Circuit Design Engineer Jobs in California
Circuit Design Engineer jobs in California are among the most active in the country, concentrated in semiconductor manufacturing, aerospace and defense, and consumer electronics across a wide band of seniority from junior hardware designer through principal engineer. The largest hiring activity clusters in the San Francisco Bay Area, San Diego, and Los Angeles, where established employers such as Qualcomm, Intel, and Northrop Grumman maintain major engineering campuses. The most in-demand specialties right now are mixed-signal IC design, RF and analog circuit design, and low-power embedded hardware for mobile and automotive applications. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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INTRODUCTION
The Role and Impact
Are you passionate about driving innovation in analog and mixed-signal circuit design? Join our team to develop groundbreaking power delivery technologies that transform how people interact with technology. As an Analog Circuit Design Engineer, you will be at the forefront of designing and optimizing analog circuits in advanced process nodes. Your contributions will directly influence Intel's mission to deliver high-performance, energy-efficient products that enrich the lives of people worldwide.
ROLE AND IMPACT
Key Responsibilities
- Design and develop complex analog and mixed-signal circuits for advanced CMOS technologies, focusing on power delivery and mixed-signal IPs.
- Perform circuit design, simulation, and optimization to meet power, performance, area, timing, and yield goals.
- Execute analog block floor-planning and extract chip parameters to ensure robust and efficient designs.
- Develop and implement test plans to verify circuit designs against microarchitecture specifications.
- Conduct post-layout simulations with extracted parasitics and fine-tune designs to meet required specifications.
- Collaborate cross-functionally with architecture, layout, and validation teams to optimize circuit functionality and resolve design challenges.
- Evaluate experimental test data and iterate designs to improve performance, reduce leakage, and enhance robustness.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field, with 3+ years of relevant experience, or a Master's degree with 2+ years of experience, or a PhD with no prior experience.
- Proficiency in analog or mixed-signal circuit design, including amplifiers, LDOs, PLLs, ADCs, and similar components.
- Practical knowledge of analog layout techniques, including floor-planning, matching, shielding, and parasitic optimization.
- Experience with industry-standard CAD tools such as Cadence Spectre/AMS Designer/Virtuoso and StarRC for schematic design and simulation.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Expertise in power delivery and power management systems.
- Hands-on experience transitioning analog and mixed-signal circuits from design to layout to silicon prototyping.
- Familiarity with tools and methodologies for analog validation and debugging.
Come be a part of a team where your expertise will contribute to cutting-edge innovations that shape the future of technology. Apply today to make your mark on Intel's legacy of excellence in analog circuit design.
JOB TYPE
Experienced Hire
SHIFT
Shift 1 (United States of America)
LOCATION
Primary Location: US, California, Santa Clara
Additional Locations: US, Massachusetts, Beaver Brook, US, Oregon, Hillsboro, US, Texas, Austin
BUSINESS GROUP
The Central Engineering Group (CEG) is Intel's data-driven organization that builds scalable engineering solutions across three pillars: Product Enablement (IP, tools, and methodologies), Custom ASIC (leveraging existing IP for custom silicon), and Foundry Enablement (supporting top customers and validating technologies). The team focuses on customer-driven, end-to-end solutions with short development cycles to deliver measurable business impact across Intel's product and foundry businesses.
POSTING STATEMENT
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, religious creed, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, military and veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, gender, gender expression, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by local law, regulation, or ordinance.
Position of Trust N/A
BENEFITS
We offer a total compensation package that ranks among the best in the industry. It consists of competitive pay, stock bonuses, and benefit programs which include health, retirement, and vacation. Find out more about the benefits of working at Intel.
Annual Salary Range for jobs which could be performed in the US: $122,440.00 - 200,340.00 USD
The range displayed on this job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target compensation for the position across all US locations. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Your recruiter can share more about the specific compensation range for your preferred location during the hiring process.
WORK MODEL FOR THIS ROLE
This role will be eligible for our hybrid work model which allows employees to split their time between working on-site at their assigned Intel site and off-site.
- Job posting details (such as work model, location or time type) are subject to change.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Intel is committed to Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) compliance and ethical hiring practices. We do not charge any fees during our hiring process. Candidates should never be required to pay recruitment fees, medical examination fees, or any other charges as a condition of employment. If you are asked to pay any fees during our hiring process, please report this immediately to your recruiter.
See All 36 Circuit Design Engineer Jobs in California
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Find Circuit Design Engineer JobsCircuit Design Engineer Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Circuit Design Engineer Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- Apple20

- NVIDIA5

- Nokia4

- Google2

- Abbott1

Top Industries Hiring
- Electronics & Hardware24
- Technology & Software3
- Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals2
- Law & Legal Services1
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in circuit design engineer jobs across California.
- Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or a closely related engineering discipline
- Proficiency with industry-standard EDA tools such as Cadence, Synopsys, or Mentor Graphics
- Hands-on experience with analog, digital, or mixed-signal circuit design and simulation
- Familiarity with PCB layout, signal integrity analysis, and design-for-manufacturability principles
- Experience collaborating with cross-functional hardware and firmware teams in product development
- Strong documentation skills for schematics, design reviews, and verification test plans
Circuit Design Engineer Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a circuit design engineer in California?
The most direct path is a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from an accredited program, which is the baseline qualification California employers require. California does not mandate a state-issued professional license for most circuit design engineering roles in private industry, though engineers who sign off on public-works projects may pursue licensure through the California Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists. Building a portfolio of real hardware projects and gaining internship experience at one of California's many semiconductor or defense firms significantly strengthens a candidate's profile.
How much do circuit design engineers make in California?
Circuit design engineers in California earn a median of about $160,520 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $97,140 for the lowest 10% to over $225,400 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire circuit design engineers in California?
Employers hiring circuit design engineers in California right now include Apple, NVIDIA, and Nokia, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of June 2026. California's deep semiconductor and aerospace ecosystem means openings appear consistently at both large OEMs and specialized IC design houses concentrated in the Bay Area and San Diego corridors.
Which California cities have the most circuit design engineer jobs?
San Francisco Bay Area, Santa Clara, and Sunnyvale account for the largest share of circuit design engineer openings in California. The Bay Area leads because it is home to the headquarters and major design centers of the global semiconductor industry, San Diego is anchored by Qualcomm and a dense cluster of wireless and defense electronics firms, and Los Angeles draws from its aerospace and defense prime-contractor base including Northrop Grumman and Raytheon.
Are there remote circuit design engineer jobs in California?
Yes, but they're less common than in purely software-focused roles because circuit design engineering frequently requires access to lab equipment, prototype hardware, and on-site fabrication resources. About 8% of circuit design engineer openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of June 2026, and those positions tend to cover the more simulation-heavy and documentation-intensive phases of design rather than bring-up and verification work.
How can I get hired as a circuit design engineer in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry point is a structured internship or new-graduate rotational program at one of California's large semiconductor or aerospace employers, several of which run formal early-career hardware programs targeting recent graduates. Companies such as Qualcomm, Intel, and Northrop Grumman regularly post associate hardware engineer and junior analog design roles that treat a strong senior capstone project or university research contribution as equivalent to industry experience. Candidates who can demonstrate hands-on PCB or IC layout work through a personal or academic portfolio, and who hold an EIT designation from the California Board for Professional Engineers, stand out in a competitive new-graduate pool.
Where can I find and apply to circuit design engineer jobs in California?
You can find and apply to circuit design engineer jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings updated regularly. Search the listings, find roles that match your experience and location, and apply directly to the ones that fit.
See All 36 Circuit Design Engineer Jobs in California
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