Senior Staff Hardware Validation Engineer

Synopsys Inc; Mississauga; On-site; CAD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Synopsys Inc in Mississauga searches for a hardware design engineer to create high‑speed SERDES PCBs and lead PI/SI validation in a lab setting. You will design schematics, select components, interpret mechanical drawings, and ensure thermal and electrical requirements are met.

You will work with analog and digital circuits in a well‑equipped R&D lab. Expect to run HFSS/SI simulations, document procedures, and collaborate with PCB fabrication houses to deliver manufacturable designs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Hands-on experience with electronics test and measurement equipment in a lab or professional setting.
• Experience interfacing with PCB fabrication houses to mass produce designs.
• Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills with a methodical approach.
• Experience with high-speed electronics, FPGA tools, Verilog HDL, or test automation is a plus.
• Ability to run PI/SI simulations using HFSS or similar platforms.
• Experience designing PCBs for SERDES or high-speed serial applications is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Design PCBs for high power, high speed SERDES validation with solid PI/SI knowledge.
• Optimize board schematics/layouts and test points to support silicon validation teams.
• Analyze layouts with HFSS to extract PI/SI models and predict performance before fabrication.
• Debug hardware issues with high speed scopes and meters and implement design updates.
• Document bring-up and test procedures for lab technicians.
• Interface with PCB fabrication houses to mass produce designs and manage costs.
• Contribute to validation process improvements and lab infrastructure.

Skills

Analytical troubleshooting

Self-directed

Clear communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical or Electronic Engineering

Master's degree in Electrical or Electronic Engineering

Tools

HFSS

Verilog HDL

Test automation platforms

Job description

We Are

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 bring solid engineering design knowledge and hands-on experience to hardware designs supporting SERDES validation work. Designing a PCB means more than running a checklist for you. It means understanding all of the requirements of the PCB, mechanical, thermal, and electrical, and bringing them front and center to the design flow. You are comfortable designing schematics, choosing components, interpreting mechanical drawings, meeting thermal requirements, and working with users of your design in a lab environment.

Your knowledge of PI and SI simulation flows runs deep. You can provide feedback to an SI/PI simulation or run simulations on your own to evaluate your PCB layouts. The design rules of the fab are the governing factor in the design's cost and manufacturability, and you know how to trade off si/pi results against a design that can actually be built. Clear documentation and structured processes matter to you because design work builds on itself. The design you create today becomes the baseline for the next iteration.

You communicate your designs clearly, whether you are writing a board usage document for a customer or explaining board screening procedures to a technician. At Synopsys, your PCBs will be used in a well-equipped lab alongside experienced engineers who design analog and digital circuits. You will have the tools and support to develop your board design expertise on products that matter.

What You'll Be Doing

• Design PCBs supporting high power, high speed testchips, utilizing solid PI and SI knowledge to optimize board transmission lines and enable high speed SERDES testing
• Work with board schematics and layouts to optimize test points and signal paths that enable entire silicon validation teams to test our products
• Analyze board layouts with HFSS tools to extract PI and SI models of designs and predict performance before fabrication
• Debug hardware issues using high speed scopes, power meters, IR cameras, and other equipment to provide board modifications and updates that solve PCB PI issues and drive continuous hardware improvement
• Document bring up and test procedures for the boards to communicate proper debug and screening procedures to lab technicians commissioning test boards
• Interface directly with PCB fabrication houses to mass produce PCB designs, managing design rules, cost tradeoffs, and manufacturability
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of validation processes, test coverage, and lab infrastructure

The Impact You Will Have

• Ensure product quality by providing solid hardware solutions to our silicon validation team that enable accurate, repeatable testing
• Build reliable test setups that improve validation throughput and consistency across product releases, reducing time to market
• Create test setups that are functionally and visually appealing for customer demos, representing Synopsys engineering standards
• Help maintain Synopsys standards for product performance, interoperability, and reliability in semiconductor IP and design solutions
• Enable high speed SERDES testing that pushes the boundaries of what our IP can deliver to customers
• Reduce hardware-related validation bottlenecks through thoughtful design that anticipates lab usage and debug needs
• Build a foundation of reusable, well-documented board designs that accelerate future product development cycles

What You'll Need

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, or a related technical discipline with 8 years of relevant experience, or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering or Electronic Engineering with 6 years of relevant experience
• Hands-on experience working with electronics test and measurement equipment in a professional or academic lab setting
• Experience with interfacing directly with PCB fabrication houses to mass produce PCB designs
• Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills with a methodical approach to problem solving
• Experience with high-speed electronics, FPGA development tools, Verilog HDL, or test automation platforms is a plus
• Demonstrated ability to run PI and SI simulations using tools like HFSS or similar platforms
• Experience designing PCBs for SERDES or high-speed serial communication applications is a plus

Who You Are

• You approach design work with attention to detail and a commitment to thoroughness, knowing that small decisions compound over the life of a product
• You communicate technical information clearly in both written reports and verbal discussions with cross-functional team members, translating between schematic-level detail and system-level impact
• You are self-directed and organized, able to manage your design schedule and follow through on tasks without oversight
• You are comfortable asking questions when requirements are unclear and seeking input from more experienced engineers when needed
• You take ownership of your test hardware designs, ensuring accuracy and repeatability in your measurements
• You can explain a tradeoff between signal integrity performance and fabrication cost to a project lead in two sentences without losing the nuance

The Team You'll Be Part Of

You will work with a cross functional engineering team of analog and digital designers and hardware engineers with a variety of backgrounds. Our R&D lab in Mississauga is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment for high accuracy, high-speed test, and debug.

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.