RTL Design Engineer Jobs in California
RTL Design Engineer jobs in California are concentrated in semiconductor design, consumer electronics, and data center silicon development, with the state representing one of the most active markets in the world for this discipline. The heaviest hiring is in Silicon Valley, San Diego, and the greater Los Angeles area, where established companies like Qualcomm, Apple, and Intel have deep engineering footprints. High-frequency digital design, verification methodologies such as UVM, and low-power architecture are the sub-areas driving the most consistent demand, from entry-level RTL positions through principal and staff-level roles. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
Find RTL Design Engineer JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 32+ RTL Design Engineer jobs
Whether you’re designing next-gen processors, enabling AI breakthroughs, or bringing leading edge products to market, every role at AMD contributes to something bigger — technology that moves the world forward. Join us and, together, we’ll advance your career.
THE PERSON:
KEY RESPONSIBLITIES:
- Lead a small, high-performance engineering team
- Own the design and implementation of blocks to meet functional, timing, area and power requirements
- Guide and review verification for these blocks
- Design and implement logic functions that enable efficient test and debug
- Implement automation to increase design team efficiency
- Strong front-end RTL engineering background
- Strong communication skills, able to summarize complex problems for executives as well as drill down to details with architects and engineers
- Strong analytic and problem solving skills including the ability to analyze current behavior, identify potential areas for improvement, and design of experiment
PREFERRED EXPERIENCE:
- Experience with Arm architecture and APB, AXI, CHI protocols
- Experience with design reuse, including RTL, constraints, and waivers
- Experience with SoC level design integration
- Experience with automation using scripting techniques such as PERL, Python, or Tcl
- Experience with timing constraints and timing exceptions
- Experience running standard quality checks such as LINT and CDC
- Experience designing with multiple power domains including writing UPF
- Must be a self-starter and self-motivated
ACADEMIC CREDENTIALS:
- Bachelors or Masters degree in computer engineering/Electrical Engineering
LOCATION:
This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship.
#LI-SL2
AMD does not accept unsolicited resumes from headhunters, recruitment agencies, or fee-based recruitment services. AMD and its subsidiaries are equal opportunity, inclusive employers and will consider all applicants without regard to age, ancestry, color, marital status, medical condition, mental or physical disability, national origin, race, religion, political and/or third-party affiliation, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We encourage applications from all qualified candidates and will accommodate applicants’ needs under the respective laws throughout all stages of the recruitment and selection process.
AMD may use Artificial Intelligence to help screen, assess or select applicants for this position. AMD’s “Responsible AI Policy” is available here.
This posting is for an existing vacancy.
Whether you’re designing next-gen processors, enabling AI breakthroughs, or bringing leading edge products to market, every role at AMD contributes to something bigger — technology that moves the world forward. Join us and, together, we’ll advance your career.
THE PERSON:
KEY RESPONSIBLITIES:
- Lead a small, high-performance engineering team
- Own the design and implementation of blocks to meet functional, timing, area and power requirements
- Guide and review verification for these blocks
- Design and implement logic functions that enable efficient test and debug
- Implement automation to increase design team efficiency
- Strong front-end RTL engineering background
- Strong communication skills, able to summarize complex problems for executives as well as drill down to details with architects and engineers
- Strong analytic and problem solving skills including the ability to analyze current behavior, identify potential areas for improvement, and design of experiment
PREFERRED EXPERIENCE:
- Experience with Arm architecture and APB, AXI, CHI protocols
- Experience with design reuse, including RTL, constraints, and waivers
- Experience with SoC level design integration
- Experience with automation using scripting techniques such as PERL, Python, or Tcl
- Experience with timing constraints and timing exceptions
- Experience running standard quality checks such as LINT and CDC
- Experience designing with multiple power domains including writing UPF
- Must be a self-starter and self-motivated
ACADEMIC CREDENTIALS:
- Bachelors or Masters degree in computer engineering/Electrical Engineering
LOCATION:
This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship.
#LI-SL2
AMD does not accept unsolicited resumes from headhunters, recruitment agencies, or fee-based recruitment services. AMD and its subsidiaries are equal opportunity, inclusive employers and will consider all applicants without regard to age, ancestry, color, marital status, medical condition, mental or physical disability, national origin, race, religion, political and/or third-party affiliation, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We encourage applications from all qualified candidates and will accommodate applicants’ needs under the respective laws throughout all stages of the recruitment and selection process.
AMD may use Artificial Intelligence to help screen, assess or select applicants for this position. AMD’s “Responsible AI Policy” is available here.
This posting is for an existing vacancy.
See All 32 RTL Design Engineer Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find RTL Design Engineer JobsRTL Design Engineer Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
RTL Design Engineer Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Electronics & Hardware
- Manufacturing
- Technology & Software
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in RTL design engineer jobs across California.
- Bachelor's or master's degree in electrical engineering or computer engineering required
- Proficiency in Verilog or SystemVerilog for RTL coding and verification
- Experience with synthesis, timing closure, and static timing analysis tools
- Familiarity with UVM or similar constrained-random verification methodologies
- Background in low-power design techniques such as clock gating and power domains
- Exposure to ASIC or SoC design flows from specification through tape-out
RTL Design Engineer Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a rtl design engineer in California?
Most rtl design engineers in California enter the field with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or computer engineering, and many roles at mid-to-senior level expect a master's degree. California does not require a state-issued license to practice RTL design, so the path centers on academic credentials and demonstrated tool proficiency. Building a portfolio through capstone projects, open-source chip design contributions, or internships at California semiconductor firms gives candidates a strong competitive edge.
Which companies hire rtl design engineers in California?
California rtl design engineer roles are posted by Google, AMD, and Apple and others right now, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. California's dense concentration of semiconductor headquarters and fabless chip companies means hiring activity is spread across Silicon Valley, San Diego, and Los Angeles rather than anchored to a single employer.
Which California cities have the most rtl design engineer jobs?
San Jose, Sunnyvale, and Palo Alto account for the largest share of rtl design engineer openings in California. Silicon Valley dominates because of the density of fabless semiconductor companies and major tech hardware divisions headquartered there, while San Diego's strength in mobile and wireless chip design and the Los Angeles area's growing data center silicon activity drive demand in those metros.
Are there remote rtl design engineer jobs in California?
Yes, but they're less common than in purely software-focused disciplines because RTL design work often involves access to licensed EDA tools, proprietary simulation environments, and lab hardware tied to a specific office. About 42% of rtl design engineer openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, with remote arrangements most frequently offered for verification-heavy or architecture-planning portions of the role rather than hands-on physical design.
How can I get hired as a rtl design engineer in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is through a formal internship or new-graduate program at a California semiconductor company, where firms like Qualcomm, Broadcom, and Apple run structured rotations specifically for candidates without professional RTL experience. Adjacent roles such as FPGA design engineer, embedded firmware engineer, or digital verification engineer are common lateral entry points at California employers. A completed chip design project, even a small open-source RISC-V core, signals practical readiness and is weighted heavily in California hiring at the entry level.
Where can I find and apply to rtl design engineer jobs in California?
You can find and apply to rtl design engineer jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings across semiconductor, consumer electronics, and data center silicon employers. Search the listings to identify roles that match your experience level and specialization, then apply directly to the ones that fit.
See All 32 RTL Design Engineer Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find RTL Design Engineer Jobs