Machine Learning Engineer, Staff (Model Optimization)
$158,400 - $237,600 USD yearly
Originally posted 3 September 2026 by the employer — open 18 days.
About the role
As a Staff Machine Learning Engineer specializing in Model Optimization at Qualcomm, you will create and implement machine learning techniques, frameworks, and tools.
What you'll do
- Extend training or runtime frameworks or model efficiency software tools with new features and optimizations.
- Model, architect, and develop machine learning hardware (co-designed with machine learning software) for inference or training solutions.
- Develop optimized software to enable AI models deployed on hardware, including machine learning kernels, compiler tools, or model efficiency tools.
- Develop and apply machine learning techniques into products and/or AI solutions.
- Develop, adapt, or prototype novel machine learning solutions aligned with product proposals or roadmaps.
- Oversee and conduct experiments to train and evaluate machine learning models and/or software.
What you'll need
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or a related field and 4+ years of Hardware Engineering, Software Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related work experience OR Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or a related field and 3+ years of Hardware Engineering, Software Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related work experience OR PhD in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or a related field and 2+ years of Hardware Engineering, Software Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related work experience.
Nice to have
- Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or related field.
- 5 years of experience with Machine Learning frameworks (e.g., TensorFlow, Caffe, Caffe2, Pytorch, Keras).
- 5 years of experience in embedded system development and optimization with application to a specific problem domain in ML (e.g., NLP, multi-media).
- 5 years of experience with one or more programming language suitable for machine learning (e.g., Python, R, C, C++).
- 5 years of experience using statistics and probability (e.g., conditional probability, Bayes rule).
- 2 years of experience with low level interactions between operating systems (e.g., Linux, Android, QNX) and Hardware.
- 1 year in a technical leadership role.
- 1 year of work experience in a role requiring interaction with senior leadership.
Skills: Machine Learning Engineer, model optimization, ML frameworks, embedded system development, machine learning hardware, AI models
This role has been open 17 days — well below the 67-day median for AI/ML Hardware Engineering roles.
AI/ML Hardware Engineering · AI ML Hardware
|
Open roles in category
516
|
Median days open
67 d
|
Median salary
$232k
|
See the full market breakdown ▾Category comparison, skills in demand, and who else is hiring
| Metric | Qualcomm | All employers we track in this specialty (516 roles · 76 employers) |
|---|---|---|
| Open roles in this specialty | 106 | 516 |
| Open roles in the wider Software, Firmware & Systems family | 719 | 5829 · 143 employers |
| Median days open | 99 d | 67 d (+32 d vs this employer) |
| Median salary (USD postings) | — | $232k |
Skills observed across this category: Machine Learning Engineer, model optimization, ML frameworks, embedded system development, machine learning hardware, AI models
Who's hiring in this category
- Qualcomm (this employer) · 106 open roles · median 99 d
- NVIDIA · 85 open roles · median 67 d
- AMD · 43 open roles · median 62 d
- Micron Technology · 32 open roles · median 39 d
- Mobileye · 25 open roles · median 53 d
- Analog Devices · 14 open roles · median 24 d
How we counted: 516 open AI/ML Hardware Engineering (AI ML Hardware) roles from 76 employers tracked in the SemiconductorJobs index, counted 21 Sept 2026. Specialty figures count only roles carrying this exact specialty label, so an employer's related work in neighbouring specialties is not included there — it is counted in the wider Software, Firmware & Systems family row. Figures refresh nightly.