1

Senior Rfic Design Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Engineering Group, Engineering Group > RFIC Design General Summary: Define, design and develop ... by senior leadership to provide input on key decisions). • Completing some tasks with multiple ...

RFIC - PLL Design Engineer

Irvine, CA · On-site

$216K/yr

As Sr. RFIC - PLL Design Engineer within the Wireless Radio team, you will be at the center of a wireless SoC design group with a critical impact on getting Apple's state-of-the-art wireless ...

Description As a RFIC Design Engineer, you are going to be responsible for providing RFIC solutions for wireless SoC and driving them to mass production for Apple's Wireless Connectivity products.

RFIC - PLL Design Engineer

Irvine, CA · On-site

$216K/yr

As Sr. RFIC - PLL Design Engineer within the Wireless Radio team, you will be at the center of a wireless SoC design group with a critical impact on getting Apple's state-of-the-art wireless ...

RFIC DESIGN ENGINEER (RFIC ENGINEERING) At SpaceX we're leveraging our experience in building rockets and spacecraft to deploy Starlink, the world's most advanced broadband internet system. Starlink ...

Principal RFIC Design Engineer

San Diego, CA · On-site

$148.10 - $192.50/hr

Principal RFIC Design Engineer Experience Level: Professional Job Type: Regular Location: San Diego, CA, US, 92121 Requisition ID: 10404 Qorvo (Nasdaq: QRVO) supplies innovative semiconductor ...

As Sr. RFIC - PLL Design Engineer within the Wireless Radio team, you will be at the center of a wireless SoC design group with a critical impact on getting Apple's state-of-the-art wireless ...

RFIC DESIGN ENGINEER (STARSHIELD SILICON) Starshield leverages SpaceX's Starlink technology and launch capability to support national security efforts. While Starlink is designed for consumer and ...

Showing results 21-40

Senior Rfic Design Engineer information

See California salary details

$69.6K

$132.8K

$192.4K

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

As of Aug 18, 2026, the average yearly pay for senior rfic design engineer in California is $132,815.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $106,100.00 and $155,400.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a Senior RFIC Design Engineer?

A Senior RFIC (Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit) Design Engineer is an experienced professional who designs, develops, and tests high-frequency integrated circuits used in wireless communication devices. They work extensively with analog and mixed-signal circuits, and are responsible for ensuring the performance, reliability, and manufacturability of RFICs for applications such as mobile phones, Wi-Fi, and IoT devices. In addition to technical design tasks, Senior RFIC Design Engineers often mentor junior engineers, collaborate with cross-functional teams, and contribute to the overall architecture of wireless systems.

What are some common challenges faced by Senior RFIC Design Engineers during the chip design and validation process?

Senior RFIC Design Engineers often encounter challenges such as meeting stringent performance specifications within tight power and area constraints, managing electromagnetic interference, and ensuring the design complies with fabrication process limitations. Additionally, integrating RF circuits with digital and analog components on the same chip can introduce complex noise coupling issues that must be mitigated through careful layout and simulation. Close collaboration with layout engineers, validation teams, and system architects is essential to address these challenges and to deliver robust, manufacturable designs on schedule.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Senior RFIC Design Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Senior RFIC Design Engineer, you need deep expertise in RF circuit theory, semiconductor physics, and hands-on experience with analog/mixed-signal IC design, usually backed by a master's or PhD in electrical engineering. Mastery of industry-standard EDA tools (such as Cadence Virtuoso, Spectre, and EM simulators) and familiarity with relevant process design kits (PDKs) and lab measurement equipment is essential. Strong analytical thinking, teamwork, and effective communication set outstanding engineers apart. These skills ensure the development of high-performance, reliable RFICs through efficient problem-solving, collaboration, and precise execution in a fast-evolving field.

What is the difference between Senior Rfic Design Engineer vs RFIC Design Engineer?

AspectSenior Rfic Design EngineerRFIC Design Engineer
CredentialsBachelor's or Master's in Electrical Engineering, specialized in RFIC designBachelor's or Master's in Electrical Engineering, with RF focus
Work EnvironmentDesign teams, R&D labs, semiconductor companiesDesign teams, semiconductor firms, integrated circuit companies
Industry UsageUsed in advanced wireless, telecom, and satellite systemsUsed in wireless communication, mobile devices, and RF components

The main difference is that a Senior Rfic Design Engineer typically has more experience and leadership responsibilities in RFIC design projects, whereas an RFIC Design Engineer may be earlier in their career or at a non-senior level. Both roles focus on RF integrated circuit design but differ in seniority and scope of responsibilities.

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

The most popular types of Rfic Design Engineer jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Senior Rfic Design Engineer jobs?

Cities in California with the most Senior Rfic Design Engineer job openings:

Infographic showing various Senior Rfic Design Engineer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 91% Full Time, 6% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 82% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 13% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $132,815 per year, or $63.9 per hour.

RFIC Design Engineer

Qualcomm

San Diego, CA • On-site

Full-time

This job post has expired today. Applications are no longer accepted.


Qualcomm rating

8.8

Company rating: 8.8 out of 10

Based on 11 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

48th of 245 rated software companies


Job description

Company:
Qualcomm Technologies, 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, 6G, 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 experience with designing RF/Analog circuits for wireless products (e.g., LNA's, PLL's).
OR
Master's degree in Electrical Engineering or related field.
• 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.
• 2+ 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.
• 1+ year of experience working in a large matrixed organization.
Principal Duties and Responsibilities:
• Uses tools/applications to contribute to the architecture and design of one or more small, well-defined blocks based on specifications.
• Runs simulations to determine how circuits perform under various circumstances with some supervision.
• Works under guidance to floor-plan layout; partner with layout engineers under some guidance to generate the layout of circuits and conduct physical verification on the layout; start building experience in reviewing layout.
• Writes basic test plans and reviews test results to assess performance and identify any bugs in own work.
• Debugs simple issues and escalates complex issues.
• Use of Neural Networks for circuit optimization and analysis.
• Seeks basic knowledge of industry trends and advances related to RFICs.
• Contributes to conversations to generate new ideas.
• Writes clear technical documentation and feature descriptions for small projects with some supervision.
Level of Responsibility:
• Working under close supervision.
• 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 some tasks with multiple steps which must be performed in a specific order; directions or manuals can accurately document the steps necessary to perform the task.
• Exercising some creativity to troubleshoot technical problems or deal with novel circumstances.
• 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.
The responsibilities of this role do not include:
• Providing supervision/guidance to others.
• Role in strategic planning.
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:
$108,400.00 - $162,600.00
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.

What Qualcomm employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom


Qualcomm logo

About Qualcomm

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

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