Principal Software Engineer Jobs in San Diego, CA
Principal Software Engineer jobs in San Diego are concentrated in Sorrento Valley, UTC, and the Torrey Pines corridor, with strong demand across defense technology, biotech software, and cloud-native product companies. Employers hiring right now include Northrop Grumman, Qualcomm, and SAIC. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
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Company:
Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.Job Area:
Engineering Group, Engineering Group > Software EngineeringGeneral Summary:
Qualcomm's software CPU (aka application processor) architecture group develops long-term software roadmaps (for a horizon of three to five years). It is responsible for defining architecture specifications, developing prototypes, and engaging with the software and hardware worldwide partners to influence products development. It is also acting as an operational execution team enabling commercialization of the most up-to-date worldwide CPUs integrated in Snapdragon’s chipsets for markets such as: Handsets, IOT devices, Automotive, Compute/Laptops, XR, etc.
The team is currently looking for an experienced CPU software engineer, who can contribute to design and development of low-level firmware for CPU bootstrapping, power controller etc. The candidate will specifically be engaged in the following domains:
Design and development of firmware of boot, debug, idle and active CPU power management CPU software/hardware design trade-offs Coordinating debugging of critical SW issues that are artifacts of any high-performance CPU microarchitecture (prefetching, speculation, memory ordering etc...) Definition of short and long-term SW architecture roadmap in accordance with Arm’s architecture ISA evolution Represent the CPU SW teams in engagements with Arm/ RISC-V architects and third-party software partners (e.g., Google, MSFT, RISE etc.)
Since the contributions of the CPU software organization affect a large span of products, the function provides an uncommon exposure to multiple technology domains related to system-on-chip development. To fully benefit from the role’s opportunities, the candidate must demonstrate a motivation to influence the products roadmap, as he or she, will directly contribute to Qualcomm’s most innovative products.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 8+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience.
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.
Preferred Qualifications:
- 15+ Years of Experience in the embedded domain to design, develop and support software solutions on multi-core CPUs with Strong C/C++ programming skills.
- Very deep expertise in the subject of computer architecture especially in more than one of the following areas – Memory consistency, Coherency, Memory Management, Virtualization, Security/ Sandboxing, Super Scalar Architectures
- Good understanding of system wide bottlenecks that may influence CPU performance/ throughput.
- Very good exposure to ARM or RISC-V architectures.
- Embedded Platforms experience including low-level drivers and firmware, kernel, and user-space components.
- Design and development of software for heterogeneous compute platforms consisting of ARM or RISC-V CPUs and specialized hardware accelerators in an embedded SoC systems.
- Usage of J-TAG or ICE debuggers Experience in real-time SW development for embedded products.
- Hands on experience of driver development on any RTOS .
- Detailed understanding of some of SoC hardware blocks - Clocks, PLLs, GPIO, Interrupt Controllers (GIC, PLIC), Peripherals (SPI/I2C/PCIE/CAN/Ethernet/USB/UFS).
- Motivated self-starter with excellent verbal and written communication skills, demonstrated ability to work with engineers/partners/customers across different geographies.
- Demonstrated experience working with senior management in a corporate environment.
- Demonstrated experience in business process streamlining and transformation that includes disciplined approach to digitized services enabling.
- Hands-on technical lead who is not hesitant to dig into the details where needed to get first-hand knowledge of the issues and play an active and personal role in steering team success.
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 :
$197,000.00 - $295,400.00The 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 .
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Find JobsPrincipal Software Engineer Job Market in San Diego
Who's Hiring
- Northrop Grumman222

- Qualcomm30

- SAIC10

- Veracyte10

- ZoomInfo10

Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software
- Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals
Principal Software Engineer Jobs in San Diego: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a principal software engineer job in San Diego?
The most direct path is targeting San Diego's defense technology and cybersecurity contractors clustered in Sorrento Valley and Miramar, where senior engineering leadership roles open frequently. Biotech and life sciences software companies along Torrey Pines Road also hire principal engineers to build clinical data platforms. Candidates with distributed systems experience or security clearances have a clear edge in this market over generalist profiles.
Which companies hire principal software engineers in San Diego?
Companies currently hiring principal software engineers in San Diego include Northrop Grumman, Qualcomm, and SAIC, per current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. San Diego's employer mix leans toward defense primes, genomics and biotech software firms, and mid-size SaaS companies based in UTC and Sorrento Mesa.
Are there remote principal software engineer jobs in San Diego?
Yes, though the share varies: principal software engineer roles at defense contractors typically require on-site presence due to security protocols, while SaaS and cloud product companies in San Diego post more flexible arrangements. About 47% of principal software engineer openings tied to San Diego are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, with remote options most common in product engineering and platform infrastructure roles.
How can I get a principal software engineer job in San Diego with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is landing a senior software engineer role first, particularly at one of San Diego's mid-size defense tech or healthtech firms where internal promotion to principal is common. Companies in Sorrento Mesa and Carmel Mountain Ranch frequently grow their own principal engineers from senior hires. Building expertise in embedded systems, cloud architecture, or bioinformatics tooling aligns well with what local employers promote into principal-level positions.
Which industries hire the most principal software engineers in San Diego?
The sectors hiring the most principal software engineers in San Diego are Technology & Software and Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. San Diego's concentration of defense contractors, genomics companies, and venture-backed SaaS firms drives consistent senior engineering demand across those sectors year-round.
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