Staff Firmware Engineer - SDR/5G/6G Modem - Hod HaSharon

Job Title

Staff Firmware Engineer - SDR/5G/6G Modem - Hod HaSharon

Role Summary

Senior firmware engineer responsible for designing and implementing timing-critical, real-time modem firmware that controls scheduling, RF interaction, and cross-layer coordination. Role combines hands-on development with technical leadership of a small engineering group.

The team focuses on modem control, scheduling, and coordination across protocol layers, PHY, RF, and hardware to deliver performant, stable, and power-efficient modem features.

Experience Level

Senior. Typical guidance calls for experienced firmware engineers (generally 4–6+ years of embedded/firmware experience depending on degree); this role expects demonstrated technical leadership and hands-on embedded development.

Responsibilities

Design, implement, and deliver modem firmware and lead a small technical team through architecture, integration, and commercialization.

• Design and implement control flows, scheduling, RF control, and state machines for cellular modems.
• Translate system and 3GPP requirements into firmware architecture and implementation.
• Develop features for SDR, 5G NR, LTE, multi-RAT operation, and emerging 6G use cases.
• Optimize latency-sensitive firmware under strict real-time timing, memory, performance, and power constraints.
• Collaborate with modem systems, PHY, RF, and hardware teams to integrate end-to-end solutions.
• Lead and coordinate a small group of engineers: task planning, mentoring, technical guidance, and execution follow-up.
• Debug and perform root-cause analysis for complex cross-layer hardware/firmware/RF issues.
• Drive features from architecture through bring-up, integration, validation, and commercialization on new platforms.
• Conduct and contribute to architecture and code reviews and ensure high-quality delivery on schedule.

Requirements

Core must-have skills and experience for immediate contribution.

• Strong programming skills in C and experience with embedded/firmware development.
• Deep understanding of real-time embedded concepts: interrupts, concurrency, synchronization, timers, DMA, memory and cache behavior, and low-level control logic.
• Proven debugging and root-cause analysis skills across complex hardware/software systems.
• Ability to translate system-level requirements into robust firmware architecture and implementation.
• Demonstrated technical leadership: mentoring, guiding engineers, and driving execution while remaining hands-on.
• Strong collaboration and communication skills; comfortable working across multiple engineering disciplines.
• Commitment to delivering high-quality solutions in a fast-paced engineering environment.

Nice-to-have:

• Experience developing real-time firmware for DSP, MCU, or heterogeneous SoC architectures.
• Experience with cellular modem firmware, modem-to-RF control loops, and interpreting 3GPP specifications.
• Experience working close to hardware (registers, interrupts, DMA, timers) and silicon bring-up.
• Experience with lab/debugging equipment such as protocol analyzers and oscilloscopes.
• Familiarity with AI-assisted development tools to improve productivity and code quality.

Education Requirements

The posting references degree requirements in technical fields: B.Sc./Bachelor's, Master's, and PhD in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field. Equivalent practical experience is accepted. The listing includes multiple minimum-experience mappings (examples cited: Bachelor's with ~4–5+ years, Master's with ~3–4+ years, or PhD with ~2+ years), and states applicants with equivalent experience will be considered.

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.