Principal Physical Design Methodology Engineer

Category Engineering Hire Type Employee Job ID 18396 Base Salary Range $147000-$220000 Remote Eligible No Date Posted 08/25/2026

• Lead the digital methodology engineering effort for Interface IP, defining and maintaining the complete RTL-to-GDSII implementation flow using Fusion Compiler, PrimeTime, PrimePower, and related Synopsys toolchains
• Build, test, and deploy synthesis and place-and-route methodologies for high-speed IP cores and subsystems targeting advanced nodes (5nm, 3nm, and beyond)
• Evaluate and optimize design-for-test insertion, timing closure, power optimization, and EM/IR analysis workflows across multiple IP development teams
• Develop automation scripts, reference flows, and documentation that design teams can actually use without calling you every time something breaks
• Act as the technical bridge between EDA tool development teams and IP design teams, translating tool capabilities into usable methodology and feeding real-world design challenges back to tool teams
• Mentor engineers across global teams on digital implementation best practices, timing closure strategies, and physical design tradeoffs
• Drive continuous improvement of design processes by identifying bottlenecks, proposing solutions, and measuring impact on PPA and schedule

• Your methodologies will directly determine the PPA outcomes for Synopsys Interface IP products used by semiconductor companies worldwide
• Design teams will close timing weeks faster because the flows you built handle corner case scenarios and multi-mode optimization without manual intervention
• You will enable IP teams to adopt new process nodes and EDA tool versions with confidence, reducing risk and accelerating time to tapeout
• Engineers you train will carry forward the practices you establish, multiplying your impact across dozens of projects and hundreds of tapeouts
• Your feedback loop with EDA tool teams will shape the next generation of Synopsys synthesis and place-and-route capabilities
• The automation and reference flows you create will become the foundation for how Synopsys develops high-speed digital IP for years to come
• You will help Synopsys maintain its position as the provider of best-in-class IP by ensuring every design starts with a world-class implementation methodology

• Bachelor's or Master's in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering with 10+ years of hands-on ASIC digital implementation experience
• Deep expertise with Fusion Compiler or equivalent industry synthesis and place-and-route tools (ICC2, Innovus), including advanced features like multi-mode multi-corner optimization, clock tree synthesis, and physical synthesis
• Proven track record developing or supporting high-speed digital IP cores or SoCs, ideally in SerDes, memory controllers, or similar high-performance designs
• Strong understanding of the full ASIC physical design flow including IP deliverables, memory compilers, standard cell libraries, and process design kits
• Solid scripting skills in Tcl and Python for flow automation, analysis, and reporting
• Experience with Synopsys timing and power analysis tools like PrimeTime, PrimePower, RLTA, or CoreTools is a strong plus
• Familiarity with high-speed interface protocols such as PCIe, DDR, USB, Ethernet, HDMI, MIPI, or DisplayPort is a strong plus

• You can sit in a design review, listen to a timing closure problem, and sketch out three possible solutions on a whiteboard without needing to run back to your desk first
• You write documentation that engineers actually read because it is clear, practical, and includes the gotchas you learned the hard way
• You are comfortable saying "that will not work" when a proposed approach has a fatal flaw, and you can explain why in terms the team understands and respects
• You debug methodically, not randomly. When a flow breaks, you isolate the variable, reproduce the issue, and fix it in a way that prevents it from happening again
• You can explain a complex PPA tradeoff to a design lead in two sentences without losing the technical nuance, and you can explain the same tradeoff to a tool developer in the level of detail they need to act on it
• You mentor without taking over. You show engineers how to solve the problem, not just what the answer is, because you know that builds stronger teams

Synopsys Canada ULC values the diversity of our workforce. We are committed to provide access & opportunity to individuals with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodation to individuals throughout the recruitment and employment process. Should you require an accommodation, please contact hr-help-canada@synopsys.com.