Senior Linux Peripheral Software Engineer

Job Title

Senior Linux Peripheral Software Engineer

Role Summary

Develop, integrate, and support peripheral subsystems and device drivers on Qualcomm platforms with focus on USB and low-speed peripheral interfaces (I2C, I3C, SPI) and MIPI protocols. Work on kernel-level software, perform bring-up and validation on development hardware, and provide on-site customer support.

The role requires close collaboration with hardware, architecture, validation, and customer engineering teams to deliver software enabling peripheral functionality and performance on customer products.

Experience Level

Senior-level. Preferred: 3+ years of embedded/Linux kernel or device driver experience. Minimum experience guidance follows the education qualifications listed below.

Responsibilities

Primary responsibilities involve design, implementation, integration, and field support of peripheral drivers and related software.

• Design and implement Linux kernel drivers and low-level firmware for peripheral controllers (USB, I2C, I3C, SPI, QUP-based peripherals, MIPI).
• Perform bring-up, validation, debugging, profiling, and performance tuning on development platforms and customer hardware.
• Analyze customer requirements and translate system-level use cases into software designs and test plans.
• Provide on-site customer support, technical guidance, documentation, and training during bring-up and integration phases.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (hardware, architecture, validation) to resolve protocol- and system-level issues.
• Maintain and use build systems, version control, and CI workflows to deliver robust software releases.
• Operate test equipment and development workstations for extended periods as needed for troubleshooting and validation.

Requirements

Must-have technical skills and experience to perform the role effectively.

• Must-have: Strong C/C++ programming skills and experience with Linux kernel and device driver development.
• Must-have: Practical experience with peripheral protocols and buses: USB, I2C, I3C, SPI, and MIPI-based interfaces.
• Must-have: Hands-on debugging, profiling, and optimization experience on Linux/Android platforms; familiarity with kernel debugging tools.
• Must-have: Experience working directly with customers for bring-up, validation, and issue resolution on hardware platforms.
• Nice-to-have: Knowledge of system performance tuning, BSP software, camera/display/video/graphics stacks, real-time OS or microkernel experience (ARM/Hexagon), and containerization tools (Docker, Kubernetes).
• Nice-to-have: Familiarity with build tools (Make, CMake), Git, scripting (Bash, Python), and specific Linux distributions' kernel customization processes.

Education Requirements

Qualifications specify one of the following: Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or a related field with 2+ years of relevant experience; OR Master's degree in those fields with 1+ year of relevant experience; OR a PhD in those fields. (These degree-and-experience combinations are stated as the minimum qualifications by the employer.)

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.