Application Engineer, RTL2GDS Sr Director

Cadence Design Systems; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 210,000 - 390,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid vacation

401(k) plan with employer match

Employee stock purchase plan

Job summary

Cadence Design Systems in California is looking for a Sr Application Engineer Architect to drive strategic customer engagements and influence next‑generation EDA solutions. The ideal candidate will have over 20 years of IC design implementation experience and will lead a team of Application Engineers while driving customer success.

This role offers an annual salary range of $210,000 to $390,000, plus potential bonuses and benefits including vacation, 401(k) matching, and various medical plans.

Qualifications

• 20+ years of experience in IC design implementation and sign-off.
• Strong proficiency in scripting and flow customization.
• Prior experience with Cadence tools and competitive solutions.

Responsibilities

• Define technical engagement strategies for semiconductor design teams.
• Mentor teams of Application Engineers.
• Drive benchmarks and tool enhancements based on customer requirements.

Skills

IC design implementation

Engineering leadership

Scripting (Tcl, Python, Perl)

Digital design fundamentals

Education

BS/MS in Electrical or Computer Engineering

Tools

Cadence tools (Genus, Innovus, Tempus)

Job description

Overview

At Cadence, we hire and develop leaders and innovators who want to make an impact on the world of technology. The Sr Application Engineer Architect serves as a senior technical leader within Cadence’s North America Field Applications Team, driving strategic customer engagements and influencing next‑generation EDA & Agentic‑AI solutions.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and execute technical engagement strategies for top semiconductor design teams, ensuring alignment with corporate objectives and customer success metrics.
• Act as a trusted advisor for executive‑level stakeholders, guiding the adoption of Cadence’s digital implementation, sign‑off technologies and Agentic‑AI features across advanced nodes (3nm and below).
• Lead and mentor a high‑performing team of Application Engineers, fostering technical excellence and career growth.
• Partner with R&D and Product Engineering to influence tool enhancements based on real‑world customer requirements.
• Drive complex benchmarks, flow optimizations, and deployment of cutting‑edge methodologies for synthesis, placement & routing, static timing analysis, IR drop, and power/timing closure.
• Represent Cadence at industry forums, author technical papers, and deliver keynote presentations to position Cadence as a market leader.
• Establish best practices for engagement models, resource planning, and technical escalations to ensure timely and successful project execution.

Qualifications

• 20+ years of experience in IC design implementation and sign‑off, with demonstrated success managing large‑scale technical programs.
• BS/MS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
• Deep expertise in digital design fundamentals, advanced node implementation (3nm and below), and EDA tool ecosystems.
• Proven track record of leading technical teams and driving customer success at the executive level.
• Strong proficiency in scripting (Tcl, Python, Perl) and flow customization for design closure.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and leadership skills with the ability to influence internal and external stakeholders.
• Prior experience with Cadence tools (Genus, Innovus, Tempus, Voltus, Conformal, Cerebrus) and competitive solutions is highly desirable.

Compensation

The annual salary range for California is $210,000 to $390,000. Candidates may also be eligible to receive incentive compensation—including bonus, equity, and benefits—depending on qualifications, skill level, and work location.

Benefits

Paid vacation and paid holidays, 401(k) plan with employer match, employee stock purchase plan, a variety of medical, dental, and vision plan options, and more.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Cadence is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran, basis of disability, or any other protected class.