Senior Software Engineer - 5G Devices

Viasat, Inc.•Carlsbad, CA

10d

About The Position

The Viasat Access Edge Terminal Software team is responsible for the design, development, delivery and support of software running on embedded satellite terminal products (Ka-band, L-band, 5G) that are used in aviation, maritime, residential and other sectors. We are seeking an 5G Devices Senior Software Engineer to design and develop modular software platforms for user equipment (UE) and customer premises equipment (CPE). This role focuses on device-side software architecture, integrating industry-leading 5G chipsets with custom satellite and networking capabilities to create hybrid connectivity solutions for various markets including automotive, aviation, and maritime. Note - This position focuses on device/UE software architecture and is distinct from RAN (gNodeB/base station) or 5G Core network roles. Candidates should have device-side, client-side, or CPE development experience rather than network infrastructure expertise.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related technical field
8+ years of experience in embedded software development for wireless communication devices
5+ years of hands-on experience with 5G/LTE modem integration or device-side cellular protocol implementations
Proven track record of architecting and delivering commercial 5G UE or CPE products
Deep understanding of 5G NR device architecture, including RF, baseband, and application processor subsystems
Hands-on experience integrating 5G modem chipsets from vendors like Qualcomm, MediaTek, Intel, or Samsung
Knowledge of 3GPP UE protocol stacks (NAS, SDAP, RRC, PDCP, RLC, MAC, PHY layers from device perspective)
Familiarity with 5G NR physical layer procedures, MIMO techniques, carrier aggregation.
Understanding of regulatory requirements (FCC, CE, carrier certifications) for 5G devices
Expert-level proficiency in C/C++ for embedded systems and system-level programming
Strong experience with Linux kernel development, including device driver implementation and kernel module debugging
Solid understanding of hardware interfaces: PCIe, USB, SDIO, SPI, I2C, GPIO
Experience with Android BSP development or embedded Linux distributions (Yocto, Buildroot)
Proven expertise in writing Linux kernel device drivers (character devices, network drivers, platform drivers)
Experience with kernel synchronization primitives, memory management, DMA, and interrupt handling
Ability to debug kernel-level issues using tools like ftrace, perf, crash dumps, and JTAG debuggers
Knowledge of device tree, ACPI, and platform-specific hardware initialization
Demonstrated ability to design modular, maintainable software architectures for complex embedded systems
Experience creating SDKs, reference designs, or platform software used by external partners
Strong documentation skills for technical specifications, architecture documents, and API references
Understanding of software design patterns, abstraction techniques, and interface design principles
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with ability to debug complex hardware-software interactions
Excellent communication skills to collaborate with chipset vendors, partners, and internal stakeholders
Experience with Agile/Scrum development methodologies
Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, cross-functional team environment
US Citizenship or permanent residence required

Nice To Haves

Experience with satellite-terrestrial convergence or hybrid connectivity systems
Expertise in optimizing software for resource-constrained hardware
Experience with 5G IoT devices (NB-IoT, LTE-M) or industrial 5G applications
Background in wireless protocol testing and certification processes
Contributions to open-source projects related to wireless communications or embedded Linux
Knowledge of secure boot, trusted execution environments (TEE), and embedded security practices