Embedded Real Time Operating System Software Staff Engineer

Qualcomm

Confirmed live 2 days ago High trust

Quick summary

Work type: On-site
Location: San Diego, CA
Salary: $154,000–$231,000 / yr
Posted: 136 days ago
Freshness: Confirmed live 2 days ago
Closes: Oct 25, 2026
Nearby: 99+ roles within 25 mi

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Salary context

Competitive pay

How this pay compares to similar roles

Similar $185k

This role $192k

$136k most similar roles pay here $241k

This role pays more than 54% of similar roles. Most pay $156,387–$214,000 — the shaded band above. At the midpoint, this role pays about $192k versus about $185k for comparable roles.

Based on 240 similar postings.

Employer

About Qualcomm

Qualcomm is a leading American semiconductor and telecommunications company based in San Diego, CA.

Qualcomm currently has 623 open roles on FindRole.

Listed pay typically runs $148,300–$222,500 across 603 roles with salary data.

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At a glance

TL;DR · Embedded Real Time Operating System Software Staff Engineer

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Embedded Real Time Operating System Software Staff Engineer (QuRT OS, Zephyr) joins the Core Platform Kernel team to develop and deploy real-time operating system software across multiple subsystems on SoCs. This role involves designing, implementing, and maintaining RTOS and low-level system software components while resolving complex issues regarding performance, stability, and correctness. The engineer will drive feature design from definition through deployment, perform deep root-cause analysis using crash dumps and traces, and contribute to the Zephyr open-source community. Key technical requirements include proficiency in C/C++, assembly, and RTOS fundamentals like scheduling, interrupts, and memory management. The role focuses on QuRT OS for Hexagon DSP architectures and maintaining a scalable Zephyr codebase across various hardware platforms. Essential skills include using debuggers, profilers, and CI tools to ensure high-quality software for mobile, automotive, and IoT segments.

Skills

RTOS C C++ Assembly Zephyr RTOS QuRT OS FreeRTOS DSP SoC Jenkins GitHub Actions QEMU ISS ISO‑26262 ASPICE

What you'll do

Design, implement, and maintain RTOS and low-level system software components for multiple SoC subsystems.
Resolve complex system-level issues regarding performance, stability, and correctness through deep root-cause analysis of logs and traces.
Lead feature development from initial problem definition through to final deployment and documentation.
Drive enhancements to the QuRT OS to expose full capabilities of the Hexagon processor architecture.
Manage Zephyr RTOS bring-up on new chips and contribute code to the open-source community.
Improve CI, automation, and test infrastructure to scale development and validation across products.
Influence technical direction by participating in design and code reviews to establish engineering standards.

What we're looking for

Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
Master's degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
PhD in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
6+ years of experience for the Staff Embedded Software Engineer role.
At least 4 years of experience with a Bachelor's, 3 years with a Master's, or 2 years with a PhD.
At least 2 years of experience with high-performance microprocessor design.
Strong hands-on experience with RTOS concepts and low-level system software in C/C++.
Experience debugging complex system issues using logs, traces, crash dumps, and hardware debuggers.

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