Qualcomm

Principal, Gen AI Transformation - Embedded Software & Engineering Productivity

Qualcomm$192K — $289K *
Enterprise Technology
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering, Info Systems, Computer Science, or related field with extensive experience in Software Engineering, or PhD with substantial experience.
  • 4+ years experience with programming languages such as C, C++, Java, or Python.
  • Demonstrated technical leadership and cross-team influence at a principal level.
  • Deep expertise in Generative AI, AI/ML fundamentals, and LLM systems.
  • Hands-on experience integrating and building GenAI solutions in engineering environments.
  • Strong foundation in secure software development and responsible AI practices.
  • Excellent communication skills with the capability to translate complex technical information into clear strategies.

Responsibilities

  • Define and manage the GenAI transformation roadmap for engineering productivity.
  • Lead initiatives for AI-native software development lifecycle (SDLC) improvements.
  • Collaborate with platform and engineering teams to create reusable AI tools and workflow patterns.
  • Identify and scale reusable embedded and software capabilities across teams.
  • Establish responsible AI practices covering governance, auditability, and data handling.
  • Define metrics to measure AI adoption and productivity enhancements.
  • Serve as a technical mentor and communicate strategy to executives.

Benefits

  • Competitive annual discretionary bonus program.
  • Opportunity for annual RSU grants.
  • Comprehensive benefits package to support work-life balance and employee well-being.
Full Job Description
Company:
Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.

Job Area:
Engineering Group, Engineering Group > Software Engineering

General Summary:

Team SPARK is leading the Generative AI transformation across CPSG, spanning embedded software, platform systems, product enablement, and engineering infrastructure. We are seeking a Principal Engineer to define and scale AI-first engineering practices that improve developer productivity, software quality, delivery velocity, and innovation. This is a high-impact technical leadership role for a hands-on, systems-minded GenAI leader who can translate emerging AI capabilities into secure, measurable, production-grade engineering workflows. You will partner across SPARK, central GenAI platform teams, and engineering teams to shape strategy, build reusable AI assets, and accelerate adoption at organizational scale.

Key Responsibilities
  • Define and drive the GenAI transformation roadmap for engineering productivity across CPSG, with clear priorities, adoption plans, and measurable outcomes.
  • Lead AI-native and agentic SDLC initiatives across requirements, code understanding, code generation, code review, debugging, test automation, release readiness, and documentation.
  • Partner with GenAI platform and engineering teams to build reusable agents, skills, tools, plugins, MCP integrations, and governed workflow patterns.
  • Identify high-value embedded and software workflows, turn them into reusable capabilities, and scale adoption across teams to reduce duplication and increase leverage.
  • Establish secure and responsible AI practices across governance, permissions, auditability, model/tool selection, data handling, context management, and cost optimization.
  • Define metrics and dashboards to track AI adoption, productivity gains, workflow efficiency, quality improvements, security compliance, and business impact.
  • Serve as a technical thought leader, mentor, and executive-facing advisor who raises AI fluency and communicates strategy, progress, risks, and impact clearly.


Impact
  • Accelerate CPSG's transition from AI-assisted development to AI-native and agentic engineering workflows.
  • Deliver measurable improvements in productivity, quality, release confidence, security posture, and development cycle time.
  • Create reusable AI assets, workflow patterns, and governance models that scale across teams and product lines.
  • Act as a technical multiplier who shapes the long-term evolution of AI-enabled embedded and software engineering across the organization.


Minimum Qualifications:
• 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.

Required Qualifications
  • Demonstrated Principal-level technical leadership, cross-team influence, architecture ownership, and organization-scale impact.
  • Deep expertise in Generative AI, AI/ML fundamentals, LLM-based systems, model/tool selection, evaluation, optimization, and practical application in engineering environments.
  • Hands-on experience building, deploying, or integrating GenAI solutions such as agentic workflows, RAG/context-aware systems, developer tools, automation frameworks, or AI-enabled engineering platforms.
  • Proven ability to lead large-scale technical transformation across teams, influence without authority, shape architecture, and drive adoption in complex engineering organizations.
  • Strong understanding of the SDLC, including requirements, design, implementation, code review, testing, CI/CD, release readiness, security workflows, and productivity measurement.
  • Strong foundation in secure software development, responsible AI usage, data protection, governance, observability, and risk management for enterprise AI systems.
  • Experience in systems software, embedded software, platform software, or performance-sensitive engineering environments, with proficiency in languages such as C, C++, Python, or Go.
  • Excellent communication, collaboration, mentoring, and executive-facing storytelling skills, with the ability to translate technical depth into clear strategy and measurable impact.


