Embedded Jobs in San Diego, CA
Embedded jobs in San Diego are in strong demand, with opportunities concentrated in Sorrento Valley, Miramar, and Kearny Mesa across defense electronics, wireless communications, and autonomous systems. Employers actively hiring include Qualcomm, Northrop Grumman, and Apple. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 513+ Embedded jobs
Company:
Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.Job Area:
Engineering Group, Engineering Group > Software EngineeringGeneral Summary:
You will be part of the Core Platform bootloader team enabling diverse Qualcomm SoCs to boot all the way from ROM firmware till OS entry. Areas this team works on, but not limited to, include several stages of system initialization, secure boot and authentication, platform and device configurations, execution environment enablement across new emerging CPU architectures, enabling latest industry tuned peripherals and interfaces, multicore and multithreaded scheduler based boot initializations, next-gen volatile (DDRx) and non-volatile memory(UFS, NVMe, eMMC, NAND, SPI-NOR, etc) device and interfaces(USB, PCIe) initializations and device driver development.
You will be expected to collaborate closely with a team of engineers from multiple SW and firmware technology teams, besides product verification, system, architecture, tools and test teams, to instrument the firmware features and meet the myriad use cases for Qualcomm internal, OEM customization and commercialization.
You will be highly motivated engineer, a team player who is passionate to learn new technologies and write low level firmware that drives hardware and SoC. Your responsibilities may include, but not limited to:
- Design, development and integration of SoC firmware features, diagnostics and test capabilities for QCT boot platforms.
- Strong coordination and collaboration across wide range of technical areas to include software, hardware, ASIC, integration, architecture, emulation and simulation teams.
- Paying attention to the details during all phases of firmware design, development, integration, testing and release
- Work with Emulation, HW design teams, as necessary, in verifying and debugging firmware, driver and resolving platform issues
- Efficient and secure (ie. cognizant of not exposing security exploits) coding plus driving code review of firmware logic updates with all required stakeholders
- On time execution of defined tasks and deliverables, driving dependencies with other teams to closure
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 2+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience.
Master's degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 1+ year of Software Engineering or related work experience.
OR
PhD in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field.
- 2+ years of academic or work experience with Programming Language such as C, C++, Java, Python, etc.
What are we looking for?
- 4 + years of experience with embedded systems.
- C Programming
- Device Driver development
- Strong communication skills
- Strong collaborative skills working with multiple teams
Additional skills are a plus:
- Chip/SoC on-target, emulation and simulation platform bringup and debug experience
- Highly proficient in C, with a focus on system initialization and low-level code.
- Good analytical, debugging and problem solving skills.
- ARM microprocessor architecture and ARM Assembly language experience.
- Good understanding of basic real-time/embedded programming, resource-constrained environments, and operating system loaders.
- Open Source bootloader and firmware experiences - UEFI Tianocore EDK2, coreboot, uboot, TF-A, Zephyr RTOS
Preferred Education Requirements
- Master's, Computer Engineering and/or Computer Science and/or Electrical Engineering
- 3+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience
- 1+ year of work experience with Git, Perforce, or Source Code Management System
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 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 :
$117,800.00 - $176,600.00The 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 .
Company:
Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.Job Area:
Engineering Group, Engineering Group > Software EngineeringGeneral Summary:
You will be part of the Core Platform bootloader team enabling diverse Qualcomm SoCs to boot all the way from ROM firmware till OS entry. Areas this team works on, but not limited to, include several stages of system initialization, secure boot and authentication, platform and device configurations, execution environment enablement across new emerging CPU architectures, enabling latest industry tuned peripherals and interfaces, multicore and multithreaded scheduler based boot initializations, next-gen volatile (DDRx) and non-volatile memory(UFS, NVMe, eMMC, NAND, SPI-NOR, etc) device and interfaces(USB, PCIe) initializations and device driver development.
You will be expected to collaborate closely with a team of engineers from multiple SW and firmware technology teams, besides product verification, system, architecture, tools and test teams, to instrument the firmware features and meet the myriad use cases for Qualcomm internal, OEM customization and commercialization.
