Analog Design, Staff Engineer

Synopsys, Inc.; Ottawa; On-site; CAD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Synopsys, Inc. is seeking an experienced engineering professional to drive transistor-level analog/mixed-signal circuit design for SerDes PHY IP. You will validate architectures, run extensive simulations, and develop Verilog-A models for IP integration across global teams.

You will also mentor junior engineers, contribute to design reviews, and ensure post-layout performance meets stringent specifications. A strong CMOS background and hands-on layout experience are essential for success.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical/Computer Engineering or related field with 5+ years of relevant experience; Master’s with 3+ years.
• Deep familiarity with transistor-level circuit design and CMOS fundamentals.
• Experience with SERDES sub-circuits: receivers, transmitters, PLLs, DLLs, VCOs, and related blocks.

Responsibilities

• Design and verify transistor-level analog and mixed-signal circuits for high-speed SerDes IP.
• Perform DC/AC/transient, cross-corner PVT, aging, and Monte Carlo simulations.
• Develop circuit architectures and tradeoff analyses across performance, power, and noise.
• Create and validate Verilog-A models for IP integration.
• Lead design reviews and mentor junior engineers.

Skills

Transistor-level design

CMOS fundamentals

SERDES circuits

Verilog-A modeling

SPICE simulations

Python scripting

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree

Tools

Schematic capture

Layout tools

Design verification tools

Job description

We Are:

At Synopsys, we drive the innovations that shape the way we live and connect. Our technology is central to the Era of Pervasive Intelligence, from self-driving cars to learning machines. We lead in chip design, verification, and IP integration, empowering the creation of high-performance silicon chips and software content. Join us to transform the future through continuous technological innovation.

You Are

You are an experienced engineering professional with a passion for driving innovation and delivering results. You thrive in fast-paced environments where you can leverage your technical expertise and leadership skills to manage complex projects from inception to completion. With strong experience in semiconductor design and delivery, you bring deep knowledge of SoC, ASIC, and Silicon IP development. You are adept at communicating with diverse stakeholders, including engineers, managers, and customers, ensuring expectations are managed and projects stay on track. You have spent years deep in transistor-level design, building circuits that close timing, meet power budgets, and survive silicon. At Synopsys, you will work on SerDes PHY IP that ships in real products.

What You'll Be Doing

• Design and verify transistor-level analog and mixed-signal circuits for high-speed SerDes PHY IP, including transmitters, receivers, PLLs, DLLs, VCOs, equalizers, and bias circuits
• Develop circuit architectures and run tradeoff analysis across performance, power, noise, jitter, and reliability
• Execute DC, AC, transient, cross-corner PVT, aging, EMIR/SHE, and Monte Carlo simulations to validate robustness
• Build and validate circuit simulation models and Verilog-A behavioral models for IP integration
• Review custom layout implementations and collaborate with layout engineers to ensure post-layout performance meets spec
• Prepare technical documentation, lead design reviews, and present tradeoff decisions to cross-functional teams
• Mentor junior engineers and provide technical guidance on circuit design, simulation methodology, and debugging

The Impact You Will Have:

• Deliver high-value Silicon IP solutions enabling technologies such as AI, IoT, and autonomous systems.
• Strengthen Synopsys’ position as a leader in chip design and semiconductor innovation.
• Drive operational excellence across global programs, improving predictability and execution efficiency.
• Enhance customer satisfaction through proactive communication and high-quality delivery.
• Influence product direction through close engagement with customers and internal teams.
• Build strong relationships across engineering, product, and customer organizations.
• Contribute to team growth through mentorship, leadership, and knowledge sharing.

What You’ll Need:

• Bachelor's degree with 5 years’ relevant experience or Master's degree with minimum of 3 years of relevant experience (Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field.
• In depth familiarity with transistor level circuit design - sound CMOS design fundamentals.
• Design experience with one, and familiarity with other SERDES sub-circuits: receive equalizers, samplers, voltage/current-mode drivers, serializers, deserializers, voltage-controlled oscillator, phase mixer, delay-locked loop, phase locked loop, bandgap reference, ADC, DAC
• Familiarity with custom digital design (i.e. high-speed critical paths).
• Understanding of design for reliability (i.e. EM, IR, aging, etc.).
• Understanding of layout effects (i.e. matching, reliability, proximity effects, etc.).
• Experience with tools for schematic entry, physical layout, and design verification.
• Hands-on experience with physical layout of high-speed circuits is a plus.
• Understanding of SPICE simulators and simulation methods.
• Knowledgeable in Verilog-A for analog behavioral modeling and simulation-control/data-capture.
• Experience with TCL, Perl, C, Python, MATLAB, or other scripting languages is desired.
• Good communication and documentation skills

The Team You’ll Be Part Of:

You will join a high-performing, collaborative engineering team focused on delivering innovative Silicon IP solutions to global customers. The team works across the full lifecycle of semiconductor development, partnering closely with design, verification, software, and customer engineering teams. We thrive on solving complex technical challenges, leveraging diverse expertise to drive innovation and product excellence. The culture emphasizes open communication, cross-functional collaboration, and continuous learning, ensuring every team member is empowered to grow and make an impact.

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.