Staff Embedded Base Software Engineer – Audio Systems

We are seeking an accomplished Staff Embedded Software Engineer to play a key role in the development of next-generation automotive infotainment platforms. As a Staff Engineer, you will provide both technical leadership and hands-on expertise in the design, integration, and optimization of embedded audio software for our QNX-based infotainment HPC, running on Qualcomm Snapdragon SoCs. This role focuses on software below the application layer—encompassing the audio DSP stack, QNX audio resource managers and drivers, and SoC-level audio hardware enablement—to deliver robust, low-latency audio platforms that support multi-zone playback, voice/phone integration, navigation and ADAS chimes, and other advanced in-vehicle audio experiences.

Key Responsibilities:

Lead bring-up and integration of audio subsystems on new SoC platforms and hardware revisions, working closely with Qualcomm FAE/support, QNX/BlackBerry support, and internal hardware teams.

Design and implement low-latency, multi-zone, multi-stream audio routing architectures to support features such as simultaneous navigation prompts, phone calls, media playback, ADAS chimes, and multi-speaker/zone output.

Debug and resolve complex audio issues across the stack — pops/clicks, latency, synchronization, underruns/overruns, power-state transitions, and audio-video sync.

Define and enforce automotive-grade quality practices: functional safety considerations, startup/boot time budgets, resource/power constraints, and long-term serviceability.

Collaborate cross-functionally with application-layer teams (Android Automotive / AAOS or other infotainment frameworks), hardware/EE teams, and Qualcomm partner engineering.

Mentor mid-level and senior engineers, perform design and code reviews, and set technical standards and best practices for the audio domain within base software.

Partner with your manager on technical roadmap planning, estimation, and hiring/growth of the audio competency within the team.

Drive root-cause analysis and resolution of field/production issues related to audio.

Support the architecture and technical roadmap for audio software on our QNX-based infotainment HPC (Qualcomm Snapdragon SoC), spanning audio DSP (ADSP/QDSP6), QNX audio drivers/resource managers, and audio HAL/middleware integration.

Basic Requirements:

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field

A minimum of 8 years of professional embedded software development experience, with a significant focus on audio software on Qualcomm Snapdragon (or similar Qualcomm) SoC platforms.

Deep, hands-on experience with the Qualcomm audio stack: ADSP/QDSP6, AudioReach (or QACT/ACDB tooling), and integrating it into a QNX environment.

Hands-on experience with QNX software development: resource managers (io-audio or equivalent), QNX audio driver architecture, IPC (message passing, pulses), and BSP-level bring-up on QNX.

Strong C/C++ programming skills and comfort working across QNX resource manager/driver, HAL, and DSP firmware/config boundaries.

Solid understanding of audio signal chains: codecs, amplifiers, DSPs, sample rate conversion, mixing/routing, echo cancellation, and low-latency audio paths.

Experience debugging with tools such as JTAG/T32, QNX Momentics/System Analysis Toolkit, oscilloscopes/audio analyzers, logic analyzers, and Qualcomm-specific diagnostic/tracing tools.

Track record of technical leadership: driving architecture decisions, mentoring engineers, and working across hardware/software boundaries.

Experience in automotive or another safety/quality-regulated embedded industry (automotive, aerospace, medical devices, industrial) preferred.

Preferred Requirements:

Experience with QNX Platform for Digital Cockpits (QNX PDC) or QNX Hypervisor in an automotive HPC context.

Familiarity with automotive audio standards and use cases: multi-zone audio, active noise cancellation, engine sound enhancement, external mic/speaker arrays, phone/voice assistant integration.

Experience with functional safety standards (ISO 26262) as applied to software development, including relevant QNX safety-certified configurations.

Familiarity with AUTOSAR Adaptive, or other automotive middleware frameworks, and how they interface with a QNX-based audio subsystem.

Experience with CI/CD for embedded targets, automated audio validation/test frameworks.

Experience leveraging generative AI tools (e.g., Claude, GitHub Copilot, or similar) to accelerate embedded software development — code generation/review, debugging, test-case generation, and documentation.