Sr. Staff Engineer, Device Drivers

General Summary

This position can be in Santa Clara, San Diego, Boulder, Raleigh, or Austin. We are hiring a hands‑on systems software engineer to design, maintain, and improve Linux tools and services used on hosts equipped with our PCIe-based accelerator devices.

You cross over between userspace and the Linux kernel—or even QNX—when given the chance. You relish the opportunity to work on the kernel even if you have mostly worked in userspace. You are excited to work on accelerator products for video, AI and whatever else comes along. You deliver software that is reliable and a joy to use.

• Design, implement, and maintain Linux services and tools in modern C or Rust.
• Integrate with IPC/RPC techniques such as TCP/IP, Unix domain sockets and messaging libraries.
• Build CLI tools that are user‑friendly, have built‑in help, are intuitive and don’t crash.
• Serialize and deserialize to formats (JSON, binary, etc.) to integrate with other endpoints.
• Create shared libraries that export user‑friendly APIs for developers using our products.
• Use containers where it makes sense, for example, to standardize builds, and manage dependencies.
• Use a rich ecosystem of AI tools to turbo‑boost your development.
• Use a variety of Linux distributions.
• Create packages (DEB/RPM).
• Document plentifully.

• Linux software development experience using modern C and/or Rust.
• Familiarity with CMake, make, gcc or clang, gdb, valgrind, and git.
• Practical experience writing TCP/IP socket programs.
• CLI tool development with a user‑first mindset.

• Knowledge of video application pipelines and GStreamer, FFmpeg, V4L2, or OpenCV.
• Knowledge of TCP/IP (IPv4/IPv6, TCP, UDP, TUN/TAP, veth, bridging).
• Knowledge of Linux system management (users, disks, networks).
• Experience with PCIe and host‑device concepts.
• Interest in Linux kernel development or QNX.
• Exposure to AI accelerator software stacks.
• Understanding of DMA, DMABUF, and IOMMU.
• Experience flashing firmware.
• Python or bash scripting.

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 6+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience.

OR Master’s degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 5+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience.

OR PhD in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 4+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience.

3+ years of work experience with Programming Language such as C, C++, Java, Python, etc.

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.

$ – $. 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. Salary is only one component of total compensation  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.

If you would like more information about this role, please contact Qualcomm Careers.