Principal Engineer — Core Platform Software Architecture (Automotive SoC)
QualcommJob Title
Principal Engineer — Core Platform Software Architecture (Automotive SoC)
Role Summary
Lead the software and system architecture for Qualcomm's Automotive SoC products within the Core Platform Software Architecture team. Collaborate with product management, hardware architects, customers, and cross-functional engineering teams to define architecture, evaluate trade-offs, and deliver system-level solutions for complex automotive use cases.
Experience Level
Senior-level. The posting specifies experience expectations tied to degree level (see Education Requirements) and practical experience; preferred candidates have extensive experience (12+ years) architecting complex embedded systems or automotive SoC software/systems.
Responsibilities
Key responsibilities include:
- Define software and system architecture for Automotive SoC products.
- Collaborate with product management, customers, and hardware architecture teams to capture system requirements and use cases.
- Perform systems engineering across software and hardware domains to support complex use cases.
- Evaluate architectural options and trade-offs; produce architecture proposals and specifications.
- Incorporate relevant innovations across Qualcomm business units into Automotive SoC designs.
Requirements
Must-have and preferred technical skills and experience.
- Extensive experience in architecting embedded systems or SoC software/systems; preferred 12+ years.
- Proficient programming experience (examples: C, C++, Java, Python) — several years of hands-on software development.
- Experience designing hardware/software interfaces and overall system design.
- Familiarity with SoC architecture and related technologies (examples include ARM architecture features such as SMMU/CoreSight/virtualization, RISC-V microcontrollers).
- Experience with operating systems and low-level software (Linux kernel and device drivers, Zephyr OS, boot/UEFI software).
- Knowledge of interconnect and I/O technologies and stacks (PCIe/CXL, I2C/I3C/SPI) is desirable.
- Ability to collaborate across geographically distributed teams and multiple functional organizations.
Education Requirements
The posting lists degree-based minimums: Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or a related field with 8+ years of software engineering experience; OR a Master's degree in those fields with 7+ years; OR a PhD in those fields with 6+ years. No specific certifications were required. Equivalent practical experience is presented via the alternative years-of-experience options tied to degree level.
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.
