Demo

Principal Engineer

Qualcomm Technologies
San Diego, CA Full Time
POSTED ON 4/16/2026
AVAILABLE BEFORE 5/17/2026
Company:
Qualcomm Innovation Center, Inc.

Job Area:
Engineering Group, Engineering Group > Software Engineering

General Summary:

Are you ready to join a team that's shaping the future of technology? We are looking for experienced developers working in the open-source community to improve the quality and robustness of Qualcomm open source offerings and reputation in the community.

You will be a strategic thinker with a deep understanding of the open source community, Linux and related open source projects and are comfortable working with a variety of Hardware platforms. You will have a proven track record of delivering both engineering excellence, as well as hands-on experience with upstream contributions to major Open Source projects.

As Principal engineer, you will report to the Director of Open Source. You will find ways to improve the Linux kernel, Yocto/OE, Debian, security software and boot firmware on Qualcomm platforms and provide support as needed for customer applications of our platform technology. This is an exciting opportunity to make a significant impact on our business and contribute to our company's growth.

Qualifications:
  • Experience in Open source software development
  • Expertise in C, C , Assembly and a high-level language such as Python, Go, Rust
  • Proven track record of working upstream and downstream
  • Strong understanding of embedded software, bootloaders, Linux kernel and distributions
  • Excellent technical, communication and engineering management skills
  • Ability to work cross-functionally with product and engineering teams
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
  • Willingness to travel globally as needed (likely several times per year)
  • Experience working closely with or for a Linux Distribution

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.

Roles and Responsibilities:
  • Build scalable tooling that allows Qualcomm to deliver common core software into a variety of Open source distributions
  • Work with OSS & upstream initiatives within the Qualcomm Central Software Engineering (CSE) team to improve general software quality
  • Represent the company at industry events and conferences
  • Mentor and build expertise in the Foundries and Qualcomm OSS teams

Desired Qualifications:

Candidates with experience working upstream in any of the following areas will have an advantage.
Multimedia: Audio, Video, Camera, Graphics, Display, Gstreamer
Linux kernel: Peripherals, Buses, Interconnects, Scheduler, Thermal, Power
Networking: Ethernet, WLAN, Bluetooth

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 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).

To all Staffing and Recruiting Agencies: Our Careers Site is only for individuals seeking a job at Qualcomm. Staffing and recruiting agencies and individuals being represented by an agency are not authorized to use this site or to submit profiles, applications or resumes, and any such submissions will be considered unsolicited. Qualcomm does not accept unsolicited resumes or applications from agencies. Please do not forward resumes to our jobs alias, Qualcomm employees or any other company location. Qualcomm is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes/applications.

EEO Employer: Qualcomm is an equal opportunity employer; all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, Veteran status, or any other protected classification.

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.

Pay range and Other Compensation & Benefits:
$192,600.00 - $289,000.00

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.

Salary : $192,600 - $289,000

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