Qualcomm RF IC Engineer Jobs
Qualcomm's modems and RF front-end chips sit inside billions of phones, and the RF IC engineers who design them work on some of the hardest analog problems in the industry. Qualcomm RF IC engineer jobs cover RF transceiver design, LNA and PA work, filter integration, and 5G mmWave front-ends.
The work is transistor-level analog and RF, closed in SPICE, HSpice, or Spectre and validated through real silicon tape-outs. Most postings expect you to own an IC block end to end: schematic, layout supervision, bring-up, and characterization against the cellular spec. Knowledge of 5G NR standards and modem architecture is what separates strong candidates from general analog designers.
Teams tend to be small, with clear ownership over a specific block. That structure is a big reason RF engineers here move up quickly once their silicon works.
Qualcomm runs RF IC teams well beyond San Diego. Design centers in Raleigh, NC, Bengaluru, India, and Amsterdam all hire, so filter by location when you search. You can browse the current Qualcomm design jobs and compare them against other RF IC design engineer roles. Mixed-signal specialists should also look at mixed-signal design engineer jobs, since a lot of RF front-end work crosses that line.
Pay tracks the specialty. Analog and RF IC roles at Qualcomm commonly land in the $150K to $220K base range at senior level, with total compensation pushing higher once stock and bonus are included. Our salary guide breaks the numbers down by level if you want a reference before negotiating.
Qualcomm keeps expanding into automotive, IoT, and PC silicon, so RF openings appear steadily across product lines. Set up a targeted alert on SemiDesignJobs and you'll hear about new Qualcomm RF IC postings as soon as they go live.
FAQ
What background do Qualcomm RF IC engineer jobs need
Most roles want an MS or PhD in Electrical Engineering focused on RF or analog design. Hands-on RF circuit simulation with SPICE, HSpice, or Spectre matters, and prior tape-out experience carries real weight. Familiarity with 5G NR and modem architecture is a strong plus.
What RF technologies do these engineers work on
The range covers 5G sub-6GHz and mmWave transceivers, Wi-Fi 7 front-end modules, Bluetooth SoCs, and automotive telematics chips. Tasks run from transistor-level design through system-level RF integration and silicon bring-up.
Are Qualcomm RF IC jobs available outside San Diego
Yes. Qualcomm has RF IC teams in Raleigh, NC, Bengaluru, India, and Amsterdam, Netherlands, alongside its San Diego headquarters. Each SemiDesignJobs posting lists its location, so you can filter to the sites you would consider.