Principal Mixed-Signal IC Design Engineer
Maxlinear
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San Jose, CA · Posted November 7, 2026
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About the job
Responsibilities
MaxLinear is seeking a Principal Mixed-Signal IC Design Engineer to join our Analog Mixed-Signal (AMS) group. In this role, you will serve as a technical lead for mixed-signal SoC products across our interface and connectivity portfolio, taking them from specification through production. You will focus on the following:
Own the mixed-signal architecture and top-level design of complex SoCs, from product definition and specification through tapeout, qualification, and production release
Lead in-house development and/or third-party integration of high-speed interface and PHY IP, including architecture definition, IP selection, vendor evaluation, PHY-to-controller interfacing, and top-level analog/digital partitioning
Design and supervise high-speed analog front-end circuits such as transmit drivers, receivers, equalizers, clock and data recovery (CDR), and serializer/deserializer circuits
Lead design of clock generation and distribution circuits such as PLLs, oscillators, and clock drivers to meet system-level jitter and phase-noise requirements
Design and supervise supporting analog blocks including LDOs, bandgap references, POR/reset generation, bias circuits, comparators, and I/O and ESD structures
Drive top-level chip integration, power and clock planning, floorplanning, pad ring, and package co-design with layout, digital, and package teams
Define and review mixed-signal verification strategy with digital verification teams, including behavioral models, AMS co-simulation, and top-level checks
Drive IP make/reuse/buy decisions and provide technical input on schedule, effort, and resource planning for new product programs
Mentor and guide senior and junior designers; conduct design reviews and provide regular updates through documentation and presentations
Lead post-silicon bring-up, debug, and characterization, and support test, product, applications, and operations teams through qualification and production ramp
Implement design methodologies that meet company and industry standards for product reliability, yield, and industry-standard compliance
Qualifications
Proven track record of leading mixed-signal IC products from specification to production, with multiple successful tapeouts in advanced CMOS processes
Strong technical expertise in mixed-signal and analog IC design, with the ability to make sound architectural trade-offs across analog, digital, and system boundaries
Experience in one or more of the following areas is highly desirable
PLLs, DLLs, oscillators, and clock distribution; jitter and phase-noise analysis
High-speed serial interface and PHY design and integration (e.g., PCIe, USB, Ethernet, MIPI, or other SerDes-based standards), including TX/RX, equalization, and CDR circuits
Interface and connectivity SoCs with embedded controllers, and related standards compliance testing
Analog building blocks (LDOs, bandgap references, POR, comparators, oscillators)
I/O, ESD protection schemes, latch-up, and signal/power integrity considerations
Mixed-signal verification methodology, including Verilog-A/Verilog-AMS behavioral modeling
Good understanding of analog layout, device matching, parasitics, and process/reliability effects in deep-submicron CMOS
Hands-on experience with lab bring-up and characterization using oscilloscopes, phase-noise/jitter analyzers, and protocol analyzers
Demonstrated technical leadership, mentoring ability, and strong written and verbal communication skills
BS in Electrical Engineering or related + 9 years of experience, or MS + 7 years of experience, or Ph.D. + 4 years of experience
Compensation and Benefits
MaxLinear has a Total Compensation philosophy which includes base salary and annual discretionary bonus eligibility and many positions also include stock-based compensation.
MaxLinear's good faith estimate starting base salary range is: $164,000 to $231,000 Annually
We offer competitive benefits designed to support employee health, welfare, and retirement and some highlights are: health care benefits, 401k savings plan, Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP), and paid time off.
The actual starting base salary will be determined by the match to certain role-related criteria such as educational degree(s) or equivalent, relevant work experience, skillset needed for the role, and geographic location; this is not an all-inclusive list as some roles may require unique skills or experience.
Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, and will not be discriminated against based on race, sex, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or protected veteran status.
Company Overview
MaxLinear is a global, NASDAQ-traded company (MXL) where the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well. We are a fabless system-on-chip product company, striving to improve the world’s communication networks for everyone through our highly integrated radio-frequency (RF), analog, digital, and mixed-signal semiconductor solutions for access and connectivity, wired and wireless infrastructure, and industrial and multi-market applications.
We hire the best people in the industry and engage them in some of the most exciting opportunities that connect the world we live in today. Our growth has come from innovative, bold approaches to solving some of the world’s most challenging communication technology problems in the most efficient and effective manner.
MaxLinear began by developing the world’s first high-performance TV tuner chip using standard CMOS process technology. Others said we couldn’t achieve the extremely high-performance requirements using CMOS, but we proved them wrong and achieved enduring global market leadership with our designs. Since then, we’ve developed a full line of products that drive 4G and 5G infrastructure; enable data center, metro and long-haul optical interconnects; bring 10Gbit to the home; power the IoT revolution; and enable robust and reliable communication in harsh industrial environments. Over the years, we’ve expanded through organic growth and through several acquisitions that have perfectly complemented our existing portfolio and enabled us to deliver complete end-to-end solutions in our target markets. One such example was the acquisition of Intel’s Home Gateway Platform Division that added Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and Broadband Gateway Processor SoC technology to our connected home portfolio creating a complete and scalable platform of connectivity and access solutions to fully address our customers’ needs.
Our headquarters are in Carlsbad, near San Diego, California. We also have major design centers in Irvine and San Jose, California; Valencia, Spain; Bangalore, India; Munich, Germany; Israel; and Singapore.
We have approximately 1,200 employees, a substantial majority of whom have engineering degrees and include masters and Ph.D. graduates from many of the premiere universities around the world. Our employees thrive on innovation, outstanding execution, outside-the-box thinking, nimbleness, and collaboration. Together, we form a high-energy business team that is focused on building the best and most innovative products on the market.