Director/Principal Engineer – Automotive Software

Qualcomm•San Diego, CA

13d

About The Position

Seeking highly skilled and motivated Director/Principal level Customer Project Engineer for Automotive Software Platform team. In this role, you will be responsible for overseeing and coordinating the entire lifecycle of automotive software projects from concept to completion. This includes analyzing project requirements, preparing schedules, coordinating team tasks, and ensuring that projects meet quality standards and are completed on time. In this highly visible role, you will interface directly with the OEM’s engineering executives and Qualcomm’s senior technical and business leadership. You will: Develop a deep understanding of the OEM’s roadmap, vehicle and backend architecture, requirements, and constraints Lead and coordinate all technical aspects of business acquisition, delivery execution, and post-SOP maintenance Represent the “voice of the customer” in internal forums, escalating needs and driving alignment across Qualcomm engineering, product management, program management, and sales

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 8+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience.
OR Master's degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 7+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience.
OR PhD in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 6+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience.
4+ years of work experience with Programming Language such as C, C++, Java, Python, etc.

Nice To Haves

Extensive experience in software engineering, including project management and leadership roles.
Strong background in automotive systems engineering with focus on: Compute platform architecture (SoC, GPU/DSP, accelerators) Embedded SW stacks (OS such as QNX/Linux/Android, middleware, frameworks, toolchains)
Solid understanding of automotive safety and quality frameworks (e.g., ISO 26262, ASPICE, cybersecurity standards) and their impact on architecture and execution.
Proven experience as a customer-facing technical leader, such as chief engineer, system architect, technical program lead, or equivalent.
Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams without direct authority in a complex matrix organization.
Strong problem-solving skills, data-driven and structured, with ability to remain calm and decisive under pressure.
Willingness to travel regularly to customer and Qualcomm sites (domestic and international).
Strong understanding of engineering principles and practices.
Proven track record of successfully managing and delivering complex software projects.
Excellent communication, leadership, and organizational skills.
Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, independently with minimal supervision.
Experience with software development methodologies and tools.

Responsibilities

Technical Leadership: Act as the chief technical counterpart to the OEM’s engineering leadership for all ADAS and related programs.
Serve as the main technical point of contact covering SoC, platform software, tools, and system integration topics.
Work with Software Product (SP) PE internally and manage external customer deliverables/expectations/escalations
Lead and manage automotive software engineering projects from conception to completion.
Prepare, schedule, coordinate, and monitor the assigned engineering projects.
Build and maintain strong, trusted relationships with the customer’s engineering executives, architects, and program leads.
Anticipate customer needs and translate them into Qualcomm platform requirements, features, and solutions.
Lead the technical workstreams for RFIs/RFQs and advanced engagement discussions with the OEM.
Define technical solution proposals based on Qualcomm’s product portfolio, including SoCs, BSP, Platform Software and reference platforms.
Program Execution & Delivery Provide overarching technical leadership for all active programs with the OEM, across all phases (concept, development, validation, SOP, and maintenance).
Coordinate and synchronize Qualcomm internal engineering teams (HW, SW, systems, safety, security, tools, test) to meet customer milestones.
Drive resolution of critical technical issues, ensuring timely escalation and clear communication to both customer and Qualcomm management.
Support design reviews, technical workshops, joint debugging sessions, and on-site integration activities as needed.
Coordinate with customers and other stakeholders to ensure the Software delivery meet project requirements.
Identify, analyze, and mitigate project risks and issues.
Implement and manage project changes and interventions to achieve project outputs.
Monitor and report on project progress, problems, and solutions.
Ensure that all engineering work meets standards and customer specifications.
Voice of the Customer & Internal Alignment Represent the customer’s priorities, constraints, and pain points in internal reviews, roadmap discussions, and management meetings.
Provide structured feedback to product management and engineering on gaps, competitive pressure, and future requirements.
Ensure internal stakeholders understand customer commitments, program risk, and required trade-offs.
Technical Thought Leadership & Mentoring Act as a technical role model: hands-on, detail-oriented, and able to deep-dive into complex system issues when required.
Guide and mentor cross-functional Qualcomm teams working on the customer, helping them prioritize and solve problems effectively.