Preferred Qualifications
  • Experience building AI agents, multi-agent workflows, MCP services, tool-calling systems, evaluation harnesses, prompt/skill libraries, or governed AI automation platforms.
  • Experience with AI-enabled developer productivity use cases such as code generation, code review, defect triage, log analysis, test generation, documentation, release validation, or security analysis.
  • Familiarity with embedded platforms, Linux, Android, RTOS, device drivers, BSP, SoC bring-up, hardware/software interfaces, or protocols such as I2C, SPI, UART, USB, or PCIe.
  • Experience with camera, multimedia, sensors, power/performance, kernel, middleware, platform software, or AI deployment on edge/resource-constrained systems.
  • 5+ years of hands-on AI/ML, GenAI, LLM application development, AI platform, or AI-enabled engineering workflow experience preferred.


Pay range and Other Compensation & Benefits:
$192,600.00 - $289,000.00

The above pay scale reflects the broad, minimum to maximum, pay scale for this job code for the location for which it has been posted. Even more importantly, please note that salary is only one component of total compensation at Qualcomm. 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. Your recruiter will be happy to discuss all that Qualcomm has to offer - and you can review more details about our US benefits at this link.

If you would like more information about this role, please contact Qualcomm Careers.

About Qualcomm

Qualcomm Ventures is the investment arm of Qualcomm Incorporated. Founded in 2000, Qualcomm Ventures is a corporate venture capital fund with over 150 active portfolio companies and more than 20 exits over a billion dollars, including 99 Taxis, Cruise Automation, Fitbit, Invensense, NQ Mobile, Waze, and more. As a global investor, Qualcomm Ventures helps connect entrepreneurs to the resources, relationships, and deep industry expertise they need to succeed in the mobile technology ecosystem.

Qualcomm Careers

Joining Qualcomm offers more than just a job opportunity; it's a gateway to a career infused with innovation, leadership, and growth. As a pivotal leader in the world of wireless technology, Qualcomm stands at the forefront of digital communication advancements. Our team of professionals is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of what's possible, making this an ideal time to become part of our global community.

Work You’ll Do

At Qualcomm, you will collaborate with some of the brightest minds in the industry, engaging in work that transforms the way the world connects, computes, and communicates. Our diverse team is driven by a shared passion for creating path-breaking wireless technologies that empower mobile ecosystems worldwide.

Innovate and Grow

Embrace the opportunity to innovate alongside leaders in the field and contribute to projects that have a global impact. Qualcomm is committed to fostering a culture of innovation and continuous improvement, ensuring that every team member has the opportunity to make a significant impact.

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Qualcomm is dedicated to the professional growth of its employees, offering unparalleled benefits, diverse career paths, and extensive training programs that encourage professional and personal development. Whether you're looking for leadership roles or specialized technical positions, Qualcomm provides the resources and support to help you drive your career forward.

Diversity and Inclusion

We believe that a diverse workforce fuels our innovation and reflects our commitment to making a positive impact. Qualcomm’s inclusive culture and diversity training programs are designed to promote an environment where all employees can thrive.

Internship Programs

Start your career with Qualcomm through our dynamic internship programs. These opportunities allow you to apply your skills in real-world scenarios, providing a robust foundation for future employment. Internships at Qualcomm are characterized by meaningful projects and the chance to network with industry leaders.

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Prepare for Your Interview

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Learn more about Qualcomm
Size
45,000 employees
Market Cap
$122.5 billion
Industry
Net Income
$6.7 billion
Founded
1985
5 Year Trend
+14.7%
Revenue
$26.6 billion
NASDAQ

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