Staff Software Engineer - Linux

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. As a Qualcomm Software Engineer, you will design, develop, create, modify, and validate embedded and cloud edge software, applications, and/or specialized utility programs that launch cutting-edge, world class products that meet and exceed customer needs. Qualcomm Software Engineers collaborate with systems, hardware, architecture, test engineers, and other teams to design system-level software solutions and obtain information on performance requirements and interfaces.

Drive Linux platform enablement for Qualcomm’s next-generation SoCs. Join the Linux Platform team to architect, build, and optimize Linux distribution support and infrastructure that empowers internal developers, validation, and product teams.

This role focuses on upstream-oriented Linux platform enablement, including image generation, packaging, integration, and CI/CD automation across major Linux distributions (Debian/Ubuntu, RHEL/Fedora). The position bridges silicon and firmware enablement with modern open-source distribution standards, supporting compute, server, embedded, and IoT platforms.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in engineering, Computer Science, or related field.
• Strong foundation in computer science and system-level software engineering.
• Advanced Linux experience with the ability to debug complex issues spanning kernel, boot, and userspace.
• Proficiency in Bash and Python for automation and tooling; working knowledge of C/C++.
• Demonstrated ability to operate autonomously in ambiguous, fast-evolving technical environments.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to collaborate across hardware, firmware, and software teams.
• Proven problem-solving abilities with systems-level thinking.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Deep, hands-on experience with one or more major Linux distributions (RHEL/Fedora, Ubuntu/Debian), including image creation, packaging, update mechanisms, and integration workflows.
• Strong experience with Git and GitHub-based development workflows, including CI/CD system design and maintenance (e.g., GitHub Actions, Jenkins).
• Practical knowledge of Linux packaging ecosystems (RPM and/or Debian), including policy, dependency management, and reproducibility.
• Solid understanding of Linux platform enablement and boot flows (UEFI, edk2, ACPI, GRUB, kconfig).
• Experience contributing to upstream Linux kernel or userspace projects.
• Familiarity with Linux desktop environments and developer-facing workflows.
• Experience with virtualization and container technologies (QEMU, KVM, Docker; Kubernetes a plus).

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.