Principal Engineer, DFT

Company: Qualcomm India Private Limited Job Area: Engineering Group, Engineering Group > Hardware Engineering General Summary: Job Description As a leading technology innovator, Qualcomm pushes the boundaries of what's possible to enable next-generation experiences and drives digital transformation to help create a smarter, connected future for all. As a Qualcomm Hardware Engineer, you will plan, design, optimize, verify, and test electronic systems, bring-up yield, circuits, mechanical systems, Digital/Analog/RF/optical systems, equipment and packaging, test systems, FPGA, and/or DSP systems that launch cutting-edge, world class products. Qualcomm Hardware Engineers collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop solutions and meet performance requirements. Minimum Qualifications: • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Electrical/Electronics Engineering, Engineering, or related field and 8+ years of Hardware Engineering or related work experience. OR Master's degree in Computer Science, Electrical/Electronics Engineering, Engineering, or related field and 7+ years of Hardware Engineering or related work experience. OR PhD in Computer Science, Electrical/Electronics Engineering, Engineering, or related field and 6+ years of Hardware Engineering or related work experience. Qualcomm's Global CAD Organization is seeking a highly experienced and innovative technical leader to drive the development and deployment of next-generation DFT, ATPG, and MBIST methodologies for industry-leading SoCs built on advanced semiconductor technology nodes. In this strategic role, you will work within a highly collaborative global environment, partnering with SoC Design, DFT, Product Engineering, Test Engineering, Diagnostics teams, and leading EDA vendors to define and deliver scalable, high-quality Design-for-Test solutions that enable first-pass silicon success and manufacturing excellence. This position offers a unique opportunity to influence company-wide DFT methodology direction, drive technology innovation, and contribute to the development of cutting-edge mobile, AI, automotive, and compute products. Key Responsibilities • Lead the architecture, development, integration, and deployment of advanced DFT, ATPG, MBIST methodologies and flows across the complete product lifecycle, from RTL design through post-silicon validation and production test. • Collaborate closely with global DFT teams and EDA partners to develop scalable and efficient solutions that improve productivity, quality, and test coverage. • Evaluate emerging DFT technologies, tools, and methodologies through proof-of-concepts, methodology studies, design-of-experiments (DoE), and joint development initiatives with EDA vendors. • Drive methodology enhancements, automation frameworks focused on improve design productivity, minimizing test cost and test time, and maximizing defect coverage and silicon quality. • Define and execute the DFT methodology roadmap to address future product requirements, technology scaling challenges, and evolving test strategies. • Provide technical leadership, mentorship, and guidance to engineering teams while influencing cross-functional stakeholders and driving alignment across global organizations. Qualifications • Bachelor's, Master's, or higher degrees in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field. • 12–15 years of industry experience in VLSI CAD/EDA methodology development with significant focus on DFT, ATPG, and test optimization methodologies. Required Technical Skills • Deep expertise in DFT methodologies, including:Scan insertion and optimizationATPG development and test compressionMemory BIST (MBIST)Fault modeling and coverage analysis • Strong hands-on experience with industry-standard DFT, ATPG, MBIST tools such as: Siemens Tessent , Synopsys TestMAX, SMS • Proven track record of driving methodology innovation and delivering measurable improvements in test quality, productivity, and execution efficiency. • Strong programming and automation skills using TCL, Python • Solid understanding of SoC DFT architecture, Product test engineering practices, ATE environments, silicon bring-up, and manufacturing test flows. • Experience working with software development best practices including version control, configuration management, release processes, quality assurance, and support infrastructure. • Demonstrated ability to lead complex technical projects, influence cross-functional teams, and drive successful execution in a global engineering environment. • Exposure to development of AI/ML-based solutions, and intelligent automation to enhance DFT implementation workflows. Preferred Leadership Attributes • Strong technical leadership with the ability to define vision, influence strategy, and drive execution. • Excellent communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills. • Ability to collaborate effectively across geographically distributed teams and diverse functional organizations. • Self-driven, highly organized professional with strong analytical problem-solving capabilities. • Passion for technology innovation and continuous improvement. Keywords DFT, ATPG, Scan Insertion, Scan Compression, MBIST, Tessent, TestMAX, TetraMAX, VLSI Test, DFT CAD Methodology, SoC DFT, DFT EDA Tools, Semiconductor Test and Diagnostic Applicants: 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. 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