Pre-Silicon Validation Engineer

QUALCOMM, Inc.; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 101,000 - 152,000; Full time

Job summary

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. in San Diego, CA is seeking a Junior/Senior Emulation Engineer to support the development and validation of ASIC and FPGA designs.

The role emphasizes hardware emulation, RTL verification, system-level debugging, and software-hardware co-validation. The ideal candidate will port RTL to industry-standard emulation platforms, develop testbenches in SystemVerilog/C++, and create Python automation to improve regression and debug productivity.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical/Computer Engineering or related field.
• 0–2+ years of ASIC verification, FPGA prototyping, or hardware emulation.
• Strong expertise in SystemVerilog, C/C++, Linux, Python.
• Experience with emulation platforms and RTL debugging.

Responsibilities

• Develop, deploy, and maintain ASIC/FPGA emulation environments for complex SoC designs.
• Port RTL designs onto emulation platforms such as Cadence Palladium, Siemens Veloce, or FPGA prototyping systems.
• Collaborate with RTL, verification, architecture, and software teams for early hardware/software co-validation.
• Develop testbenches, transactors, and verification infrastructure using SystemVerilog and C/C++.
• Analyze and debug functional, performance, and system-level issues in emulation environments.
• Create automation scripts and workflows using Python to improve productivity and debug efficiency.
• Collaborate with design teams to optimize designs for emulation performance and resources.
• Develop waveform analysis, signal tracing, and root-cause methodologies.
• Apply AI-assisted tools to accelerate verification, debugging, and data analysis.

Skills

SystemVerilog

C/C++

Linux

Python

ASIC Emulation

FPGA Prototyping

SoC Verification

Hardware/Software Co-Validation

Debug and Root Cause Analysis

AI-Assisted Engineering Tools

Automation and Scripting

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Education

Bachelor's or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science

Tools

Cadence Palladium

Siemens Veloce

Synopsys ZeBu

Xilinx FPGA

Intel FPGA

Job description

Company:

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.

Job Area:

Engineering Group, Engineering Group > ASICS Engineering

General Summary:

Job Title: Pre-Silicon Validation Engineer

Location:

San Diego, CA (Onsite)

Job Summary

We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced Junior/Senior Emulation Engineer to support the development and validation of complex ASIC and FPGA-based designs. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in hardware emulation, RTL verification, system-level debugging, and software-hardware co-validation. Experience leveraging AI-driven productivity tools and automation techniques for design verification and debug is highly desirable.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, deploy, and maintain ASIC/FPGA emulation environments for complex SoC designs.


• Port RTL designs onto industry-standard emulation platforms such as Cadence Palladium, Siemens Veloce, or FPGA prototyping systems.


• Work closely with RTL, verification, architecture, and software teams to enable early hardware/software co-validation.


• Develop testbenches, transactors, and verification infrastructure using SystemVerilog and C/C++.


• Analyze and debug functional, performance, and system-level issues in emulation environments.


• Create automation scripts and workflows using Python to improve productivity, regression execution, and debug efficiency.


• Collaborate with design teams to optimize designs for emulation performance and resource utilization.


• Develop methodologies for waveform analysis, signal tracing, and failure root-cause identification.


• Apply AI-assisted tools and techniques to accelerate verification, debug, data analysis, and engineering productivity.


• Generate technical documentation and present findings to cross-functional teams and leadership.

Minimum Requirements

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


• 0-2+ years of experience in ASIC verification, FPGA prototyping, or hardware emulation.


• Strong expertise in:
  
  
  
  • SystemVerilog
  
  
  • C/C++
  
  
  • Linux environment and shell scripting
  
  
  • Python programming
  
  
  • ASIC and FPGA Emulation platforms
  
  
  
  


• Experience with RTL debugging, waveform analysis, and design verification methodologies.


• Knowledge of SoC architectures, bus protocols, and hardware/software interactions.


• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Cadence Palladium, Protium, Siemens Veloce, or Synopsys ZeBu platforms.


• Familiarity with FPGA implementation flows using Xilinx or Intel FPGAs.


• Exposure to AI/ML technologies and AI-powered engineering tools.


• Knowledge of PCIe, CXL, DDR, Ethernet, or other high-speed interfaces.


• Experience with cloud-based compute environments and large-scale regression management.

Desired Skills

• SystemVerilog


• C/C++


• Linux


• Python


• ASIC Emulation


• FPGA Prototyping


• SoC Verification


• Hardware/Software Co-Validation


• Debug and Root Cause Analysis


• AI-Assisted Engineering Tools


• Automation and Scripting


• Cross-Functional Collaboration

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Science, Engineering, or related field.

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 [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.

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.

$101,400.00 - $152,200.00

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.