Firmware Engineer, Principal

Company:

Qualcomm Canada ULC

Job Area:

Engineering Group, Engineering Group > Software Engineering

General Summary:

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. As a Qualcomm Software Engineer, you will design, develop, create, modify, and validate embedded and cloud edge software, applications, and/or specialized utility programs that launch cutting-edge, world class products that meet and exceed customer needs. Qualcomm Software Engineers collaborate with systems, hardware, architecture, test engineers, and other teams to design system-level software solutions and obtain information on performance requirements and interfaces.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 8+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience.
OR
Master's degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 7+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience.
OR
PhD in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 6+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience.

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

Firmware Engineer, Principal

The Embedded Software / Firmware Team at Qualcomm develops critical embedded software that powers high-performance multi-standard Serializer/Deserializer (SerDes) PHY IP used in next-generation data center, AI/ML, automotive, and compute applications. Our SerDes IPs support standards such as PCIe, Ethernet, CXL, and are integrated into SoCs and ASICs built by leading semiconductor companies around the world. 

The firmware team owns the full embedded software stack that controls the SerDes hardware, including low-level embedded firmware, customer-facing C SDKs, demo & automation scripts, and interactive tools. As a key enabler of silicon bring-up, validation, and production deployment, we work closely with hardware, systems, DV, validation, and application teams across the product lifecycle—from early development to high-volume manufacturing.  Replacement Position.

What You Can Expect 

Core responsibilities for the firmware team include: 

• Embedded firmware running on RISC-V-based controllers that manage Qualcomm’s advanced SerDes datapaths 
• Python and C SDKs provided to customers for SerDes bring-up, calibration, tuning, and diagnostics 
• Python-based lab tools and GUIs for interactive debug, register access, and validation 
• Build, regression, and CI infrastructure to ensure code quality and full coverage 
• You’ll play a key leadership role in delivering robust, production-quality firmware for SerDes PHY IP. You’ll help define architecture, drive features end-to-end, coordinate across cross-functional teams, and directly influence the design and usability of Qualcomm's IP. 

In this position, you will be: 

• 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 
• Architecting and implementing embedded C/C++ firmware for hardware calibration, training algorithms, DSP adaptations, and link state management 
• Debugging complex lab and field issues in conjunction with hardware, applications, and validation teams 
• Driving and collaborating across functions to define FW milestones, plan sprints, close tickets, and ensure delivery of reliable and high-quality features 
• Translating protocol specifications (e.g. PCIe, Ethernet, CXL) or custom system-level requirements into internal firmware architecture and documentation 
• Supporting development and silicon bring-up across Qualcomm teams and other sites 

Example Problems You’ll Solve 

• Mentoring a junior engineer through a hard-to-reproduce PHY calibration bug seen in customer silicon 
• Developing architecture and state machines to handle multi-lane synchronization or adaptive equalization across dynamic conditions 
• Porting a high-level MATLAB or Python SerDes calibration algorithm to optimized fixed-point firmware 
• Creating a SerDes diagnostics framework accessible via both SDK and GUI 
• Using simulation environments and FPGA emulation to validate FW behavior before tapeout 
• Working with IP hardware architects to influence future revisions based on field debug learnings 

What You'll Do

• BS/MS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field 

• 7+ years of experience in embedded C/C++ firmware development for hardware IP or SoCs 

• 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 

• Strong lab debug skills, working directly on silicon with scopes, analyzers, and custom tools 

• Familiarity with git and modern software development methodologies 

• Excellent communication skills and ability to collaborate across functions and geographies 

Preferred Experience: 

• Knowledge of SerDes, 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 

• 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 physical and data link layers 

• Understanding of signal processing concepts such as eye diagrams, jitter, BER, SNR, CTLE/DFE/FFE, etc. 

Applicants: 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. (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).

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.

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