R&D Engineering, Principle Engineer

Category Engineering Hire Type Employee Job ID 16888 Remote Eligible No Date Posted 04/22/2026

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 are a pragmatic engineer who has spent a decade building tools that make simulation workflows actually work, not just run. The difference matters to you. You have debugged enough Ansys APDL scripts and translated enough Abaqus input files to know that the hard part is not the solver, it is everything that happens before the solver runs and after it finishes. You think in Python, you know your way around pyAnsys modules, and you have learned that the fastest path from problem to solution often starts with an AI coding assistant and ends with your own critical eye validating every line it suggests.

You do not wait for perfect specs. When a customer describes a workflow problem, you ask three clarifying questions, sketch a solution in your notebook, and start prototyping. You are comfortable being the person in the room who champions a new tool or method, explains why it matters, and then sticks around to help people actually use it. You have strong opinions about code quality, testing, and documentation because you have seen what happens when those things slip.

At Synopsys, you will work on simulation automation that matters to real engineering teams solving real problems, and you will have the space to build tools the right way.

What You'll Be Doing

• Design and build FEA model conversion tools that translate input files across Abaqus, Nastran, LS-Dyna, and Ansys APDL, handling the messy edge cases that break template-driven approaches
• Develop Python automation using pyAnsys modules like PyMAPDL, PyDPF, and PyFluent to streamline simulation setup, execution, and post-processing workflows
• Use AI coding assistants intensively as a development accelerator, then rigorously test, review, and validate every line of AI-generated code to ensure it meets production standards
• Act as a technology advocate by working directly with customers and internal engineering teams to drive adoption of new automation tools, deliver hands-on training, and gather feedback that shapes the roadmap
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary R&D teams to understand their simulation pain points and translate them into reliable, maintainable software solutions
• Contribute to documentation, best practices, and knowledge-sharing that help broader teams adopt pyAnsys workflows and AI-assisted development methods
• Own the full development lifecycle from scoping and prototyping through testing, release, and ongoing improvement based on real-world usage

The Impact You Will Have

• Cut manual model preparation time and error rates by delivering robust conversion tools that handle the complexity of production simulation models
• Raise team productivity across Synopsys by establishing repeatable Python scripting patterns that make Ansys solver capabilities accessible to more engineers
• Demonstrate what AI-augmented engineering looks like in practice, setting a standard for how small teams can deliver more with the right tooling
• Drive measurable adoption of modern simulation workflows by serving as the trusted technical resource customers turn to when they need to modernize their processes
• Contribute directly to Synopsys simulation automation strategy with tools that improve customer satisfaction and workflow efficiency in quantifiable ways
• Build organizational capability by mentoring peers and customers through hands-on guidance, clear documentation, and direct engagement that sticks
• Shape the future direction of Ansys automation tooling based on feedback loops you create with real users solving real problems

What You'll Need

• BS in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Computational Mechanics, or related field with 10+ years of experience; MS with 8+ years; or PhD with relevant industry experience
• Working knowledge of commercial FEA tools and file formats, with hands-on experience using Ansys products like Mechanical, APDL, or related solvers
• Proficiency in Python for scripting and tool development; experience with pyAnsys modules such as PyMAPDL, PyDPF, or PyFluent is a strong advantage
• Demonstrated willingness to use AI coding assistants like GitHub Copilot or ChatGPT as a primary development tool, combined with the analytical rigor to verify and validate AI-generated output
• Familiarity with at least one additional FEA solver ecosystem such as Abaqus, Nastran, or LS-Dyna and its input file formats
• Strong communication skills with experience or genuine interest in customer-facing or technology advocacy work
• Proven track record of delivering practical engineering software tools that people actually use, not just research prototypes; experience with Git, test-driven development, and code quality practices is a plus

Who You Are

• You can sit in a meeting with a customer struggling with a workflow bottleneck, ask the right questions, and walk out with a clear plan for a tool that solves their actual problem
• You write code that you are not embarrassed to show other people, you test it, you document it, and you care about what happens when someone else has to maintain it six months from now
• You are comfortable being the person who pushes back when an AI-generated solution looks clever but will not scale, and you know how to fix it without starting over
• You enjoy the advocacy part of the job, explaining why a new approach matters and then helping people through the awkward early adoption phase until it clicks
• You move between deep technical work and customer conversations without losing the thread, and you know how to translate feedback from one into improvements for the other
• You are organized enough to manage multiple tool development efforts at once and pragmatic enough to ship something useful rather than wait for perfection

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.

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.