System Hardware Validation Engineer

Job Title

System Hardware Validation Engineer

Role Summary

Join Qualcomm's System Validation Emulation (SVE) team to develop and validate low-level software and test infrastructure for Snapdragon SoCs. The role focuses on driver/firmware development, hardware validation, debugging and resolving issues across pre-silicon and post-silicon stages.

The team works with system architects, software engineers and hardware designers to deliver reliable system-level behavior for new silicon.

Experience Level

Mid-level - typically 3–5 years of relevant experience (candidates with equivalent experience will be considered).

Responsibilities

Primary responsibilities include developing drivers, planning and executing validation, and supporting debug and platform bring-up.

• Develop and deliver low-level hardware drivers for Snapdragon subsystems.
• Plan, manage and execute validation and testing of driver/hardware functionality.
• Migrate and adapt drivers to new platforms and silicon revisions.
• Create and maintain test plans, validation frameworks, and automation scripts.
• Investigate, reproduce and debug pre-silicon and post-silicon issues; drive resolution.
• Refactor and maintain code to improve reliability and maintainability.
• Collaborate with architects, firmware/software teams, and hardware verification groups.
• Provide technical input to validation strategy and platform-level test plans.

Requirements

Must-have technical skills and experience for the role. Education items were extracted to the Education Requirements section.

Must-have:

• Proven low-level software development in C, C++ and Assembly.
• Strong knowledge of ARM and RISC-V processor architectures and related toolchains.
• Experience with automation, test/integration methodologies and validation infrastructure.
• Experience with source control and defect-tracking tools (e.g., Git, Perforce, JIRA).
• Strong debug skills and experience diagnosing system-level hardware/software interactions.

Nice-to-have:

• Experience developing or optimizing large-scale test frameworks and tools.
• Experience defining validation strategy and leading debug across pre- and post-silicon stages.
• Mentorship or leadership experience guiding distributed validation teams.

Education Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Science, Engineering, or a related field (with 2+ years relevant ASIC/validation experience), OR Master's degree in Science, Engineering, or related field (with 1+ year relevant experience), OR PhD in Science, Engineering, or related field. Applications with equivalent practical 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.