Vice President Software Engineering Jobs in California

Company: Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.

Job Area: Operations Group, Operations Group > Product Management

The VP, Software Product Management is a senior executive leader responsible for defining, aligning, and scaling software product strategy across business units, spanning Android, Windows, Linux, Chrome and Aluminum operating systems, across Mobile, Compute, XR, Wearables, Automotive, IoT, Datacenter and emerging AI platforms. This role provides horizontal leadership across multiple software product lines, identifying and structuring Software Product (SP) activities by high‑level‑operating system (HLOS), driving clarity across BU roadmaps, and ensuring that software investments align with Qualcomm’s long term platform strategy with decentralized BU ownership.

Operating at the intersection of software product strategy, cross‑BU influence, and ecosystem execution, this leader partners closely with engineering, program management, and executive stakeholders to align roadmaps across Mobile, Compute, XR, Wearables, Automotive, IoT, and Datacenter business units. The role plays a critical stewardship function for cross‑BU software mainline and derivative strategies, open‑source engagement, and system‑level tooling and infrastructure—including developer tools, AI Hub enablement, and software publishing frameworks—while holding teams accountable to shared platform objectives such as OneSP. Success requires strong executive influence, deep software domain credibility, and the ability to create alignment, visibility, and leverage across independently funded organizations to maximize Snapdragon’s platform impact.

• Define and drive the software product and platform strategy across Linux, Android, Windows, Aluminum and Chrome OS, ensuring alignment and consistency across operating system ecosystems.
• Lead and influence the development of scalable software architectures that span multiple Snapdragon business segments, including Mobile, Compute, XR, Wearables, Automotive, IoT, and Datacenter.
• Establish and execute open‑source software and upstreaming strategies, ensuring Qualcomm maintains strong technical leadership, ecosystem credibility, and long‑term platform sustainability.
• Drive software portability and reuse across multiple generations of Snapdragon and Dragonwing hardware, maximizing platform leverage, reducing fragmentation, and accelerating time to market.
• Partner closely with core technology, systems, and engineering teams to translate silicon and platform capabilities into coherent software product roadmaps.
• Define and evolve software offerings and enablement roadmaps for third‑party application developers and ISVs, strengthening the Snapdragon software ecosystem.
• Provide cross‑functional leadership and influence across product management, engineering, and business unit teams, building consensus in a highly matrixed organization.
• Guide and align software execution across multiple teams to ensure delivery against strategic platform objectives and long‑term roadmap commitments.
• Represent Qualcomm and the Snapdragon & Dragonwing software strategy through domestic and international engagement, including customer, partner, and ecosystem interactions, with approximately 30% travel.

• Bachelor's degree in Computer/Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related field.
• Fifteen (15) years of Product Management or related work experience.
• Six (6) years of leadership experience.
• Four (4) years of working in a large matrixed organization.
• Two (2) years of working with operating budgets and/or project financials.
• Two (2) years of negotiating 3rd party business agreements.

This leadership role can be based in San Diego or Santa Clara, California.

• Twenty (20) to 25 or more years of related professional experience in technology and product management.
• PhD in Computer Science or Engineering, or a related field of study.
• Experience working in and scaling ecosystems, businesses, and teams — including an app developer ecosystem for embedded platforms, OS such as Android, Windows, Linux, Chrome, or other SW/HW platforms for smart devices.
• Experience working with multiple operating systems and/or software platforms with deep full stack understanding.
• Experience working with open source software and upstreaming process.
• Ability to have technical depth and to approach deep/complex technology challenges with the appropriate structural approach.
• Interests on where computing is headed and technology ideas on how to accelerate those changes.
• Skilled at operating in a complex, cross‑functional organization or company where your teams need to collaborate and integrate with other teams across many disciplines.
• Deep understanding of key macro trends in the industry.

• Strategic Execution: Ensures execution plan drives key strategic priorities and company goals; has significant impact on the direction of a large number of critical projects. Drives timely, complex, and strategic decisions that have a global reach and/or significant business or financial impact while adhering to Qualcomm standards of ethical behavior.
• Coaching & Development: Provides leadership across organizations — creates a strategy for organization development, develops a strong talent pipeline/workforce and drives talent development to execute present and future business priorities, sets clear expectations for departments, drives coaching and mentoring relationships, creates a culture of inclusion and learning) and motivates peers, senior leaders, and employees to align individual, team, department, and organization development with the broader vision and goals of the company.
• Impactful Innovation: Inspires stakeholders, the company culture, and the industry with a visionary approach that shapes the organization by introducing and enabling breakthrough ideas, products, and/or processes. Creates new business opportunities by challenging the organization to push boundaries while taking the appropriate risk and anticipating future needs.
• Clear Communication: Translates the strategic vision into succinct and impactful messages that inspires and connects efforts to the broader vision and goals of the company. Acts as a champion for proactive, open, respectful, and inclusive discussions.

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).

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$272,100.00 - $408,100.00

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.