Senior Staff Embedded Software Engineer, Automotive Platforms

Qualcomm

Confirmed live today High trust

Quick summary

Work type: On-site
Location: San Diego, CA
Salary: $169,800–$254,600 / yr
Posted: 4 days ago
Freshness: Confirmed live today
Closes: Mar 22, 2027
Nearby: 99+ roles within 25 mi

Market check

Salary context

Above market

How this pay compares to similar roles

Similar $189k

This role $212k

$139k most similar roles pay here $267k

This role pays more than 68% of similar roles. Most pay $151,500–$225,800 — the shaded band above. At the midpoint, this role pays about $212k versus about $189k 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 590 open roles on FindRole.

Listed pay typically runs $155,400–$233,200 across 568 roles with salary data.

Most-posted roles

View all roles at Qualcomm

At a glance

TL;DR · Senior Staff Embedded Software Engineer, Automotive Platforms

Role Posting Log in to save

The Sr. Staff Embedded Software Engineer – Automotive Platforms joins the Automotive Platform Systems team to develop bare-metal firmware and low-level device drivers for Qualcomm automotive chipsets. This role involves performing early hardware bring-up, debugging new boards, and implementing test firmware for platform validation and factory enablement. The engineer will collaborate with silicon and systems teams to resolve integration issues across hardware and software boundaries. Key technical requirements include proficiency in C, C++, Java, or Python, along with expertise in ARM or RISC-V architectures. Candidates must be skilled with tools like Lauterbach Trace32, JTAG debuggers, oscilloscopes, and multimeters while navigating protocols such as SPI, I2C, PCIe, and CAN. The work focuses on the automotive domain, specifically supporting Snapdragon Cockpit In-Vehicle Infotainment and Ride Advanced Driver Assistance Systems applications through robust hardware/software interface development.

What does a Embedded Software Engineer earn?

Median $151500 from 71 postings across 16 companies.

See salary data

Skills

C C++ Python Java Assembly Embedded Systems Firmware Device Drivers bare‑metal ARM RISC‑V JTAG Lauterbach Trace32 Perforce SPI I2C I3C I2S PCIe UART CAN Ethernet Oscilloscopes

What you'll do

Develop and maintain bare-metal firmware and low-level device drivers for automotive reference platforms.
Perform early hardware bring-up and debug of new boards and chipsets across hardware and firmware boundaries.
Implement and extend test firmware used for platform validation, manufacturing tests, and factory enablement.
Analyze system failures using schematics, register traces, logic analyzer data, and lab instrumentation.
Resolve hardware/software integration issues by collaborating with silicon, systems, and hardware design teams.
Adapt software to support multiple platforms and various hardware configurations.
Mentor junior engineers on embedded software development, debugging techniques, and platform bring-up.
Research and develop new test methods and capabilities for automotive technologies.

What we're looking for

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/CS with 6+ years experience, Master's with 5+ years, or PhD with 4+ years of software engineering experience.
3+ years of work experience with programming languages such as C, C++, Java, or Python.
Expertise in device driver and bare-metal software development, including register-level programming and hardware bring-up.
Knowledge of hardware interfaces like SPI, USB, I2C/I3C, I2S, PCIe, UART, RAM, UFS, DP, MIPI CSI/DSI, CAN, and Ethernet.
Experience with debug tools such as Lauterbach Trace32 and JTAG-based debuggers.
Ability to interpret datasheets, hardware design documents, schematics, and CCA drawings.
10+ years of experience in embedded systems development, device drivers, or firmware development (preferred).
10+ years of programming experience using C, C++, Python, Assembly, or similar (preferred).

Similar roles

Staff Embedded Software Engineer, Automotive Platforms

Qualcomm

San Diego, CA 4 days ago $141,300–$211,900

C C++ Python Java Assembly Embedded Systems Firmware Device Drivers bare‑metal ARM RISC‑V JTAG Lauterbach Trace32 Perforce SPI I2C I3C I2S PCIe UART UFS CAN Ethernet Oscilloscope Logic Analyzer

4+ yrs exp

Save

Senior Embedded Software Engineer

Anduril Industries

Costa Mesa, CA 26 days ago $191,000–$253,000

C++ Rust Embedded Linux ARM Python RTOS Firmware Device Drivers SPI I2C UART PCIe Ethernet JESD204 CMake GDB Valgrind Nix CI/CD Signal Processing

Save

IoT Software Engineer

Qualcomm

San Diego, CA 10 days ago $141,300–$211,900

C C++ Python Assembly Firmware Device Drivers bare‑metal ARM RISC‑V JTAG Lauterbach Trace32 Perforce I2C I3C SPI UART PCIe USB MIPI UFS NVMe

4+ yrs exp

Save

System Level Test Engineer, Staff

Qualcomm

San Diego, CA 10 days ago $141,300–$211,900

Android SoC C++ Python C# .NET Linux Windows JTAG Lauterbach Trace32 Git Perforce FPGA Oscilloscopes Wireless Network Simulators Silicon Bring-up

8+ yrs exp

Save

Embedded Software Engineer, Device Driver Development

Qualcomm

San Diego, CA 10 days ago $99,500–$149,300

C Python Embedded Software Git Perforce Source Code Management Lauterbach Trace32 JTAG ARM Architecture Device Driver Development IoT Power Management Unit Testing

1+ yrs exp

Save

Staff Embedded Software Engineer

Abbott

Alameda, CA 95 days ago $114,000–$228,000

C C++ C# Python Embedded Systems Firmware Source Control Management Microprocessor Architecture Bluetooth Low-Energy RF WiFi UML SysML Model-Based Design ISO13485 FDA 510k

8+ yrs exp

Save