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Principal PCB Engineer – Datacenter / High-Speed Systems

Qualcomm ↗

📍 San Diego, United States 🇺🇸

full-time

principal

201600

empty

Posted —

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Key Skills

PCBDFMAImanufacturingNPI

Industry

SemiconductorData Center

Job Description

Company:

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.

Job Area:

Engineering Group, Engineering Group > Packaging Engineering

General Summary:

We are seeking a highly experienced PCB Engineer to drive next-generation Datacenter and High-performance computing (HPC) platforms.
This role will focus on advanced PCB technologies, manufacturability optimization, and supplier engagement, supporting both NPI and volume production while shaping Qualcomm’s future hardware roadmap.

Key Responsibilities

1. PCB Design & Manufacturing Readiness

Hands on experience with PCB process including defining and drive PCB design guidelines / stack-up / routing strategy for high-speed, high-layer count datacenter PCB boards

Develop and maintain DFM (Design for Manufacturability) libraries to ensure design compliance with supplier capability

Collaborate with cross-functional teams (SI/PI, mechanical, thermal, system architecture) to optimize board performance and manufacturability

2. Supplier Engagement & Capability Validation

Engage with PCB manufacturers (fabricators & assemblers) to:

Understand design rule capability (trace/space, via structures, stack-up complexity, materials)

Evaluate BOM capability including advanced laminates, low-loss materials, and new technologies

Collect and analyze supplier data to validate manufacturing capability vs design requirements

Drive multi-source strategy and supplier qualification for high-volume production

3. NPI & Manufacturing Support

Support critical NPI builds for datacenter platforms (AI/Compute PCB boards, high-power systems)

Troubleshoot PCB fabrication / assembly issues:

Yield excursions

Reliability failures

Process limitations

Lead root cause analysis and implement corrective & preventive actions (CAPA)

4. Technology Roadmap Development

Drive PCB technology roadmap in collaboration with suppliers:

Advanced via structures (HDI, mSAP, via-in-pad, stacked vias, etc.)

New materials (low-loss, high-Tg, ultra-thin core, glass core evolution)

High layer count / ultra-high density interconnect solutions

Pioneer and implement new structures, technologies, and BOM solutions to advance Qualcomm’s platform capability

5. Industry & Competitive Intelligence

Monitor industry trends (Datacenter, AI infrastructure, high-speed PCB technology)

Perform competitive benchmarking (Hyperscalers, ODM ecosystem, etc.)

Identify emerging strategies to ensure Qualcomm remains aligned with leading-edge technology directions

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field and 8+ years of System/Package Design/Technology Engineering or related work experience.
OR
Master's degree in Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field and 7+ years of System/Package Design/Technology Engineering or related work experience.
OR
PhD in Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field and 6+ year of System/Package Design/Technology Engineering or related work experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

BS/MS in Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, or related field
15+ years of PCB / substrate engineering experience (Datacenter / server / high-speed system preferred)

Strong understanding of:

High-speed design fundamentals (SI/PI, loss, impedance control)
Advanced PCB fabrication processes (MLB, HDI, mSAP, build-up, lamination cycles)

PCB materials (low-loss laminates/Core & PPG, Cu foil, Plating chemistry, SR, Surface Finish, etc.)
Experience working directly with PCB suppliers (fab + assembly/CM)

Proven track record in NPI builds and manufacturing issue resolution

Experience with AI accelerators / server motherboards / high-power boards (100kW+ rack architecture familiarity preferred)

Familiarity with advanced packaging interaction (SiP, substrate, bridge-based systems)

Experience driving technology co-development with suppliers

Ability to influence cross-functional and executive stakeholders

Key Competencies

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills

Data-driven decision making

Ability to communicate clearly with suppliers, internal teams, and executive leadership

Experience managing ambiguity in fast-paced NPI environments

Impact

In this role, you will directly influence:

Qualcomm’s datacenter and AI hardware competitiveness

Supplier ecosystem maturity and scalability

Adoption of next-generation PCB technologies and materials

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 [email protected] 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).

To all Staffing and Recruiting Agencies: Our Careers Site is only for individuals seeking a job at Qualcomm. Staffing and recruiting agencies and individuals being represented by an agency are not authorized to use this site or to submit profiles, applications or resumes, and any such submissions will be considered unsolicited. Qualcomm does not accept unsolicited resumes or applications from agencies. Please do not forward resumes to our jobs alias, Qualcomm employees or any other company location. Qualcomm is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes/applications.

EEO Employer: Qualcomm is an equal opportunity employer; all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, Veteran status, or any other protected classification.

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.

Pay range and Other Compensation & Benefits:

$201,600.00 - $302,400.00

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.