Principal Jobs at Qualcomm with Visa Sponsorship
Principal jobs at Qualcomm sit at the intersection of deep technical leadership and cross-functional influence, typically requiring advanced expertise in semiconductor technology, wireless systems, or media platforms. Qualcomm has a well-established sponsorship infrastructure that supports international candidates across multiple visa categories throughout the hiring process.
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Company:
Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.
Job Area:
Engineering Group, Engineering Group > ASICS Engineering
General Summary:
We are seeking a senior-level Low Power Chip Architect / System Engineer with deep expertise in mixed-signal IC and system design and a proven record of chip-level technical leadership. This is a high-impact role responsible for defining the architecture, driving transistor-level design, and enabling system-level integration of ultra-low-power integrated circuits (ICs) for Robotics and Industrial IoT (IIoT) applications.
The successful candidate will bridge high-performance Analog Front Ends (AFEs) with digital logic and firmware, leading programs from initial architecture and specification through simulation, verification, tape-out, and early silicon bring-up. This role requires strong cross-functional collaboration, sound architectural judgment, and the ability to operate effectively in ambiguous environments.
Position requires to be onsite in San Diego, 5 days a week.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Science, Engineering, or related field and 8+ years of ASIC design, verification, validation, integration, or related work experience.
OR
- Master's degree in Science, Engineering, or related field and 7+ years of ASIC design, verification, validation, integration, or related work experience.
OR
- PhD in Science, Engineering, or related field and 6+ years of ASIC design, verification, validation, integration, or related work experience.
Responsibilities:
Architecture & Technical Leadership
- Define and support end-to-end system architecture, including partitioning across analog, digital, firmware, and system domains
- Drive architectural trade-offs across power, performance, noise, latency, and silicon area
- Partner with chip leads and system leads from concept definition through silicon bring-up and validation
Mixed-Signal Design & Integration
- Lead feasibility studies and transistor-level design of mixed-signal building blocks including ADCs, DACs, PLLs/DLLs, LDOs, and SerDes
- Architect and integrate ultra-low-power AFEs optimized for battery-operated IIoT and Robotics sensor ASICs
- Drive full-chip execution in collaboration with internal teams and third-party IP vendors and design houses
Modeling, Verification & Silicon Execution
- Develop behavioral and system-level models using MATLAB/Simulink (or equivalent tools) to evaluate noise, linearity, and SNR
- Perform comprehensive pre-silicon verification across PVT corners using industry-standard simulators
- Support post-silicon bring-up, characterization, and reliability qualification, including HTOL and burn-in
- Collaborate with packaging, test, and system teams to ensure successful productization
System & Application Enablement
- Support multi-modal sensor data acquisition, sensor fusion, and edge AI inference workflows
- Contribute to hardware–software integration for efficient system-level deployment
Preferred Qualifications:
- Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering (or related field) with 8+ years of post-degree industrial IC/system design experience OR
- M.S. in Electrical Engineering (or related field) with 10–12+ years of industrial IC/system design experience
- Strong expertise in low-power analog and mixed-signal (AMS) IC design
- Hands-on experience with Cadence Virtuoso, AMS sims, verilog and related analog design tools
- Proficiency with Spectre, HSPICE, and board-level simulation methodologies
- Solid understanding of PDKs, LVS, DRC, and PEX flows
- Proven experience with ESD and reliability standards (HBM, CDM, TLP)
- Advanced academic background in Electrical Engineering or a closely related field
- Extensive industry experience in mixed-signal IC and system-level design
- Demonstrated experience as a Chip Lead, System Architect, or Technical Lead
- Proven ability to drive end-to-end silicon programs from concept to production
- Strong capability to work independently and provide technical direction with minimal supervision
- Experience with digital design flows, including synthesis and timing analysis
- Familiarity with firmware development and software integration
- Working knowledge of embedded interfaces such as I2C, I3C, SPI, and MIPI
- Proficiency in Python or similar scripting languages
- Experience with deep submicron CMOS technologies and low-power fabrication processes
- Exposure to IC packaging, board-level validation, and system bring-up
- Background in sensor systems, sensor fusion, or edge AI applications
Soft Skills:
- Strong technical leadership and ownership mindset
- Excellent cross-functional communication and collaboration skills
- Ability to mentor and guide engineers across analog, digital, layout, and system domains
- Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities
- Comfortable making architecture-level decisions under ambiguity
- Effective at managing external vendors, IP providers, and design partners
- Results-driven with a strong focus on execution and quality
Qualcomm is an equal opportunity employer. If you are an individual with a disability and need an accommodation during the application/hiring process, rest assured that Qualcomm is committed to providing an accessible process. You may e-mail disability-accomodations@qualcomm.com or call Qualcomm's toll-free number found here. Upon request, Qualcomm will provide reasonable accommodations to support individuals with disabilities to be able to participate in the hiring process. Qualcomm is also committed to making our workplace accessible for individuals with disabilities. (Keep in mind that this email address is used to provide reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. We will not respond here to requests for updates on applications or resume inquiries).
