Principal/Director Engineering – Automotive SW

Qualcomm • San Diego, CA

4d

About The Position

Seeking a highly skilled and motivated Principal/Director-level Project Engineer for the Automotive Software Platform team.
In this role, the Project Engineer is 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 projects meet quality standards and are completed on time.
This is a highly visible role that interfaces directly with T1s/OEM engineering executives and Qualcomm senior technical and business leadership.

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

• 15+ years of work experience with programming languages such as C/C++, etc.
• 15+ years of automotive software experience in IVI and ADAS domains.
• Extensive experience in software engineering, including project management and leadership roles.
• Strong background in automotive systems engineering with a focus on:
• Compute platform architecture (SoC, GPU/DSP, accelerators).
• Embedded software stacks (OS such as QNX, Linux, Android; middleware, frameworks, toolchains).
• Experience with AI models, porting, and performance optimizations.
• ADAS software such as perception stacks, drive policy, driver monitoring, and sensor fusion software and architecture.
• 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 (e.g., chief engineer, system architect, technical program lead, or equivalent).
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams without direct authority in a complex matrix organization.
• Willingness to travel to customer and Qualcomm sites (domestic and international) as needed.
• Proven track record of successfully managing and delivering complex software projects.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and organizational skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop a deep understanding of the OEM 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 by escalating needs and driving alignment across Qualcomm engineering, product management, program management, and sales.
• Act as the chief technical counterpart to T1 and OEM engineering leadership for ADAS and related programs.
• Serve as the primary technical point of contact for SoC, platform software, tools, and system integration topics.
• Work with the Software Product Chief Engineer internally and manage external customer deliverables, expectations, and escalations.
• Build and maintain strong, trusted relationships with customer engineering executives, architects, and program leads.
• Anticipate customer needs and translate them into Qualcomm platform requirements, features, and solutions.
• Lead 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.
• Represent customer 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 risks, and required trade-offs.
• Act as a technical role model by remaining hands-on, detail-oriented, and capable of deep-diving into complex system issues when required.
• Guide and mentor cross-functional Qualcomm teams supporting the customer, helping teams prioritize and solve problems effectively.

Benefits

• 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.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Principal