Silicon Validation Lead, Principal Engineer - 19499

Synopsys, Inc.; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 170,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Synopsys, Inc. in Sunnyvale, CA seeks a senior engineer to lead silicon validation of IP and performance for high-speed interfaces. You will bridge simulation and silicon realities across architecture and validation teams.

The role requires 10+ years in silicon validation, SerDes design and verification, and strong lab debugging skills. Collaboration with platform teams and customers is essential to drive robust, scalable solutions.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of silicon validation, high-speed interfaces, and system-level performance analysis.
• Expertise in SerDes design and validation, including PCIe and Ethernet protocols.
• Strong knowledge of signal integrity, equalization, coding, and CDR architectures.
• Hands-on lab validation, debug tools, and sim-to-silicon correlation.
• Familiarity with firmware integration and regression testing methodologies.
• Cross-functional collaboration across platform teams and product owners.

Responsibilities

• Lead silicon validation of IP functionality and performance aligned with architectural intent.
• Support hardware bring-up and firmware integration for early product-version characterization.
• Drive root-cause analysis, workarounds, and fixes during characterization.
• Manage a dedicated validation effort in parallel with characterization activities.
• Validate sim-to-silicon performance of algorithms and key metrics (e.g., AFE curves).
• Provide feedback to system teams for hardware-correlated models and tuning.
• Develop improvements to SerDes algorithms and configurations.
• Incorporate learnings from customer EVBs into future developments.
• Review firmware regression tests for repeatability and robustness.
• Support customer bring-up and drive silicon debug issue resolution.
• Communicate findings to Platform Architects and Product Owners.

Skills

Silicon validation

High-speed interfaces

SerDes design

PCIe protocols

Ethernet protocols

Signal integrity

Lab validation

Regression testing

Firmware integration

Education

BSc Electrical Engineering

MSc Electrical Engineering

Tools

Oscilloscope

Logic analyzers

Lab instrumentation

Debug tools

Job description

We Are:

At Synopsys, we drive innovations that shape the way we live and connect. Our technology powers the Era of Pervasive Intelligence, leading in chip design, verification, and IP integration. Join us to transform the future through continuous technological innovation.

You Are:

You are an accomplished engineer with deep expertise in silicon validation and high-speed serial communication systems. You thrive in bridging simulation and silicon realities, ensuring robust performance across complex architectures. You combine strong theoretical knowledge with hands‑on lab experience, excel in cross‑functional collaboration, and are passionate about closing the loop between validation and architecture for continuous platform improvement.

What You’ll Be Doing:

• Leading silicon validation of IP functionality and performance, ensuring alignment with architectural intent.
• Supporting hardware bring‑up and firmware integration for early product‑version characterization.
• Driving root‑cause analysis, workarounds, and fixes for issues uncovered during characterization.
• Managing a dedicated validation effort in parallel with characterization activities.
• Validating sim‑to‑silicon performance of algorithms, impairments, and key metrics (e.g., AFE curves).
• Providing feedback to system teams for hardware‑correlated models and performance tuning.
• Developing improvements to SerDes algorithms and configurations to address performance gaps.
• Incorporating learnings from customer evaluation boards (EVBs) into future developments.
• Reviewing firmware regression tests for repeatability, drift, and robustness.
• Supporting customer bring‑up and driving resolution of silicon debug issues.
• Communicating findings to Platform Architects and Product Owners for continuous platform improvement.

The Impact You Will Have:

• Ensure silicon meets or exceeds performance expectations across all key metrics.
• Accelerate time‑to‑market by resolving validation and debug challenges efficiently.
• Drive innovation in SerDes algorithms and system‑level performance optimization.
• Strengthen customer confidence through expert support and robust solutions.
• Contribute to Synopsys’ leadership in high‑speed connectivity and IP excellence.

What You’ll Need:

• BSc or MSc in Electrical or Computer Engineering.
• 10+ years of experience in silicon validation, high‑speed interfaces, and system‑level performance analysis.
• Expertise in SerDes design and validation, including PCIe/Ethernet protocols.
• Strong knowledge of signal integrity, equalization, coding, and CDR architectures.
• Hands‑on experience with lab validation, debug tools, and sim‑to‑silicon correlation.
• Familiarity with firmware integration and regression testing methodologies.

Who You Are:

• Innovative, detail‑oriented, and results‑driven.
• Strong communicator and collaborator across multi‑disciplinary teams.
• Adaptable and customer‑focused, with a passion for solving complex technical challenges.

The Team You’ll Be A Part Of:

Join our Enterprise SerDes R&D team, working alongside experts in analog, digital, and hardware engineering to deliver cutting‑edge solutions for next‑generation connectivity.