Company
Qualcomm Communication Technologies Ltd.
Job Area
Engineering Group, Engineering Group > Software Applications 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.
As a Qualcomm Software Application Engineer, you will provide technical expertise of software systems through technical presentations in support of business development, product demonstrations, design and development of customer specific requirements, commercialization, and maintenance of Qualcomm products. Qualcomm Engineers collaborate with cross-functional teams and customers to address questions, issues, debugging, or troubleshooting regarding software systems and applications.
We are looking for a Senior Linux Boot / UEFI Software Customer Engineer to support and enable Linux boot on ARM‑based compute platforms. This role focuses on Linux‑first boot flows in UEFI‑based environments, working closely with OEM/ODM customers, BIOS vendors, and internal platform teams.
Responsibilities
- SoC Boot Flow Development
Familiar with SoC boot flow, including storage interfaces such as UFS and SPI NOR.
Debug boot-up issues across bootloader stages (e.g., XBL, ABL/U-Boot) and Linux kernel initialization.
Support customer Linux distributions during early hardware bring‑up, pre‑production validation, and customer escalations.
Analyze early‑boot failures using UART logs, earlyprintk, crash dumps, and platform debug traces.
Support OEM/ODM projects for hardware platform bring-up and Linux BSP integration.
Validate and tune hardware platforms to ensure successful Linux OS boot and peripheral functionality.
- Joint Debug & Issue Resolution
Collaborate with OEM/ODM teams to debug and resolve device boot-up and runtime issues on Linux.
Analyze and troubleshoot problems related to boot flow, device tree (DTS), and peripheral driver initialization.
- Linux Bootloader & Kernel Architecture
Work with U-Boot / ABL architecture for bootloader module development and maintenance.
Collaborate with OEM/ODM on Linux kernel drivers, device tree configuration, and platform bring-up.
Develop and maintain kernel modules and platform drivers (e.g., storage, display, power management).
- Performance & Reliability
Optimize boot time and system stability on Linux platforms.
Ensure firmware and kernel meet reliability requirements and collaborate with Pre-test Lab for validation.
Profile and tune system performance using Linux tools (e.g., ftrace, perf, bootchart).
Bachelor's degree or above in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related fields.
5+ years of experience in embedded systems or Linux BSP/kernel development, with hands-on board bring-up experience.
Proficient in C programming, Linux kernel development, and U-Boot framework.
Strong understanding of SoC architecture, Linux boot flow, and storage interfaces (UFS, SPI NOR).
Experience in board bring-up and validating basic features on SoC under Linux environment.
Excellent problem-solving and cross-team communication skills.
Good English reading and writing skills for technical discussion.
Familiarity with ARM64 architecture and ACPI/Device Tree on Linux.
Experience with Linux kernel debugging tools (e.g., kgdb, ftrace, dmesg, perf).
Experience with Yocto / OpenEmbedded or Android BSP build systems.
Previous collaboration experience with OEM/ODM projects on Linux platforms.
Familiarity with ARM SystemReady, FWTS, or platform compliance testing.
Experience supporting dual‑boot platforms (Linux + Windows).
Working knowledge of U‑Boot‑based Linux boot flows, including when and why they are used on specific platforms.
Prior experience collaborating with BIOS vendors (IBVs) or reviewing their firmware modifications.
Comfortable operating in fast‑paced, customer‑critical escalation environments.
Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 2+ years of Software Applications Engineering, Software Development experience, or related work experience. OR
Master's degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 1+ year of related work experience. OR
PhD in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field.
1+ year of experience with programming languages such as C, C++, Python, etc.
1+ year of experience with debugging techniques (kernel debugging, JTAG, serial console, etc.).
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 2+ years of Software Applications Engineering, Software Development experience, or related work experience.
OR
Master's degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 1+ year of Software Applications Engineering, Software Development experience, or related work experience.
OR
PhD in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field.
- 1+ year of any combination of academic and/or work experience with Programming Language such as C, C++, Java, Python, etc.
- 1+ year of any combination of academic and/or work experience with debugging techniques.
Preferred Qualifications
- Master's Degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field.
- 3+ years of Software Applications Engineering, Software Development experience, or related work experience.
- 1+ year of work experience in a role requiring interaction with leadership.
- Experience in a customer-facing role.
Principal Duties And Responsibilities
- Leverages Software Application knowledge to provide technical expertise of software systems through technical presentations in support of business development, customer training, product demonstrations, commercialization, customization, and maintenance of Qualcomm products.
- Collaborates with teams and customer personnel to identify customer problems, debug issues in customer design software systems, and recommend solutions.
- Drives system architecture and feature-specific customizations tailored for customer requirements from proof of concept to final product commercial launches.
- Assesses potential application of company products, prepares product specifications, disseminates technical information on specific software areas, and/or troubleshoots issues regarding software tools and products.
- Writes detailed product technical documentation, application notes, and FAQs.
Level Of Responsibility
- Works under supervision.
- Decision-making may affect 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.
- Tasks require multiple steps which can be performed in various orders; some planning, problem-solving, and prioritization must occur to complete the tasks effectively.
Applicants: 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 [Confidential Information] 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).
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