Staff Engineer

Vndly•San Diego, CA

About The Position

The Staff Engineer is a hands-on individual contributor on the Automation team, part of the broader Yield Architecture Engineering team. The team develops and supports software platforms, data systems, and workflow automation used across Qualcomm engineering organizations. This role builds, maintains, and supports production automation systems that improve engineering productivity, execution efficiency, and operational reliability. The engineer works with automation and engineering stakeholders to develop software, data pipelines, tools, and automation workflows, while supporting continuity during an organizational transition. The position emphasizes execution, delivery, operational support, and knowledge transfer. The role includes developing and maintaining automation tools and Linux-based systems, supporting data processing pipelines and engineering workflows, troubleshooting issues across software, databases, scheduled jobs, and pipelines, and improving system reliability and supportability. It also involves applying AI-assisted development tools while retaining responsibility for correctness, security, and production readiness, and collaborating with stakeholders through design reviews, troubleshooting, and production support. The posting also describes advanced ASIC/IP and SoC responsibilities, including architecture, design, verification, implementation, and documentation; collaboration across functional teams; evaluation of design and implementation flows; and use of EDA tools. These duties are presented alongside a separate automation-focused position overview and qualifications.

Requirements

Bachelor's or master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
Strong Linux experience.
Strong Python development skills.
Experience with SQL and relational databases.
Experience building automation, backend systems, or data processing workflows.
Experience developing maintainable production-quality software.
Experience using Git or similar version control systems.
Strong debugging and problem-solving skills.
Effective written and verbal communication skills.
Effective use of GenAI-assisted development.

Nice To Haves

Experience with semiconductor engineering environments.
Experience with engineering automation, workflow systems, or internal tools.
Experience with REST APIs and backend application development.
Experience with Oracle, PL/SQL, or large-scale data systems.
Experience with LSF, distributed computing, or batch processing environments.
Experience with observability, monitoring, and operational support tooling.
Experience using AI-assisted software development tools.

Responsibilities

Develop, test, and maintain automation tools, scripts, and services.
Build and support Linux-based automation systems and engineering workflows.
Troubleshoot issues across software, databases, scheduled jobs, and data pipelines.
Improve reliability, monitoring, logging, and operational supportability of production systems.
Support knowledge transfer and documentation efforts to improve long-term maintainability.
Develop and maintain data processing and automation pipelines.
Work with databases, SQL, and automation workflows.
Integrate data from multiple engineering systems and sources.
Create tools that improve visibility, efficiency, and productivity for engineering teams.
Use AI-assisted development tools and coding agents to improve engineering productivity and accelerate implementation, testing, troubleshooting, and documentation.
Maintain ownership of correctness, security, and production readiness.
Work closely with software and engineering stakeholders to deliver practical solutions.
Participate in design reviews, troubleshooting, and production support activities.
Communicate implementation status, risks, and technical issues clearly.
Leverage advanced ASIC knowledge to define, model, design, optimize, verify, validate, implement, and document IP development.
Create architectures, circuit specifications, logic designs, and system simulations based on system-level requirements.
Collaborate across functional teams to develop and execute implementation strategies that meet system requirements and customer needs.
Evaluate complex design and implementation flows, including synthesis, place and route, timing, power use, and verification, or custom circuit design and layout flows.
Use tools such as RTL to GDS Flow and Virtuoso to support architecture and design of complex blocks, SoCs, or IC packages.
Write and review detailed technical documentation for complex EDA/IP/ASIC projects.
Work independently with minimal supervision and provide supervision or guidance to other team members.