Qualcomm To Lay Off 226 San Diego Workers

Qualcomm, the semiconductor giant known for making smartphone chips, has announced plans to lay off 226 employees in San Diego later this year. The layoffs are set to take place during the week of 12 November.

The job cuts will impact staff across 16 different facilities in San Diego, including Qualcomm’s headquarters, which houses the company’s cybersecurity operations. However, it remains unclear if the cybersecurity team will be affected, and a Qualcomm spokesperson declined to provide further details when questioned by TechCrunch.

Kristin Stiles, a Qualcomm spokesperson, explained the move in a statement: “Our leading technology and product portfolio has allowed us to successfully execute on our diversification strategy. As part of standard business practices, we continuously prioritize and realign our investments, resources, and talent to ensure we are best positioned to seize the unprecedented diversification opportunities ahead of us.”

This round of layoffs comes less than a year after Qualcomm let go of over 1,250 employees. In 2023, the company reported annual revenues of $35.8 billion, while its CEO, Cristiano Amon, earned $23.5 million in total executive compensation.