Layout Design, Staff Engineer - 17712

Job Description and Requirements

Alternate Job Titles

• Staff Memory Layout Engineer

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 in the trenches of memory layout, where a single transistor out of place can mean the difference between a chip that ships and one that doesn't. SRAM, ROM, eDRAM, you know these structures at the cell level, not just conceptually but in the way you know a tool you have used every day for years. You understand that memory layout is not just about fitting shapes into a grid. It is about balancing area, yield, performance, and manufacturability in a space where every nanometer counts.

When a DRC violation shows up late on a Friday, you do not panic. You dig in, trace it back, and figure out whether it is a real problem or a rule deck quirk. Working with circuit designers, process engineers, and verification teams does not slow you down. It sharpens your work because you know that the best layouts come from understanding what everyone else needs. Being a staff engineer means more than being the best at layout. It means helping others get better, sharing what you have learned, and making the people around you stronger.

What You'll Be Doing

• Lead physical layout design for advanced memory IP including SRAM, ROM, and eDRAM at the cell, array, and peripheral circuit levels
• Ensure every layout meets foundry process design rules and memory-specific constraints, resolving DRC and LVS issues with precision
• Optimize layouts for area efficiency, performance targets, power consumption, yield improvement, and manufacturability
• Perform RC extraction and parasitic analysis on dense memory arrays, then iterate to improve signal integrity and timing margins
• Debug complex layout issues including electromigration, IR drop, and soft error susceptibility with reliability teams
• Collaborate with circuit designers, verification engineers, and process teams to deliver first-pass silicon success
• Mentor junior layout engineers on best practices, tool usage, and design tradeoffs

The Impact You Will Have

• Deliver memory IP that powers chips for AI, mobile, automotive, and high-performance computing at leading tech companies
• Reduce risk and accelerate time to market with layouts that are correct, optimized, and manufacturable before tapeout
• Drive innovation in layout techniques and automation that improve efficiency and quality across the memory IP portfolio
• Elevate team capability by sharing knowledge and setting the standard for excellent layout work
• Strengthen Synopsys' position as the leader in memory IP with products customers depend on for critical projects
• Enable customer innovation by providing memory solutions that meet aggressive performance, power, and area requirements

What You'll Need

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electronics Engineering, Telecommunication, Physics, or a related technical field
• At least 5 years of hands-on experience in custom layout design with significant focus on memory structures like SRAM, ROM, or eDRAM
• Deep expertise in memory layout at the transistor and cell level, including array structures, sense amplifiers, decoders, and peripheral circuits
• Proficiency with layout tools such as Custom Compiler, Virtuoso, or IC Compiler for physical design and verification
• Strong working knowledge of foundry process design rules, DRC/LVS verification flows, and memory-specific layout constraints
• Experience performing RC extraction, analyzing parasitic effects, and iterating layouts to meet signal integrity requirements

Who You Are

• You approach every layout with a detail-oriented mindset, knowing that small mistakes in dense memory structures cascade into big problems
• Collaboration comes naturally. You synthesize input from circuit designers and process engineers into better layouts
• When something is not working, you dig in analytically, isolate variables, test hypotheses, and document what you learn
• You take initiative to improve processes and tools without waiting for permission
• Mentoring is not a checkbox. You genuinely enjoy helping engineers understand why layout choices matter

The Team You'll Be Part Of

You will join the memory layout team in Da Nang, a group dedicated to delivering high-quality, high-performance memory IP that powers next-generation semiconductor products. The team works on some of the most challenging IP in the Synopsys portfolio, collaborating across global sites with circuit designers, verification engineers, and customers.

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.