Principal R&D Engineer, 18023

We Are You

You are a seasoned engineer at the forefront of physical design, where every nanometer counts. You excel at dissecting complex design flows, identifying bottlenecks, and finding innovative solutions. You are comfortable navigating the complexities of advanced node processes and are passionate about pushing the boundaries of what's possible.

What You'll Be Doing

• Partner with Advanced Node Methodology and R&D teams to deliver rapid PPA closure on high-performance designs using Fusion Compiler
• Connect design requirements, DTCO optimization, and EDA engine capabilities to drive measurable improvements in Power, Performance, Area, and Runtime
• Prototype quick solutions using TCL and Perl to validate and extend EDA engine functionality in response to customer and internal challenges
• Collaborate directly with foundry partners to influence technical strategy and execution for advanced node enablement (2nm, 1.4nm, and beyond)
• Analyze and enhance RTL2GDS flows, identifying critical path issues, and proposing tangible algorithms or methodology changes
• Lead benchmarking and tape out efforts to validate new methodologies on real, high-performance core designs
• Provide deep technical guidance to both internal teams and external customers on advanced node physical design, including Backside Routing and Std Cell Library analysis

The Impact You Will Have

• Accelerate PPA closure for next-generation designs, making Synopsys tools the clear choice for high-performance customers
• Shape the direction of EDA engine development by surfacing real-world challenges and demonstrating actionable solutions
• Shorten turnaround times from design concept to tape out, directly impacting customer time-to-market
• Influence foundry technical roadmaps by bringing grounded, design-driven insights to process and tool co-optimization
• Raise the bar for quality of results (QoR) in advanced node flows, ensuring that every new release delivers measurable value
• Enable the deployment of new physical design methodologies that scale across multiple customers and used cases
• Mentor and elevate your peers by sharing best practices, code snippets, and lessons learned from the front lines

What You'll Need

• BS or MS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a closely related field with 12+ years of hands-on EDA product development, deployment, and full-flow benchmarking experience, including design tape outs at advanced nodes
• Deep expertise in RTL2GDS flows, including Synthesis, Place & Route, and physical verification for high-performance cores
• Strong scripting skills with TCL and Perl, with a track record of building practical prototypes and workflow extensions
• Demonstrated experience with advanced node technologies (2nm, 1.4nm and below), including Backside Routing and Std Cell Library analysis
• Solid understanding of how Synthesis and Place & Route engines interact to deliver and optimize QoR
• Experience with Synthesis/Optimization cell selection is a plus

Who You Are

• Can spot a PPA bottleneck by reading a timing report
• Comfortable jumping between customer conversations, foundry meetings, and hands-on code fixes
• Explain why a DTCO tradeoff matters in terms that both designers and tool developers understand
• Thrives on ambiguity and treats new process nodes as an invitation, not a roadblock
• Acts fast, prototypes early, and brings concrete evidence to technical arguments
• Mentors others—sharing scripts, lessons, and war stories to raise the team’s technical game

The Team You'll Be Part Of

Your recruiter will share more about the team structure and mission during the interview process.

Rewards and Benefits

We offer a comprehensive range of health, wellness, and financial benefits to cater to your needs. Our total rewards include both monetary and non-monetary offerings. Your recruiter will provide more details about the salary range and benefits during the hiring process.