Mechanical Engineer, Staff

Qualcomm; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 141,000 - 212,000; Full time

Job summary

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. is expanding from silicon leadership into complete rack-scale AI infrastructure. We seek a hands-on Staff Mechanical Engineer to shape mechanical architecture from package interfaces through server trays and rack structures, including direct-to-chip cooling and serviceability.

You will lead design reviews and mentor engineers while collaborating with ODMs, OEMs, and suppliers. The role requires 8+ years in electro-mechanical hardware with advanced CAD skills and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or closely related discipline.
• 8+ years designing complex electro-mechanical hardware with hands-on design, release, prototype, validation, and production support.
• 8+ years of advanced 3D CAD experience (Creo, NX, SolidWorks) including top-down assemblies and 2D drawings.
• Experience designing high-density server/rack hardware using sheet metal, plastics, heatsinks, fasteners, and structural supports.
• Ability to lead complex cross-functional mechanical problems with minimal supervision and communicate clearly in reviews and exec presentations.

Responsibilities

• Own mechanical design workstreams for data center rack systems, including package, board, server tray, rack, and data-center interfaces.
• Create and maintain system-level 3D CAD layouts for silicon packages, carrier boards, server trays, rack structures, connectors, and manifolds.
• Integrate direct-to-chip cooling hardware (cold plates, heat sinks, heat pipes, manifolds, fans) with thermal engineers.
• Design and validate server trays and rack assemblies, including tolerance analysis and manufacturing drawings.
• Translate electrical, thermal, RF, EMI, and service requirements into robust mechanical platforms.
• Plan and execute mechanical validation (thermal testing, tolerances, assembly trials, shock and vibration).

Skills

Server hardware design

3D CAD

Mechanical design review

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

Creo

NX

SolidWorks

Python

MATLAB

VBA

Job description

Company

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.

Job Area

Engineering Group, Engineering Group > Hardware Engineering

General Summary

Qualcomm is expanding from silicon leadership into complete, rack-scale AI infrastructure. Qualcomm solutions bring together high-power compute, advanced packaging, mechanical architecture, direct-to-chip liquid cooling, high-speed interconnects, rack power, serviceability, and manufacturing readiness. We are seeking a Staff Mechanical Engineer to help turn this technology portfolio into robust rack systems that customers and manufacturing partners can build, deploy, cool, service, and scale.

This is a hands‑on staff-level technical role. The engineer will shape mechanical architecture from package and board interfaces through the server tray, rack structure, cabling, coolant plumbing, and service interfaces. The person will combine advanced CAD, tolerance analysis, advanced mechanical design, prototype builds, validation, and supplier execution to guide critical product decisions.

What You Will Do

• Own mechanical design workstreams for the data center rack systems, spanning package, board, server tray, rack, pod, and data‑center interfaces.


• Create and maintain system‑level 3D CAD layouts for silicon packages, carrier boards, server trays, rack structures, connectors, cables, manifolds, and assembly interfaces.


• Integrate direct‑to‑chip cooling hardware including cold plates, heat sinks, heat pipes, rack manifolds, fans, and vapor chambers in collaboration with thermal engineers and suppliers.


• Perform mechanical design and integration of server trays and rack assemblies, including 3D CAD, interface control, tolerance analysis, mounting and assembly strategy, serviceability, structural integrity, and manufacturing drawings.


• Translate electrical, thermal, RF, EMI, package, board, and service requirements into functional, cost‑competitive, and robust mechanical platforms.


• Plan and execute mechanical validation, including thermal testing, tolerance verification, assembly trials, shock and vibration, serviceability, connector mating, and liquid-loop integration testing.


• Lead technical trade studies balancing performance, reliability, manufacturability, schedule, cost, serviceability, facility requirements, and total cost of ownership.


• Partner with silicon packaging, PCB layout, power delivery, signal integrity, hardware, reliability, regulatory, supply chain, and manufacturing teams to resolve platform constraints early.


• Lead design reviews and partner engagements with ODMs, OEMs, cooling suppliers, connector suppliers, and manufacturing partners; define deliverables, review analyses, and drive issues to closure.


