Applications Engineer, Sr. Staff Engineer

Synopsys Inc; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Synopsys Inc. in Austin, TX seeks a Sr Staff Application Engineer (Physical Implementation) to lead advanced RTL-to-GDS flows, drive PPA excellence, and mentor customers and teammates.

You will leverage Fusion Compiler and other Synopsys tools to optimize synthesis, placement, routing, and power across cutting-edge process nodes. You will partner with R&D, provide technical guidance in customer engagements, deliver training, and influence product direction with a focus on accelerating tapeouts

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's in Electrical Engineering with 12+ years of industry experience in semiconductor design or physical implementation.
• Deep expertise in RTL-to-GDS implementation including Synthesis, DFT, Floorplanning, Placement and optimization, CTS, Routing, Power Optimization, Timing, DFM closure on advanced process nodes.
• Hands-on experience with Fusion Compiler in production design or customer-facing role.
• Strong experience using AI to achieve aggressive PPA targets on complex designs.
• Advanced scripting in Tcl, Python, Unix, and Perl for automation and debugging.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills with customers, sales, and engineering teams.

Responsibilities

• Solve complex PPA challenges using Synopsys’ implementation technologies, including AI/ML-driven implementation, Physical Synthesis, Place and Route.
• Address advanced low-power design and early power estimation challenges.
• Benchmark against competitive implementation flows and deliver superior results.
• Develop, debug, and optimize synthesis and implementation methodologies for advanced semiconductor technologies.
• Diagnose design and EDA tool issues, providing actionable solutions for customer success.
• Translate customer requirements and technical findings into product enhancements and roadmap decisions.
• Drive adoption of new technology features and EDA tool releases to achieve best-in-class PPA results.
• Collaborate with R&D and product teams to shape next-generation implementation technologies.
• Deliver training and technical guidance to accelerate customer adoption and success.
• Contribute to account strategy by leveraging deep understanding of customer design challenges.

Skills

RTL-to-GDS

Synthesis

Floorplanning

Placement

CTS

Routing

Power optimization

Timing

DFM closure

AI for PPA

Scripting (Tcl/Python/Unix/Perl)

Communication skills

Education

Electrical Engineering degree (Bachelor/Master)

Tools

Fusion Compiler

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.

Sr Staff Application Engineer (Physical Implementation)

Join a world-class Applications Engineering team at Synopsys and help shape the future of semiconductor design. We are seeking an experienced Physical Implementation Application Engineer with deep expertise in RTL-to-GDS implementation, synthesis, and place-and-route methodologies. In this highly visible role, you will work closely with leading semiconductor companies, influence product direction, and drive adoption of Synopsys’ industry-leading implementation solutions, including Fusion Compiler.

What You’ll Do

• Solve complex PPA (Performance, Power, Area) challenges using Synopsys’ latest implementation technologies, including AI/ML-driven implementation, Physical Synthesis, Place and Route (RTL to GDS).
• Address advanced low-power design, and early power estimation challenges using state-of-the‑art methodologies.
• Demonstrate the value of Synopsys solutions by benchmarking against competitive implementation flows and delivering superior results.
• Develop, debug, and optimize synthesis and implementation methodologies for advanced semiconductor technologies.
• Diagnose design and EDA tool issues, providing actionable solutions that help customers achieve project success.
• Translate customer requirements and technical findings into product enhancements, influencing future R&D investments and roadmap decisions.
• Drive adoption of new technology features and EDA tool releases, enabling customers to achieve best‑in‑class PPA results.
• Proactively identify customer challenges and develop innovative solutions to improve design productivity and outcomes.
• Collaborate closely with Synopsys R&D and product teams to shape next‑generation implementation technologies.
• Serve as a trusted technical advisor, customer advocate, and Synopsys ambassador in customer engagements.
• Deliver training, technical guidance, and methodology expertise to accelerate customer adoption and success.
• Contribute to account strategy and planning by leveraging deep understanding of customer design challenges and business objectives.

Impact You’ll Make

• Accelerate customer tapeout schedules by resolving critical implementation bottlenecks that would otherwise delay production by weeks or months
• Increase Fusion Compiler adoption and deployment success rates across your accounts, directly contributing to revenue growth and customer retention
• Accelerate customer tapeout schedules by resolving critical implementation bottlenecks that would otherwise delay production by weeks or months
• Customer success through expert technical guidance and innovative implementation solutions.
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex design and tool challenges on mission‑critical customer projects.
• Partner with R&D to define technical requirements, validate enhancements, and influence product evolution.
• Increase Fusion Compiler adoption and deployment success rates across your accounts, directly contributing to revenue growth and customer retention
• Work closely with customers and sales teams to address business challenges, expand product adoption, and strengthen long‑term partnerships.
• Drive competitive displacement by demonstrating superior PPA outcomes and implementation efficiency.
• Accelerate adoption of advanced technology nodes and next‑generation EDA capabilities.
• Strengthen Synopsys’ leadership position in physical implementation and semiconductor innovation.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering or a related with 12+ years of industry experience in semiconductor design, EDA, or physical implementation.
• Deep expertise in RTL-to-GDS implementation, including Synthesis, DFT, Floorplanning, Placement and optimization, Clock Tree Synthesis (CTS), Routing, Power Optimization, Timing, DFM closure on advanced process nodes.
• Proven hands‑on experience with Synopsys Fusion Compiler in a production design environment or customer‑facing role.
• Strong experience driving methodology improvements using AI to achieve aggressive PPA targets on complex designs.
• Advanced scripting skills in Tcl, Python, Unix, and Perl for automation, methodology development, and debugging.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to engage effectively with customers, sales teams, and engineering organizations.

Why Join Synopsys?

• This role offers the opportunity to work at the forefront of semiconductor innovation, collaborate with industry‑leading customers, influence product direction, and help deliver the next generation of high‑performance silicon solutions.

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.