Q

Qualcomm

Designs mobile chips and licenses wireless patents

Principal Software Engineer – AI Software Automotive Lead - Machine Learning Engineering

Full-TimeUpdated on 10/23/2026
$223.6k - $335.4k+ Annual discretionary bonus + Annual RSU grants
Senior, Expert
Bachelor's, Master's, PhD
San Diego, CA, USA
In Person
AI & Machine LearningApplied Machine Learning
Company Historically Provides H1B Sponsorship

About the job

Requirements
  • A Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or a related field and 8 or more years of Hardware Engineering, Software Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related work experience; or a Master's degree in those fields and 7 or more years of related work experience; or a PhD in those fields and 6 or more years of related work experience.
  • 15 or more years of industry experience in software engineering, embedded systems, AI/ML software, or automotive software development is preferred.
  • Expert-level proficiency in C and C++ software development is preferred.
  • Strong software architecture and design skills, including distributed systems, embedded software, performance optimization, debugging, testing, and software lifecycle management, are preferred.
  • Demonstrated experience leading large technical initiatives spanning multiple teams and organizations is preferred.
  • Experience interfacing directly with customers and translating customer requirements into engineering deliverables is preferred.
  • Strong understanding of embedded and systems software development environments is preferred.
  • Experience in automotive software platforms, including QNX, Android Automotive, Linux, or AUTOSAR-based environments, is preferred.
  • Experience delivering software for automotive production programs with OEMs or Tier-1 suppliers is preferred.
  • Familiarity with automotive safety and quality standards, including ISO 26262, ASPICE, automotive cybersecurity standards (ISO/SAE 21434), and functional safety development processes, is preferred.
  • Experience with AI/ML frameworks such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, ONNX, JAX, or equivalent is preferred.
  • Experience deploying and optimizing CNNs, transformers, vision-language models, large language models, and multimodal models is preferred.
  • Experience with edge AI inference acceleration and heterogeneous compute architectures, including CPUs, GPUs, NPUs, DSPs, and AI accelerators, is preferred.
  • Experience with Qualcomm AI technologies, including QAIRT, QNN, SNPE, Genie, and related AI software components, is preferred.
  • Experience debugging complex issues spanning application software, middleware, operating systems, drivers, compilers, and hardware platforms is preferred.
  • Experience with model optimization techniques, including quantization, compression, pruning, compilation, and runtime optimization, is preferred.
  • Experience leading globally distributed engineering teams and cross-functional programs is preferred.
  • Experience with Agile software development methodologies and Git-based source control management is preferred.
  • Software development experience in Python is preferred.
  • AI-native and agentic software development proficiency is preferred.
Responsibilities
  • Serve as the primary AI Software technical lead interfacing with the Automotive Business Unit, automotive OEMs, Tier-1 suppliers, and strategic customers.
  • Represent Qualcomm in customer discussions, technical deep dives, architecture reviews, and issue resolution efforts related to AI software technologies and automotive deployments.
  • Lead or coordinate the design, development, integration, and delivery of AI software features required for Qualcomm Automotive platforms and products.
  • Translate customer requirements and market needs into technical requirements, architecture proposals, feature roadmaps, and engineering execution plans.
  • Contribute to enhancements across the Qualcomm AI Stack, including model preparation, optimization, runtime, inference, tooling, and developer workflows to support automotive use cases.
  • Identify and resolve limitations within the AI software stack and collaborate across teams to deliver scalable, production-ready solutions.
  • Lead cross-functional efforts involving AI Software, Automotive Engineering, Program Management, Product Management, Systems Engineering, and Platform Software teams.
  • Provide technical leadership for deployment of advanced AI workloads on automotive platform environments, including computer vision, perception systems, driver monitoring, voice assistants, large language models, multimodal AI applications, and generative AI services.
  • Drive architectural decisions affecting multiple products, software releases, and automotive customer programs.
  • Participate in strategic planning and long-term roadmap development for AI software technologies within Qualcomm Automotive solutions.
  • Ensure solutions satisfy automotive requirements related to performance, reliability, maintainability, security, and safety.
  • Mentor engineers across the organization and provide technical guidance for complex architecture, optimization, debugging, and customer deployment challenges.
  • Stay current with advances in artificial intelligence, machine learning, automotive systems, and industry standards to continuously improve Qualcomm's AI software offerings.
Desired Qualifications
  • Strong communication, presentation, and technical leadership skills.
  • Ability to influence technical direction and build consensus across multiple organizations.
  • Ability to make technical and business decisions in ambiguous environments with incomplete information.

About the company

Q

Qualcomm

View
cbWebsite

Qualcomm designs the Snapdragon processors and modems inside many Android phones, and it licenses its wireless patents to device makers around the world. It helped commercialize CDMA, the cellular technology behind 3G networks, and its patents cover core parts of the 4G and 5G standards that phones use to connect. The company does not run its own chip factories; contract foundries make its chips, which it sells to makers of phones, PCs, cars, and connected devices. Device makers also pay Qualcomm royalties for using its patented technology, which forms a second business alongside chip sales. Qualcomm was founded in 1985 and is based in San Diego, California.

Company Size

10,001+

Company Stage

IPO

Headquarters

San Diego, California

Founded

1985

Get referred to Qualcomm

See people who can refer or advise you

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Cars are a second engine: automotive chip revenue rose 61% to $1.59 billion in the June 2026 quarter.
  • Pays for learning: Qualcomm funds tuition assistance and apprenticeships and sells staff discounted shares through a stock purchase plan.
  • Profits support stability: Qualcomm earned $2.21 non-GAAP per share in the June 2026 quarter despite a 4% sales dip.