• Develop reusable methods, templates, automation, and design guidance for end-to-end mechanical design and validation.


• Mentor engineers and provide clear technical recommendations to program leaders and executive stakeholders while remaining a strong individual contributor.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or a closely related engineering discipline.


• 8+ years of industry experience designing complex electro‑mechanical hardware, with hands‑on responsibility for detailed design, release, prototype build, validation, and production support.


• 8+ years of advanced 3D CAD experience using Creo, NX, SolidWorks, or equivalent, including top‑down assemblies, skeleton models, multiple configurations, and 2D drawings.


• Demonstrated experience designing server, rack, chassis, or other high‑density electronic hardware using sheet metal, CNC‑machined components, plastics, heatsinks, fasteners, and structural supports.


• Strong command of mechanical engineering fundamentals, materials, fastener design, structural load paths, design for assembly, tolerance stack analysis, GD&T, and design for manufacturability.


• Experience defining PCB mechanical constraints and exchanging ECAD/MCAD data using IDX, IDF/EMN, or equivalent workflows.


• Experience designing or integrating high‑density electro‑mechanical systems using sheet metal, machined components, fans, manifolds, fasteners, and structural supports.


• Experience creating 2D part and assembly drawings, BOMs, interface‑control documents, tolerance analyses, and design‑review packages for complex assemblies.


• Experience working directly with ODM/OEM partners and suppliers through concept, DFM, prototype, design verification, and issue resolution.


• Ability to lead complex, ambiguous, cross‑functional mechanical problems with minimal supervision and communicate clearly in design reviews, written requirements, reports, and executive presentations.


• Ability to work onsite in San Diego and to travel periodically to supplier or manufacturing locations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in mechanical engineering or a related field.


• 10+ years of relevant mechanical product‑development experience, including project leadership at the server, rack, or data‑center system level.


• Experience integrating AI accelerators, GPUs, CPUs, memory, advanced packages, and large substrates into boards and thermally efficient rack tray solutions.


• Experience designing OCP rack and server architectures, including Open Rack v3 / Open Rack Wide, rack‑level coolant distribution, forced convection solutions, busbars, and cables.


• Experience with liquid cooling including cold plates, plumbing, manifolds, blind‑mate or serviceable quick disconnects, leak detection, hose routing, minimum bend radius, and serviceability


• Experience with high‑speed electromechanical interconnects including OSFP‑class pluggables, board‑to‑board or compression connectors, cable design, mating requirements, and advanced tolerance challenges.


• Experience with structural FEA using Ansys Mechanical, Abaqus, Nastran, Creo Simulate, or equivalent, including static load, shock, vibration, preload, warpage, fatigue, or shipping risk.


• Experience with package and cold‑plate loading frames, bond‑line control, spring and fastener preload, large‑board flatness, connector co‑planarity, warpage, and tolerance‑driven interface design.


• Proficiency with Creo 3D, Python, MATLAB, VBA, or similar methods for CAD/data automation and engineering workflow improvement.


• Familiarity with PLM/PDM, requirements, and configuration‑management systems used to control CAD, drawings, BOMs, specifications, and engineering changes.


• Industrial design experience


• Advanced heat sink design experience including vapor chambers, heat pipes, and advanced fin geometry.


• Experience designing antennas, shields, and mechanical RF solutions.


• Demonstrated record of invention, patents, technical publications, or development of advanced thermal/mechanical architectures.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Electrical/Electronics Engineering, Engineering, or related field and 4+ years of Hardware Engineering or related work experience.

OR

Master's degree in Computer Science, Electrical/Electronics Engineering, Engineering, or related field and 3+ years of Hardware Engineering or related work experience.

OR

PhD in Computer Science, Electrical/Electronics Engineering, Engineering, or related field and 2+ years of Hardware Engineering or related work experience.

Equal Opportunities

Qualcomm is an equal opportunity employer.

Disability Accommodation

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).

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.

Policy

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

$141,300.00 - $211,900.00

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.