Staff Engineer – Perception System Validation (XR Technologies)

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

General Summary:

At Qualcomm XR Research, we develop state-of-the-art XR technologies that enable exceptional AR/VR/MR user experiences.

We are looking for a Staff Engineer to own and drive validation of perception systems for XR (AR/VR/MR) technologies. This role focuses on validating SLAM and other perception algorithms, defining meaningful KPIs, building scalable test automation, and performing deep failure analysis. The role requires strong mathematical fundamentals, hands-on Python expertise, and the ability to communicate technical issues clearly to senior leadership and cross-functional stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

Perception & Algorithm Validation

· Validate SLAM (visual / visual-inertial / multi-sensor) and other algorithms across XR use cases.

· Design scenario-driven validation strategies covering accuracy, robustness, stability, and failure modes.

· Evaluate performance across sensors, calibrations, environments, and system configurations.

· Define and evolve perception KPIs (pose accuracy, drift, stability/jitter, robustness, reconstruction quality).

· Perform mathematical and statistical analysis of logs, trajectories, and 3D outputs.

· Identify and implement automation opportunities to improve test coverage, repeatability, and efficiency.

· Perform preliminary root-cause analysis of perception failures and regressions.

· Support algorithm and system teams with actionable debugging insights.

Required Skills & Qualifications

· Strong foundation in mathematics (linear algebra, geometry, probability, optimization).

· Strong proficiency in Python for automation, analysis, and tooling.

· Solid understanding of SLAM algorithms and perception pipelines.

· Strong knowledge of sensor calibration (camera, IMU, multi-sensor systems).

· Experience with large log analysis, offline processing, and metrics generation.

· Strong communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical issues clearly.

· Proven ability to work across teams and support stakeholder debugging needs.

Preferred

· 9+ years of relevant industry experience in perception systems, computer vision, robotics, or XR technologies.

· M.Tech / MS in Computer Science, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, Applied Mathematics, or a related technical field.

· Experience with XR, AR/VR/MR, robotics, or autonomous systems.

· Familiarity with tools such as GTSAM, Ceres, OpenCV, ROS, or similar libraries.

· Experience with ground-truth systems (motion capture, GNSS, fiducials).

· Experience influencing validation strategy at a system or org level.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 4+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience.
OR
Master's degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 3+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience.
OR
PhD in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field and 2+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience.
• 2+ years of work experience with Programming Language such as C, C++, Java, Python, etc.

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