To all Staffing and Recruiting Agencies: Our Careers Site is only for individuals seeking a job at Qualcomm. Staffing and recruiting agencies and individuals being represented by an agency are not authorized to use this site or to submit profiles, applications or resumes, and any such submissions will be considered unsolicited. Qualcomm does not accept unsolicited resumes or applications from agencies. Please do not forward resumes to our jobs alias, Qualcomm employees or any other company location. Qualcomm is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes/applications.
EEO Employer: Qualcomm is an equal opportunity employer; all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, Veteran status, or any other protected classification.
Qualcomm expects its employees to abide by all applicable policies and procedures, including but not limited to security and other requirements regarding protection of Company confidential information and other confidential and/or proprietary information, to the extent those requirements are permissible under applicable law.
Pay range and Other Compensation & Benefits:
$192,000.00 - $288,000.00
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.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Principal Jobs at Qualcomm
Align your credentials to specialty occupation standards
Qualcomm's Principal roles require a directly related advanced degree, not just general engineering experience. Review your transcripts and resume to confirm the field of study maps precisely to the specific technical domain of the role before applying.
Target teams working on media platform architecture
Qualcomm's media and entertainment work spans codec development, display processing, and streaming infrastructure. Searching for Principal openings tied to these product lines puts you in front of hiring managers whose teams have the most active sponsorship pipelines for senior technical contributors.
Clarify your visa category before the offer stage
Qualcomm sponsors H-1B, TN, and F-1 OPT, among others, but your current status determines what transition is possible. Raising this early in the process, before the offer letter is drafted, gives the recruiting team time to route your file to their immigration counsel correctly.
Use Migrate Mate to filter Principal openings by sponsorship type
Not every Principal listing at Qualcomm explicitly states which visa categories are supported. Migrate Mate lets you filter specifically by visa type and company, so you can focus your applications on roles where your current status is already a known fit.
Understand how PERM timing affects Green Card planning
If permanent residence is your long-term goal, Qualcomm's EB-2 and EB-3 sponsorship requires a PERM labor certification, which DOL processing alone can run well over a year. Factor this into conversations with your hiring manager and ask whether the team has initiated PERM for comparable roles before.
Prepare for prevailing wage scrutiny at the Principal level
DOL prevailing wage determinations for Principal-level roles in technology often land at Wage Level III or IV. Confirm your offered compensation meets the applicable wage level for the posting location before your I-129 is filed to avoid a USCIS Request for Evidence on wage compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Qualcomm sponsor H-1B visas for Principals?
Yes, Qualcomm sponsors H-1B visas for Principal roles and has a dedicated immigration team that manages the process. Because the H-1B cap lottery runs once per year with a registration window in March, your start date and current status will determine whether a cap-subject filing is needed or whether a cap-exempt path applies.
How do I apply for Principal jobs at Qualcomm?
Applications go through Qualcomm's careers portal at qualcomm.com/careers. Principal roles often require a tailored submission that demonstrates domain depth, not just years of experience. Migrate Mate aggregates Principal openings at Qualcomm filtered by visa sponsorship eligibility, which helps you identify the right listings before applying directly through the official portal.
Which visa types does Qualcomm commonly use for Principal roles?
Qualcomm supports H-1B and H-1B1 visa for specialty occupation workers, TN visa status for Canadian and Mexican nationals in qualifying roles, F-1 OPT and CPT for students transitioning into full-time positions, and J-1 visa for certain exchange visitor scenarios. For permanent residence, EB-2 and EB-3 immigrant visa categories are available depending on the role's requirements and the candidate's background.
What qualifications does Qualcomm expect for a Principal-level hire?
Principal roles at Qualcomm in media and entertainment typically require an advanced degree in electrical engineering, computer science, or a closely related field, paired with significant hands-on experience in areas like video processing, wireless media delivery, or display technology. For H-1B purposes, USCIS must confirm the role qualifies as a specialty occupation, so the degree-to-job-duty alignment carries real filing weight.
How long does the visa sponsorship process take for a Qualcomm Principal role?
Timeline depends on your current status. H-1B cap filings require registration in March, with a potential October 1 start date. H-1B transfers from another employer can proceed year-round. PERM for a Green Card adds a year or more before an I-140 can even be filed. Discussing your status and timeline with Qualcomm's HR team before the offer stage helps avoid unnecessary delays.