📍 Job Overview

• Job Title: Staff Systems Performance Engineer
• Company: Qualcomm
• Location: San Diego, California, United States
• Job Type: On-site
• Category: Systems Performance Engineering
• Date Posted: July 29, 2025
• Experience Level: 5-10 years

🚀 Role Summary

• Key Responsibilities: Optimize performance, power, and thermal KPIs for Qualcomm products across diverse industrial form factors and business units.
• Key Technologies: Power, Performance, and Thermal Systems Engineering, SoC Design, Chipset Development, ARM Architecture, Python, C/C++.
• Industry Context: Qualcomm is a leading technology innovator pushing the boundaries of what's possible to enable next-generation experiences and drive digital transformation.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is part of Qualcomm's System Performance Team, responsible for validating and optimizing performance for Qualcomm Snapdragon Chipsets across all business units. The successful candidate will collaborate with various teams to drive analysis and modeling towards implementation to achieve industry-leading performance, power, and thermal KPI targets for SoCs and Chipsets.

💻 Primary Responsibilities

• Performance Analysis: Research, architect, design, develop, and validate SoC, Chipset, and system-level performance, power, thermal, and limits models to estimate and optimize product-defining KPIs for diverse industrial form factors targeting products across Mobile, Compute, XR, Cloud AI, Infrastructure, Automotive, CSS, and IOT BU roadmaps.
• Collaboration: Collaborate cross-functionally to drive industry-leading architecture and implementation to achieve power, performance, and thermal KPI targets for products on the roadmap.
• Model Development: Develop and deploy models, methodologies, and tools to profile, estimate, optimize, and validate use cases and data flows.
• KPI Correlation: Correlate power, performance, thermal KPI targets for product-defining use cases and benchmarks from product definition through commercialization.
• System Optimization: Provide optimal system-level recommendations for QoS, BW voting, and other power, thermal, and limits management attributes and policies to internal development teams.
• Problem Triage: Evaluate and optimize system-level performance, power, and thermal metrics across the silicon distribution. Drive triage of complex problems at the system level to determine root cause in RUMI and silicon platforms internally, and on customer platforms.
• Documentation: Write complex technical documentation for projects and contribute to design reviews and project meetings.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary responsibilities of this role involve a deep understanding of power, performance, and thermal systems engineering, as well as proficiency in relevant programming languages and tools. The successful candidate will be able to work independently and collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams to achieve industry-leading performance targets for Qualcomm products.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Master's degree in Computer Engineering or Electrical Engineering.

Experience: At least 5 years of practical post-silicon experience in power and performance analysis of complex SoCs.

Required Skills:

• Strong programming and scripting skills in Python, C, and C++.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills.
• Self-starter and able to work independently.
• Understanding of memory hierarchy, system interconnects, and computer hardware architecture.
• Knowledge of ARM SoC concepts and architecture specifications like SMMU, GIC, Coresight-PMU, and various bus interface protocols.
• Understanding of ARM v8 and v9 specifications.
• Knowledge of industry power and performance benchmarks, system interaction and dependencies, and system power/performance analysis tools and techniques.
• Familiarity with SW power management stacks and scheduler behavior.

Preferred Skills:

• Knowledge of computer hardware and architecture understanding.

📝 Enhancement Note: The required and preferred skills for this role emphasize proficiency in programming languages, system-level analysis, and collaboration. The successful candidate will have a strong foundation in power, performance, and thermal systems engineering, as well as relevant industry benchmarks and tools.

📊 Web Portfolio & Project Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrate proficiency in power, performance, and thermal systems engineering through relevant projects and case studies.
• Showcase experience in profiling, analyzing, and optimizing performance, power, and thermal KPIs for complex SoCs.
• Highlight collaboration skills through examples of cross-functional teamwork and stakeholder management.

Technical Documentation:

• Provide detailed technical documentation for projects, including code quality, commenting, and documentation standards.
• Demonstrate understanding of version control, deployment processes, and server configuration through relevant project documentation.
• Showcase knowledge of testing methodologies, performance metrics, and optimization techniques through project case studies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio and project requirements for this role focus on demonstrating proficiency in power, performance, and thermal systems engineering, as well as strong collaboration and documentation skills. The successful candidate will provide detailed technical documentation and case studies that showcase their ability to optimize performance, power, and thermal KPIs for complex SoCs.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $148,300 - $222,500 USD per year.

Benefits:

• Annual Discretionary Bonus
• Opportunity for annual RSU grants (employees on sales-incentive plans are not eligible for the annual bonus)
• Competitive benefits package designed to support work, home, and play

Working Hours: 40 hours per week, with flexibility for deployment windows, maintenance, and project deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range and benefits for this role reflect the competitive nature of the position within the systems performance engineering field. The successful candidate can expect a comprehensive benefits package that supports their professional and personal growth.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Semiconductor and Electronics Manufacturing.

