SoC Platform Software Engineer

Job Title

SoC Platform Software Engineer

Role Summary

System Integration Engineer responsible for end-to-end platform bring-up, cross-subsystem integration, and system-level debugging on ARM-based SoCs. The role covers bootloader, firmware, RTOS, Linux, and secure-boot/chain-of-trust enablement to achieve production-ready system integrity.

Experience Level

Entry / Early-career level. Minimum qualifications specify degree plus experience (see Education Requirements). Practical experience integrating embedded systems and debugging HW/FW/OS interactions is expected.

Responsibilities

Work across hardware, firmware, and software layers to integrate and validate platform functionality.

• Integrate Linux BSP, RTOS firmware, and hardware components on ARM-based SoCs.
• Enable end-to-end system bring-up from bootloader to application layer and coordinate initialization sequences across bootloader, kernel, RTOS, and firmware.
• Support secure boot flows, including verified boot and chain-of-trust initialization.
• Debug cross-boundary issues (boot failures, crashes, hangs, performance regressions) using logs, traces, and crash dumps.
• Develop and enhance diagnostic, logging, and profiling frameworks for system-level analysis.
• Support board bring-up, feature enablement, and validation; collaborate with hardware and firmware teams on silicon and integration issues.

Requirements

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

• Proficient in C/C++ and embedded systems development.
• Strong understanding of ARM architecture and SoC integration concepts.
• Familiarity with Linux BSP, device tree, boot flow, and kernel basics.
• Working knowledge of RTOS concepts: scheduling, memory management, and synchronization.
• Experience with system-level debugging tools and techniques, and hands-on troubleshooting of HW/SW integration issues.
• Ability to analyze system logs, crash/core dumps, and runtime traces to identify root causes.

Nice-to-have:

• Experience with JTAG, ETM, ftrace, kgdb, or similar debug tools.
• Experience integrating Linux with RTOS/firmware on heterogeneous or multi-core platforms.
• Familiarity with performance profiling and system-level optimization.
• Experience reading hardware specifications and working with distributed teams.

Education Requirements

Degree required: Bachelor's, Master’s, or PhD in Engineering, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Information Systems, or a related technical field. Minimum qualifications specify: Bachelor's + 2+ years of software engineering experience OR Master’s + 1+ year OR PhD (experience may vary). Also requires 2+ years of academic or work experience programming in C, C++, Python, or equivalent languages. Equivalent practical experience may be considered where noted.

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.