Support Engineer (Lab Support and Automation)

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General Summary:

The role in one sentence...

A hands-on engineer who develops and sustains software automation for SoC validation while supporting daily validation-lab operations and troubleshooting real hardware, software, and infrastructure issues.

Role Overview

We are seeking a hands-on Lab Support and Software Automation Support Engineer to provide end-to-end support for a fast-paced SoC post-silicon validation environment. The position combines software and automation development, deployment, troubleshooting, and sustaining ownership with broad validation-lab support responsibilities.

The support engineer will develop and improve full-stack applications, workflow automation, test orchestration, data collection and analysis, dashboards, reporting, and infrastructure solutions that automate and scale validation and integration activities. The role may support stress testing across process, voltage, and temperature conditions, high-volume regression, silicon parametric-data analysis, lab IT infrastructure, and server or application maintenance.

In parallel, and when automation work is not the immediate priority, the engineer will support silicon testing, characterization, regression, platform bring-up, automated handlers, thermal equipment, development boards, power and connectivity equipment, PCs, instruments, racks, and related validation infrastructure.

The ideal candidate enjoys solving cross-domain problems, is comfortable moving between software development, data analysis, deployment, documentation, and hands-on lab execution, and can coordinate effectively with validation engineers, technicians, automation, software and electrical teams, project managers, facilities, IT, and vendors.

Role and Responsibilities

Software automation and validation infrastructure support

· Design, develop, deploy, maintain, and support software solutions that automate and scale post-silicon validation and integration activities.

· Develop Software / full-stack applications for validation workflows, test execution, orchestration, data collection, analytics, reporting, scheduling, dashboards, and infrastructure automation.

· Implement automation using Python and other software technologies such as Flask, C#, or equivalent technologies based on project needs.

· Partner with validation engineers to understand use cases, convert repetitive manual activities into reliable automation, and improve validation throughput, repeatability, and traceability.

· Develop and maintain databases and data pipelines using SQL, NoSQL, PostgreSQL, Splunk, or similar data platforms.

· Develop solutions supporting silicon parametric-data collection and analysis, high-volume regression, stress testing, process-voltage-temperature variation, and operational reporting.

· Troubleshoot application, script, database, server, network, lab-infrastructure, software, and hardware issues that affect validation workflows.

· Support application deployments, servers, lab IT infrastructure, scheduling services, dashboards, and related development and production environments.

· Apply sound software-engineering practices, including modular design, code review, version control, testing, logging, error handling, documentation, maintainability, and secure development practices.

· Contribute to best practices such as CI/CD pipelines, source-control workflows, unit tests, regression tests, robust deployment procedures, and release processes.

· Create and maintain software requirements, architecture notes, code documentation, deployment instructions, user guides, operational procedures, and support runbooks.

· Evaluate and apply statistical analysis, machine learning, generative AI, agentic AI, or related technologies where they provide practical value to validation automation or data analysis.

· Participate in Agile or Scrum planning, prioritization, design reviews, demonstrations, retrospectives, and continuous improvement activities.

· Communicate work status, technical findings, risks, priorities, and dependencies clearly to stakeholders.

Lab operations and validation support

· Set up, configure, reconfigure, inspect, maintain, and troubleshoot post-silicon validation platforms, including development boards, form-factor devices, PCs, connectivity and power equipment, thermal units or chambers, instruments, racks, and related hardware.

· Handle silicon and support lab-based test execution, characterization, regression, debug experiments, diagnostics software, and recovery of validation setups.

· Run tests on automated test handlers and related systems, isolate setup or system failures, review findings with engineers, and communicate results clearly.

· Independently manage assigned validation runs and operational commitments with ownership appropriate to project complexity.

· Triage user-reported setup issues and distinguish likely hardware, electrical, connectivity, software, automation, network, IT, or facility dependencies.

· Serve as a support point of contact for selected projects during planning, equipment readiness, bring-up, high-volume validation, and post-bring-up activities.

· Manage one or more handlers or lab systems for targeted operational use cases and drive readiness, reliability, maintainability, and safe operation.

· Prepare robotic pick-and-place handlers for use, troubleshoot handler inputs and basic electrical or mechanical problems, and support installation of project-specific changeover kits.