Company Size: Large (over 10,000 employees).

Founded: 1985.

Team Structure:

• The System Performance Team is responsible for validating and optimizing performance for Qualcomm Snapdragon Chipsets across all business units.
• The team collaborates with various departments, including IP, Design, Verification, Process, SW, Product Management, and more.
• The team works with diverse job families, such as Modem, Multimedia, CPU, GPU, NSP, DSP, RF, PMIC, and others.

Development Methodology:

• Qualcomm follows Agile methodologies for product development, with a focus on cross-functional collaboration and continuous improvement.
• The company emphasizes code reviews, testing, and quality assurance practices to ensure high-quality products.

Company Website: Qualcomm

📝 Enhancement Note: Qualcomm's company culture emphasizes cross-functional collaboration, continuous improvement, and high-quality products. The successful candidate will thrive in a dynamic, innovative environment that pushes the boundaries of technology to enable next-generation experiences.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Web Technology Career Level: Senior Systems Performance Engineer, responsible for driving industry-leading performance, power, and thermal KPI targets for Qualcomm products across diverse business units.

Reporting Structure: The successful candidate will report to the Systems Performance Team Lead and collaborate with various teams, including IP, Design, Verification, Process, SW, and Product Management.

Technical Impact: This role has a significant impact on Qualcomm products' performance, power, and thermal KPIs, contributing to the company's overall success in the semiconductor and electronics manufacturing industry.

Growth Opportunities:

• Technical Specialization: Deepen expertise in power, performance, and thermal systems engineering, as well as relevant programming languages and tools.
• Technical Leadership: Develop leadership skills through mentoring, team management, and architecture decision-making.
• Emerging Technologies: Stay up-to-date with industry trends and emerging technologies to drive innovation in Qualcomm products.

📝 Enhancement Note: The career growth opportunities for this role focus on technical specialization, leadership development, and staying current with emerging technologies. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to make a significant impact on Qualcomm products and drive innovation in the semiconductor and electronics manufacturing industry.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: On-site, with a focus on collaboration and cross-functional teamwork.

Office Location(s): San Diego, California, United States.

Workspace Context:

• Collaboration: The work environment emphasizes collaboration, with multiple monitors, testing devices, and development tools available to support cross-functional teamwork.
• Development Tools: Qualcomm provides development tools, including version control systems, CI/CD pipelines, and server management tools, to support the successful candidate's work.
• Technical Mentoring: The company offers technical mentoring and knowledge-sharing opportunities to support the professional growth of its employees.

Work Schedule: The work schedule is flexible, with a focus on meeting project deadlines and maintaining system performance, power, and thermal KPIs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The work environment for this role emphasizes collaboration, cross-functional teamwork, and technical mentoring. The successful candidate will have access to development tools, multiple monitors, and testing devices to support their work and contribute to the company's overall success.

📄 Application & Technical Interview Process

Interview Process:

1. Technical Preparation: Review relevant technical concepts, including power, performance, and thermal systems engineering, ARM architecture, and programming languages like Python, C, and C++.
2. Technical Assessment: Participate in a technical assessment focused on profiling, analyzing, and optimizing performance, power, and thermal KPIs for complex SoCs.
3. Behavioral Assessment: Demonstrate strong communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills through behavioral questions and case studies.
4. Final Evaluation: Showcase your understanding of industry trends, emerging technologies, and Qualcomm's product roadmap during the final evaluation.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight relevant projects and case studies that demonstrate your proficiency in power, performance, and thermal systems engineering.
• Emphasize your ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams and manage stakeholder expectations.
• Showcase your technical documentation skills and provide detailed, well-structured project case studies.

Technical Challenge Preparation:

• Brush up on relevant technical concepts, including power, performance, and thermal systems engineering, ARM architecture, and programming languages like Python, C, and C++.
• Practice profiling, analyzing, and optimizing performance, power, and thermal KPIs for complex SoCs using relevant tools and methodologies.
• Prepare for behavioral questions and case studies that assess your communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for this role focuses on assessing the candidate's technical proficiency in power, performance, and thermal systems engineering, as well as their ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams. The successful candidate will demonstrate a strong understanding of relevant technical concepts and showcase their ability to optimize performance, power, and thermal KPIs for complex SoCs.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Staff Systems Performance Engineer position:

1. Submit your application through the Qualcomm Careers website.
2. Customize your resume to highlight relevant project experience, technical skills, and portfolio examples that demonstrate your proficiency in power, performance, and thermal systems engineering.
3. Prepare for the technical assessment and behavioral interview by reviewing relevant technical concepts and practicing case studies that focus on profiling, analyzing, and optimizing performance, power, and thermal KPIs for complex SoCs.
4. Research Qualcomm's product roadmap, company culture, and industry trends to showcase your understanding of the company and its goals during the final evaluation.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and web technology industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.