R&D Engineering, Staff Engineer

Job Description and Requirements

Alternate Job Titles

• Memory Design Engineer
• Embedded Memory Circuit Designer
• SRAM Design Engineer
• CMOS Circuit Design Engineer
• Memory IP Development 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 are someone who has spent the last couple of years getting your hands dirty with embedded memory design and you are ready to go deeper. You have worked with SRAM, ROM, or Register Files enough to know that the details matter, that a small circuit decision ripples through characterization, layout, and eventually into silicon. You are not looking for surface-level work. You want to understand why a bitcell behaves the way it does, how reliability analysis connects to real-world performance, and what makes one memory architecture better than another.

You learn by doing and by asking the right questions. When something does not make sense in simulation results, you dig in. When a senior engineer explains a tradeoff, you follow the logic and remember it for next time. You are comfortable working in Cadence tools, writing scripts when repetitive tasks slow you down, and collaborating across teams that speak different technical languages. You are organized enough to juggle multiple design tasks and curious enough to want to know how your piece fits into the bigger chip. At Synopsys, you will work on memory IP that goes into real products, alongside engineers who will help you grow.

What You'll Be Doing

• Design and simulate embedded memory circuits including SRAM, ROM, and Register Files using Cadence Virtuoso and related tools
• Support layout activities by working with layout engineers to ensure design intent translates cleanly into physical implementation
• Run bitcell characterization and basic reliability analysis to validate performance across process, voltage, and temperature corners
• Debug circuit-level issues by analyzing simulation results, identifying root causes, and proposing fixes with guidance from senior engineers
• Collaborate with CAD, verification, and frontend teams to align on design requirements, timing constraints, and integration needs
• Write and maintain technical documentation including design notes, simulation reports, and analysis summaries
• Use scripting in C-Shell, Perl, or Python to automate repetitive tasks and improve design flow efficiency

The Impact You Will Have

• Deliver memory IP blocks that meet performance, power, and area targets for high-volume semiconductor products
• Reduce design iteration cycles by catching issues early through thorough simulation and analysis
• Improve design quality and reliability by contributing to characterization and validation efforts
• Enable faster time-to-market for Synopsys customers by supporting robust and well-documented memory solutions
• Build reusable design methodologies and scripts that make future projects more efficient
• Strengthen cross-functional collaboration by clearly communicating design decisions and technical tradeoffs
• Grow into a more senior role by mastering the fundamentals of memory circuit design in a production environment

What You'll Need

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, or a related technical field
• 5+ years of hands-on experience in CMOS circuit design, specifically with embedded memory such as SRAM, ROM, or Register Files
• Working knowledge of memory architectures, bitcell design, and circuit fundamentals including read/write operations and sense amplifier behavior
• Experience using Cadence Virtuoso or similar tools for schematic capture, simulation, and layout interaction
• Exposure to scripting languages like C-Shell, Perl, or Python is a plus and will help you automate workflows and analyze data more effectively

Who You Are

• You can look at a simulation waveform and spot when something is off, even if you do not immediately know why
• You ask questions when requirements are unclear instead of guessing and moving forward
• You can work on multiple design tasks in parallel without losing track of deadlines or deliverables
• You communicate clearly in English, whether you are writing a design note or explaining a circuit issue to a colleague from another team
• You are comfortable learning new tools and methodologies on the job, and you do not wait for someone to tell you every step
• You take ownership of your work, even when you are contributing to a larger design effort led by senior engineers

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.