Qualcomm

Basic Information

Company Name: Qualcomm
Name: Sravan K Suresh
Duration: 21/05/2025 - 18/07/2025

What was your specific profile or project topic during the internship? Like what exactly did you work upon during your internship?

Role: AI-SW Engineer During my internship, I was involved in the internal testing of a parallel-computing language that is currently under development at Qualcomm for its in-house Neural Signal Processors (NSPs), with the goal of enabling efficient parallel computing and deployment of large-scale models and image processing algorithms. The language functions as an API wrapper around C, so my work required extensive hands-on interaction with C, focusing on low-level programming and performance testing.

What specific domain or field did you target to get an internship in?

I had been preparing and targeting for a computer vision/AI-ML role since the beginning of the internship season.

Were there any other companies where you applied for role in similar profile where you did not get the same opportunity?

Yes; Sony, Fractal AI, and AWL Inc. were some of them

What resources did you utilize to prepare for the tests/interviews?

LeetCode and ML/CV resources from various online blogs and sites like Kaggle, Coursera etc

Can you elaborate on your interview and the type of questions which were asked in the test and interview?

Test: The test was relatively easy overall, focusing mainly on theoretical concepts in C and C++. While most questions were straightforward, there were a few tricky ones scattered throughout that could catch you off guard if you weren’t paying close attention. The emphasis was largely on subtle syntactical differences, data types, and the implications of specific language constructs.

Interview: The interview was conducted by an IITB graduate with a Master’s degree in Signal Processing. I had prepared extensively for software-related topics such as DSA, Operating Systems, and Kernels. However, the interview took an unexpected turn and began with signal processing-related questions (Nyquist Sampling, in particular). This was followed by a moderately challenging question from Probability Theory related to packet loss and data transmission in networks. I was then asked a few optimization puzzles. The final part of the interview involved a deep dive into my resume; nearly all of my projects were discussed in detail, especially those involving Machine Learning and Computer Vision.

Could you provide insights into the organizational culture of the company/university and what your peers were like?

The organizational culture at Qualcomm is highly collaborative and employee-centric. There’s a strong emphasis on learning, innovation, and open communication. I found the environment to be inclusive and supportive, where even interns are encouraged to share their perspectives and contribute meaningfully. My peers were approachable and always willing to help. Many of the employees were IITB graduates. Overall, it was a culture that promotes growth and teamwork.

Were there any networking opportunities or professional connections that you established during the internship?

Yes, the internship provided several opportunities to connect with professionals across various teams. I was able to interact with engineers and team leads through meetings, technical discussions, and informal catch-ups.

How keen is the company on hiring interns as full-time employees in the future? How ready are they regarding PPOs?

Qualcomm seems to be quite open to hiring interns as full-time employees, especially those who perform well during the internship. While they tend to prefer postgraduates for full-time roles, they are still receptive to hiring high-performing interns. For dual-degree students in particular, they follow a system of giving a return-internship offer, which may then lead to a PPO in the following year.

How would you describe your overall experience as an intern? Did you explore anything new, or was it just a good-pay good-work desk-job?

The overall experience was nice. The work culture is extremely employee-friendly. I had the opportunity to explore various ongoing research and development initiatives within the company and gained insights into how Qualcomm is adapting to the fast-emerging technologies and industry shifts. While it wasn’t a high-paying job, it was definitely a rewarding and enriching experience in terms of learning and environment.

Yes, I’d recommend this internship as Qualcomm is an established corporate firm and it actively rolls out PPO offers. Also, my department in Qualcomm (AI/Autonomous Driving) is a small but growing one, thus providing good opportunities for learning and innovations. The company supports the interns well by covering all travel expenses and providing accommodation and meals for the entire duration of the internship, which makes the experience smooth and comfortable. As for preparation, it’s important to have a clear and well-structured resume that reflects your strengths accurately. Performing well in the written tests and interviews is equally crucial, so focusing on both technical depth and communication skills is key.