The Job

Staff Customer Quality Engineer

Technology, Data & Digital · Software & Web Development · Software Engineering · QA & Testing

Join for updates

In short

Qualcomm is seeking a Staff Customer Quality Engineer in San Diego, CA to resolve product quality issues related to RMAs and support customer evaluation requests. This role involves defect correlation, system-level debugging, and collaboration with cross-functional teams to influence product quality and drive customer satisfaction.

Responsibilities

  • Provide leadership and support for resolving major customer issues, aiming to reduce occurrences of No Fault Found and common mishandling issues.
  • Conduct technical evaluations of customer returned devices at system and device level using tools such as ATE, XRAY, CSAM, and IV curve analysis to identify root causes.
  • Act as a liaison between Qualcomm's customers, Product Core Team, and Branch CQE, introducing and improving processes as necessary.
  • Track actions, schedules, and owners to maintain targeted RMA analysis cycle times and initiate internal corrective actions.
  • Drive improvements in internal quality systems to reduce outgoing product quality DPPM.
  • Provide customer perspective to internal stakeholders to enhance customer satisfaction metrics.
  • Define priorities for customer corrective actions within Qualcomm and guide their implementation.
  • Support the preparation of progress reports for problem-solving teams and management.
  • Update customers in a timely fashion regarding the status of open quality issues or support requests.

Requirements

  • Minimum of 10 years of experience with digital SoC products, semiconductor & Packaging technologies, and system-level debugging.
  • Experience analyzing and debugging customer issues involving application processors, CPUs, GPUs, DSPs, AI/NPU subsystems, memory, power management, and modem technologies (LTE, WCDMA, CDMA, GSM, 1x, EVDO, UMTS).
  • Experience in microelectronics, SMT processes, semiconductor fabrication, assembly, and product quality engineering.
  • Strong experience with quality methodologies, statistical analysis, root-cause investigation, and structured problem-solving techniques.
  • Strong knowledge of device physics and semiconductor fundamentals.
  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Electrical/Electronics Engineering, Engineering, or related field and 4+ years of Hardware Engineering or related work experience.
  • OR Master's degree in Computer Science, Electrical/Electronics Engineering, Engineering, or related field and 3+ years of Hardware Engineering or related work experience.
  • OR PhD in Computer Science, Electrical/Electronics Engineering, Engineering, or related field and 2+ years of Hardware Engineering or related work experience.

Desired Qualifications

  • Strong understanding of Digital SoC architecture, including CPU, GPU, DSP, NPU/AI accelerators, cache hierarchy, memory subsystems, interconnects, power management, and clocking architectures.
  • Experience debugging complex SoC-level failures, including boot issues, system hangs, crashes, performance degradation, thermal events, and power-related failures.
  • Strong knowledge of silicon debug methodologies, failure analysis, fault isolation, and root cause determination for digital semiconductor products.
  • Experience with hardware/software interaction, including firmware, bootloaders, operating systems, device drivers, and application-level debugging.
  • Familiarity with power management features such as DVFS, CPR, low-power modes, voltage scaling, and thermal management.
  • Experience analyzing customer-reported issues involving CPU, GPU, DSP, AI/NPU, memory (DDR/LPDDR), storage, display, camera, audio, connectivity, and modem subsystems.
  • Working knowledge of semiconductor manufacturing, assembly, package reliability, SMT processes, and failure mechanisms such as EOS, ESD, latch-up, and mechanical damage.
  • Experience using debug and characterization tools such as ATE, JTAG, scan diagnostics, logic analyzers, oscilloscopes, protocol analyzers, X-ray, CSAM, IV curve tracing, and FA tools.
  • Strong understanding of silicon validation, product qualification, yield analysis, reliability testing, and customer-return failure analysis methodologies.
  • Proven ability to lead cross-functional debug efforts involving Design, Product Test Engineering, Failure Analysis, Manufacturing, Reliability, System Engineering, and Software teams.
  • Strong understanding of smartphone and embedded system architectures, including application processors, memory subsystems, power delivery networks, display, camera, audio, storage, and connectivity functions.
  • Ability to correlate customer-reported failure symptoms with underlying SoC, hardware, software, or manufacturing-related root causes.
  • Experience with Android-based systems, system logs, crash analysis, kernel debugging, and performance characterization is highly desirable.
  • Preferred: M.S. or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering (or equivalent).

Benefits

  • Competitive annual discretionary bonus program.
  • Opportunity for annual RSU grants.
  • Highly competitive benefits package designed to support success at work, at home, and at play.
  • Information about US benefits is available at a provided link.
#hardware engineering#quality engineering#customer support#semiconductor
Qualcomm Logo

Company

Qualcomm

Job Posted

1 week ago

Employment Type

Full Time

WorkMode

On Site

Experience Level

Senior

Locations

San Diego, United States of America

Qualification

Bachelor, Master, Doctoral

Applicants

Be an early applicant