Embedded Real Time Operating System Software Staff Engineer (QuRT OS, Zephyr)

Qualcomm; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 154,000 - 231,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual discretionary bonus

Competitive benefits package

RSU grants opportunity

Job summary

Qualcomm is seeking a Staff Embedded Software Engineer in San Diego, CA to develop RTOS software for various market segments. This role requires 6+ years of experience and a strong background in low-level system software and embedded C/C++ programming.

The ideal candidate will lead complex system design, collaborate with hardware teams, and drive feature implementation. A degree in Computer Science or Engineering is required, along with expertise in debugging and RTOS concepts.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or Systems Engineering experience.
• Strong hands-on experience with RTOS and low-level system software.
• Ability to work effectively across teams and communicate technical ideas clearly.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and maintain RTOS and low-level system software components.
• Lead feature design and implementation from problem definition through deployment.
• Collaborate closely with hardware and software teams for robust solutions.

Skills

RTOS concepts

Embedded software in C/C++

Debugging complex system issues

Collaboration and communication

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree in relevant fields

Job description

Company

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.

Job Area

Engineering Group, Engineering Group > DSP Architecture and Design

General Summary

Qualcomm is seeking a Staff Embedded Software Engineer (6+ years of experience) to join the Core Platform Kernel software team.

The Core Platform Kernel team develops and deploys real‑time operating system (RTOS) software across multiple subsystems on Qualcomm SoCs, servicing Mobile Handset, XR, Compute, Automotive, Cloud AI, and IoT market segments. The team is responsible for the deployment and evolution of two RTOS platforms at scale: QuRT OS and Zephyr RTOS.

This role is suited for engineers who enjoy deep technical work, take ownership of complex problems, and influence both system design and engineering execution across teams.

What You’ll Do

• Design, implement, and maintain RTOS and low‑level system software components


• Own and drive resolution of complex, system‑level issues (performance, stability, correctness)


• Lead feature design and implementation from problem definition through deployment


• Analyze crash dumps, traces, and logs to perform deep root‑cause analysis


• Collaborate closely with hardware, systems, validation, and software teams to converge on robust solutions


• Participate actively in design and code reviews, influencing technical direction and standards

You’ll be expected to take ownership of technical areas, make sound tradeoffs, and help raise the quality and effectiveness of the team through example and technical leadership.

QuRT OS

QuRT OS is Qualcomm’s real‑time operating system optimized for the Hexagon DSP, enabling high‑performance, low‑power workloads including edge AI, 5G modem processing, and secure audio and sensor pipelines.

In the QuRT OS space, you will:

• Drive enhancements to expose the full capability of the Hexagon processor architecture


• Design and implement new RTOS features with attention to correctness, performance, and long‑term maintainability


• Own features end‑to‑end: requirements analysis, design, implementation, testing, documentation, integration, and support


• Contribute to improving CI, automation, and test infrastructure to scale development and validation

Zephyr RTOS

The team is also responsible for deploying Zephyr RTOS across multiple Qualcomm SoC subsystems. We specialize in maintaining a single, scalable Zephyr codebase that supports multiple architectures and subsystems with differing requirements.

In the Zephyr space, you will:

• Design and implement subsystem customizations and new features


• Drive RTOS bring‑up on new chips and subsystems


• Contribute upstream to the Zephyr open‑source community


• Influence internal practices to align with upstream‑friendly workflows and quality standards


• Help shape CI, testing, and validation approaches used across products

How You Work (Tools, Automation & Modern Engineering)

Staff Engineers at Qualcomm are expected to be force multipliers, not just individual contributors. In practice, this means:

• Thoughtfully applying modern development tools, including AI‑assisted tools, where they meaningfully improve productivity, code quality, or comprehension


• Leveraging non‑AI tools—automation, scripting, CI, debuggers, profilers, and simulation—to reduce friction and improve signal


• Exercising strong engineering judgment about when to use automation and when deeper hands‑on investigation is required


• Identifying opportunities to improve how the team works, not just what gets built

You are not expected to be an AI expert, but you are expected to be tool‑fluent, curious, and pragmatic.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field


• Strong hands‑on experience with RTOS concepts and low‑level system software


• Professional experience developing embedded software in C/C++ (assembly experience a plus)


• Solid understanding of RTOS fundamentals such as scheduling, interrupts, synchronization, and memory management


• Experience debugging complex system issues using logs, traces, crash dumps, and/or hardware debuggers


• Ability to work effectively across teams and communicate technical ideas clearly

Nice to Have

• Experience with QuRT, Zephyr, FreeRTOS, or other commercial/open‑source RTOSes


• Exposure to multi‑core SoC architectures and DSP‑based systems


• Off‑target development or simulation (ISS, QEMU)


• CI and automation experience (Jenkins, GitHub Actions)


• Experience with embedded security or safety‑critical software (ASPICE, ISO‑26262, ISO‑21434)

Why This Team

This team works at the foundation of Qualcomm platforms, building RTOS software that runs across a wide range of products and market segments. As a Staff Engineer on this team, you’ll work close to the hardware, tackle technically challenging problems, and influence both system design and engineering practices.

The team values analytical thinking, collaboration, clear communication, and continuous improvement. Staff Engineers are expected to lead through technical expertise—mentoring others, shaping design decisions, and helping the team deliver higher‑quality software at scale—while still staying hands‑on with the code.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or related field and 4+ years of Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related work experience.


• Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or related field and 3+ years of Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related work experience.


• PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or related field and 2+ years of Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related work experience.


• 2+ years of experience with high‑performance microprocessor design.

Equal Opportunity Employer

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. Upon request, Qualcomm will provide reasonable accommodations to support individuals with disabilities to participate in the hiring process.

Recruitment

To all Staffing and Recruiting Agencies: Our Careers Site is only for individuals seeking a job at Qualcomm. Staffing and recruiting agencies and individuals being represented by an agency are not authorized to use this site or to submit profiles, applications or resumes, and any such submissions will be considered unsolicited. Qualcomm does not accept unsolicited resumes or applications from agencies.

EEO Statement

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.

Compensation & Benefits

Pay range: $154,000.00 - $231,000.00. 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. In addition to salary, Qualcomm offers a competitive annual discretionary bonus program and opportunity for annual RSU grants. Employees on sales‑incentive plans are not eligible for the annual bonus. Qualcomm’s competitive benefits package supports your success at work, at home, and at play.