Always On Subsystem Power Management Firmware Engineer

Job Title

Always On Subsystem Power Management Firmware Engineer

Role Summary

Responsible for developing embedded firmware for the Always ON power-management subsystem on Qualcomm SoCs. The role focuses on implementing limits management, managing the distribution of allocated power and thermal budgets, and characterizing IP to support firmware and hardware decisions.

The engineer will collaborate with hardware power-management, firmware, architecture, verification teams, and third parties to enable platform bring-up and influence future SoC designs.

Experience Level

Mid-level — typically 3–7 years of relevant industry experience. Preferred candidates have around 6+ years of related ASIC, firmware, or power-management experience.

Responsibilities

The primary responsibilities include:

• Design and implement embedded firmware to control the Always ON power-management subsystem and enforce power/thermal limits.
• Define and implement limits-management and power-distribution strategies for SoCs.
• Characterize existing and new IP to inform firmware behavior and hardware tradeoffs.
• Collaborate with hardware power-management, firmware, architecture, verification, and program teams to deliver system-level solutions.
• Engage with third parties during platform enablement and provide input to SoC and platform architects.
• Write and review technical documentation for firmware, IP integration, and verification activities.
• Provide guidance to other team members, work independently, and make decisions that impact work beyond the immediate group.

Requirements

Must-have technical skills and experience:

• Experience developing embedded firmware for power-management or SoC subsystems.
• Practical experience with limits management, power and thermal budget control, or related power-management features.
• Familiarity with architecture and design tools and flows (e.g., RTL-to-GDS flows, EDA tools); experience with architecture/design tooling preferred.
• Proficiency with scripting and programming languages used for firmware and tooling.
• Experience with design verification methods.
• Strong verbal and written communication; ability to interact with senior leadership.
• Ability to work independently, prioritize tasks, and influence cross-functional decisions.

Nice-to-have:

• Prior ASIC/SoC experience in power-management firmware, validation, or integration.
• Experience with modeling, simulation, and system-level power analysis tools.

Education Requirements

Minimums stated in the posting: Bachelor's degree in Science, Engineering, or a related field with ~4+ years of relevant ASIC/firmware experience, OR a Master's degree with ~3+ years, OR a PhD with ~2+ years. Preferred fields include Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Computer Science. The posting allows the degree+experience combinations above as alternatives (equivalent relevant work experience is accepted per those combinations).

About the Company

Company: Qualcomm

Headquarters: San Diego, California, United States

Qualcomm is a global leader in semiconductor and telecommunications equipment, specializing in mobile technologies and innovations. Known for its Adreno GPUs, the company provides solutions enabling advancements in mobile gaming, AI, VR/AR, and autonomous driving. Qualcomm's cutting-edge technology and commitment to high-performance, power-efficient designs drive the evolution of mobile graphics and connectivity worldwide.