5G/6G Modem Software Engineer

Qualcomm•San Diego, CA

About The Position

Qualcomm Technologies (QCT) is the world's leading innovator in wireless connectivity and intelligent computing, powering the devices and infrastructure at the heart of the 5G era. Our Snapdragon platforms — spanning smartphones, automotive, IoT, and XR — integrate advanced 5G modem-RF systems with on-device AI to deliver breakthrough experiences at the connected intelligent edge. QCT partners with 100+ network operators worldwide and maintains the industry's largest modem engineering organization, driving the standards and technologies behind 5G-Advanced and the path toward 6G. As a member of the Modem SW team, you will design and develop modem software that powers 5G/6G NR connectivity across Qualcomm's Snapdragon chipset portfolio. You will work across protocol stack layers (L1/L2/L3) to implement 3GPP-compliant features, develop real-time scheduling and resource management algorithms, and use custom scripting languages to dynamically reconfigure the modem in response to real-time network conditions, device states, and AI-driven optimization signals. You will also architect next-generation frameworks that enable our OEM and operator partners to deliver differentiated 5G experiences. Your work will directly influence how billions of devices connect, communicate, and leverage on-device intelligence. We are looking for engineers with a strong foundation in C/C++ software design and real-time embedded systems, deep understanding of wireless communication principles, a sharp problem-solving mindset, and a passion for shaping the future of wireless connectivity and AI-powered communications.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Electronics/Communication Engineering, or a related field
1–2 years of academic or industry experience in C/C++ programming
Foundational understanding of embedded systems, real-time operating systems, and data structures & algorithms
Basic knowledge of wireless communication concepts (OFDM, MIMO, channel coding) or digital signal processing fundamentals

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Electronics/Communication, or Wireless Communications
2+ years of industry experience in embedded software development for wireless/telecom systems
Experience with Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOS) such as QuRT, FreeRTOS, ThreadX, or Zephyr
Strong software design and object-oriented design/implementation skills (design patterns, SOLID principles)
Working knowledge of 3GPP 5G NR / LTE specifications (TS 38.xxx / TS 36.xxx series)
Experience with modem protocol stack development, state machines, or wireless protocol implementation
Familiarity with AI/ML fundamentals and interest in applying machine learning to modem optimization (e.g., adaptive scheduling, predictive resource management, beam prediction, link adaptation)
Understanding of scripting or domain-specific languages for system configuration and modem parametrization
Experience with debugging and performance profiling in embedded environments (JTAG, Trace32/Lauterbach, QXDM, log analysis tools)
Familiarity with version control systems (Git/Perforce), CI/CD pipelines, and Agile development practices
Knowledge of multi-threading, concurrency, inter-process communication, and memory management in resource-constrained environments
Experience with simulation/emulation environments or lab equipment

Responsibilities

Design, develop, debug, and optimize modem firmware/software for LTE, 5G-Advanced protocol stack layers and early 6G research prototyping
Develop and maintain real-time embedded software on proprietary RTOS (QuRT) with strict latency and throughput constraints
Collaborate with systems, architecture, and hardware teams on modem bring-up, integration, and performance optimization
Analyze and resolve complex field issues, interoperability problems, and network-specific behaviors using protocol logs, trace tools, and debuggers
Write and maintain unit tests, integration tests, and automation scripts to ensure software quality
Participate in code reviews, design discussions and technical documentation