Wireless Firmware, Staff Engineer

Qualcomm; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 148,000 - 223,000; Full time

Job summary

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. in San Diego, CA is seeking embedded software engineers to design, develop, and integrate software across the full development cycle for advanced wireless platforms.

You will work on real-time systems for 5G and beyond, contributing to RF/baseband, algorithms, and performance optimization. You will collaborate with baseband, RF, hardware, and test teams, produce design docs, and stay current with emerging wireless technologies.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or related field and 2+ years of Electrical/Hardware/Systems Engineering experience.
• Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or related field and 1+ year of Electrical/Hardware/Systems Engineering experience.
• PhD in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or related field.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, integrate, and maintain embedded software across the full development lifecycle.
• Optimize performance and timing constraints in real-time embedded systems.
• Create and maintain high‑quality technical documentation, including design descriptions, architecture specifications, usage and release notes.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including baseband and RF System engineers, Hardware engineers, test/integration engineers.
• Stay current with emerging technologies and contribute to evolution of wireless system architectures.

Skills

C/C++ programming

Multi-threading

OS fundamentals

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree + 4 years experience

Master's degree + 3 years experience

PhD in related field

Job description

Job Area:

Company: Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.

Job Area: Engineering Group, Engineering Group > Cellular Technologies Software

General Summary: Wireless R&D - Qualcomm Research (QR) division drives cutting edge research in enabling the next generation (6G) of wireless. It involves development of research-grade prototypes and early-stage platforms to enable advances in RF, baseband, communication protocols and algorithms; User Experience (UX) technologies that enable transformative experiences across XR, AI-powered context-aware communications, agentic AI, and robotics; multi-modal sensing using RF, vision and maps; system architectures to both meet and drive industry standards. These prototypes/platforms are end-to-end systems that enable the characterization and demonstration of advanced technologies, improved application-performance and user experience, usage of Qualcomm's compute platforms, leverage of open-source libraries wherever applicable, and pre-commercial inter-operability trials and showcases with industry-partners. It requires advanced SW development across a multitude of domains, layers, and platforms. This requisition seeks SW engineers to develop and integrate embedded SW for advanced features, algorithms and protocols on new compute, baseband / RF platforms. We seek highly innovative and motivated engineers who can get things done. You will be working in a fast-paced, intellectually challenging work environment. Successful applicants will be creative, enthusiastic innovators who are equally comfortable with researching new technologies and implementing firmware / software towards cutting edge research as well as products.

Minimum Qualifications:

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

OR

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

OR

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

Principal Duties And Responsibilities:

• Design, develop, integrate, and maintain embedded software across the full development lifecycle. The work output typically targets technology characterization, operator trials, demos, and industry showcases.
• Optimize performance and timing constraints in real-time embedded systems
• Create and maintain high‑quality technical documentation, including design descriptions, architecture specifications, usage and release notes.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including but not limited to baseband and RF System engineers, Hardware engineers, test/integration engineers
• Stay current with emerging technologies and contribute to the evolution of wireless system architectures

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree + 4 years of working experience, or master’s degree + 3 years of working, or PhD degree + 2, in fields related to Embedded Software Engineering
• Proficiency in C/C++ programming
• Understanding of multi-threading, OS fundamentals
• Analytical and problem-solving skills
• Ability to communicate technical ideas and work status (estimates, risks, dependencies) clearly, both verbally and in writing
• Ability to work effectively across teams in a fast-paced, collaborative and diverse software engineering environment

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge of wireless communication theory and systems such as 5G NR, 802.11
• Experience in implementing and optimizing signal processing algorithms on general purpose and heterogeneous processors including GPUs and DSPs
• Experience in complex software debugging and system performance optimization
• Experience in developing device drivers and bringing up new HW platform
• Aptitude to seek and adopt productivity enhancement processes/tools (AI-based & other) on top of a strong foundation of technical and programming skills.

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.

Pay Range and Other Compensation & Benefits:
$148,300.00 - $222,500.00

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.