Senior Staff Firmware Engineer

Job Title

Senior Staff Firmware Engineer

Role Summary

Lead firmware architecture, development, and validation for UCIe chiplet IP and chiplet platforms. Work across hardware, digital design, verification, systems, software, program management and external partners to deliver device bring-up, debugging and production-quality firmware.

Responsible for driving firmware from pre-silicon RTL/simulator integration through post-silicon validation and optimization to meet performance and quality targets.

Experience Level

Senior-level. Typical experience expectations: Bachelor's +6 years, Master's +5 years, or PhD +4 years of relevant firmware/software engineering experience.

Responsibilities

Lead the firmware lifecycle and coordinate cross-functional work to achieve chip bring-up and validation.

• Gather requirements and translate high-level designs into device interfaces and firmware architecture.
• Define detailed bring-up and validation plans in collaboration with ASIC/Digital Design, Digital Verification, software and systems engineers.
• Implement efficient C/C++ firmware and develop tests, debug tools, and drivers for device and board-level validation.
• Develop firmware for test and debug to inform hardware design decisions and future product iterations.
• Create and maintain firmware and hardware design specifications and board/interface configuration APIs and error monitoring.
• Debug and drive resolution of low-level SW, silicon and hardware issues; manage cross-functional stakeholders to closure.
• Mentor junior engineers, promote team collaboration, and manage schedules to meet program milestones.
• Work with external vendors and customers to validate releases and ensure product quality.

Requirements

Must-have skills and experience.

• 6+ years of experience with embedded systems and strong programming skills in C/C++ and Python.
• Experience with low-level programming on bare metal, BIOS/UEFI, Linux kernel, RTOS, and device drivers.
• Hands-on experience with ARM, RISC-V, MIPS or similar architectures and lab validation using CPU/SoC/FPGA/MCU/DSP platforms.
• Systems mindset; experience developing firmware to control analog, digital and mixed-signal circuits.
• Familiarity with EDA tools and digital verification methodologies; experience with Verilog/SystemVerilog.
• Experience with high-speed interfaces and protocols such as SerDes, Ethernet, PCIe, D2D/UCIe/Chiplet systems.
• Practical bring-up and diagnostic skills with oscilloscopes, JTAG debuggers, I2C/SPI tools and other lab instruments.
• Ability to develop board/interface configuration APIs and error monitoring solutions.
• Strong communication and organizational skills; proven ability to lead cross-functional problem resolution.

Nice-to-have:

• Embedded Linux, Buildroot/Yocto, or RTOS (Zephyr, FreeRTOS) experience.
• FPGA experience (Xilinx, Zed/MicroZed) and hands-on hardware debugging (power, SI, EMC).
• Familiarity with Jira/Confluence and open-source contributions.

Education Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science or a related field (with ~6+ years relevant experience), or a Master's (~5+ years), or a PhD (~4+ years). Related fields include Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, and Computer Engineering. Equivalent practical experience is acceptable.

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.