Lead Roboticist Systems Integration and Test Engineer - Advanced Robotics Team

Technical Lead For Robotics Lab

The Qualcomm Advanced Robotics Team is building the platform for next-generation robots—from AMRs and cobots to emerging humanoids. We combine heterogeneous compute (CPU/GPU/DSP/NPU) with a full robotics software stack for perception, planning, control, and fleet workflows. Our focus is on turning advances in AI, compute, and connectivity into real, working robotic systems.

We are building a new robotics lab and are looking for a technical lead to drive system integration and deployment of AI-powered robotic platforms. This role focuses on owning the integration and validation of complete robot systems. You will lead efforts to take AI models, software components, and hardware platforms—and bring them together into reliable, end-to-end robotic applications. You will set direction for how systems are brought up, tested, and validated, while also being hands-on in the lab working directly with robots.

This role sits at the intersection of robotics, AI, and systems engineering, with a strong focus on making full systems work in real-world conditions.

Technical Leadership & Ownership

• Lead system integration efforts across multiple robotic platforms
• Define integration, testing, and validation strategies for robotics systems
• Drive best practices for system bring-up, debugging, and reliability
• Own overall system behavior and performance in the lab

System Integration & Deployment

• Integrate perception, planning, control, and AI models into complete robot applications
• Deploy advanced AI models (perception, VLA, reasoning) onto robotic hardware
• Rapid prototyping to facilitate quick bring-up of systems, including 3D printing, interfacing with mechanical and electrical teams, calibration, cabling and electronics assembly.
• Debugging skills including power budgeting, ability to distinguish hardware from software issues, system identification, cabling/sensor/actuator debugging
• Translate Qualcomm technologies (Dragonwing, AI Engine, compute, Wi-Fi, 5G) into working systems

System Bring-Up & Robot Ownership

• Lead bring-up of new robot platforms (hardware + software)
• Oversee configuration, maintenance, and readiness of lab robots
• Ensure robots are stable, repeatable, and usable for development and demos

Testing & Validation

• Define and execute system-level testing strategies (functional, integration, reliability)
• Establish validation processes to ensure end-to-end functionality
• Setup, maintenance and operation of high-quality calibration for and high-performance measurement systems
• Drive identification and resolution of system-level failures

Debugging & Problem Solving

• Lead debugging of complex cross-disciplinary issues (software, hardware, AI, control)
• Guide teams in isolating and resolving integration bottlenecks
• Ensure issues are addressed at root cause, not just symptoms

Collaboration & Execution

• Work closely with AI, hardware, and platform teams to integrate new capabilities
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to engineers working on system integration
• Drive alignment between research, development, and deployment

Demo & Lab Readiness

• Ensure robots are reliable and polished for internal and external demonstrations
• Oversee demo readiness, including repeatability and performance consistency

Why Qualcomm

• Lead the development of a new robotics lab and define how systems are built and tested
• Work on real robotic platforms, not just simulations
• Own system-level outcomes and see integrated systems come to life
• Operate across AI, hardware, and robotics domains
• Influence how advanced AI is deployed onto physical systems

Minimum Qualifications:

• 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.

Preferred Qualifications:

• BS/MS in…