Pre/Post Silicon Validation Engineer with PMIC Expertise
Qualcomm · Posted Oct 30
Semiconductor, 5G wireless technology, mobile platform, and AI computing solutions
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About the role
Qualcomm’s SoC Silicon Validation Engineering group performs silicon-level hardware architectural validation to uncover design implementation bugs through pre- and post-silicon system-level validation. The role focuses on validating Power Management Integrated Circuits (PMICs) from the SoC perspective, including the SoC–PMIC control interface, sleep/wake and power sequencing flows, and power delivery infrastructure. The engineer will define and execute SoC-level use cases, debug complex power issues on silicon using lab tools, and work with cross-functional teams to ensure robust SoC power management.
What you will do
- Develop and execute validation plans and coverage, leveraging expertise in PMICs to enhance system-level validation strategies.
- SoC–PMIC interface validation: Validate the SPMI (or similar, e.g., I2C/I3C) controller, PMIC arbiter and protocol behavior, including command sequences, arbitration across multiple masters, register access, interrupt handling and error/fault scenarios.
- Sleep/wake and power sequencing: Define and execute scenarios covering power-on/power-off, reset, sleep entry/exit and wake-up sequences, including rail ramp/retention/collapse, clock (XO) handling, PMIC mode transitions and wake sources such as interrupts, RTC alarms and key presses.
- Rail and regulator validation: Validate SoC-driven voltage scaling (DVFS/AVS), regulator mode switching (e.g., PWM/PFM, low-power/high-power), slew rates, settling times and voltage margins across supply rails.
- Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams (SoC design, PMIC design/systems, power architecture, firmware and software) to validate power management subsystems and SoC Power infrastructure.
- Measure and analyze power/performance characteristics of SoCs, with a focus on PMIC integration, rail-level current, sleep floor current and transition behavior.
- Create random stress stimulus validation frameworks, incorporating PMIC scenarios (concurrent rail transitions, repeated sleep/wake cycles, load transients, interface traffic) to test system resilience and reliability.
- Debug and root-cause silicon failures using lab tools, waveform captures and protocol traces; clearly document issues and drive them to closure with design and firmware teams.
- Contribute to pre-silicon validation (emulation/FPGA platforms) to ensure PMIC-related scenarios are ready ahead of silicon arrival.
Skills used in this role
What the employer is looking for
- Bachelor's degree in Science, Engineering, or related field and 3+ years of ASIC design, verification, validation, integration, or related work experience. OR Master's degree in Science, Engineering, or related field and 2+ years of ASIC design, verification, validation, integration, or related work experience. OR PhD in Science, Engineering, or related field and 1+ year of ASIC design, verification, validation, integration, or related work experience.
- Bachelor's/Master's in Electrical/Electronic Engineering or Computer Engineering.
- 4-8 years of relevant industry experience in PMICs, defining and executing SOC level use cases and scenarios.
- PMIC internals: Strong understanding of buck/SMPS regulators, LDOs, operating modes, power-on/power-off logic, PMIC GPIOs, ADCs, RTC, temperature alarms and protection mechanisms (OCP, OVP, UVLO).
- Interface and protocol: Hands-on experience with SPMI or similar controllers and protocols (I2C/I3C), including PMIC arbitration, register access and interrupt flows.
- Sleep/wake sequences: Good understanding of SoC–PMIC power sequencing, system sleep/wake flows, rail retention/collapse, and the role of power management controllers/firmware in these transitions.
- Proven experience interfacing with Power Management IC, DVFS, and system low power modes.
- Proficiency in C & Python programming for content development and scripting.
- Familiarity with ARM SoC concepts and architecture specifications like SMMU, GIC, Coresight.
- Lab tools: Strong debugging skills, with hands-on experience using Lab Equipment such as Oscilloscopes, Logic Analyzers, Protocol Analyzers (SPMI/I2C), Power Analyzers/Source Measure Units, DMMs, Electronic Loads, Current Probes and Lauterbach debuggers.
- Excellent communication, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to quickly adapt to new environments and technologies.
Preferred qualifications
- Experience with multi-PMIC platforms, PMIC-related firmware (boot, power management controller firmware) and Linux/RTOS power management drivers.
- Exposure to board-level power delivery, schematics review and power-integrity concepts (load transients, droop, ripple).
- Knowledge of thermal and limits management (temperature sensing, current limiting, throttling) and battery/charger subsystems.
- Experience with lab automation and data analysis using Python for instrument control and large-scale regression.
- Exposure to pre-silicon validation on emulation/FPGA platforms.
Benefits and support
- Compensation and benefits are detailed in the job posting
About Qualcomm
Qualcomm is a global leader in the development and commercialization of foundational technologies for the wireless industry, including mobile processors, 5G, and on-device artificial intelligence. The company designs and markets digital communications products, semiconductor solutions, and system software used globally across smartphones, automotive solutions, IoT devices, and computing systems. Through extensive R&D and intellectual property licensing, Qualcomm powers a highly interconnected and smarter world.
- Industry
- Semiconductors
- Company size
- 50000+ employees
- Founded
- 1985
- Location
- San Diego, California, USA
- Funding stage
- Public Company
Funding
Public Company · $53M raised
- 2018-11-01Grant
Leadership
President and Chief Executive Officer
Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer
James H. Thompson
Chief Technology Officer
Chief Marketing Officer
Ann Chaplin
General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
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