· Support lab service requests from engineering teams with limited guidance and provide responsive, customer-focused follow-through.

· Work with project managers and engineers to identify equipment needs, assess inventory, place or support orders, and track delivery status through completion.

· Maintain inventory of parts, tools, platforms, spares, and related lab equipment and support receiving, movement, deployment, maintenance, and replacement activities.

· Partner with facilities, IT, mechanical teams, vendors, and other stakeholders to resolve infrastructure, equipment, server, network, and maintenance needs.

· Improve test procedures, setup instructions, automation, documentation, lab workflows, data capture, and operational efficiency.

· Maintain a clean, safe, organized, and ESD-compliant laboratory environment.

Minimum Requirements

· High school diploma or equivalent plus relevant technical experience, OR an associate degree or technical certification in software development, computer science, computer engineering, information systems, data science, electronics, automation, or a related field, OR a bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, Information Systems, Data Science, or a related discipline.

· 5+ years of relevant experience in engineering support, laboratory operations, or a related technical environment.

· Strong proficiency in Python and application development

· Experience developing software automation, workflow tools, test infrastructure, data-processing solutions, or full-stack applications.

· Experience with databases and data access using SQL, NoSQL, PostgreSQL, or comparable technologies.

· Working knowledge of source control, CI/CD, unit testing, regression testing, debugging, and software-release practices.

· Ability to troubleshoot across application software, operating systems, automation, databases, network connectivity, servers, and hardware interfaces.

· Ability to use Windows and Linux environments, common productivity tools, and networking concepts relevant to lab and application infrastructure.

· Strong systematic problem-solving, communication, organization, teamwork, documentation, planning, execution, and service-oriented support skills.

· Demonstrated ability to learn quickly, work across domains and teams, improve documentation and processes, and balance urgent support with sustainable automation

· Ability to work onsite, safely handle typical lab hardware, and support project-driven activities outside core hours when required.

Preferred qualifications

· Experience with full-stack software technologies such as JavaScript or TypeScript, React, Flask, Django, Angular, REST APIs, and modern web-application architectures.

· Programming experience with Python and additional programming languages/SW technologies.

· Experience with AWS or comparable cloud platforms and deployment environments.

· Experience with PostgreSQL, NoSQL databases, Splunk, Jenkins, Power BI, scheduling tools, dashboarding tools, or similar technologies.

· Experience developing CI/CD pipelines, Git or Perforce workflows, automated regression frameworks, test-driven development, and release automation.

· Experience with large-scale automation, data analysis, statistical techniques, visualization, or high-volume parametric-data processing.

· Experience with generative AI, agentic AI, machine learning, or related technologies applied to automation, analytics, or engineering workflows.

· Experience in Agile or Scrum software-development environments.

· Experience troubleshooting low-level software, firmware, operating-system, network, server, and hardware issues.

· Exposure to CPU or SoC architecture, VLSI, post-silicon testing, silicon validation, power and performance, stress testing, JTAG, kernel debuggers, or related tools and domains.

· Experience supporting automated handlers, thermal equipment or chambers, development boards, rack-mounted platforms, lab IT infrastructure, or post-silicon validation laboratories.

· Used or integrated automation-testing frameworks such as React Testing Library, Jest, Cypress, Selenium, or equivalent tools when applicable.

Work Environment and Physical Requirements

· Primarily onsite work in an engineering laboratory and office environment in San Diego, CA.

· Hands-on setup, installation, movement, reconfiguration, inspection, testing, and troubleshooting of lab equipment and hardware.

· Ability to safely lift or move lab hardware up to approximately 20 lb, with reasonable accommodation as applicable.

· Occasional movement of equipment between nearby campus labs or buildings may be required.

· Flexibility outside core shift hours, including occasional evenings or weekends, may be required based on project needs.

· Follow applicable safety, ESD, equipment, access, information-security, and lab-operating procedures.

Minimum Qualifications:

OR

Associate's degree and 3+ years of Support Engineering or related work experience.

OR

High School Diploma or equivalent and 4+ years of Support Engineering or related work experience.

*Completed advanced degrees in a relevant field may be substituted for up to two years (Master’s = one year, Doctorate = two years) of work experience.

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Pay rangeand Other Compensation & Benefits :

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.