Qualcomm Chipset Firmware Engineer (Contractor)

Overview

MistyWest is expanding its contractor pool and is actively seeking a Qualcomm-specific Bluetooth Audio Firmware Engineer to support current and upcoming headset and audio programs. This role is hands-on and firmware-heavy, focused on building, loading, debugging, and tuning Bluetooth audio applications directly on Qualcomm platforms.

Has shipped products on Qualcomm Bluetooth audio SoCs and is comfortable writing and debugging low-level firmware, audio pipelines, and Bluetooth profiles directly on Qualcomm’s RTOS using the ADK/SDK.

Key Responsibilities

• Write and debug embedded C firmware on Qualcomm Bluetooth audio SoCs
• Use the Qualcomm ADK/SDK to build, load, and validate applications on device
• Enable and debug Bluetooth Classic and BLE features and profiles (A2DP, AVRCP, HFP)
• Troubleshoot audio behavior across the full pipeline: buffering, clocks, latency, mic routing, sidetone
• Work with Kalimba-related DSP processing and basic audio DSP concepts
• Debug using JTAG/UART, Qualcomm logs, and platform tooling
• Improve power performance (sleep states, battery life, low-power modes)
• Support RF and antenna considerations to maintain Bluetooth range and stability
• Assist with tuning and calibration for audio, ANC, and production test flows

Partner with hardware and QA teams to reproduce and resolve system-level issues

Required Skills and Experience

• Strong embedded C for low-level firmware development
• Hands-on experience with Qualcomm ADK/SDK (building and loading applications)
• Working knowledge of Bluetooth Classic and BLE profiles:
• A2DP, AVRCP, HFP (and related behavior such as negotiation and role handling)
• Familiarity with Qualcomm’s RTOS model and event-driven firmware flow
• Basic audio DSP knowledge, including Kalimba concepts and signal flow fundamentals
• Debugging capability using JTAG/UART and Qualcomm logging tools
• Understanding of aptX features and licensing considerations
• Low-power design experience (sleep modes, battery life optimization)
• RF and antenna awareness relevant to Bluetooth performance
• Experience with tuning and calibration for audio and/or ANC and production tests

Nice-to-have

• Shipped products using Qualcomm/CSR Bluetooth audio SoCs (examples include QCC30xx, QCC51xx, QCC52xx)
• Cross-platform interoperability debugging experience (Android, Windows, consoles)
• Experience with protocol sniffers, HCI logs, and latency or packet loss analysis
• Python or scripting for tooling, test automation, or log analysis

How to Apply

Submit your resume and, if applicable, links or brief notes on shipped Qualcomm Bluetooth audio products you’ve worked on (platform, profiles, codecs, features). Include your availability for the next 2 to 4 weeks (start date, weekly hours, and on-site availability).

Benefits

High flexibility: negotiate your own rates, hours, and work location.