Sr. Staff Engineer, Automotive Reliability/Team Lead

Qualcomm•San Diego, CA

7d•$158,200 - $237,400

About The Position

Evaluates, from a reliability standpoint, the materials, properties and techniques used in production. Recommends design or test methods and statistical process control procedures for achieving required levels of product reliability. Determines reliability requirements of components and systems to achieve company, customer and any governmental agency reliability objectives. Makes recommendations for changes in the selection and application of components and systems. May propose changes in design or formulation to improve system and/or process reliability.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Material Science, Computer Science, or related field and 6+ years of Reliability Engineering (e.g., reliability analysis, stress testing) experience or related work experience.
Master's degree in Engineering, Material Science, Computer Science, or related field and 5+ years of Reliability Engineering (e.g., reliability analysis, stress testing) experience or related work experience.
PhD in Engineering, Material Science, Computer Science, or related field and 4+ years of Reliability Engineering (e.g., reliability analysis, stress testing) experience or related work experience.
2+ years in a technical leadership role with or without direct reports. (applies only to positions with direct reports).

Nice To Haves

8+ years’ experience in semiconductor and/or component reliability, physics-of-failure, failure mechanisms, and qualification methodologies, with relevant automotive industry experience.
6+ years of strong working knowledge of applicable AEC standards and specifications, including interpretation of qualification requirements for automotive semiconductor products and components.
3+ years of managerial and/or mentoring experience, developing engineers, and setting reliability standards, processes, or methodologies.
Strong experience with Automotive Change Management and Product Change Notifications (PCNs), including reliability impact assessments, qualification planning, and customer approval strategies.
Demonstrated ability to resolve incomplete or conflicting product, customer, and regulatory requirements into robust automotive reliability and qualification strategies aligned with safety, quality, schedule, and business objectives.
Proven expertise in developing mission-profile-based automotive reliability qualification strategies, including lifetime modeling, risk assessment, and requirements alignment for complex semiconductor products.
Knowledge of automotive burn-in methodologies, production screening strategies, and DPPM improvement initiatives across silicon, package, and system-level qualification programs.
Proven ability to define Statements of Work (SOWs), manage external qualification laboratories and suppliers, and drive end-to-end execution of automotive reliability stress testing and validation programs.
Excellent communication skills, including the ability to present automotive reliability risks, trade-offs, and recommendations to engineering leadership, customers, and executives.
Master’s degree in Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, or a related field, with significant industry experience in semiconductor, component, automotive, or reliability engineering roles.
Advanced degree (PhD) preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead the Automotive Reliability team and drive reliability strategy and execution for high-impact automotive products and programs, spanning devices, packages, components, and systems.
Manage, mentor, and develop engineers; serve as a trusted technical authority and advisor for automotive reliability across the organization.
Define and evolve automotive reliability requirements, AEC-aligned qualification methodologies, and validation strategies for complex designs and technologies.
Define and optimize automotive burn-in and production screening strategies to achieve reliability, quality, and DPPM objectives while balancing manufacturing cost and cycle-time constraints.
Provide expert technical judgment on critical reliability tradeoffs, balancing performance, power, quality, schedule, and business considerations.
Drive cross-functional alignment with design, process, test, product, quality, program, and customer-facing teams to meet aggressive schedules without compromising automotive quality and reliability, ensure reliability requirements are integrated throughout the product development lifecycle.
Represent the company in customer-facing technical engagements, including qualification reviews, reliability assessments, audit support, and resolution of customer reliability concerns.
Communicate automotive reliability status, qualification readiness, risks, and strategic recommendations clearly to senior leadership and executive stakeholders.