Sr. Staff Software Engineer | Qualcomm AI Runtime

Job Title

Senior Staff Software Engineer — Qualcomm AI Runtime

Role Summary

Lead design and implementation of high-performance software for the Qualcomm AI Runtime SDK to enable on-device GenAI and Agentic AI across mobile, automotive, and embedded platforms.

Collaborate with cross-site engineering teams and OEMs to optimize neural network model execution on Hexagon DSP systems and drive features from design through delivery.

Experience Level

Senior — typically 12+ years of professional software engineering experience as specified in the posting.

Responsibilities

Primary responsibilities include software design, implementation, optimization, and cross-team leadership within the AI runtime and inference toolchains.

• Design and develop high-performance C++ (C++17) software for the Qualcomm AI Runtime SDK.
• Optimize network model execution for on-device inference targeting Hexagon DSPs to reduce latency and power.
• Lead development of new SDK features and drive cross-functional software development lifecycle activities.
• Architect and evaluate system and model deployment designs for GenAI models.
• Use cross-compiler toolchains for embedded targets (Android, embedded Linux, Windows on Snapdragon, QNX).
• Implement and optimize ML operations and runtime kernels for DSP/vector instruction sets.
• Develop tools and workflows for model/system analysis and GenAI pipelines.
• Participate in software quality and process improvement efforts, including release engineering and DevOps.

Requirements

Must-have technical skills and experience; preferred items listed separately.

• 12+ years of experience in software engineering, including release engineering/DevOps.
• Strong C++17 expertise and familiarity with modern C++ design patterns.
• Experience with mathematical algorithms, fast-math libraries, and vector instruction optimization.
• Practical experience developing middleware, firmware, or low-level system software.
• Experience with multitasking/multithreading and driver development; low-level OS–hardware interactions.
• Experience with Hexagon DSP SDK, cross-compiler toolchains for embedded systems, and JIT technologies.
• Familiarity with Qualcomm FastRPC and Windows MCDM drivers and with Qualcomm AI Stack components (e.g., QNN, SNPE, QAIRT).
• Familiarity with ML frameworks or formats such as TensorFlow, PyTorch, or ONNX.
• Experience with Linux/Unix and Windows system software development; agile practices, Jira, and git.
• Effective English communication and ability to lead/collaborate with globally distributed teams.

Nice-to-have:

• Experience in multiple programming languages (beyond C/C++), profiling, and performance optimization.
• Experience with deep-learning training/inference pipelines, Android/embedded platform tooling, virtualization, containerization (Docker).
• Experience automating generation and maintenance of complex software documentation.

Education Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems or related field is required or equivalent experience. Preferred: Master’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or Electrical Engineering. The posting also cites PhD options with reduced experience requirements; equivalent practical experience is acceptable 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.