Lead CPU Firmware Verification and Validation / Director of Engineering

Company Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.

Job Area Engineering Group, Engineering Group > Software Engineering

General Summary We are dedicated to transforming the industry by reimagining silicon and developing next-generation computing platforms. By joining our team, you’ll collaborate with world-class engineers to create innovative solutions that push the limits of performance, energy efficiency, and scalability. Our focus is on developing CPU platform firmware for Qualcomm's Snapdragon SoC, delivering a comprehensive solution that includes hardware, software, reference designs, user guides, SDKs, and more.

We are seeking a highly skilled and dynamic Software and Firmware Verification and Validation Manager to lead a global, multi-role team responsible for verification and validation of complex software and firmware platforms. In addition to being hands-on, this role will oversee a talent group of engineers with extensive background in ensuring long-term stability, scalability, and lifecycle support across multiple product verticals. The successful candidate will ensure seamless coordination across regions and functions, while enabling innovation, reducing operational risks, and improving overall quality & customer satisfaction.

As a Lead CPU FW V&V Engineer, you will take on a lead technical role, working closely with cross-functional engineering teams, including SoC, firmware development, Configuration & Release Management, in addition to regular interfaces with product and program management. You will be responsible for the end-to-end integration of a high-performance CPU firmware stack.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 8+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience.

OR

Master's degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 7+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience.

OR

PhD in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 6+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience.

• 4+ years of work experience with Programming Language such as C, C++, Java, Python, etc.

Preferred Qualifications

• 15+ years of experience in embedded software/firmware quality; at least 8 years of leadership experience.
• Experience working with cross-functional teams and ability to clearly communicate requirements, problem statements, and solutions that provide tangible SW/FW deliverables.
• Proven track record of innovating/improving/reducing challenges in integration through process refinements, automation, tools integration, and early and continuous integration and deployment (CI/CD) measures.
• 3+ years of work experience in a role requiring interaction with senior leadership (e.g., Sr. Director, Vice President level and above).
• 3+ years of working with operating budgets, lab capital planning, and/or project financials.
• Proven knowledge of Windows, Linux, Android, Python, and C/C++.
• Strong demonstrable experience in automation and scripting using C, Shell/Bash, Python, PowerShell, etc.
• Proven skill in software/firmware development, deployment, and test in embedded systems.
• Extensive knowledge and experience in SW/FW engineering with a focus on SoC solutions (minimum 5 years).
• Prior exposure to working with various tools and toolchains for C/C++, such as GCC, LLVM, and/or ARM-based toolchains.
• Experience with SW/FW integration at BIOS/UEFI and operating system levels for x86/ARM64/RISC-V.
• Experience in deploying AI tools to automate and accelerate software/firmware validation and quality.

Responsibilities

• Build, manage, and scale a global FW verification and validation organization (Software QA).
• Be a strong advocate for FW quality, capable of delivering quality milestones against business demands.
• Plan resource allocation across multiple active, concurrent programs.
• Define and refine automation strategies to continue optimizing the CI/CD cycle.
• Streamline and manage the support pipeline to ensure faster response to issues and improved SLA management.
• Improve firmware release cadence and ensure quality standards through robust testing and validation.
• Implement risk management practices, ensuring stability and reliability of production software.
• Manage and reduce technical debt through proactive planning and execution.
• Support extended product lifecycle, ensuring cost efficiency and scalability of development efforts.
• Act as a key quality interface between production software organizations and customer engineering teams.
• Provide career development opportunities and coaching for a global workforce.
• Foster broad-range skills development, knowledge retention, and cross-functional expertise.
• Build a collaborative culture that prioritizes innovation, quality, and customer satisfaction.
• Contribute to FW architecture and design with a focus on smooth integration and Design for Test (DFT).

Qualcomm is an equal opportunity employer. If you are an individual with a disability and need an accommodation during the application/hiring process, rest assured that Qualcomm is committed to providing an accessible process. You may e-mail disability-accomodations@qualcomm.com or call Qualcomm's toll-free number found here. Upon request, Qualcomm will provide reasonable accommodations to support individuals with disabilities to be able participate in the hiring process. Qualcomm is also committed to making our workplace accessible for individuals with disabilities. (Keep in mind that this email address is used to provide reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. We will not respond here to requests for updates on applications or resume inquiries).

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Pay Range And Other Compensation & Benefits $226,900.00 - $340,300.00

The above pay scale reflects the broad, minimum to maximum, pay scale for this job code for the location for which it has been posted. Even more importantly, please note that salary is only one component of total compensation at Qualcomm. We also offer a competitive annual discretionary bonus program and opportunity for annual RSU grants (employees on sales-incentive plans are not eligible for our annual bonus). In addition, our highly competitive benefits package is designed to support your success at work, at home, and at play. Your recruiter will be happy to discuss all that Qualcomm has to offer – and you can review more details about our US benefits at this link.

If you would like more information about this role, please contact Qualcomm Careers.