AbstractModern 5G heterogeneous networks (HetNets) require hybrid multiple access technology for optimal performance. The feasibility of a hybrid power domain sparse code nonorthogonal multiple access (PD‐SCMA) that integrates both power domain nonorthogonal multiple access (PD‐NOMA) and sparse code multiple access (SCMA) for an uplink hierarchical HetNet system is demonstrated. Hybrid schemes namely: Successive Codebook Ordering Assignment (SCOA) for codebook assignment (CA), opportunistic MUE‐SUE pairing (OMSP) for user pairing (UP), and a QoS‐aware power allocation (QAPA) for power allocation (PA) are developed. The SCOA algorithm is based on channel quality ordering metric, OMSP algorithm is based on channel quality diversity and pairing interference metric while the QAPA algorithm features a QoS awareness metric. A joint energy efficiency (EE) resource allocation (JEERA) algorithm that iteratively performs CA, UP, and PA for small cell user equipment (SUE) and the macro user equipment (MUE) to limit interference, improve spectral and energy efficiency is presented. The problem is formulated as a mixed integer nonconvex system EE resource allocation optimization for the small cells under QoS constraints of minimum sum‐rate, interference temperature, maximum power, and SCMA structure for a hybrid low complexity joint SIC‐Log‐MPA receiver. A modified near‐optimal dual decomposition analytical methodology featuring Dinkelbach fractional transformations is utilized to assess the system's performance on an imperfect wireless channel. Through numerical results, the proposed schemes are shown to improve the EE of the small cells in comparison with the prevalent schemes.