Sr. System Software Engineer - Power

Qualcomm; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 118,000 - 177,000; Full time

Job summary

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. seeks a Power Systems Software Engineer to tackle complex power challenges and optimize power efficiency for Snapdragon platforms.

You'll influence the full lifecycle of mobile SoC power consumption, spanning system hardware/software power architecture, modeling, post‑silicon debug, feature optimization, and eventual commercialization of best‑in‑class power solutions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree with 2+ years software engineering experience or
• Master's degree with 1+ years software experience; PhD considered.
• 2+ years programming in C, C++, Java or Python.

Responsibilities

• Drive end‑to‑end power optimization across architecture, hardware and software teams.
• Define, prototype, and evaluate new power features using pre‑silicon platforms.
• Own post‑silicon power KPI execution including root‑cause debug and optimization.
• Perform software trade‑offs using rapid prototyping and trace‑driven studies.
• Tune firmware, Linux kernel, and system algorithms for power efficiency.
• Contribute to power debug, telemetry, tooling, and automation infrastructure.

Skills

C

C++

Java

Python

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/CS/IS

Master's degree in Engineering/CS/IS

PhD in Engineering/CS/IS

Tools

Linux kernel

Firmware development

Emulation & models

Job description

Company

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.

Job Area

Engineering Group, Engineering Group > Software Engineering

General Summary

Qualcomm’s Systems Software Power team is seeking a Power Systems Software Engineer who is passionate about solving complex power challenges and developing innovative solutions to optimize power efficiency for next‑generation Snapdragon platforms.

In this role, the engineer will have a unique opportunity to learn, contribute, and directly influence the full lifecycle of mobile SoC power consumption, spanning system‑level hardware and software power architecture and design, modeling and measurement, post‑silicon debug and analysis, feature optimization, and eventual commercialization of best‑in‑class power solutions across Qualcomm products.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 2+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience.

OR

Master's degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 1+ year of Software Engineering or related work experience.

OR

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

• 2+ years of academic or work experience with Programming Language such as C, C++, Java, Python, etc.

Responsibilities

• Drive end‑to‑end power optimization by working across architecture, hardware, firmware, kernel, Android, and system software teams to develop deep expertise in power architectures, control loops, and advanced low‑power techniques across use‑cases and targets
• Define, prototype, and evaluate new power features early, leveraging pre‑silicon platforms (emulation, models, trace‑based studies) and carrying them through post‑silicon bring‑up, validation, and productization
• Own post‑silicon power KPI execution (Day‑of‑Use (Battery Life), game and multimedia use‑cases), including root‑cause debug, power walks, correlation, and systematic optimization across HW/SW boundaries
• Perform software trade‑off analysis using rapid prototyping, experiments, and trace‑driven studies to assess alternative scheduler, DVFS, low‑power mode, and system‑level design choices under real workloads.
• Identify and deliver power optimization opportunities by tuning or developing firmware, Linux kernel, and system algorithms (e.g., scheduler, LPMs, bus/DDR scaling, SoC power state transitions) aligned with evolving hardware architectures.
• Contribute to and scale power debug, analysis, and automation infrastructure, including power telemetry, tooling, and AI‑assisted workflows, to improve execution velocity, coverage, and quality across platforms and geographies.

Skills/Experience

• Strong foundation in computer architecture and system design, including memory management and hierarchies, CPU/GPU architectures, and operating system fundamentals such as processes, threads, and scheduling.
• Proven embedded software development expertise, with the ability to design and implement moderately complex systems software; hands‑on experience with firmware and Linux kernel development is required.
• Solid understanding of electrical engineering and digital logic fundamentals; familiarity with low‑power design principles and power‑saving techniques is a strong plus.
• Effective communicator and collaborative team player, capable of working independently while contributing productively in cross‑functional, multi‑disciplinary environments.

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).

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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.

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Pay Range And Other Compensation & Benefits

$117,800.00 - $176,600.00

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. Your recruiter will be happy to discuss all that Qualcomm has to offer – and you can review more details about our US benefits at this link.

If you would like more information about this role, please contact Qualcomm Careers.