Staff Product Manager, Robotics Software

Job Title

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. is seeking a leader for its Linux-based robotics platform strategy.

Job Description

Directs a comprehensive product strategy from product conception and definition through end of life. Functions as a central resource with design, process, manufacturing, quality, test, marketing, and distribution as the product(s) and/or product line(s) move through their lifecycle. Formulates and executes long-term roadmaps for cost/profit control. Promotes use of new technologies and industry-leading trends. Directs those involved in the design, modification, and evaluation of all phases of a specific product or group of products. Involvement lasts throughout all stages of a product's lifecycle including modifications, upgrades, and maintenance of the product or product line.

Key Responsibilities

• Key lead position for Qualcomm's Linux-based robotics platform strategy, including kernel variants, real-time Linux distributions, robotics-specific build systems, and OS-level abstractions required for deterministic robotics workloads.
• Lead open-source ecosystem engagement, especially with ROS/ROS 2, real-time Linux communities, robotics middleware, and upstream contributors to ensure alignment with industry trends and platform direction.
• Help drive the end-to-end Robotics Software Platform roadmap, covering perception, SLAM, mapping, planning, controls, heterogeneous compute orchestration, and real-time robotics middleware.
• Help drive platform architecture and API definitions across real-time compute, distributed robotics workloads, sensor fusion, AI/ML acceleration, and edge-to-cloud integration.
• Assist in shaping the long-term robotics architecture across Snapdragon platformsspanning sensor interfaces, mission-critical compute, system determinism, real-time scheduling, containerization, and secure update mechanisms.
• Guide engineering execution across perception, autonomy, middleware, tools, and systems teams to deliver reliable, predictable platform releases across diverse robotic form factors.
• Transform customer, developer, and partner feedback into clear PRDs, KPIs, and launch criteria that shape the evolution of Qualcomm's robotics stack.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with hardware, SoC architecture, systems engineering, cloud services, BD/sales, and ecosystem partners to align platform delivery with customer and market needs.
• Deliver developer-ready assets including SDKs, samples, APIs, documentation, and tooling that accelerate adoption and reduce integration time.
• Represent Qualcomm externally to robotics OEMs, integrators, platform developers, and the global robotics community to drive alignment on roadmap and platform differentiators.

This is an office based position located in San Diego, CA and is expected to comply with the company's onsite work policy.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, Humanities, or related field. 5+ years of Product Management or related work experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• 8+ years of Product Management, Technical Product Ownership, or robotics/embedded/AI platform leadership.
• Deep technical understanding of Linux-based robotics systems, including real-time Linux (PREEMPT-RT or equivalent), kernel-level tuning, and robotics OS distributions.
• Strong background in robotics software stacks (perception, SLAM, mapping, planning, controls, middleware).
• Hands-on familiarity with heterogeneous compute architectures (CPU, GPU, DSP, NPU) and mapping robotics workloads onto complex SoCs.
• Demonstrated success driving large, cross-functional engineering programs and representing platform decisions to external customers.
• Experience with ROS/ROS 2, or similar robotics middleware frameworks.
• Ability to convert complex technical challenges into clear, actionable product requirements.
• Background in robotics, autonomous systems, industrial automation, mobile robotics, drones, AMRs/AGVs, or multi-sensor autonomous platforms.
• In-depth experience with open-source robotics ecosystemsROS/ROS 2, Linux kernel development, Yocto-based builds, real-time Linux, and robotics DevOps pipelines.
• Understanding of perception pipelines, SLAM frameworks, real-time scheduling, AI inference optimization, and distributed robotics architectures.
• Experience defining SDKs, developer toolchains, debugging workflows, reference implementations, and platform documentation for robotics developers.
• Strong executive-level communication skillscapable of aligning engineering, partners, and customers around a unified robotics platform vision.

Pay range and Other Compensation & Benefits: $179,200.00 - $268,800.00