Hardware Design Engineer – Application Engineering, Staff

Company:

Qualcomm Canada ULC

Job Area:

Engineering Group, Engineering Group > Hardware 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 Hardware Engineer, you will plan, design, optimize, verify, and test electronic systems, bring-up yield, circuits, mechanical systems, Digital/Analog/RF/optical systems, equipment and packaging, test systems, FPGA, and/or DSP systems that launch cutting-edge, world class products. Qualcomm Hardware Engineers collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop solutions and meet performance requirements. New Position

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Electrical/Electronics Engineering, Engineering, or related field and 4+ years of Hardware Engineering or related work experience.
OR
Master's degree in Computer Science, Electrical/Electronics Engineering, Engineering, or related field and 3+ years of Hardware Engineering or related work experience.
OR
PhD in Computer Science, Electrical/Electronics Engineering, Engineering, or related field and 2+ years of Hardware Engineering or related work experience.

Principal System Engineer –Application Engineering

About the Role

We are seeking a highly motivated Principal System Engineer to join our Application Engineering team and drive the successful deployment of next-generation Optical DSP and Active Electrical Cable (AEC) solutions for AI and cloud infrastructure.

The ideal candidate possesses deep expertise in communication theory, high-speed link modeling, DSP algorithms, IEEE Ethernet standards, and correlation between simulations and laboratory measurements.

What You'll Do

System-Level Architecture, Modeling & Simulation

• Lead system-level modeling and simulation of high-speed PAM4 communication links across optical and electrical channels.
• Develop end-to-end link performance models including:
  • DSP transmitter and receiver architectures
  • Optical transmitters and receivers
  • Laser and photonic components
  • Electrical channels
  • Connectors and cable assemblies
• Evaluate next-generation Ethernet connectivity technologies for AI and cloud infrastructure applications.
• Generate and maintain IBIS-AMI and related customer-facing models for product evaluation and system design activities.
• Support customer simulations involving PCB channels, cables, connectors, packages, and optical links.
• Collaborate with silicon, package, and system design teams to improve model accuracy and usability.

IEEE Compliance & Industry Standards

• Serve as a subject matter expert for IEEE 802.3 Ethernet specifications and compliance methodologies.
• Develop simulation and measurement methodologies aligned with IEEE standards.
• Support product compliance activities for:
  • CEI interfaces
  • 100G/lane PAM4
  • 200G/lane PAM4
  • Future 400G/lane technologies
• Participate in interoperability activities and customer qualification efforts.

What You'll Need

• MS or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Applied Mathematics, Physics, Computer Engineering, or related field.
• 12+ years of experience in high-speed communications, optical networking, DSP, SerDes, or related technologies.
• Deep expertise in system-level modeling and simulation of high-speed communication systems.
• Strong understanding of optical communication systems and Ethernet interconnect technologies.
• Expert knowledge of linear and nonlinear communication system theory.
• Expert knowledge of PAM4 signaling and DSP-based communication systems.
• Extensive experience developing models for electrical and optical components.
• Strong understanding of IEEE 802.3 Ethernet standards and compliance methodologies.
• Advanced MATLAB and/or Python programming skills for algorithm development, simulation, and automation.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with laboratory correlation of simulation and hardware measurements.
• Knowledge of optical transceiver architectures and components:
• Familiarity with IEEE COM (Channel Operating Margin) methodology and simulation flows.
• Experience supporting hyperscale cloud and AI infrastructure customers.

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 disability-accomodations@qualcomm.com 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).

Qualcomm expects its employees to abide by all applicable policies and procedures, including but not limited to security and other requirements regarding protection of Company confidential information and other confidential and/or proprietary information, to the extent those requirements are permissible under applicable law.

To all Staffing and Recruiting Agencies: Our Careers Site is only for individuals seeking a job at Qualcomm. Staffing and recruiting agencies and individuals being represented by an agency are not authorized to use this site or to submit profiles, applications or resumes, and any such submissions will be considered unsolicited. Qualcomm does not accept unsolicited resumes or applications from agencies. Please do not forward resumes to our jobs alias, Qualcomm employees or any other company location. Qualcomm is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes/applications.

Pay range and Other Compensation & Benefits:

$108,800.00 - $158,800.00

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. Even more importantly, please note that salary is only one component of total compensation at Qualcomm. We 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. Your recruiter will be happy to discuss all that Qualcomm has to offer.

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