below marketmost similar roles pay hereabove market
This role pays less than
81%
of similar roles. Most pay
$159,687–$235,187
— the blue band above.
At the midpoint, this role pays about
$147k
versus about
$197k
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
575 open roles
on FindRole.
Listed pay typically runs
$147,900–$221,900
across 550 roles with salary data.
The Sr. System Software Engineer - Power joins the Systems Software Power team to optimize power efficiency for next-generation Snapdragon platforms. This role involves managing the full lifecycle of mobile SoC power consumption, including architecture design, modeling, measurement, and post-silicon debug. The engineer will develop deep expertise in power architectures and control loops while performing software trade-off analyses for schedulers, DVFS, and low-power modes. Key responsibilities include tuning firmware, Linux kernel, and system algorithms like bus/DDR scaling and SoC power state transitions. Candidates must utilize C, C++, Java, or Python to build power telemetry and automation infrastructure. The work requires a strong foundation in computer architecture, memory management, and embedded software development to solve complex power challenges across hardware and software boundaries.
What does a System Software Engineer earn in California?
Median $235750 from 70 postings across 4 companies.
Develop deep expertise in power architectures, control loops, and advanced low-power techniques across various use-cases.
Prototype and evaluate new power features using pre-silicon platforms and carry them through post-silicon validation.
Execute post-silicon power KPIs by performing root-cause debug, power walks, and systematic optimizations.
Perform software trade-off analyses for schedulers, DVFS, and low-power modes using rapid prototyping and trace-driven studies.
Tune or develop firmware, Linux kernel, and system algorithms to optimize SoC power state transitions.
Scale power debug and analysis infrastructure, including power telemetry, tooling, and AI-assisted workflows.
What we're looking for
Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 2+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience.
Master's degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 1+ year of Software Engineering or related work experience.
PhD in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field.
2+ years of academic or work experience with programming languages such as C, C++, Java, or Python.
Proven embedded software development expertise with hands-on experience in firmware and Linux kernel development.
Strong foundation in computer architecture, system design, memory management, and operating system fundamentals.
Solid understanding of electrical engineering and digital logic fundamentals (preferred).
Familiarity with low-power design principles and power-saving techniques (preferred).
C
C++
Python
Firmware
System Software
ARM
DVFS
Power Management
Computer Architecture
Operating Systems
Simulation
Emulation
Memory-Mapped IO
Interrupts
C
C++
Python
Firmware
Kernel Drivers
ARM
Power Management
Computer Architecture
Operating Systems
DVFS
Simulation
Emulation
Memory-Mapped IO
Interrupts