Embedded NPU Software Engineer, Staff

Qualcomm; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 134,800 - 202,200; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive annual discretionary bonus program

Opportunity for annual RSU grants

Comprehensive benefits package

Job summary

Qualcomm is looking for a Staff Embedded NPU Software Engineer in San Diego, California. In this role, you will lead the design and development of embedded platform software across Snapdragon SoC, focusing on CPU, DSP, and NPU processors.

The ideal candidate will possess a strong background in software engineering, particularly with experience in NPU programming and embedded systems, and will be responsible for mentoring fellow engineers and driving technical decisions.

The pay range for this role is between $134,800.00 and $202,200.00.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience.
• 2+ years of work experience with programming languages such as C, C++, Java, Python.

Responsibilities

• Architect and design NPU software frameworks and system drivers.
• Lead development of complex NPU features and ensure integration.
• Mentor engineers and contribute to technical strategy.

Skills

Programming languages (C, C++, Java, Python)

NPU programming

Embedded software development

Debugging tools (Trace32, JTAG)

Machine learning

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

Job description

General Summary

Qualcomm is seeking a Staff Embedded NPU Software Engineer to lead the design and development of embedded platform software for CPU, DSP, and NPU processors and AI engines across our Snapdragon SoC portfolio. You will architect and optimize software frameworks that enable high‑performance, low‑power multimedia and machine‑learning workloads across mobile, automotive, compute, and XR platforms.

As part of the NPU Platform Software Team, you will work across all levels of the stack—from low‑level drivers to high‑level frameworks—and collaborate with hardware, systems, and product teams to deliver scalable, production‑grade solutions. You’ll be expected to drive technical decisions, mentor engineers, and contribute to the evolution of Qualcomm’s NPU software architecture.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 4+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience.
• Master’s degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 3+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience.
• PhD in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 2+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience.
• 2+ years of work experience with programming languages such as C, C++, Java, Python, etc.

Responsibilities

• Architect and design NPU software frameworks, runtime libraries, and system drivers for compute and AI acceleration.
• Lead development of complex NPU features and ensure system‑level integration across CPU/DSP/NPU subsystems.
• Optimize software using advanced NPU architecture techniques (SIMD, multi‑threading, memory hierarchy, etc.).
• Collaborate with hardware, systems, and product teams to align software design with platform goals and roadmap.
• Mentor engineers, conduct design/code reviews, and contribute to technical strategy and long‑term planning.
• Drive debugging and profiling efforts across the NPU stack to meet performance, power, and reliability targets.
• Off‑site and occasional on‑site work with OEMs and Independent Software Vendors may be required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or related field.
• 8+ years of experience in embedded software development.
• Deep expertise in NPU programming, computer architecture, and real‑time operating systems.
• Proven experience leading technical projects or owning system‑level software components.
• Strong proficiency in C/C++ and debugging tools (Trace32, JTAG, etc.).
• Experience with Qualcomm Hexagon DSP and SDK frameworks.
• Familiarity with multimedia frameworks (Android, Linux, Windows) and AI acceleration pipelines.
• Exposure to machine learning, computer vision, or signal processing workloads.
• Strong understanding of inter‑processor communication and concurrency management.
• Ability to mentor engineers and influence technical direction across teams.
• Versatile attitude to learn new architectures and operating systems.
• Excellent communication and cross‑functional collaboration skills.

EEO and 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, Qualcomm is committed to providing an accessible process. For accommodations, contact disability‑[e-mail] or call Qualcomm’s toll‑free number.

EEO Employer: 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.

Pay Range and Other Compensation & Benefits

$134,800.00 – $202,200.00

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, 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.