Engineer, Senior - Windows Internals, Driver, Power & Performance

Company:Qualcomm India Private Limited
Job Area:Engineering Group, Engineering Group > Software Engineering

General Summary:

Role Overview

We are seeking a Staff Engineer with deep expertise in Windows internals, user‑mode and kernel‑mode driver development, and system‑level optimization. This role focuses on building high‑performance software components that improve end‑user experience across real‑world applications, creator workloads, tech‑press benchmarks, and Windows‑on‑Snapdragon (WoS) performance scenarios. You will work cross‑functionally with OS, silicon, power, performance, and partner engineering teams to diagnose system bottlenecks, design low‑overhead runtime components, deploy compatibility shims, and deliver measurable improvements in responsiveness, latency, and efficiency.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 2+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience.
OR
Master's degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 1+ year of Software Engineering or related work experience.
OR
PhD in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field.
• 2+ years of academic or work experience with Programming Language such as C, C++, Java, Python, etc.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelors/master's degree in engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science or related field. 

• 3- 5 years of Software Engineering or related work experience.

Key Responsibilities

Windows System Development Design and implement user‑mode and kernel‑mode driver components, runtime services, and performance‑critical system modules. Develop low‑latency code paths using deep knowledge of the Windows loader, PE format, NTDLL, COM, WOW64/ARM64EC, and OS subsystem boundaries. Performance Optimization Design robust API‑interception layers using Detours‑style hooking and safe injection techniques to remediate compatibility or performance issues. Analyse end‑user scenarios, productivity suites, browsers, media applications, and tech‑press contents and propose solution to achieve best power and performance metrics. Identify OS, driver, and application bottlenecks; drive optimizations across CPU scheduling, memory behavior, I/O paths, and GPU/Display interactions. Implement/generate quantitative performance improvements using ETW, WPA, WPR, and WinDbg. Debugging & Diagnostics Debug complex issues spanning user‑mode, kernel‑mode, WOW64/ARM64EC translation layers, and cross‑process interactions. Use ETW‑based telemetry, WER, memory dumps, GPU/Display traces, and kernel debugging to identify root causes and drive OS/platform fixes. Security & Deployment Ensure all system components comply with code integrity (CI) and enterprise security policies. Manage code‑signing workflows for drivers and user‑mode binaries. Support large‑scale deployment and rollback of drivers, and runtime components using enterprise mechanisms. Power Optimization Analyze and tune Windows PPM (Power & Performance Management), CPU QoS levels, frequency scaling, and thread scheduling behavior on WoS platforms. Collaborate with silicon power-management teams to ensure optimal performance‑per‑watt in interactive and background workloads. Cross‑Team Collaboration Work closely with Microsoft OS teams, OEMs, ISVs, and internal platform groups on performance investigations and app compatibility. Present root‑cause analyses, design proposals, and performance wins to senior engineering leadership. Required Qualifications Technical Expertise Expert‑level knowledge of Win32, Windows internals, loader/PE, COM, WOW64/ARM64. Hands‑on experience developing user‑mode and kernel‑mode drivers and system services. Proficiency in API hooking/Detours, DLL injection, and safe redirection of system APIs. Strong debugging skills with WinDbg, ETW (WPR/WPA), KD, memory‑dump analysis. Demonstrated ability to optimize power, thermals, QoS, and performance on mobile/PC SoCs. Programming Skills Expertise in C/C++, Windows driver frameworks (WDF/KMDF/UMDF), COM, and low‑level synchronization. Familiarity with modern C++ patterns for low‑overhead runtime components. Soft Skills Excellent problem‑solving skills with a strong drive toward root‑cause resolution. Ability to collaborate across OS, silicon, OEM, and application teams. Clear communication of technical findings to executives and cross‑functional partners. Preferred Qualifications Prior experience with Windows‑on‑ARM, ARM64EC, and x86/x64 emulation execution models. Experience with performance analysis for tech‑press benchmarks and creator workflows. Contributions to OS‑level performance or reliability improvements in commercial products. Familiarity with GPU/Display pipelines, input subsystem (pointer/touch), and multimedia stack behavior.

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. (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).

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