Applications Engineering

Synopsys, Inc.; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Synopsys, Inc. is seeking an early-career power design engineer to advance RTL power analysis and clock gating techniques. You will work on Prime Power RTL 2.0 flows, support customer evaluations, and contribute to internal documentation and knowledge bases.

You will reproduce issues, document findings with context for senior engineers, and build expertise in low-power design tools while collaborating with sales and field support. This role emphasizes accuracy and clear communication.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field plus 2 years in semiconductor EDA, IC design, or applications/support.
• Working understanding of RTL power concepts including switching power, internal power, leakage power, and clock gating fundamentals.
• Hands-on experience with Linux environments and Tcl scripting for automation or tool interaction.
• Ability to follow established technical flows, reproduce results and document findings clearly for both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Exposure to VCS, Verdi, low-power VLSI coursework, or basic SDC/UPF familiarity is a plus.
• Experience with synthesis tools, waveform debugging, or customer-facing technical support is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Execute Prime Power RTL 2.0 flows for evaluations and internal projects, including library setup, RTL ingestion, SDC/FSDB correlation, synthesis, compute_power runs, and clock gating efficiency reporting.
• Support customers with flow setup, installation troubleshooting, and licensing questions, documenting results and issues for team review and escalation.
• Run RTL power lint checks, summarize findings, and contribute testcase documentation, FAQ entries, and internal knowledge base updates.
• Reproduce customer-reported issues, diagnose routine problems, and escalate complex cases to senior AEs with clear context and supporting data.
• Prepare evaluation collateral and technical summaries using established templates, ensuring accuracy and clarity for both internal teams and customer-facing deliverables.
• Collaborate with sales, field support, and senior applications engineers on assigned accounts, contributing to support cases and evaluation timelines.
• Build working knowledge of Synopsys low-power design tools, RTL power estimation methodologies, and clock gating optimization techniques through hands‑on customer and internal work.

Skills

RTL power concepts

Linux and Tcl scripting

Reproduce results & document

Clear written and verbal communication

Customer-facing support

Synthesis tools & waveform debugging

Issue escalation

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical or Computer Engineering or related field

Master's degree with relevant coursework or internship

Tools

Linux

Tcl scripting

VCS

Verdi

SDC/UPF familiarity

Waveform debugging tools

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 have spent the last couple of years learning how chips actually get designed, and you have realized that power is where the hard tradeoffs live. You understand that RTL power analysis is not just running a tool, it is about catching the decisions that will either save 20% power or blow the thermal budget before tape-out. You have debugged enough synthesis runs to know when a clock gating efficiency number looks wrong, and you are curious enough to figure out why.

You are comfortable working from established flows but smart enough to spot when something does not add up. When a customer asks why their switching power spiked after a design change, you do not guess, you reproduce it, check the waveforms, and either solve it or **escalate** it with enough context that the next person can pick it up without starting over. You write clear notes because you know that six months from now, someone else will need to understand what you found.

You are early in your career but not junior in your thinking. You ask good questions, you follow through, and you want to build real expertise in low-power design tooling at a company where that expertise actually matters.

What You'll Be Doing

• Execute Prime Power RTL 2.0 logical flows for customer evaluations and internal projects, including library setup, RTL ingestion, SDC/FSDB correlation, synthesis, compute_power runs, and clock gating efficiency reporting
• Support customers with routine flow setup, installation troubleshooting, and licensing questions, documenting results and issues for team review and escalation
• Run RTL power lint checks, summarize findings, and contribute testcase documentation, FAQ entries, and internal knowledge base updates
• Reproduce customer-reported issues, diagnose routine problems, and **escalate** complex cases to senior AEs with clear context and supporting data
• Prepare evaluation collateral and technical summaries using established templates, ensuring accuracy and clarity for both internal teams and customer-facing deliverables
• Collaborate with sales, field support, and senior applications engineers on assigned accounts, contributing to support cases and evaluation timelines
• Build working knowledge of Synopsys low-power design tools, RTL power estimation methodologies, and clock gating optimization techniques through hands‑on customer and internal work

The Impact You Will Have

• Enable faster customer evaluations by executing reliable PPRTL flows and delivering clear, accurate technical collateral
• Reduce escalation time by reproducing and documenting issues with enough detail that senior engineers and R&D can act immediately
• Improve team efficiency by contributing to internal documentation, FAQs, and knowledge base entries that make recurring problems easier to solve
• Support customer adoption of Prime Power RTL 2.0 by helping them get flows running correctly the first time, reducing friction during critical evaluation windows
• Strengthen customer relationships by responding to routine questions quickly and thoroughly, building trust during the early stages of tool engagement
• Contribute to product quality by surfacing real-world flow issues and testcases that inform R&D priorities and future releases
• Help grow the team's collective expertise by capturing what you learn in ways that make the next person more effective

What You'll Need

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field, plus 2 years in semiconductor EDA, IC design, or applications/support; or Master's degree with relevant coursework or internship experience
• Working understanding of RTL power concepts including switching power, internal power, leakage power, and clock gating fundamentals
• Hands‑on experience with Linux environments and Tcl scripting for automation or tool interaction
• Ability to follow established technical flows, reproduce results and document findings clearly for both technical and non-technical audiences
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, you can explain what went wrong and what you tried without burying the key detail
• Exposure to VCS, Verdi, low‑power VLSI coursework, or basic SDC/UPF familiarity is a plus
• Experience with synthesis tools, waveform debugging, or customer‑facing technical support is a plus

Who You Are

• You can take a 200-line Tcl script, run it, hit an error, and figure out whether it is a setup issue, a data issue, or something that needs to elevate, without spinning for hours
• You write documentation that someone else can actually use, not just notes that make sense to you in the moment
• You are comfortable saying 'I do not know, but I will find out' and then actually finding out, whether that means reading the user guide, asking a senior engineer, or reproducing the issue three different ways
• You can sit in a customer call, take notes while a design lead describes a power problem, and walk away with enough clarity to start working the issue without needing a second meeting
• You stay organized when you are juggling three evaluations, two support cases, and a documentation update, and nothing falls through the cracks
• You care about getting it right, not just getting it done, because you know that a sloppy power estimate can send a design team in the wrong direction for weeks

The Team You'll Be Part Of

Your recruiter will share more about the team structure and mission during the interview process.

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.