CPU Firmware Verification and Validation Engineer

Job Title

CPU Firmware Verification and Validation Engineer

Role Summary

Lead a global verification and validation organization responsible for end-to-end integration, stability, and lifecycle support of a high-performance CPU firmware stack. Work cross-functionally with SoC, firmware development, release management, product and program teams to drive quality, automation, and CI/CD for firmware delivered across product lines.

Experience Level

Senior - role expects extensive industry experience (senior leadership level). The posting specifies ~15+ years in embedded software/firmware quality with at least 5 years of leadership experience.

Responsibilities

Lead and scale global firmware verification and validation activities; ensure quality, reliability, and efficient delivery across multiple programs.

• Build, manage, and scale a global FW verification and validation organization.
• Advocate and enforce firmware quality milestones aligned with business needs.
• Plan resource allocation across concurrent programs and manage SLAs for support pipelines.
• Define and refine automation strategies to optimize CI/CD and test cycles.
• Improve firmware release cadence through robust testing, validation, and risk management.
• Reduce technical debt and support extended product lifecycles for cost efficiency and scalability.
• Serve as quality interface between production software organizations and customer engineering teams.
• Provide career development, coaching, and foster cross-functional skills and knowledge retention.

Requirements

Key technical and leadership requirements. Degrees are summarized separately under Education Requirements.

• Must-have: Minimum ~15 years in embedded software/firmware quality engineering and at least 5 years of leadership/people-management experience.
• Must-have: Strong experience with CI/CD, automation, tools integration, and process improvements to reduce integration challenges.
• Must-have: Proficiency with C/C++ and scripting (Python, Shell/Bash, PowerShell) and experience deploying automation for validation workflows.
• Must-have: Experience working cross-functionally with SoC, firmware, release/configuration management, product and program teams; clear communicator of requirements and solutions.
• Must-have: Hands-on experience with software/firmware development, deployment and testing in embedded systems and SOC solutions.
• Nice-to-have: Familiarity with Windows, Linux, Android build and test environments.
• Nice-to-have: Prior exposure to GCC/LLVM/ARM toolchains and SW/FW integration points such as BIOS/UEFI and OS layers for x86, ARM64, or RISC‑V.
• Nice-to-have: Experience applying AI/ML tools to accelerate software/firmware validation and quality.

Education Requirements

Bachelor's, Master’s, or PhD in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field are referenced in the posting. The role description also allows equivalent practical experience in lieu of a degree. (Degrees and fields extracted from the posting; specific year-to-degree mappings appear in the source.)

For more information about Qualcomm corporate contacts: Qualcomm Careers.

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.