R&D Engineering, Staff Engineer

Synopsys Inc; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Synopsys is seeking a computational photonics expert to work on simulation technology that powers design tools for photonic devices. You will develop Maxwell-based solvers in C++ and Python, debug numerical issues, and optimize performance for production use.

Join an R&D team focused on advancing photonics design automation and contribute to high-impact projects that connect physics with practical software that customers rely on.

Qualifications

• PhD or equivalent hands-on experience in computational photonics.
• Strong experience with Maxwell-based simulation methods.
• Proficiency in C++ for performance-critical code and Python for automation.

Responsibilities

• Develop and enhance computational photonics software for design automation and simulation tools.
• Build, debug, and validate Maxwell-based solvers (DGTD, FDTD, RCWA, STACK) at micron scale.
• Implement and improve simulation algorithms in C++ and Python for production use.
• Support photonic design optimization workflows including inverse design methodologies.
• Work inside an existing R&D codebase to extend capabilities and improve accuracy and speed.
• Collaborate with R&D engineers to design, test, and deliver technical solutions.
• Investigate complex simulation failures and deliver reliable fixes.

Skills

C++ performance

Python scripting

Computational photonics

Maxwell's equations

DGTD/FDTD/RCWA

Code debugging

Education

PhD in Engineering/Physics/Math/CS (Photonics)

Master's with equivalent hands-on experience

Job description

Synopsys is the leader in engineering solutions from silicon to systems, enabling customers to rapidly innovate AI-powered products. We deliver industry-leading silicon design, IP, simulation and analysis solutions, and design services. We partner closely with our customers across a wide range of industries to maximize their R&D capability and productivity, powering innovation today that ignites the ingenuity of tomorrow.

You Are

You have spent years working at the boundary where Maxwell's equations meet real software, and you know that getting electromagnetic simulation right means understanding both the physics and the code that brings it to life. The difference between a simulation that converges cleanly and one that fails three hours in often comes down to a numerical choice you made last week, and you are the kind of engineer who sees that choice coming. Working in C++ performance code does not intimidate you, and neither does debugging a Python workflow that ties together five different simulation steps. You have built or worked deeply inside solvers, maybe FDTD, DGTD, RCWA, or something similar, and you understand what happens under the hood when a user clicks "run." You do not need a perfect spec to start. You ask the right questions, dig into the codebase, and figure out what needs to happen next. Photonics is not abstract to you. Whether it is optimizing a grating coupler or validating inverse design output, you know what matters at micron scale and you care about getting it right. At Synopsys, you will work on simulation technology that powers the tools our customers depend on to design the next generation of photonic devices.

What You'll Be Doing

• Develop and enhance computational photonics software that supports design automation and simulation tools used by customers designing photonic devices
• Build, debug, and validate Maxwell-based simulation methods including DGTD, FDTD, RCWA, STACK, or related electromagnetic solvers at micron scale
• Implement and improve simulation algorithms in C++ for performance-critical solver code and Python for automation and workflow orchestration
• Support photonic design optimization workflows, including inverse design methodologies, that help customers achieve faster, more accurate design outcomes
• Work inside an existing R&D codebase to extend capabilities, fix technical issues, and improve simulation accuracy and speed
• Collaborate with R&D engineers across the team to design, test, and deliver technical solutions that directly impact product performance
• Investigate complex simulation failures, trace root causes through physics and code, and deliver reliable fixes that hold up in production

The Impact You Will Have

• Your work will directly improve the speed and accuracy of simulation tools that photonics designers rely on to bring devices from concept to production
• The solver improvements and numerical methods you build will enable customers to design better performing photonic components with fewer iterations
• Your contributions to inverse design and optimization workflows will unlock new design possibilities that were previously too slow or too complex to explore
• The bugs you catch and the fixes you deliver will prevent downstream failures for customers running critical simulations on tight schedules
• Your ability to balance scientific rigor with practical software development will help the team ship capabilities that matter, not just capabilities that demo well
• The codebase you help maintain and extend will serve as the foundation for future R&D work across the photonics simulation platform
• Your technical judgment will shape decisions about which methods to implement, which tradeoffs to make, and where to invest engineering effort for maximum customer value

What You'll Need

• PhD in Engineering, Physics, Applied Mathematics, or Computer Science with a focus on Photonics or Optics, or Master's degree with equivalent hands‑on experience in computational photonics
• Strong experience in computational photonics and simulation methods grounded in Maxwell's equations
• Demonstrated experience with numerical methods such as DGTD, FDTD, RCWA, or related electromagnetic solvers at micron scale
• Strong programming skills in C++ for performance‑critical systems and Python for scripting, automation, or workflow development
• Experience in scientific computing, computational modeling, or numerical simulation in R&D or production environments
• Experience in photonic device or component design, including optimization or inverse design methodologies, is a plus
• Proven ability to work productively in an existing codebase, debug complex technical issues, and deliver reliable solutions in technically challenging simulation environments

Who You Are

• You can trace a simulation failure back through the physics, the numerics, and the code until you find the actual problem, not just the symptom
• You are comfortable explaining a tradeoff between solver accuracy and runtime to a teammate who needs to ship a feature next month, and you can do it in a way that helps them make the right call
• Detail matters to you. You catch the edge case, the unit mismatch, the convergence issue that would have broken a customer workflow three weeks from now
• You work well with people who think differently than you do, whether that is a physicist focused on theory or a software engineer focused on performance
• Learning a new numerical method or a new corner of the codebase does not slow you down. You dig in, ask questions, and get productive quickly

The Team You'll Be Part Of

You will join an R&D team focused on developing simulation and design technology that improves the accuracy and speed of tools our customers rely on. The team supports high-value design automation and design tools, with work that connects directly to simulation performance, product capability, and customer value. This role will contribute to advancing the underlying technical capabilities that help Synopsys deliver strong solutions in this area.

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.