Director, System Engineering & Integration

Cadence Open · verified Oct 24, 2026

San Jose Full-time Director Engineering Leadership

At a glance

Director-level Engineering Leadership role at Cadence. San Jose · full-time · $178,500–$331,500 base.

SalaryStated by Cadence

$178,500 – $331,500

Base salary for this role, in USD per year, as published in the posting.

This role, from CadenceOur estimate for the market: $231,023–$300,594Median $255,688

The range includes the market median of $255,688 for lead engineering leadership roles in San Jose.

Worked out from 10 postings that stated pay, median $255,688. Last updated Oct 23, 2026.

RoleEngineering Leadership

SeniorityDirector

LocationSan Jose

EmploymentFull-time

Base pay$178,500–$331,500

PostedJul 9, 2026 · 3mo ago

Role brief

techroles summary, based on the employer's posting.

What you'll do

Set integration architecture across ASIC, hardware, firmware, FPGA and system software, including interface rules and readiness checks
Direct platform integration and bring-up, resolving complex problems that cross hardware and software boundaries
Plan system validation for performance and stress, and build reusable automation, test infrastructure and environments
Lead global engineering groups and align work across hardware, firmware, software, ASIC and operations teams
Carry systems from initial bring-up to production release against performance and reliability targets

What you bring

A related bachelor's degree plus twelve years of experience, or a master's with ten years, or a PhD with eight
Broad system engineering background spanning silicon, hardware, firmware, drivers, operating systems and software
Experience delivering complex integrated systems, diagnosing system-level faults and leading global engineering teams
Strong interconnect experience, including Ethernet, RoCE or UEC, DDRx and PCIe

Who this fits

This director-level role suits an experienced systems leader who can guide global teams and take complex platforms through integration and release. It is based in San Jose, California.

From the employer

At Cadence, we hire and develop leaders and innovators who want to make an impact on the world of technology.

Position Overview

The Director of System Engineering & Integration leads the definition, architecture, and execution of end-to-end system integration across silicon, hardware, firmware, network and software for complex emulator platforms.

This role owns the integration strategy, system bring-up, and verification required to deliver production-ready systems, while driving alignment across globally distributed, cross-functional teams.

Leadership & Organizational Excellence

Build and lead global engineering teams responsible for system integration and validation.
Drive execution excellence, organizational scaling, and talent development.
Foster strong collaboration across hardware, firmware, software, ASIC, and operations teams.

System Architecture & Integration Strategy

Define the system integration architecture and technical strategy across ASIC, hardware, firmware, FPGA, and system software.
Establish design-for-integration principles, interface contracts, and integration readiness criteria.
Guide cross-functional technical decisions across interconnects, embedded systems, and system infrastructure.

System Integration, Bring-up & Validation

Own end-to-end integration and bring-up of multi-subsystem platforms.
Define and drive system-level validation and verification strategies, including performance and stress testing.
Lead resolution of complex cross-layer issues across hardware and software.

Methodology, Tooling & Infrastructure

Establish scalable validation infrastructure, automation frameworks, and test environments.
Drive standardization and reuse of system-level test methodologies.

Execution & Product Delivery

Own system readiness from bring-up to production release, ensuring performance and reliability targets.
Partner with engineering and product leadership to ensure predictable delivery.

Qualifications

Deep expertise in system engineering across silicon, hardware, firmware, drivers, OS and software.
Experience in integrating and delivering complex multi-interface systems.
Knowledge of large computing rack system architecture.
Proven system-level debugging capability and complex system issue root cause resolutions.
Experience leading global, cross-functional engineering teams.
Deep experience with interconnect technologies like Ethernet, RoCE / UEC, DDRx, PCIe.

Education:

BS degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related fieldwith a minimum of 12 years of experience OR MS with a minimum of 10 years of experience OR PhD with a minimum of 8 years of experience
Masters / advanced degree in related field preferred.

Preferred Skills

Communication infrastructures such as PCIe, Infiniband, and distributed Ethernet network setups.
Distro-independent full spectrum of Linux in kernel space and user space in both server and embedded system, including system administration.
Distributed computing with high-availability and scalability.
System virtualization and containerization and real-world applications.

Impact

Drives successful integration and delivery of complex emulator systems, ensuring seamless interaction across hardware, firmware, network, and software while shaping system engineering practices at scale.

The annual salary range for California is $178,500 to $331,500. You may also be eligible to receive incentive compensation: bonus, equity, and benefits. Sales positions generally offer a competitive On Target Earnings (OTE) incentive compensation structure. Please note that the salary range is a guideline and compensation may vary based on factors such as qualifications, skill level, competencies and work location. Our benefits programs include: paid vacation and paid holidays, 401(k) plan with employer match, employee stock purchase plan, a variety of medical, dental and vision plan options, and more.