlights an 85% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 11% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $158,053 per year, or $76 per hour.

RF/Analog IC Design Engineer

Qualcomm

Santa Clara, CA • On-site

Full-time

Posted 23 days ago


Qualcomm rating

8.8

Company rating: 8.8 out of 10

Based on 11 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

49th of 244 rated software companies


Job description

Company:
Qualcomm Atheros, Inc.
Job Area:
Engineering Group, Engineering Group > RFIC Design
General Summary:
Define, design and develop complex radio frequency integrated circuits in complex SoC's and discrete RFIC's. Perform radio signal path and circuit topology analysis and detailed transistor-level design of highly-integrated transceivers and associated blocks for wireless applications, 4G, 5G, WLAN, BT and GPS standards using advanced process technologies. Utilize complex analysis, simulation, engineering, science and mathematical principles to compose algorithm structures to solve problems. Assess processing requirements and select devices to meet requirements. Debug and assess performance of algorithms in actual application hardware.
Minimum Qualifications:
• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering with 3+ years of experience with designing RF/Analog circuits for wireless products (e.g., LNA's, PLL's) and 4+ years of ASIC design, verification, or related work experience.
OR
Master's degree in Electrical Engineering or related field and 4+ years of ASIC design, verification, or related work experience.
OR
PhD in Electrical Engineering or related field and 2+ years of ASIC design, verification, or related work experience.
• 2+ years of academic or professional experience using two or more of the following software: CADENCE, Virtuoso, ADS.
Preferred Qualifications:
• 3+ years experience in the transistor level design of RF analog integrated circuits with a Master's degree in Electrical Engineering.
• Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering with internship or publication.
• 5+ years of experience in one or more of the following areas: Design of receiver and transmitter RF/Analog circuits, Design of high-performance RF frequency synthesizers, Digital control and signal processing, Product experience from conception, design, and product commercialization, Electro Magnetic simulation/modeling.
• 3+ years of experience working in a large matrixed organization.
• 1+ year of product experience with post silicon characterization.
• 1+ year in a technical leadership role with or without direct reports (only applies to positions with direct reports).
• 1+ year of work experience in a role requiring interaction with senior leadership (e.g., Director and above).
Principal Duties and Responsibilities:
• Leads others and independently determines circuit-level specifications based on system-level requirements.
• Uses technical expertise with advanced tools/applications to develop module-level architecture and design of multiple complex blocks based on specifications.
• Effectively utilizes advanced RFIC engineering practices to resolve complex architecture and design problems.
• Runs complex simulations to determine how circuits perform under various circumstances.
• Lead others to floor-plan layout; collaborates with layout engineers to generate the layout of circuits and conduct physical verification on the layout; perform review of generated layout.
• Reviews block-level test plans and reviews test results and provides instructions for test engineers; helps more junior team members do the same.
• Ensure that bugs are fully understood and analyzed; responsible for helping to resolve internal and end-customer issues.
• Seeks advanced knowledge of industry trends, previous generation's advances, competitors' products, and advances related to RFICs.
• Contributes to conversations to generate new ideas for next generation RFICs; provides recommendations for new directions to explore.
• Reviews and writes clear and detailed technical documentation and feature descriptions for complex projects to guide users; reviews and provides feedback on more junior engineers' documentation.
Level of Responsibility:
• Working under some supervision.
• Providing some supervision/guidance to others.
• Taking responsibility for own work and making decisions with limited impact; impact of decisions is readily apparent; errors made typically only impact timeline (i.e., require additional time to correct).
• Using verbal and written communication skills to convey basic, routine factual information about day-to-day activities to others who are fully knowledgeable in the subject area.
• Working within prescribed budget and resources.
• Having a moderate amount of influence over key organizational decisions (e.g., is consulted by senior leadership to provide input on key decisions).
• Completing most tasks with multiple steps which can be performed in various orders; some planning and prioritization must occur to complete the tasks effectively; mistakes may result in some rework.
• Exercising creativity to draft original documents, imagery, or work products within established guidelines.
• Using deductive and inductive problem solving; multiple approaches may be taken/necessary to solve the problem; often information is missing or incomplete; intermediate data analysis/interpretation skills may be required.
• May be solicited during strategic planning period.
Qualcomm is an equal opportunity employer. If you are an individual with a disability and need an accommodation during the application/hiring process, rest assured that Qualcomm is committed to providing an accessible process. You may e-mail disability-accomodations@qualcomm.com or call Qualcomm's toll-free number found here. Upon request, Qualcomm will provide reasonable accommodations to support individuals with disabilities to be able participate in the hiring process. Qualcomm is also committed to making our workplace accessible for individuals with disabilities. (Keep in mind that this email address is used to provide reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. We will not respond here to requests for updates on applications or resume inquiries).
To all Staffing and Recruiting Agencies: Our Careers Site is only for individuals seeking a job at Qualcomm. Staffing and recruiting agencies and individuals being represented by an agency are not authorized to use this site or to submit profiles, applications or resumes, and any such submissions will be considered unsolicited. Qualcomm does not accept unsolicited resumes or applications from agencies. Please do not forward resumes to our jobs alias, Qualcomm employees or any other company location. Qualcomm is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes/applications.
EEO Employer: Qualcomm is an equal opportunity employer; all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, Veteran status, or any other protected classification.
Qualcomm expects its employees to abide by all applicable policies and procedures, including but not limited to security and other requirements regarding protection of Company confidential information and other confidential and/or proprietary information, to the extent those requirements are permissible under applicable law.
Pay range and Other Compensation & Benefits:
$168,600.00 - $252,800.00
The above pay scale reflects the broad, minimum to maximum, pay scale for this job code for the location for which it has been posted. Even more importantly, please note that salary is only one component of total compensation at Qualcomm. We also offer a competitive annual discretionary bonus program and opportunity for annual RSU grants (employees on sales-incentive plans are not eligible for our annual bonus). In addition, our highly competitive benefits package is designed to support your success at work, at home, and at play. Your recruiter will be happy to discuss all that Qualcomm has to offer - and you can review more details about our US benefits at this link.
If you would like more information about this role, please contact Qualcomm Careers.

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About Qualcomm

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Qualcomm is enabling a world where everyone and everything can be intelligently connected. You interact with products and technologies made possible by Qualcomm every day, including 5G-enabled smartphones that double as pro-level cameras and gaming devices, smarter vehicles and cities, and the technology behind the smart, connected factories that manufactured your latest purchase. Our powerful connectivity solutions keep you connected—even in remote areas. Qualcomm 5G and AI innovations are the power behind the connected intelligent edge. You’ll find our technologies behind and inside the innovations that deliver significant value across multiple industries and to billions of people every day.

Industry

Technology, communication and media

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

San Diego, CA, US

Year founded

1985