You will be highly motivated engineer, a team player who is passionate to learn new technologies and write low level firmware that drives hardware and SoC. Your responsibilities may include, but not limited to:
- Design, development and integration of SoC firmware features, diagnostics and test capabilities for QCT boot platforms.
- Strong coordination and collaboration across wide range of technical areas to include software, hardware, ASIC, integration, architecture, emulation and simulation teams.
- Paying attention to the details during all phases of firmware design, development, integration, testing and release
- Work with Emulation, HW design teams, as necessary, in verifying and debugging firmware, driver and resolving platform issues
- Efficient and secure (ie. cognizant of not exposing security exploits) coding plus driving code review of firmware logic updates with all required stakeholders
- On time execution of defined tasks and deliverables, driving dependencies with other teams to closure
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 2+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience.
Master's degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 1+ year of Software Engineering or related work experience.
OR
PhD in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field.
- 2+ years of academic or work experience with Programming Language such as C, C++, Java, Python, etc.
What are we looking for?
- 4 + years of experience with embedded systems.
- C Programming
- Device Driver development
- Strong communication skills
- Strong collaborative skills working with multiple teams
Additional skills are a plus:
- Chip/SoC on-target, emulation and simulation platform bringup and debug experience
- Highly proficient in C, with a focus on system initialization and low-level code.
- Good analytical, debugging and problem solving skills.
- ARM microprocessor architecture and ARM Assembly language experience.
- Good understanding of basic real-time/embedded programming, resource-constrained environments, and operating system loaders.
- Open Source bootloader and firmware experiences - UEFI Tianocore EDK2, coreboot, uboot, TF-A, Zephyr RTOS
Preferred Education Requirements
- Master's, Computer Engineering and/or Computer Science and/or Electrical Engineering
- 3+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience
- 1+ year of work experience with Git, Perforce, or Source Code Management System
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 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 :
$117,800.00 - $176,600.00The 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 .
See All 513+ Embedded Jobs in San Diego
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Find Embedded JobsEmbedded Job Market in San Diego
Who's Hiring
- Qualcomm120
- Northrop Grumman77
- Apple60
- Amazon51
- General Atomics26
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software26
- Telecommunications17
- Electronics & Hardware17
- Retail9
- Trucking9
Embedded Jobs in San Diego: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get an embedded job in San Diego?
San Diego's embedded market centers on defense and aerospace contractors, wireless hardware companies, and autonomous vehicle firms, with hiring concentrated in Sorrento Valley, Miramar, and the Kearny Mesa corridor. Candidates with experience in real-time operating systems, FPGA development, or RF hardware stand out locally. Targeting defense-adjacent contractors and mid-size wireless firms gives you the strongest pipeline into active openings.
Which companies hire embeddeds in San Diego?
Companies currently hiring embeddeds in San Diego include Qualcomm, Northrop Grumman, and Apple, per current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. San Diego's hiring base leans heavily toward defense primes, telecom hardware companies, and medtech device manufacturers with embedded software needs.
Are there remote embedded jobs in San Diego?
Yes, though embedded roles tied to physical hardware are mostly on-site by nature, while firmware architecture, driver development, and embedded software testing can sometimes be done remotely. About 19% of embedded openings tied to San Diego are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, with hybrid arrangements most common at larger wireless and medtech employers. Fully remote options tend to appear in software-heavy embedded roles rather than lab or hardware-dependent positions.
How can I get an embedded job in San Diego with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path in San Diego is through defense subcontractors and mid-size hardware startups in Kearny Mesa and Sorrento Valley, which regularly hire junior embedded engineers for board bring-up and testing support. Internships with local medtech device companies or telecom hardware firms also translate into full-time offers. Building a portfolio with bare-metal microcontroller projects and contributing to open-source firmware repositories gives San Diego hiring managers a concrete reason to advance your application.
Which industries hire the most embeddeds in San Diego?
San Diego embedded roles concentrate in Technology & Software, Telecommunications, and Electronics & Hardware, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. San Diego's concentration of Navy and Marine Corps facilities, major wireless infrastructure companies, and a growing medtech cluster makes those sectors the primary drivers of local embedded hiring.
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