Principal Modeling Engineer, Field Applications

About the role

Synopsys is the leader in engineering solutions from silicon to systems, enabling customers to rapidly innovate AI‑powered products. The company delivers industry‑leading silicon design, IP, simulation and analysis solutions, and design services. This role will serve as the technical authority that field teams and customers rely on when semiconductor modeling gets hard, directly influencing whether a customer can tape out on time.

Responsibilities

• Calibrate and validate semiconductor models for advanced process nodes using customer wafer data, test structures, and characterization results.
• Generate and maintain compact models used in customer OPC engagements, ensuring accuracy and performance across lithography workflows.
• Debug complex modeling issues at customer sites, collaborating with Field Applications Engineers to resolve calibration failures, data‑quality problems, and deployment blockers.
• Build and maintain automated validation and regression environments that catch model quality issues before they reach customers.
• Collaborate with R&D and Product Engineering to translate field requirements into product enhancements, contributing to roadmap discussions and feature prioritization.
• Deliver technical training and enablement to customers, supporting evaluations, benchmarks, and proof‑of‑concept work that drives technology adoption.
• Develop best practices, methodology documentation, and workflow automation that improve modeling productivity across the field organization.

Impact

• Customers will tape out faster because the models delivered are accurate, validated, and ready for production OPC flows.
• Field teams will resolve modeling issues in days instead of weeks thanks to built debug frameworks and knowledge bases.
• Product releases will better reflect real customer needs as the role bridges field breakages with development priorities.
• Model quality across the organization will improve through automated regression systems that catch issues early and consistently.
• Strategic accounts will adopt new Synopsys modeling technologies faster because they are proven in specific process contexts.
• Junior engineers across field and product teams will grow their modeling expertise through mentorship on real problems.
• The company will make better technical bets as field experience informs scalable modeling approaches.

Requirements

• M.S. or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Semiconductor Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 8+ years building, calibrating, or validating semiconductor device models in TCAD, SPICE, or lithography modeling contexts.
• Deep understanding of semiconductor device physics and how process technology choices affect model behavior and accuracy.
• Experience developing compact models and balancing accuracy, runtime, and usability in calibration methodologies.
• Proven track record supporting customer‑facing technical engagements as the expert solving real deployment problems.
• Programming capability in Python, Tcl, Perl, or similar scripting languages (strong plus for automation and workflow development).
• Experience applying machine learning techniques to modeling or characterization work (differentiator).

Who you are

• Able to enter a customer meeting with incomplete wafer data and a failed calibration, then devise a plan to get the engagement back on track.
• Methodical in troubleshooting mismatches between model predictions and silicon, analyzing test structures, process assumptions, and measurement noise to find root causes.
• Skilled at influencing without authority; product teams listen because feedback is specific, grounded in field reality, and supported by clear technical rationale.
• Natural mentor who helps field engineers think through modeling challenges rather than just fixing them.
• Capable of presenting complex modeling trade‑offs succinctly to senior leadership while also debugging scripts with engineers.
• Organized and able to manage multiple customer engagements, product discussions, and internal projects across time zones without losing momentum.

The team

You will be part of the Field Applications Engineering organization supporting semiconductor modeling across strategic customer accounts in the United States. The role collaborates closely with product engineering teams in Sunnyvale and Hillsboro, R&D groups developing next‑generation lithography solutions, and field teams deployed at foundries and leading‑edge semiconductor companies. The position is based in Austin, TX, with regular interaction across Synopsys sites and customer locations as technical needs require.

Rewards and Benefits

Synopsys offers a comprehensive range of health, wellness, and financial benefits. Total rewards include both monetary and non‑monetary offerings. Details about salary range and specific benefits will be provided by the recruiter during the hiring process.