Silicon Validation Engineer: First-Silicon Bring-Up & Analysis

Synopsys Inc; Ottawa; On-site; CAD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Synopsys Inc. is seeking an experienced silicon validation engineer in Ottawa to lead first-silicon bring-up for memory interfaces like DDR6, LPDDR6/5, MRDIMM, and HBM.

You will define and execute validation plans, perform electrical characterization, and collaborate with design and firmware teams to deliver robust results. You will work in a lab environment with hands-on measurements, scripting, and data analysis to drive root-cause resolution and guide product release.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, or related discipline.
• 3+ years of semiconductor industry experience in silicon validation, characterization, test, or product engineering with proven experience bringing up and validating complex mixed-signal or high-speed interface products.
• Strong understanding of DDR/LPDDR/HBM protocols, high-speed interfaces, Interface IP/PHY architectures, and digital and mixed-signal semiconductor design concepts.
• Understanding of PCB board design signal integrity, and power integrity concepts.
• Hands-on experience with lab instrumentation including oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, power analyzers, SMUs, pattern generators, and Automated Test Equipment (ATE) along with test program generation.
• Experience performing statistical analysis, correlation studies, margin analysis, failure analysis, and root cause investigations with the ability to interpret large datasets and drive engineering decisions.
• Experience with scripting any programming languages such as MATLAB/ Python/ Visual Basic/ TCL/ PERL as well C/C++ & test automation.
• Understanding of JEDEC, automotive qualification standards and specifications and reliability testing.

Responsibilities

• Work on the first-silicon bring-up and validation for DDR6, DDR5, LPDDR6/X, LPDDR5/5X, MRDIMM, and HBM test chips and evaluation platforms.
• Develop and execute validation plans covering functionality, parametric characterization, margin analysis, and reliability testing across voltage, frequency, process, and temperature corners.
• Perform electrical characterization including eye diagram analysis, jitter measurements, timing margins, VREF optimization, power consumption, and signal integrity metrics, correlating silicon results against simulation and design expectations.
• Drive systematic debug and root cause analysis of silicon, firmware, board, and test infrastructure issues using lab instrumentation, data analytics, and cross-functional collaboration with design and firmware teams.
• Build automated validation frameworks and reusable test infrastructure using Python, C/C++, and scripting tools to improve efficiency, data collection, and characterization workflows.
• Participate in the development of multilayer PCB designs for silicon characterization platforms, validation boards, and customer evaluation kits.
• Generate characterization reports, present silicon performance data and debug findings to stakeholders and customers, and maintain validation documentation to support release readiness and customer engagements

Skills

Lab instrumentation

Electrical measurement

Scripting (Python)

C/C++

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Electrical/Computer Engineering

Semiconductor domain experience

Tools

Oscilloscopes

Logic analyzers

Power analyzers

ATE

Job description

Synopsys Inc. is seeking an experienced silicon validation engineer in Ottawa to lead first-silicon bring-up for memory interfaces like DDR6, LPDDR6/5, MRDIMM, and HBM.

You will define and execute validation plans, perform electrical characterization, and collaborate with design and firmware teams to deliver robust results. You will work in a lab environment with hands-on measurements, scripting, and data analysis to drive root-cause resolution and guide product release.