System Engineer, Application Engineering Principal – Ottawa

Company: Qualcomm Canada ULC

Job Area: Engineering Group, Engineering Group > Systems Engineering

General Summary: 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 Systems Engineer, you will research, design, develop, simulate, and/or validate systems-level software, hardware, architecture, algorithms, and solutions that enables the development of cutting-edge technology. Qualcomm Systems Engineers collaborate across functional teams to meet and exceed system-level requirements and standards.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 8+ years of Systems Engineering or related work experience.
• Or Master's degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 7+ years of Systems Engineering or related work experience.
• Or PhD in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 6+ years of Systems Engineering or related work experience.

About the Role: We are seeking a highly motivated Principal System Engineer to join our Application Engineering team and drive the successful deployment of next-generation Optical DSP and Active Electrical Cable (AEC) solutions for AI and cloud infrastructure. The ideal candidate possesses deep expertise in communication theory, high-speed link modeling, DSP algorithms, IEEE Ethernet standards, and correlation between simulations and laboratory measurements.

What You'll Do:

• System-Level Architecture, Modeling & Simulation: Lead system-level modeling and simulation of high-speed PAM4 communication links across optical and electrical channels. Develop end-to-end link performance models including:
• DSP transmitter and receiver architectures
• Optical transmitters and receivers
• Laser and photonic components
• Electrical channels
• Connectors and cable assemblies
• Evaluate next-generation Ethernet connectivity technologies for AI and cloud infrastructure applications.
• Generate and maintain IBIS-AMI and related customer-facing models for product evaluation and system design activities.
• Support customer simulations involving PCB channels, cables, connectors, packages, and optical links.
• Collaborate with silicon, package, and system design teams to improve model accuracy and usability.

IEEE Compliance & Industry Standards:

• Serve as a subject matter expert for IEEE 802.3 Ethernet specifications and compliance methodologies.
• Develop simulation and measurement methodologies aligned with IEEE standards.
• Support product compliance activities for:
• CEI interfaces
• 100G/lane PAM4
• 200G/lane PAM4
• Future 400G/lane technologies
• Participate in interoperability activities and customer qualification efforts.

What You'll Need:

• MS or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Applied Mathematics, Physics, Computer Engineering, or related field.
• 12+ years of experience in high-speed communications, optical networking, DSP, SerDes, or related technologies.
• Deep expertise in system-level modeling and simulation of high-speed communication systems.
• Strong understanding of optical communication systems and Ethernet interconnect technologies.
• Expert knowledge of linear and nonlinear communication system theory.
• Expert knowledge of PAM4 signaling and DSP-based communication systems.
• Extensive experience developing models for electrical and optical components.
• Strong understanding of IEEE 802.3 Ethernet standards and compliance methodologies.
• Advanced MATLAB and/or Python programming skills for algorithm development, simulation, and automation.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with laboratory correlation of simulation and hardware measurements.
• Knowledge of optical transceiver architectures and components.
• Familiarity with IEEE COM (Channel Operating Margin) methodology and simulation flows.
• Experience supporting hyperscale cloud and AI infrastructure customers.

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. 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.

Qualcomm expects its employees to abide by all applicable policies and procedures, including but not limited to security and other requirements regarding protection of Company confidential information and other confidential and/or proprietary information, to the extent those requirements are permissible under applicable law.