Architect, Applications Engineering

Synopsys; Mountain View (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Synopsys in Mountain View, CA is seeking a seasoned pre-sales engineer to lead technical engagements around HAPS FPGA prototyping platforms and ProtoCompiler, partnering with sales to win complex deals. You will map customer design challenges to tailored prototyping solutions, run proof-of-concept projects, and deliver compelling demonstrations to engineering and executive stakeholders.

The role requires 10+ years in FPGA prototyping or related fields, strong Verilog/VHDL, and willingness to

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's in Electronics Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field.
• 10+ years of hands-on experience in FPGA-based prototyping, ASIC design, or SoC validation with RTL-to-hardware expertise.
• Proven track record in pre-sales or customer-facing technical roles supporting complex EDA tool sales or hardware engagements.
• Strong command of FPGA architectures (Xilinx/Intel), RTL design in Verilog or VHDL, synthesis flows, and debug.
• Ability to architect prototyping solutions for multi-million gate designs with partitioning, clocking, and system integration.
• Experience with HAPS platforms, ProtoCompiler, or similar FPGA prototyping tools is highly desirable.
• Willingness to travel 30–50% to customer sites for evaluations and engagements.

Responsibilities

• Lead pre-sales technical engagements for HAPS FPGA prototyping platforms and ProtoCompiler with prospective customers.
• Architect and present tailored prototyping solutions addressing partitioning, performance, debug, and flow integration.
• Conduct technical evaluations, proof-of-concept projects, and benchmarks to demonstrate real customer value.
• Collaborate with sales to shape opportunity strategy, qualify technical fit, handle objections, and move deals forward.
• Deliver product demonstrations, technical presentations, and architecture reviews to diverse audiences.
• Respond to RFPs/RFIs with detailed technical content positioning Synopsys as the clear choice.
• Build trusted advisor relationships with customer architects and engineering leaders across engagements.

Skills

FPGA-based prototyping

ASIC design

SoC validation

RTL-to-hardware workflows

Verilog

VHDL

Partitioning strategies

System integration

HAPS platforms

ProtoCompiler

Pre-sales / customer-facing

Education

Bachelor's in Electronics Engineering

Master's in Electronics Engineering

Tools

HAPS platforms

ProtoCompiler

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 years at the intersection of deep technical expertise and customer engagement, and you have learned that winning a deal is not about showing every feature, it is about understanding the customer's real problem and proving you can solve it before they sign. You think in proof points, not product pitches. You know the difference between a demo that impresses and a technical evaluation that builds confidence, and you care deeply about that difference.

When you walk into a customer meeting with a sales team, you listen first. You map their design challenges, their timeline pressure, their past tool frustrations, and you shape your technical approach around what will actually move them forward. You have debugged enough FPGA prototypes to know where customers get stuck, partitioning that does not scale, clock domain issues that surface at bring-up, debug flows that eat weeks, and you use that knowledge to de-risk their evaluation and accelerate their decision.

You are comfortable leading a technical deep-dive with a senior architect one day and presenting an ROI-focused solution overview to a VP the next. You do not wait for perfect conditions to engage. You work with what the customer gives you, ask the right questions, propose a clear path, and move the opportunity forward. At Synopsys, you will work on HAPS FPGA prototyping platforms and ProtoCompiler, partnering with sales to win complex, high-stakes deals where your technical credibility makes the difference.

What You'll Be Doing

• Lead pre-sales technical engagements for HAPS FPGA prototyping platforms and ProtoCompiler, working directly with prospective customers to understand their SoC validation challenges and design requirements
• Architect and present tailored prototyping solutions that address customer-specific needs around partitioning, performance, debug, and integration with their existing design flows
• Conduct technical evaluations, proof-of-concept projects, and benchmarks that demonstrate how HAPS solves the customer's real problems, not just theoretical capabilities
• Collaborate closely with the sales team to shape opportunity strategy, qualify technical fit, handle objections, and move deals through the pipeline
• Deliver compelling product demonstrations, technical presentations, and architecture reviews to engineering teams and executive stakeholders
• Respond to RFPs and RFIs with detailed, accurate technical content that positions Synopsys as the clear choice
• Build and maintain trusted advisor relationships with customer architects and engineering leaders that extend beyond individual sales cycles

The Impact You Will Have

• Your technical credibility and solution design will directly win competitive deals, growing HAPS revenue and expanding Synopsys footprint in strategic accounts
• Proof-of-concept work you lead will de-risk customer decisions and shorten sales cycles by proving value early and clearly
• Solutions you architect will set customers up for long-term success, reducing post-sale friction and creating expansion opportunities
• Customer insights you bring back will shape product roadmap priorities and help R&D build features that win in the field
• Relationships you establish with key technical buyers will open doors for the sales team and create multi-year partnership opportunities
• Technical content and competitive positioning you develop will strengthen the entire field team's ability to sell HAPS effectively
• Your ability to translate complex prototyping challenges into clear business value will elevate how customers perceive Synopsys technical leadership

What You'll Need

• Bachelor's or Master's in Electronics Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field
• 10+ years of hands-on experience in FPGA-based prototyping, ASIC design, or SoC validation, with deep understanding of RTL-to-hardware workflows and design challenges
• Proven track record in pre-sales or customer-facing technical roles, ideally supporting complex EDA tool sales or hardware platform engagements
• Strong command of FPGA architectures (Xilinx, Intel, or similar), RTL design in Verilog or VHDL, synthesis flows, and hardware bring-up and debug
• Demonstrated ability to architect prototyping solutions for multi-million gate designs, including partitioning strategies, clocking, and system integration
• Experience with HAPS platforms, ProtoCompiler, or similar FPGA prototyping tools is highly desirable
• Comfort with travel (potentially 30-50%) to customer sites for evaluations, presentations, and technical engagements

Who You Are

• You can walk into a first meeting with a prospective customer, ask three good questions, and leave with a clear picture of what they need to see in order to move forward
• When a customer raises a technical objection or competitive comparison, you address it directly with specifics, real data, real tradeoffs, no deflection or vague promises
• You work seamlessly with sales, you understand their goals, you communicate pipeline status clearly, and you help them shape deals without waiting to be asked
• You present technical content in a way that lands with different audiences, whether you are walking an engineer through a partitioning flow or explaining prototype ROI to a program manager
• You stay organized across multiple active opportunities, managing evaluations, follow-ups, and deliverables without letting anything fall through the cracks
• You care about winning, but you care just as much about winning the right way, setting up customers for success so they come back and expand

At Synopsys, we want talented people of every background to feel valued and supported to do their best work. Synopsys considers all applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, military veteran status, or disability.

In addition to the base salary, this role may be eligible for an annual bonus, equity, and other discretionary bonuses. Synopsys offers comprehensive health, wellness, and financial benefits as part of a competitive total rewards package. The actual compensation offered will be based on a number of job-related factors, including location, skills, experience, and education. Your recruiter can share more specific details on the total rewards package upon request. The base salary range for this role is across the U.S.