What critics are saying

  • Apple is walking away: Qualcomm expects Apple revenue to fall about 50% from the September to December 2026 quarter.
  • Data-center deals start thin: in July 2026, management said custom chips will cut chip gross margin 1.5 to 2 points.
  • Cuts keep trickling: Qualcomm filed WARN notices in April 2026 covering 144 layoffs, including 68 in San Diego.

What makes Qualcomm unique

  • Phones are only part of it: handsets were $5.09 billion of $8.50 billion chip revenue in fiscal Q3 2026.
  • Cloud giants buy its custom chips: two hyperscaler design wins start producing revenue in the December 2026 quarter.
  • It owns an AI software layer: Qualcomm completed its Modular acquisition in July 2026 for open generative AI software.

Help us improve and share your feedback! Did you find this helpful?

Benefits

  • Premium-free health coverage
  • Onsite health & fitness centers
  • Retirement programs
  • Disability & life insurance programs
  • Tuition reimbursement
  • Product discounts
  • Flexible time off
  • Parental leave

Growth & Insights and Company News

6 month growth

3%

1 year growth

1%

2 year growth

0%
Yahoo Finance
Oct 23rd, 2026
Qualcomm targets $15B data center sales by fiscal 2029 as handset revenue falls

Qualcomm is entering the data center chip market, with first revenue expected in the December quarter. The company says it has secured two custom chip customers, both global-scale hyperscalers, holds purchase orders from both, and has started making the wafers. Management targets data center revenue of $5 billion in fiscal 2027 and $15 billion in fiscal 2029. These are targets, not results. It closed its acquisition of Modular Inc. on July 29, 2026, to add data center software. The stock returned 4.5% over the past year, against 15.1% for the S&P 500. Revenue fell 4.0% in fiscal Q3 2026, and gross margin dropped to 53.1% from 55.6% a year earlier, as higher memory prices weighed.

CNBC
Oct 23rd, 2026
Indonesia's wealth fund steps in as stocks slide; Qualcomm plans layoffs, Lindt CEO exits

Indonesian stocks saw another round of panic selling this week after reports that index provider MSCI is considering downgrading the country's market status. Danantara, Indonesia's sovereign wealth fund, stepped in to stabilise the market. Its chief executive officer, Rosan Perkasa Roeslani, has called sharp pullbacks long-term buying opportunities. Qualcomm plans a new round of global layoffs, with figures undisclosed. Chief executive officer Cristiano Amon said in an internal memo that the cuts aim to build a stronger performance culture. Its shares have lagged the broader market this year. Lindt chief executive officer Adalbert Lechner stepped down on Monday after nearly 33 years at the company. His predecessor returns on an interim basis. Lindt raised prices about 16% in the first half to offset higher cocoa costs, then cut its full-year guidance twice as consumers pulled back.

CNBC
Oct 21st, 2026
Tokenized stock trading surges overseas to $11.31B on Robinhood Chain as Goldman, Microsoft object in US

Tokenized stock trading is growing overseas while major US companies resist it at home, according to Bitwise Asset Management's latest quarterly report. On Robinhood Chain, tokenized stock volume rose from $526 million in July to $2.21 billion in August, then to $11.31 billion in September. Tokenized equities were also the fastest-growing category on Solana. Goldman Sachs, Microsoft, Qualcomm, Caterpillar, McDonald's, Western Digital, and Alphabet have objected to tokenized versions of their shares trading on OKXICE, a venue launched by crypto exchange OKX and Intercontinental Exchange. Sixteen companies have now objected. The US Securities and Exchange Commission's innovation exemption lets companies opt out. OKXICE co-chairman Andrew Cuomo said many companies would "wait and see" before taking part.

SammyFans
Oct 21st, 2026
Qualcomm buys RISC-V startup Akeana, a Samsung foundry partner, to boost AI chip push

Qualcomm has acquired Akeana, a US semiconductor startup that designs processors using the open-source RISC-V architecture. The deal will help Qualcomm expand in AI and data centres. Financial terms were not disclosed. Akeana's founder and chief executive officer, Rabin Sugumar, confirmed the news on LinkedIn. Its team will join Qualcomm, and Sugumar becomes vice president of engineering. Founded in 2021 by former Marvell server chip engineers, Akeana raised more than $100 million in August 2024 from investors including Kleiner Perkins, Mayfield, and Fidelity. It also worked with Samsung Foundry on server chips built on a 4-nanometre process. In December 2025, they completed the design of a test chip called Alpine.

CNBC
Oct 20th, 2026
Qualcomm to cut jobs globally in performance-focused layoffs, with notices starting in November

Qualcomm will cut jobs worldwide in a "performance-focused reduction" after its annual employee reviews, chief executive officer Cristiano Amon told staff in a Monday memo seen by Reuters. Notifications begin in November. Amon said the cuts aim to build "a stronger performance culture" and address cases where the company "has consistently fallen short of expectations." The memo did not say how many jobs would go. Qualcomm had about 52,000 employees as of September last year. The smartphone chipmaker has been hit this year by weak consumer electronics sales, as rising memory prices dampen demand. Its shares have gained 1.5% in 2026. Qualcomm expects most chip sales in fiscal 2027 to come from non-smartphone businesses, including AI data centres.