DFT Engineer, Principal/Manager

Job Title

DFT Engineer, Principal/Manager

Role Summary

Lead architecture, design, verification, and performance analysis for Digital Signal Processor (DSP) development across mobile, machine learning, automotive, IoT, and related products. Responsible for defining processor architecture and micro-architecture, driving logic design and verification, and balancing power, performance, and timing requirements.

This role provides technical leadership across teams, influences product and technology roadmaps, and ensures complex blocks meet functionality, power, performance, and timing targets.

Experience Level

Senior - technical leadership role. Experience expectations follow the posted minimums (see Education Requirements for degree-to-experience mapping) and include significant hands-on DSP or microprocessor design and verification.

Responsibilities

Primary responsibilities include technical leadership, architecture decisions, and cross-team coordination.

• Define processor architecture, micro-architecture, and custom instructions to meet target performance and ML/modem requirements.
• Lead logic design, microarchitecture trade-offs, timing closure, and low-power optimizations.
• Drive and oversee verification strategy and execution to ensure design correctness and quality.
• Perform performance and power analysis using architectural simulators and system-level tools; validate tradeoffs.
• Coordinate across teams and stakeholders to develop schedules, plans, and integration strategies.
• Provide technical mentorship and guidance to engineers; review and approve technical documentation.
• Represent technical direction in strategic planning and influence product/technology roadmaps.
• Engage with senior leadership and cross-functional teams to align on priorities and deliverables.

Requirements

Must-have technical skills and core experience are listed first; preferred items follow.

• Must-have: Substantial experience in architecture and microprocessor design, including micro-architecture, logic design, verification, and power/performance analysis.
• Must-have: Experience with high-performance microprocessor design (minimum ~2+ years specific to microprocessor/DSP design).
• Must-have: Demonstrated ability to lead complex technical projects and influence cross-functional teams; strong written and verbal communication skills for varied audiences.
• Nice-to-have: Extensive programming experience (C, C++, Python) and familiarity with embedded systems and computer architecture.
• Nice-to-have: Deep experience in design verification methods and tools.
• Nice-to-have: Experience working in large matrixed organizations and prior technical leadership or management experience.

Education Requirements

Degree and experience mapping from the posting: Bachelor's in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or related field with 8+ years' relevant experience; Master's in those fields with 7+ years; or PhD in those fields with 6+ years. Preferred candidates may hold a Master’s or PhD. Equivalent practical experience considered where specified.

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.