Computer Vision System Engineer

Qualcomm; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 123,000 - 213,000; Full time

Job summary

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. in San Diego is seeking candidates to join the Mobile Computer Vision and AI Systems Architecture Team.

The group delivers next‑generation mobile vision and AI workloads across CPUs, GPUs, DSPs, NPUs, and accelerators, focusing on power-efficient, real-time implementations. The role emphasizes hardware-aware algorithm design, DL engine architecture, HW/SW co-design, and performance optimization to maximize compute-per-watt on heterogeneous mobile platforms.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required with 2+ years in software/hardware engineering or related.
• Master's degree with 1+ year experience or PhD as alternative.
• Experience in C/C++ and Python, algorithm prototyping and performance analysis.

Responsibilities

• Study state-of-the-art computer vision and deep learning models and define efficient mappings onto mobile AI accelerators and heterogeneous compute platforms.
• Drive architecture development for hardware-aware deep learning engines, including support for emerging neural network operators, dataflows, tensor processing pipelines, quantization techniques, and memory hierarchies.
• Analyze neural network workloads and identify architectural enhancements required to improve performance, power efficiency, memory bandwidth utilization, and silicon area.
• Define HW/SW partitioning strategies across CPUs, GPUs, DSPs, NPUs, and dedicated accelerators.
• Develop workload characterization methodologies and performance models for computer vision and AI applications.
• Collaborate with hardware architects and designers to define next-generation AI engine features and capabilities based on evolving computer vision workloads.
• Drive top-down architecture exploration from algorithm requirements through hardware implementation, including performance, power, thermal, and area projections.

Skills

C/C++ programming

Python programming

Algorithm prototyping

Performance analysis

Computer vision

Deep learning

Software engineering

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer or Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related field

Master's degree in Computer or Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related field

PhD in Computer or Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related field

Job description

Company:

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.

Job Area:

Engineering Group, Engineering Group > Video Systems, HW Architecture

General Summary:

Qualcomm's computer vision system design Group is seeking candidates for its Mobile Computer Vision and AI Systems Architecture Team. The team develops next-generation mobile computer vision and deep learning solutions for imaging, perception, scene understanding, segmentation, tracking, computational photography, and AI-powered experiences.

We are seeking candidates with strong expertise in hardware-aware algorithm design, deep learning engine architecture, system architecture, HW/SW co-design, and accelerator development for mobile computer vision and AI workloads. The ideal candidate will possess deep knowledge of computer vision and neural network algorithms and practical experience translating them into power-efficient, real-time implementations on heterogeneous mobile platforms consisting of CPUs, GPUs, DSPs, NPUs, and dedicated AI accelerators. The candidate is expected to drive architecture definition for next-generation deep learning engines and computer vision accelerators, including compute, memory, dataflow, scheduling, quantization, and HW/SW partitioning strategies that maximize performance-per-watt.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

• Study state-of-the-art computer vision and deep learning models and define efficient mappings onto mobile AI accelerators and heterogeneous compute platforms.
• Drive architecture development for hardware-aware deep learning engines, including support for emerging neural network operators, dataflows, tensor processing pipelines, quantization techniques, and memory hierarchies.
• Analyze neural network workloads and identify architectural enhancements required to improve performance, power efficiency, memory bandwidth utilization, and silicon area.
• Define HW/SW partitioning strategies across CPUs, GPUs, DSPs, NPUs, and dedicated accelerators.
• Develop workload characterization methodologies and performance models for computer vision and AI applications.
• Collaborate with hardware architects and designers to define next-generation AI engine features and capabilities based on evolving computer vision workloads.
• Drive top-down architecture exploration from algorithm requirements through hardware implementation, including performance, power, thermal, and area projections.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer or Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related field and 2+ years of Software Engineering, Hardware Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related work experience.
• Master's degree in Computer or Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related field and 1+ year of Software Engineering, Hardware Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related work experience.
• PhD in Computer or Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related field.

Preferred Qualifications

• Multiple years of experience developing mobile computer vision and AI systems.
• Deep knowledge of modern neural network architectures, including CNNs, Transformers, Vision Transformers (ViTs), multi-modal perception systems, and hardware-aware model optimization techniques.
• Experience architecting and optimizing deep learning engines (DLEs) or AI accelerators for computer vision workloads.

Additional Requirements

• Strong understanding of mobile computer vision applications, including: Object Detection and Tracking, Segmentation, Scene Understanding, Image Enhancement and Computational Photography, Motion Estimation and Neural Network-Based Vision Systems
• Expertise in system architecture and HW/SW partitioning for computer vision and AI workloads.
• Strong understanding of deep learning accelerator architectures, including Tensor processing, optimization, compute and neural network bottlenecks
• Experience defining real-time hardware architectures for computer vision and deep learning workloads.
• Experience evaluating throughput, latency, power, memory bandwidth, and silicon area trade-offs.
• Strong programming skills in C/C++ and Python with hands‑on experience in algorithm prototyping and performance analysis.

Accessibility Statement

Qualcomm is an equal opportunity employer. If you are an individual with a disability and need an accommodation during the application/hiring process, rest assured that Qualcomm is committed to providing an accessible process. You may e‑mail disability‑[e-mail] or call Qualcomm's toll‑free number found here. Upon request, Qualcomm will provide reasonable accommodations to support individuals with disabilities to be able participate in the hiring process. Qualcomm is also committed to making our workplace accessible for individuals with disabilities. (Keep in mind that this email address is used to provide reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. We will not respond here to requests for updates on applications or resume inquiries).

Equal Opportunity & Diversity

Qualcomm is an equal opportunity employer; all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, Veteran status, or any other protected classification.

Policy Statement

Qualcomm expects its employees to abide by all applicable policies and procedures, including but not limited to security and other requirements regarding protection of Company confidential information and other confidential and/or proprietary information, to the extent those requirements are permissible under applicable law.

Pay range and Other Compensation & Benefits

$122,500.00 - $213,200.00

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. Your recruiter will be happy to discuss all that Qualcomm has to offer – and you can review more details about our US benefits at this link.