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About the Role

Qualcomm is seeking a Firmware Engineer to lead firmware architecture, development, integration, and bring-up for its SerDes PHY portfolio. This role involves designing, developing, and validating embedded and cloud edge software, applications, and specialized utility programs to launch cutting-edge products. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams to design system-level software solutions and ensure high performance and quality standards.

Responsibilities

Technical or project lead for SerDes firmware on a major IP program, working with a team (2–8 engineers) through planning, development, validation, and customer delivery
Owning the entire firmware lifecycle for SerDes PHY, from pre-silicon design through post-silicon validation and optimization
Gathering requirements, studying high-level designs, developing device interface functions, and turning small building blocks into higher-level firmware system design
Architecting and implementing embedded C/C++ firmware for hardware calibration, training algorithms, DSP adaptations, and link state management
Working with multi-functional teams — ASIC/digital design, digital verification, software, and systems engineering — to define detailed bring-up and validation requirements and meet performance goals
Communicating requirements and coordinating execution across multiple teams and sites
Translating bring-up and validation requirements into efficient C/C++ firmware code and well-structured software organization
Translating protocol specifications (e.g. PCIe, Ethernet, CXL, UCIe) or custom system-level requirements into internal firmware architecture and documentation
Developing test and debug capabilities that help guide hardware design decisions for future product iterations
Debugging complex lab and field issues in conjunction with hardware, applications, and validation teams, and driving low-level SW, silicon, and HW issues to root cause and closure
Driving multi-functional teams and partners to address integration and bring-up challenges, ensuring chips are seamlessly brought up, validated, tested, and meet product and business requirements
Planning and developing test cases that improve reliability and release quality for internal and external stakeholders, and ensuring they run continuously in regression
Working with external vendors and customers to ensure requirements are met and releases are of high quality
Driving and collaborating across functions to define FW milestones, plan sprints, close tickets, and deliver reliable, high-quality features
Implementing industry best practices and documenting firmware and hardware design specifications and decisions
Mentoring junior engineers, promoting team building, and driving continuous improvement in processes and techniques
Demonstrating full ownership of assigned systems/components, managing timelines and resolving project challenges to meet program timing
Staying current with advancements in the semiconductor industry and incorporating relevant innovations into our processes
Supporting development and silicon bring-up across Qualcomm teams and other sites

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 6+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience.
Master's degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 5+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience.
PhD in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 4+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience.
3+ years of work experience with Programming Language such as C, C++, Java, Python, etc.
BS/MS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field
7+ years of experience in embedded C/C++ firmware development for hardware IP or SoCs, with strong proficiency in C/C++ and Python
Hands-on experience with embedded architectures such as ARM, RISC-V, or MIPS, and with low-level programming on bare metal, RTOS, BIOS/UEFI firmware, Linux kernel, or device drivers
Technical or team leadership experience in embedded software projects from spec to production
Deep understanding of microcontroller architecture (RISC-V a plus), memory-mapped registers, ISRs, and boot flows
Systems mindset and experience developing SW/FW to control analog, digital, and mixed-signal circuits
Experience with SerDes, Ethernet, PCIe, CXL, or D2D/UCIe/chiplet products and communication systems
Strong lab debug skills, working directly on silicon with scopes, JTAG debuggers, I2C/SPI tools, analyzers, and custom tooling, including bring-up and diagnostics of high-speed signals
Familiarity with industry-standard EDA tools and methodologies used for digital verification, and with HDLs such as Verilog and SystemVerilog
Familiarity with git and modern software development methodologies
Excellent organizational and communication skills, a willingness to learn, and the ability to collaborate across functions and geographies
Knowledge of SerDes and high-speed IO standards (PCIe, Ethernet, UCIe, CXL, etc.)
Experience with calibration algorithms, signal conditioning, and adaptive feedback control in hardware
Experience in silicon bring-up and post-silicon debug
Experience in pre-silicon firmware development (DV, emulation, etc.)
Knowledge of RTOS or bare-metal FW architectures, including embedded Linux development, Buildroot/Yocto, and RTOSes such as Zephyr and FreeRTOS
Knowledge of peripherals and protocols such as 1G/10G Ethernet, DDR, I2C, SPI/QSPI, MIPI/CSI, GMSL, A2B, I2S, TDM, LVDS, PCIe, USB, NVMe, and CAN
Experience developing drivers for multiple devices at the PCB level to interact with whole systems
Experience creating error monitoring and board/interface configuration APIs
Hands-on lab validation experience with CPU, SoC, FPGA, MCU, and DSP components, including developing tests and debug tools
Experience working with FPGAs such as Xilinx, Zed, and MicroZed
Hardware hands-on and debugging experience, such as power, SI, and EMC validation and tuning
Scripting in Python, Bash, etc. for lab automation and testing
Familiarity with digital design concepts (Verilog/SystemVerilog), simulation, and DV flows
Exposure to the OSI model, especially the physical and data link layers
Understanding of signal processing concepts such as eye diagrams, jitter, BER, SNR, and CTLE/DFE/FFE
Experience with Jira, Agile/Scrum, and Confluence
Contributions to open source projects

Skills

C
C++
Java
Python
Embedded C/C++
ARM
RISC-V
MIPS
Bare metal programming
RTOS
BIOS/UEFI firmware
Linux kernel
Device drivers
Microcontroller architecture
SerDes
Ethernet
PCIe
CXL
D2D/UCIe/chiplet
Lab debug
Scopes
JTAG debuggers
I2C
SPI
Analyzers
Verilog
SystemVerilog
Git
Calibration algorithms
Signal conditioning
Adaptive feedback control
Silicon bring-up
Post-silicon debug
Pre-silicon firmware development
Embedded Linux development
Buildroot/Yocto
Zephyr
FreeRTOS
1G/10G Ethernet
DDR
SPI/QSPI
MIPI/CSI
GMSL
A2B
I2S
TDM
LVDS
USB
NVMe
CAN
PCB level drivers
Error monitoring APIs
Board/interface configuration APIs
CPU
SoC
FPGA
MCU
DSP
Xilinx
Zed
Micro Zed
Power validation
SI validation
EMC validation
Bash scripting
Digital design
Simulation
DV flows
OSI model
Signal processing
Eye diagrams
Jitter
BER
SNR
CTLE/DFE/FFE
Jira
Agile/Scrum
Confluence

Experience Level

6+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience
5+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience
4+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience
3+ years of work experience with Programming Language such as C, C++, Java, Python, etc.
7+ years of experience in embedded C/C++ firmware development for hardware IP or SoCs
Technical or team leadership experience

Education Level

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field
Master's degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field
PhD in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field
BS/MS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field

About the Company

As a leading technology innovator, Qualcomm pushes the boundaries of what's possible to enable next-generation experiences and drives digital transformation to help create a smarter, connected future for all.
Qualcomm Canada ULC

Equal Opportunity

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-accomodations@qualcomm.com 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.
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.
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.