FPGA Emulation Engineer, up to Staff

Job Title

FPGA Emulation Engineer, up to Staff

Role Summary

Join Qualcomm's SoC Design team to develop and integrate large-scale FPGA-based emulation platforms (for example Synopsys HAPS) to accelerate verification and system bring-up. The role focuses on FPGA integration, emulation execution, timing closure, and cross-functional collaboration with design, verification and software teams.

Experience Level

Senior. Experience guidance from the posting: Master's degree +3 years, Bachelor's degree +4 years, or PhD +2 years in ASIC/SoC design, verification, integration, or related work.

Responsibilities

Lead development and integration of FPGA-mode emulation to enable system-level verification and validation.

• Build and integrate large-scale SoC emulation platforms using multiple Synopsys HAPS systems or equivalents.
• Optimize communication and data flow between CPU, memory, interconnect and peripherals in FPGA-mode.
• Develop and integrate FPGA-mode interfaces such as AXI, AHB, APB and manage connectivity across multiple FPGA machines.
• Design and manage FPGA clock and reset architecture across multi-board emulation systems.
• Collaborate with high-speed I/O designers (DDR, MIPI, USB, PCIe) to integrate I/O models and daughter boards for emulation coverage.
• Apply FPGA architecture, synthesis and implementation knowledge to maximize utilization and achieve timing closure.
• Debug and resolve integration issues across simulation, emulation, and software-validation environments.
• Support system-level bring-up, performance analysis, and correlation activities during emulation runs.
• Work with design, verification, software, and platform teams to identify risks and meet project milestones.

Requirements

Must-have technical skills and experience.

• 3+ years of hands-on SoC FPGA integration experience (per minimum qualifications).
• Proficiency in SoC emulation methodologies and multi-FPGA system integration.
• Strong understanding of chip-level communication protocols and subsystem interaction.
• Practical scripting skills in Python, Tcl, or Shell; familiarity with AI prompt usage for automation/tooling is a plus.
• Experience with FPGA synthesis, implementation, placement/routing, timing analysis and timing closure.
• Strong problem-solving skills and effective cross-functional communication.

Nice-to-have:

• Hands-on experience with Synopsys HAPS or comparable FPGA-based emulation platforms.
• Familiarity with high-speed I/O technologies (DDR, MIPI, USB, PCIe) and daughter-board integration.
• Experience debugging across simulation, emulation, and software-validation environments.
• Comfortable working in a globally distributed engineering environment.

Education Requirements

Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD in Science, Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field. The posting allows equivalent practical experience: Bachelor's +4 years, Master's +3 years, or PhD +2 years in ASIC/SoC design, verification, validation, integration, or related work.

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.