Qualcomm Canada ULC
Engineering Group, Engineering Group > Software Engineering
General Summary:
As a leading technology innovator, Qualcomm pushes the boundaries of what's possible to enable next-generation experiences and drives digital transformation to help create a smarter, connected future for all. As a Qualcomm Software Engineer, you will design, develop, create, modify, and validate embedded and cloud edge software, applications, and/or specialized utility programs that launch cutting-edge, world class products that meet and exceed customer needs. Qualcomm Software Engineers collaborate with systems, hardware, architecture, test engineers, and other teams to design system-level software solutions and obtain information on performance requirements and interfaces. Replacement Position
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 6+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience.
OR
Master's degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 5+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience.
OR
PhD in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 4+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience.
- 3+ years of work experience with Programming Language such as C, C++, Java, Python, etc.
We’re building the world’s most advanced SerDes PHY for use in AI data centers and beyond. The Embedded Software / Firmware Team at Qualcomm develops critical embedded software that powers high-performance multi-standard Serializer/ Deserializer (SerDes) PHY IP used in next-generation data center, AI/ML, automotive, and compute applications. Our SerDes IPs support standards such as PCIe, Ethernet, CXL, and are integrated into SoCs , ASICs , and chiplets built by leading semiconductor companies around the world.
The firmware team owns the full embedded software stack that controls the SerDes hardware, including low-level embedded firmware, customer-facing C SDKs, demo & automation scripts, and interactive tools. As a key enabler of silicon bring-up, validation, and production deployment, we work closely with hardware, systems, DV, validation, and application teams across the product lifecycle—from early development to high-volume manufacturing.
We are looking for an experienced Firmware Engineer to lead firmware architecture, development, integration, and bring-up for our SerDes PHY portfolio. The ideal candidate has driven firmware definition, architecture, and development starting from the RTL/digital design phase with EDA tool/simulator integration, all the way through to the post-silicon phase with device-level bring-up and debug. This is a highly collaborative role: you will work with hardware, systems, and software teams to drive requirements and successful chip bring-up; with firmware and embedded software engineers to drive code re-use across the organization; and with program managers to identify and meet deadlines. This individual will be instrumental in building next-generation SERDES PHY IP and semiconductors that meet Qualcomm’s high performance and quality standards.
What You Can Expect
Core responsibilities for the firmware team include:
Python and C SDKs provided to internal SoC teams and external customers for SerDes bring-up, calibration, tuning, and diagnostics
Y ou’ll play a key leadership role in delivering robust, production-quality firmware for SerDes PHY IP. You’ll help define architecture, drive features end-to-end, coordinate across cross-functional teams, and directly influence the design and usability of Qualcomm’s designs .
In this position, you will be:
Technical or project lead for SerDes firmware on a major IP program, working with a team (2–8 engineers) through planning, development, validation, and customer delivery
Gathering requirements, studying high-level designs, developing device interface functions, and turning small building blocks into higher-level firmware system design
Architecting and implementing embedded C/C++ firmware for hardware calibration, training algorithms, DSP adaptations, and link state management
Working with multi-functional teams — ASIC/digital design, digital verification, software, and systems engineering — to define detailed bring-up and validation requirements and meet performance goals
Translating protocol specifications (e.g. PCIe, Ethernet, CXL, UCIe) or custom system-level requirements into internal firmware architecture and documentation
Debugging complex lab and field issues in conjunction with hardware, applications, and validation teams, and driving low-level SW, silicon, and HW issues to root cause and closure
Driving multi-functional teams and partners to address integration and bring-up challenges, ensuring chips are seamlessly brought up, validated, tested, and meet product and business requirements
Driving and collaborating across functions to define FW milestones, plan sprints, close tickets, and deliver reliable, high-quality features
Example Problems You’ll Solve
Hands-on experience with embedded architectures such as ARM, RISC-V, or MIPS, and with low-level programming on bare metal, RTOS, BIOS/UEFI firmware, Linux kernel, or device drivers
Deep understanding of microcontroller architecture (RISC-V a plus), memory-mapped registers, ISRs, and boot flows
Experience with SerDes, Ethernet, PCIe, CXL, or D2D/UCIe/chiplet products and communication systems
Strong lab debug skills, working directly on silicon with scopes, JTAG debuggers, I2C/SPI tools, analyzers, and custom tooling, including bring-up and diagnostics of high-speed signals
Knowledge of SerDes and high-speed IO standards (PCIe, Ethernet, UCIe, CXL, etc.)
Knowledge of RTOS or bare-metal FW architectures, including embedded Linux development, Buildroot / Yocto , and RTOSes such as Zephyr and FreeRTOS
Knowledge of peripherals and protocols such as 1G/10G Ethernet, DDR, I2C, SPI/QSPI, MIPI/CSI, GMSL, A2B, I2S, TDM, LVDS, PCIe, USB, NVMe , and CAN
Hands-on lab validation experience with CPU, SoC, FPGA, MCU, and DSP components, including developing tests and debug tools
Understanding of signal processing concepts such as eye diagrams, jitter, BER, SNR, and CTLE/DFE/FFE
Applicants : 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 [email protected] 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).
Qualcomm expects its employees to abide by all applicable policies and procedures, including but not limited to security and other requirements regarding protection of Company confidential information and other confidential and/or proprietary information, to the extent those requirements are permissible under applicable law.
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