System Validation Lead, Staff (AI Accelerator Platform)

QUALCOMM, Inc.; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 146,000 - 218,000; Full time

Job summary

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. is seeking a highly experienced system validation lead to drive validation strategy, test planning, content development, and execution for next-generation AI accelerator platforms.

This role oversees end-to-end system-level validation content across emulation and silicon phases while partnering with Architecture, Design, DV, Software, Performance, Power, and Product teams to ensure comprehensive coverage.

Qualifications

• BS/MS/PhD in Electrical or Computer Engineering, CS, or related field with relevant experience.
• Experience in ASIC validation, platform bring-up, or similar.
• Strong OS concepts, caching, and virtual memory understanding.

Responsibilities

• Define, develop, and optimize validation tests for multi-processor systems with system-level concurrency.
• Develop and maintain bare-metal software and low-level hardware interfaces.
• Collaborate with HW and SW teams to validate system-level use cases.
• Debug and troubleshoot SoC with limited visibility using development boards and lab equipment.
• Implement algorithms for performance, power, and memory optimization.
• Support pre-silicon validation with simulation, emulation, and FPGA work.
• Conduct post-silicon bring-up and system-level validation.

Skills

C programming

Assembly language

Python scripting

Linux shell

Bare-metal software

System validation

RTL familiarity

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical/Computer Engineering or related

Master's degree in Science/Engineering

PhD in Science/Engineering

Tools

Verilog

VHDL

Lab equipment

Job description

Company

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.

Job Area

Engineering Group, Engineering Group > ASICS Engineering

General Summary

Qualcomm’s System Validation & Emulation (SVE) team is part of the central SoC validation organization responsible for ensuring end-to-end silicon quality across pre- and post-silicon phases.

This role focuses on content quality and system-level validation enablement, offering deep exposure to Qualcomm SoCs through bare-metal validation content, scalable automation frameworks, and complex system debugs. Engineers in this role work across HW and SW boundaries to develop, validate, and scale system-level test content, ensuring high-quality silicon validation across a wide range of SoC domains.

Excellent Opportunity to work on cutting-edge SoCs across multiple product segments, including:

• Premium mobile and flagship platforms
• Data center
• AI Accelerator platform

Role Summary

We are seeking a highly experienced system validation lead to drive validation strategy, test planning, content development, and execution for next-generation AI accelerator platform. This role owns end-to-end system-level validation content across emulation and silicon phases while partnering with Architecture, Design, DV, Software, Performance, Power, and Product teams to ensure comprehensive coverage and successful product execution.

The ideal candidate combines strong SoC architecture knowledge, validation expertise, technical leadership, and program management skills to lead geographically distributed engineering teams and deliver high-quality validation solutions at scale.

Key Responsibilities

• Define, develop, and optimize validation tests for multi-processor systems with a focus on system level concurrency.
• Develop and maintain bare-metal software, including low-level hardware interfaces, register and interrupt programming, and clock and power management.
• Collaborate with hardware and software teams to define and validate system level software use cases.
• Debug and troubleshoot System-On-Chip with limited visibility, using development boards and lab equipment.
• Implement and optimize algorithms for performance, power efficiency, and memory footprint.
• Support pre-silicon validation efforts, working with simulation, emulation, and FPGAs.
• Conduct post-silicon bring-up, validation, system level use cases, and system integration.

Minimum Requirements

• BS or MS or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related field.
• 8+ years of experience in silicon validation, or platform bring-up.
• Strong understanding of operating systems concepts, caching, virtual memory, and embedded software fundamentals.
• Experience with bare-metal software development and low-level hardware interfaces.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to work in a dynamic, collaborative environment.
• Experience programming in C, Assembly language.
• Some exposure to scripting language (Python, Linux shell, etc.).

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with developing and applying machine learning models for system validation.

Familiarity in reading and understanding the RTL code (e.g. Verilog, VHDL) and use the knowledge in the context of silicon validation.

Familiarity in reading and understanding the RTL code (e.g. Verilog, VHDL) and use the knowledge in the context of silicon validation.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Science, Engineering, or related field and 4+ years of ASIC design, verification, validation, integration, or related work experience.
• Master's degree in Science, Engineering, or related field and 3+ years of ASIC design, verification, validation, integration, or related work experience.
• PhD in Science, Engineering, or related field and 2+ years of ASIC design, verification, validation, integration, or related work experience.

Equal Opportunity Statement

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).

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. Please do not forward resumes to our jobs alias, Qualcomm employees or any other company location. Qualcomm is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes/applications.

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.

Pay range and Other Compensation & Benefits

$145,600.00 - $218,400.00

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.