Staff Software Engineer (Mobile Android)
Qualcomm· Semiconductors· Oct 6, 2026 · 22d ago
San Diego, California, United States of America
In office
Full-time
Staff
$167K–$235K est.
4+ years exp
Job description
Company:
Qualcomm Innovation Center, Inc.
Job Area:
Engineering Group, Engineering Group > Software Engineering
General Summary:
As a leading technology innovator, Qualcomm pushes the boundaries of what's possible to enable next-generation experiences and drives digital transformation to help create a smarter, connected future for all. We provide the Core OS and Platform for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and developers to build compelling mobile computing devices (smartphones, tablets etc.) that run the best apps/services for everyone in the world.
For this role we are seeking a talented and motivated Software Engineer with expertise in operating systems, frameworks, and platform. The candidate will have opportunities to define and lead feature development and commercialization of new features across the Android Stack, Core Platform and SDKs.
Minimum Qualifications:
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 4+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience.
OR
Master's degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 3+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience.
OR
PhD in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 2+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience.
• 2+ years of work experience with Programming Language such as C, C++, Java, Python, etc.
Desired Qualifications:
• 7+ years of experience or proven expertise in using a modern multi-paradigm language like C++, Java or Rust to ship software at scale
• Strong understanding of data structures and algorithms and Object-Oriented Programming
• Prior leadership experience involving decision making where outcomes impacted multiple teams
• Solid understanding of Operating System Concepts, Concurrency, and Interfaces
• Familiarity with ARM processors, Mobile SoC architecture - subsystems, hypervisor/virtualization, security, memory
• Excellent Debugging skills and familiarity with performance monitoring techniques and mobile memory management
• Strong proficiency in using git for S/W development. Familiarity with release engineering, CI/CD environments
An ideal candidate would be versatile, display leadership qualities and be enthusiastic to take on new problems across the full Android stack as we continue to push technology and the core platform forward.
Preferred Qualifications:
• 7+ years/extensive experience working with operating systems like embedded Linux and/or Android is preferred
• Experience driving change within an organization and leading complex technical projects
• Any prior experience with Android OS, SDK/NDK and architecture (HALs, Security and Treble) is a huge plus
• In depth expertise with modern languages like C++14 or newer OR Rust is a plus
• Exposure to SDK development and API Design is a nice to have
• Prior Experience or Participation in Open-Source Projects and working with a standards body and or external partners is a plus
Principal Duties and Responsibilities
• Leverages advanced Software engineering knowledge and experience to design, develop and implement embedded/on-device software modules and systems
• Leads complex technical and/or product efforts involving many engineers
• Analyzes user needs, software requirements, and time and cost constraints to build and customize software for optimal operational efficiency
• Participates in and leads design, coding, unit testing, debugging, and integration efforts. Performs complex code reviews, triages and fixes issues to ensure the quality of code
• Collaborates with individuals outside the software function (e.g., Hardware, Systems, and Test engineers) to ensure solutions work with other components of a specific project
• Writes detailed technical documentation for complex Software projects
Level Of Responsibility
• Works independently with minimal supervision
• Provides technical guidance and mentorship to other team members
• Decision-making is significant in nature and affects work beyond immediate work group
• Requires verbal and written communication skills to convey information. May require basic negotiation, influence, tact, etc.
• Has a moderate amount of influence over key organizational decisions (e.g., is consulted by senior leadership to make key decisions)
• Tasks often require multiple steps which can be performed in various orders; extensive planning, problem-solving, and prioritization must occur to complete the tasks effectively
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 disability-accomodations@qualcomm.com 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 :
$141,300.00 - $211,900.00
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 .
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