Director/Principal Engineer – Automotive Software

Qualcomm; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 193,000 - 289,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

RSU grants

Benefits package

Job summary

Qualcomm is seeking a Director/Principal level Customer Project Engineer to oversee automotive software programs from concept through delivery. You will coordinate schedules, interfaces with OEM executives, and drive engineering teams across HW, SW, and systems to meet milestones.

The role emphasizes technical leadership, program execution, risk management, and strong collaboration with product management and engineering on Qualcomm platform requirements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field.
• Advanced degree (Master’s or PhD) in a relevant field with years of software experience.
• 4+ years of programming experience in C, C++, Java, or Python.

Responsibilities

• Act as the chief technical counterpart to the OEM’s engineering leadership for cockpit, ADAS and related programs.
• Coordinate internal HW/SW/systems teams to meet customer milestones and resolve issues.
• Represent the customer’s priorities in internal reviews, roadmaps, and management meetings.
• Mentor cross‑functional teams and lead technical workstreams for engagements.

Skills

C

C++

Java

Python

Leadership

Project management

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field

Master’s degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field

PhD in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field

Tools

QNX

Linux

Android

Middleware

Toolchains

Job description

General Summary

Seeking highly skilled and motivated Director/Principal level Customer Project Engineer for Automotive Software Platform team. In this role, you will be responsible for overseeing and coordinating the entire lifecycle of automotive software projects from concept to completion. This includes analyzing project requirements, preparing schedules, coordinating team tasks, and ensuring that projects meet quality standards and are completed on time. You will interface directly with OEM engineering executives and Qualcomm’s senior technical and business leadership.

Key Responsibilities

Technical Leadership

• Act as the chief technical counterpart to the OEM’s engineering leadership for all Cockpit (IVI), ADAS and related programs.
• Serve as the main technical point of contact covering SoC, platform software, tools, and system integration topics.
• Work with Software Product (SP) PE internally and manage external customer deliverables, expectations and escalations.
• Lead and manage automotive software engineering projects from conception to completion.
• Prepare, schedule, coordinate, and monitor the assigned engineering projects.
• Build and maintain strong, trusted relationships with the customer’s engineering executives, architects, and program leads.
• Anticipate customer needs and translate them into Qualcomm platform requirements, features, and solutions.
• Lead the technical workstreams for RFIs/RFQs and advanced engagement discussions with the OEM.
• Define technical solution proposals based on Qualcomm’s product portfolio, including SoCs, BSP, Platform Software and reference platforms.

Program Execution & Delivery

• Provide overarching technical leadership for all active programs with the OEM across all phases (concept, development, validation, SOP, and maintenance).
• Coordinate and synchronize Qualcomm internal engineering teams (HW, SW, systems, safety, security, tools, test) to meet customer milestones.
• Drive resolution of critical technical issues, ensuring timely escalation and clear communication to both customer and Qualcomm management.
• Support design reviews, technical workshops, joint debugging sessions, and on‑site integration activities as needed.
• Coordinate with customers and other stakeholders to ensure the software delivery meets project requirements.
• Identify, analyze, and mitigate project risks and issues.
• Implement and manage project changes and interventions to achieve project outputs.
• Monitor and report on project progress, problems, and solutions.
• Ensure that all engineering work meets standards and customer specifications.

Voice of the Customer & Internal Alignment

• Represent the customer’s priorities, constraints, and pain points in internal reviews, roadmap discussions, and management meetings.
• Provide structured feedback to product management and engineering on gaps, competitive pressure, and future requirements.
• Ensure internal stakeholders understand customer commitments, program risk, and required trade‑offs.

Technical Thought Leadership & Mentoring

• Act as a technical role model: hands‑on, detail‑oriented, and capable of deep‑diving into complex system issues when required.
• Guide and mentor cross‑functional Qualcomm teams working on the customer, helping them prioritize and solve problems effectively.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 8+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience.
• Master’s degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 7+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience.
• PhD in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 6+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience.
• 4+ years of work experience with a programming language such as C, C++, Java, or Python.

Preferred Qualifications

• Extensive experience in software engineering, including project management and leadership roles.
• Strong understanding of engineering principles and practices.
• Strong background in automotive systems engineering with focus on:
  • Compute platform architecture (SoC, GPU/DSP, accelerators)
  • Embedded SW stacks (OS such as QNX/Linux/Android, middleware, frameworks, toolchains)
• Solid understanding of automotive safety and quality frameworks (ISO 26262, ASPICE, cybersecurity standards) and their impact on architecture and execution.
• Proven experience as a customer‑facing technical leader (chief engineer, system architect, technical program lead, or equivalent).
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross‑functional teams without direct authority in a complex matrix organization.
• Strong problem‑solving skills, data‑driven and structured, with ability to remain calm and decisive under pressure.
• Willingness to travel regularly to customer and Qualcomm sites (domestic and international).
• Proven track record of successfully managing and delivering complex software projects.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and organizational skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast‑paced, dynamic environment, independently with minimal supervision.
• Experience with software development methodologies and tools.

Pay range and Other Compensation & Benefits

$192,600.00 – $289,000.00. 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. Other components include a competitive annual discretionary bonus program and the opportunity for annual RSU grants. Qualcomm also offers a highly competitive benefits package.

Equal Opportunity and Disability Accommodations

Qualcomm is an equal opportunity employer. If you are an individual with a disability and need an accommodation during the application/hiring process, Qualcomm is committed to providing an accessible process. Please contact [e-mail] or call the Qualcomm toll‑free number for assistance.