Electrical Design Technician Jobs in California
Electrical Design Technician jobs in California are among the most active in the country, concentrated in aerospace and defense, semiconductors, utilities, and commercial construction, with openings from entry-level drafters through senior design leads. The heaviest hiring happens in the Los Angeles, San Jose, and San Diego metros, where employers like Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, and Pacific Gas and Electric maintain large technical teams. The most in-demand specialties include AutoCAD and Revit electrical drafting, power distribution design, and low-voltage systems. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Description
At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work — and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible. Our employees are not only part of history, they're making history.Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems is seeking a Sr. Principal FPGA Design Engineer to support the Common Products Circuit Design organization in Rancho Bernardo, CA.
As FPGA Design Engineer you will design, implement and verify HDL to manage I/O devices on embedded computers in a new avionics’ product line. In collaboration with the product architect, electrical designers, software engineers and systems engineers you will develop requirements, define HW/SW interfaces and determine verification approaches. You will establish integrated product development workflows, processes and tools to reduce time to market for our safety critical avionics designs.
Essential Functions:
FPGA Architecture & Design
- Define FPGA architecture and logic design to support avionics computer functions
- Translate system and board-level requirements to detailed FPGA requirements and design specifications
- Collaborate with the Product Architect to partition system functionality between hardware, firmware and software
HDL Coding & Implementation
- Develop synthesizable HDL code for FPGA-based designs
- Implement interfaces such as PCIe, SPI, I2C, UART, Ethernet and Serial
- Simulation, Verification and Validation
- Create comprehensive test benches and simulation environment to verify FPGA functionality
- Perform functional, timing and synthesis-level simulations to ensure deterministic and reliable operation
- Support hardware-in-the-loop and system-level integration testing with embedded processors and avionics systems
- Participate in formal verification and validation activities
Synthesis, Place & Route, and Timing Closure
- Perform synthesis, implementation and timing closure using Vivado
- Optimize resource utilization, power consumption, and performance through iterative design and analysis
- Generate and review timing constraints to ensure reliable performance across all environmental conditions
- Provide support in person and through documentation generation of findings and
Basic Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline with 8 years of related engineering experience; OR Master’s degree in a STEM discipline with 6 years of related experience; OR PhD in a STEM discipline with 4 year of related experience
- Digital circuit design experience, including simulation & schematic capture through test and integration
- Prior hands-on prototyping and debug experience testing complex digital subsystems, such as complex circuit card development involving FPGAs, and/or embedded processors, and/or high-speed interfaces
- Experience with AMD FPGAs and the Vivado tool (or equivalent tools)
- Experience with OVM/UVM Verification methodologies
- Ability to obtain and maintain US Government Secret Clearance
- Ability to obtain and maintain Program Access within a reasonable period of time, as determined by the Company
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience facilitating internal and customer collaboration to capture and enhance engineering artifacts
- Demonstrated experience with the full product life cycle (requirements, design, implementation, and test)
- Demonstrated ability to translate system performance and operational specifications into hardware requirements, design, and test specifications
Primary Level Salary Range: $114,000.00 - $171,000.00 The above salary range represents a general guideline; however, Northrop Grumman considers a number of factors when determining base salary offers such as the scope and responsibilities of the position and the candidate's experience, education, skills and current market conditions. Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. Annual bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results. Employees in Vice President or Director positions may be eligible for Long Term Incentives. In addition, Northrop Grumman provides a variety of benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, Company paid holidays and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business. The application period for the job is estimated to be 20 days from the job posting date. However, this timeline may be shortened or extended depending on business needs and the availability of qualified candidates. Northrop Grumman is an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. For our complete EEO and pay transparency statement, please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.
See All 134+ Electrical Design Technician Jobs in California
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Find JobsElectrical Design Technician Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Electrical Design Technician Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- Tesla14

- General Atomics10

- KLA8

- Anduril6

- CDM Smith5

Top Industries Hiring
- Manufacturing
- Consulting & Professional Services
- Technology & Software
- Automotive
- Electronics & Hardware
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in electrical design technician jobs across California.
- Associate degree or higher in electrical technology, drafting, or a closely related field
- Proficiency in AutoCAD Electrical or Revit MEP for schematic and layout drawings
- Working knowledge of the National Electrical Code and California Electrical Code
- Experience reading and interpreting one-line diagrams, wiring schematics, and panel schedules
- Familiarity with power distribution systems, low-voltage systems, or control panel design
- Strong coordination skills for collaborating with licensed engineers and project managers on-site
Electrical Design Technician Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a electrical design technician in California?
Most employers in California expect an associate or bachelor's degree in electrical technology, drafting technology, or electrical engineering technology from a California community college or state university. The California Department of Consumer Affairs oversees the broader construction trades, but electrical design technicians working under a licensed electrical engineer do not require their own state license. Earning an AutoCAD certification or an Electronics Technicians Association credential strengthens a candidacy considerably in competitive California markets.
How much do electrical design technicians make in California?
Electrical design technicians in California earn a median of about $86,090 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $59,590 for the lowest 10% to over $138,400 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire electrical design technicians in California?
Employers hiring electrical design technicians in California right now include Tesla, General Atomics, and KLA, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. California's dense concentration of aerospace primes, investor-owned utilities, and large commercial construction firms means steady baseline demand across multiple industries rather than dependence on any single sector.
Which California cities have the most electrical design technician jobs?
San Diego, Palo Alto, and Milpitas have the most electrical design technician openings in California. The Los Angeles metro drives volume through aerospace and defense contractors as well as large commercial construction activity, while San Jose reflects Silicon Valley's semiconductor and clean-energy sectors, and San Diego's concentration of defense systems integrators sustains consistent demand in that region.
Are there remote electrical design technician jobs in California?
Yes, but they're less common than in purely analytical fields because electrical design technicians frequently coordinate on-site with engineers, contractors, and fabrication teams. About 37% of electrical design technician openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting selective flexibility. The tasks most often performed remotely are CAD drafting, schematic updates, and design review rather than field verification or panel layout work.
How can I get hired as a electrical design technician in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is completing an electrical technology or drafting program at a California community college, such as those offered through the California Community Colleges system, then applying to internship or technician-in-training roles at defense contractors, engineering consulting firms, or investor-owned utilities. Adjacent roles like CAD drafter, electrical estimator assistant, or field technician helper give candidates transferable experience that hiring managers recognize. Building a portfolio of sample drawings and earning an AutoCAD certification before applying gives early-career candidates a concrete edge.
Where can I find and apply to electrical design technician jobs in California?
You can find and apply to electrical design technician jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings updated regularly. Find the roles that fit your experience and location and apply directly through each listing.
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