AI/ML Camera Lead Engineer

Qualcomm; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 179,000 - 268,000; Full time

Job summary

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. is seeking a Camera Engineer to shape the next generation of imaging hardware across Mobile, Automotive, XR, IoT & Compute. Work spans ASIC RTL design, image pipelines, and GenAI-assisted RTL workflows in a collaborative, cross-functional environment.

You will contribute to RTL development (Verilog/SystemVerilog/VHDL), test planning, design closure, and documentation, with opportunities to lead and innovate in AI-enabled hardware design.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related field.
• Strong hands-on experience with ASIC RTL design.
• Proficiency in Verilog/SystemVerilog or VHDL.
• Solid understanding of ASIC design flows, including synthesis, timing, CDC, and low-power analysis.
• Experience with camera/ISP, image processing, video, multimedia, computer vision, or DSP hardware.
• Proficiency in Python (and/or C++/Java) for tooling, automation, and GenAI evaluation workflows.
• Practical experience with LLMs, embedding models, or agentic AI systems applied to engineering workflows.
• Strong communication skills and ability to work effectively in cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with system and camera architects to define and implement micro-architectures for image and video processing pipelines.
• Design, implement, and own ASIC IP blocks, from architecture through RTL delivery.
• Develop high-quality RTL (Verilog/SystemVerilog or VHDL) for camera, ISP, computer vision, and multimedia hardware.
• Run synthesis and review results to ensure performance, power, and area (PPA) goals are met.
• Perform and review CDC, low-power, timing, and design rule checks.
• Work closely with design verification and physical design teams to support test planning, debug, and design closure.
• Create and maintain micro-architecture and design documentation.
• Oversee the design and delivery of an internal benchmark suite for LLMs used in hardware design and GenAI-assisted workflows.
• Oversee the design and delivery of agentic AI solutions for hardware design, enabling AI-driven assistance across RTL development, review, debug, and verification workflows.
• Identify, prototype, and drive measurably impactful GenAI research directions for hardware and chip design.
• Guide GenAI concepts from R&D into internal deployment, ensuring technical rigor and practical value.
• Serve as a technical leader by coaching team members, setting clear expectations, and contributing directly to technical execution.

Skills

ASIC RTL design

Verilog/SystemVerilog/VHDL

Python for tooling

GenAI evaluation workflows

Cross-functional teamwork

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical/Computer Engineering or related field

Master's degree in Computer/Electrical Engineering or related field

PhD in Computer/Electrical Engineering or related field

Tools

SystemC

VHDL

Job description

Company: Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.

Job Area: Engineering Group, Engineering Group > Camera Engineering

General Summary: As a leading technology innovator, Qualcomm pushes the boundaries of what's possible to enable next-generation experiences and drives digital transformation to help create a smarter, connected future for all. As a Qualcomm Camera Engineer you will work on ideas that touch our daily life – creating everlasting connected memories and assist in building innovative devices through human and computer vision technologies in the Mobile, Automotive, XR, IoT & Compute space. You will have limitless opportunities to learn, grow and lead the world of Imaging. Team is hiring across levels.

Camera / ISP Hardware Design

• Collaborate with system and camera architects to define and implement micro‑architectures for image and video processing pipelines
• Design, implement, and own ASIC IP blocks, from architecture through RTL delivery
• Develop high‑quality RTL (Verilog/SystemVerilog or VHDL) for camera, ISP, computer vision, and multimedia hardware
• Run synthesis and review results to ensure performance, power, and area (PPA) goals are met
• Perform and review CDC, low‑power, timing, and design rule checks
• Work closely with design verification and physical design teams to support test planning, debug, and design closure
• Create and maintain micro‑architecture and design documentation

GenAI for Hardware Design

• Oversee the design and delivery of an internal benchmark suite for LLMs used in hardware design and GenAI‑assisted workflows, with clearly defined KPIs and regression tracking
• Oversee the design and delivery of agentic AI solutions for hardware design, enabling AI‑driven assistance across RTL development, review, debug, and verification workflows
• Identify, prototype, and drive measurably impactful GenAI research directions for hardware and chip design
• Guide GenAI concepts from R&D into internal deployment, ensuring technical rigor and practical value
• Serve as a technical leader by coaching team members, setting clear expectations, and contributing directly to technical execution

Required Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related field
• Strong hands‑on experience with ASIC RTL design
• Proficiency in Verilog/SystemVerilog or VHDL
• Solid understanding of ASIC design flows, including synthesis, timing, CDC, and low‑power analysis
• Experience with camera/ISP, image processing, video, multimedia, computer vision, or DSP hardware
• Proficiency in Python (and/or C++/Java) for tooling, automation, and GenAI evaluation workflows
• Practical experience with LLMs, embedding models, or agentic AI systems applied to engineering workflows
• Strong communication skills and ability to work effectively in cross‑functional teams

Preferred Skills

• Experience with SystemC or hardware modeling
• Prior ASIC implementation of camera or image processing IP
• Experience defining or maintaining benchmarking and evaluation frameworks for ML/LLM systems
• Familiarity with agentic AI frameworks or tools used for code generation, review, or analysis
• Scripting experience (Python, TCL, Perl, shell) supporting RTL or GenAI flows

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related field AND 6+ years of Software Engineering, Hardware Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related work experience.
• Master's degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related field AND 5+ years of Software Engineering, Hardware Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related work experience.
• PhD in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related field AND 4+ years of Software Engineering, Hardware Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related work experience.

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Pay range and Other Compensation & Benefits

$179,000.00 - $268,400.00

The above pay scale reflects the broad, minimum to maximum, pay scale for this job code for the location for which it has been posted. Even more importantly, please note that salary is only one component of total compensation at Qualcomm. We also offer a competitive annual discretionary bonus program and opportunity for annual RSU grants (employees on sales‑incentive plans are not eligible for our annual bonus). In addition, our highly competitive benefits package is designed to support your success at work, at home, and at play.