Senior Staff Engineer – Linux system performance engineer

Responsibilities

• Analyze and optimize Linux upstream kernel performance across scheduler, memory, I/O, and boot-up sequences
• Identify system-level performance bottlenecks using profiling and tracing tools to propose and implement kernel or userspace improvements
• Conduct root-cause analysis for performance issues and regressions, providing clear analysis reports and corrective actions
• Build and maintain performance benchmarking methodologies, including KPI definition, test plans, and automation
• Optimize boot time by analyzing the critical path across kernel init, userspace init, and system services
• Drive performance-related patch development and ensure upstream-quality engineering through rigorous review and testing
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams such as platform, camera, graphics, and power to resolve complex performance issues

Requirements

• Strong experience in Linux system performance analysis and optimization at the kernel or system level
• Solid understanding of Linux upstream kernel internals, including scheduler (CFS/RT), memory management, and I/O subsystems
• Proficiency in C programming (kernel/userspace) and scripting in Python or Shell for automation
• Hands-on experience with performance tools such as perf, ftrace, trace-cmd, eBPF/bpftrace, and flame graphs
• Understanding of low-level performance topics including PMU/perf events, CPU cache behavior, and memory bandwidth
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field with 6+ years of experience (or equivalent experience)

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with camera pipeline performance, including buffering, latency, and throughput tuning
• Familiarity with CPU DCVS drivers and power management
• Knowledge of the Linux graphics/display stack (Wayland/Weston) and GPU performance tuning
• Experience with multimedia frameworks such as V4L2 or GStreamer
• Familiarity with ARM SoC architecture and performance tuning on embedded or mobile platforms
• Experience contributing patches to upstream Linux or maintaining kernel trees

About the Company

Qualcomm is a global leader in wireless technology, developing products that power the world's most advanced mobile and connected devices. We hire the brightest minds to solve the most complex challenges in engineering and technology.