Principal EDA R&D Engineer, Advanced Packaging

Category Engineering Hire Type Employee Job ID 18345 Base Salary Range $166000-$249000 Remote Eligible No Date Posted 08/09/2026

Principal EDA R&D Engineer, Advanced Packaging

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 built a career at the intersection of package substrate design and EDA tool development, and you understand that advancing the field requires more than incremental feature improvements. It requires rethinking the underlying technical approach. You are the engineer who can engage in substantive technical discussions with foundry partners and assembly and test companies about DRC constraints, PDN topology, and Design Rule Manual implementation, translating those conversations into actionable R&D direction.

Your experience spans both the theoretical and the practical. You have developed EDA tools that handle production-scale designs, and you understand computational geometry well enough to anticipate when an algorithm will scale and when it will encounter limitations. You have worked through the details of ODB++ output formats and manufacturing handoff requirements because you know that tools must integrate seamlessly into real-world flows.

At this stage in your career, you contribute to technical strategy while maintaining deep hands-on involvement in implementation. You guide less experienced engineers through complex technical decisions, helping them develop the judgment that comes from years of solving hard problems. At Synopsys, you will work on package substrate technology that enables the next generation of semiconductor products, and your technical contributions will influence how the industry approaches these design challenges.

What You'll Be Doing

• Lead R&D projects that advance the state of the art in package substrate design automation, including auto-routing algorithms, DRC verification engines, power delivery network analysis, and design-for-manufacturing capabilities
• Drive technical direction for database models that enable schematic-driven layout workflows and support integration across the Synopsys packaging tool suite
• Develop and optimize EDA software using C++, Python, and TCL to address complex challenges in computational geometry, constraint solving, and physical design automation
• Collaborate directly with foundries and assembly and test companies to implement emerging substrate technologies, translating their Design Rule Manuals and manufacturing requirements into functional tooling
• Work with cross-functional teams to define collateral input/output formats, integrate analysis capabilities, and ensure database architectures support increasingly complex designs
• Provide technical guidance to engineers across the R&D organization, reviewing designs and implementations, and helping the team navigate technical tradeoffs
• Engage with customers in technical discussions at senior levels, representing Synopsys expertise in substrate design methodology and contributing to product direction

The Impact You Will Have

• Establish technical foundations for next-generation package substrate design tools that will be adopted across the semiconductor industry
• Enable customers to design substrates for advanced packaging technologies that current tooling cannot adequately support
• Reduce design cycle time by delivering automation that accurately models the constraints substrate engineers face in production environments
• Influence product roadmap by translating customer requirements and foundry technology trends into prioritized R&D initiatives
• Accelerate adoption of new packaging technologies by developing tools that integrate effectively with manufacturing flows and identify design-for-manufacturing issues early
• Shape industry best practices by collaborating with foundries and OSATs to develop and validate new design methodologies
• Strengthen the technical capabilities of the R&D organization through mentorship and knowledge transfer

What You'll Need

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or equivalent experience in EDA or semiconductor design
• 10+ years of experience in EDA software development with focus on physical design automation, package design, or substrate design
• Deep technical expertise in package substrate physical design methodologies, including schematic-driven layout, auto-routing, design rule checking, and power delivery network analysis
• Strong programming proficiency in Python or TCL for tool integration and automation
• Demonstrated track record leading R&D projects that resulted in production software capabilities or significant architectural improvements
• Experience collaborating with foundries, OSATs, or substrate manufacturers on Design Rule Manuals, technology files, and manufacturing output formats such as ODB++
• Solid foundation in computational geometry and algorithm design for layout automation, experience with constraint-based routing or placement is highly valued

Who You Are

• You can engage in technical discussions with senior engineering leaders at semiconductor companies and clearly articulate complex technical tradeoffs and solution approaches
• You raise concerns when technical requirements conflict with sound architectural principles, and you can articulate alternative approaches that address the underlying need
• You write well-structured code with attention to maintainability, documentation, and long-term supportability
• You are effective working in environments where requirements are still evolving, particularly when new packaging technologies are under development and design rules are not yet finalized
• You understand how to guide less experienced engineers through technical challenges in a way that builds their capabilities and judgment
• You approach partnerships with foundries and OSATs as collaborative technical relationships, recognizing that effective solutions require understanding their constraints and processes

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.

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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.