DDR IP Validation and Firmware Development (Senior/Lead/Staff)
QualcommJob Title
DDR IP Validation and Firmware Development (Senior/Lead/Staff)
Role Summary
Work on validation and firmware development for DDR IP and related SoC memory interfaces. The role focuses on IP validation, firmware bring-up/debug, silicon validation, and collaboration with design and software teams to ensure correct functionality and performance.
Experience Level
Senior level. Typical guidance from the posting is 2–10 years of hardware/ASIC engineering or related experience depending on degree; role expects experienced engineers who can work with minimal supervision and mentor juniors.
Responsibilities
Primary duties include validation, firmware development, and silicon bring-up for memory IP and SoC interfaces.
- Define and execute IP validation plans; validate IP functionality and expose/root-cause bugs.
- Develop, port, and enhance validation software and firmware for bring-up and testing.
- Debug complex firmware and software scenarios; use JTAG and other debug tools for root-cause analysis.
- Use silicon debug hooks and instrumentation to measure power, performance, coverage and other KPIs.
- Collaborate with IP design, verification, and software teams to drive test plans and issue resolution.
- Contribute to silicon enablement and pre-silicon/emulation bring-up activities.
- Mentor and guide junior engineers; work with minimal supervision.
Requirements
Core technical skills and domain experience required or strongly preferred.
- Must-have: 2–10 years of hardware/ASIC engineering or related experience; experience in IP validation.
- Must-have: Strong C programming skills and hands-on firmware development and debugging experience.
- Must-have: Solid understanding of embedded systems, SoC and processor architecture, and memory interfacing.
- Must-have: Experience with JTAG-based debuggers, compilers/linkers, and silicon validation/bring-up procedures.
- Must-have: Experience with silicon debug hooks and using instrumentation (oscilloscope, logic analyzer) for measurements.
- Must-have: Familiarity with software development lifecycle and SoC paradigms (interconnects, power management).
- Preferable / Nice-to-have: Experience with DDR and other high-speed protocols; exposure to emulation/pre-silicon environments.
- Preferable: Scripting experience (preferably Python) for automation and test infrastructure.
Education Requirements
Posting specifies degree-based equivalencies: Bachelor's degree in Science, Engineering or related field (with ~4+ years relevant experience) OR Master's degree (with ~3+ years) OR PhD (with ~2+ years). It also specifically lists Bachelor's/Master's in Electrical, Electronics, or Computer Science Engineering as typical fields. Equivalent practical experience is acceptable per the degree-based equivalency language.
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.
