The firmware team owns the full embedded software stack that controls the SerDes hardware, including low-level embedded firmware, customer-facing C SDKs, demo & automation scripts, and interactive tools. As a key enabler of silicon bring-up, validation, and production deployment, we work closely with hardware, systems, DV, validation, and application teams across the product lifecycle—from early development to high-volume manufacturing. Replacement Position.
What You Can Expect
Core responsibilities for the firmware team include
Embedded firmware running on RISC-V-based controllers that manage Qualcomm’s advanced SerDes datapaths
Python and C SDKs provided to customers for SerDes bring-up, calibration, tuning, and diagnostics
Python-based lab tools and GUIs for interactive debug, register access, and validation
Build, regression, and CI infrastructure to ensure code quality and full coverage
You’ll play a key leadership role in delivering robust, production-quality firmware for SerDes PHY IP. You’ll help define architecture, drive features end-to-end, coordinate across cross-functional teams, and directly influence the design and usability of Qualcomm's IP.
In this position, you will be
Technical or project lead for SerDes firmware on a major IP program, working with a team (2–8 engineers) through planning, development, validation, and customer delivery
Architecting and implementing embedded C/C++ firmware for hardware calibration, training algorithms, DSP adaptations, and link state management
Debugging complex lab and field issues in conjunction with hardware, applications, and validation teams
Driving and collaborating across functions to define FW milestones, plan sprints, close tickets, and ensure delivery of reliable and high-quality features
Translating protocol specifications (e.g. PCIe, Ethernet, CXL) or custom system-level requirements into internal firmware architecture and documentation
Supporting development and silicon bring-up across Qualcomm teams and other sites
Example Problems You’ll Solve
Mentoring a junior engineer through a hard-to-reproduce PHY calibration bug seen in customer silicon
Developing architecture and state machines to handle multi-lane synchronization or adaptive equalization across dynamic conditions
Porting a high-level MATLAB or Python SerDes calibration algorithm to optimized fixed-point firmware
Creating a SerDes diagnostics framework accessible via both SDK and GUI
