Director – SoC Design Verification and Virtual Platform Quality

Job Description

About the Opportunity

This role offers the opportunity to shape a differentiated verification strategy at the intersection of semiconductor Design Verification, SystemC modeling, Virtual Platforms, and pre-silicon software development.

This leader will define and execute a reuse-first verification strategy spanning SystemC transaction-level models, RTL, IP, subsystem, SoC, and platform-level validation. The objective is to create a traceable verification asset chain that grows from loosely timed SystemC models through approximately timed models and RTL, rather than rebuilding independent verification environments at each stage.

The position is part of Renesas’ Software First, Simulation First engineering organization. The team develops reusable SystemC/TLM models and integrated Virtual Platforms that enable software development, verification, validation, and product evaluation before silicon availability. Design Verification is the quality and release gate that ensures these virtual products faithfully represent the intended silicon behavior.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and drive the verification strategy for SystemC models, RTL designs, reusable IP, subsystems, SoCs, and Virtual Platforms.
• Lead and develop a global Design Verification organization, including verification leads, engineers, external partners, and project-specific teams.
• Establish a common verification architecture that supports reuse of test intent, stimulus, sequences, checkers, scoreboards, assertions, coverage models, and regression infrastructure across SystemC and RTL.
• Develop scalable SystemVerilog/UVM environments, including protocol adapters and TLM bridges that connect pin-level UVM interfaces to SystemC/TLM models.
• Establish functional-equivalence and timing-correlation methodologies between SystemC LT/AT models and RTL implementations.
• Define common verification plans, feature identifiers, test intent, functional and code coverage goals, closure criteria, maturity classifications, and sign-off requirements.
• Make verification sign-off an explicit release gate for customer- and software-facing Virtual Platform deliveries.
• Drive verification planning and execution from the IP level through subsystem, chip-top, SoC, and full-platform integration.
• Establish a risk-based verification approach that balances reusable UVM environments, Python/C++ tests, software-driven validation, formal techniques, and project schedules.
• Lead verification of configurable and parameterized IP models across supported configurations, interfaces, and operating modes.
• Build CI/CD-based regression systems for automated compilation, simulation, coverage collection, result analysis, release evidence, and quality reporting.
• Partner with architecture, RTL design, SystemC modeling, software, validation, methodology, and Product Group teams to define requirements and acceptance criteria.
• Lead complex debug and root-cause analysis across models, adapters, RTL, testbenches, firmware, and platform-level environments.
• Evaluate and adopt verification technologies that improve quality, reuse, coverage closure, simulation efficiency, and engineering productivity.
• Own staffing, organizational development, program planning, partner engagement, execution tracking, risks, dependencies, and executive reporting for the DV function.

Leadership Profile

The successful candidate will:

• Set a clear technical and organizational direction while maintaining delivery accountability.
• Balance verification rigor, reuse, schedule, risk, and business priorities.
• Build durable methodology without allowing methodology development to block critical product execution.
• Develop strong technical leaders and create clear accountability across IP, subsystem, SoC, and platform verification.
• Promote collaboration across RTL, SystemC, software, validation, architecture, and product organizations.
• Establish a culture of measurable quality, evidence-based sign-off, disciplined debug, automation, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.
• 15+ years of experience in semiconductor IP, subsystem, or SoC Design Verification.
• Demonstrated experience leading geographically distributed verification teams and multiple concurrent programs.
• Deep expertise in SystemVerilog and UVM, including verification architecture, reusable environments, constrained-random testing, assertions, scoreboards, functional coverage, and coverage closure.
• Strong knowledge of RTL design and simulation, computer architecture, embedded processors, interconnects, memory systems, interrupts, clocks, reset, and peripheral interfaces.
• Proven experience defining verification plans and delivering IP or SoC verification through sign-off.
• Experience leading complex debug across RTL, testbench, firmware, interfaces, and system-level environments.
• Experience with regression automation, verification metrics, CI/CD, revision control, and release-quality governance.
• Strong program-management capabilities, including effort estimation, staffing, schedules, priorities, risks, dependencies, and stakeholder communication.
• Strong communication and leadership skills, with the ability to influence architects, design teams, software organizations, Product Groups, executives, and external partners.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience verifying SystemC/TLM-2.0 models or integrating SystemC models into RTL verification environments.
• Experience creating TLM-to-signal adapters, UVM/SystemC bridges, DPI interfaces, or mixed-language simulation environments.
• Knowledge of SystemC loosely timed and approximately timed modeling, functional equivalence, timing correlation, and performance verification.
• Experience with Python- or C++-based verification and running common tests against both SystemC and RTL implementations.
• Familiarity with common SoC protocols and peripheral interfaces such as AMBA AXI/AHB/APB, NoC, PCIe, CXL, Ethernet, USB, SPI, I²C/I3C, eSPI, UART, GPIO, and memory controllers.
• Experience with formal verification, emulation, FPGA prototyping, software-driven verification, or post-silicon validation.
• Experience verifying configurable or parameterized IP and automating configuration-space coverage.
• Familiarity with Virtual Platforms, virtual prototyping, embedded-software enablement, Digital Twin technologies, and pre-silicon application validation.
• Experience with commercial simulation, debug, coverage, VIP, regression-management, and formal-verification tools from providers such as Cadence, Synopsys, or Siemens EDA.
• Experience building verification teams, developing technical leaders, managing engineering partners, and establishing reusable methodology across multiple projects.

Additional Information

Renesas is an embedded semiconductor solution provider driven by its Purpose ‘To Make Our Lives Easier.’ As the industry’s leading expert in embedded processing with unmatched quality and system-level know-how, we have evolved to provide scalable and comprehensive semiconductor solutions for automotive, industrial, infrastructure, and IoT industries based on the broadest product portfolio, including High Performance Computing, Embedded Processing, Analog & Connectivity, and Power.
 
With a diverse team of over 21,000 professionals in more than 30 countries, we continue to expand our boundaries to offer enhanced user experiences through digitalization and usher into a new era of innovation. We design and develop sustainable, power-efficient solutions today that help people and communities thrive tomorrow, ‘To Make Our Lives Easier.’     
 
At Renesas, you can: 

• Launch and advance your career in technical and business roles across four Product Groups and various corporate functions. You will have the opportunities to explore our hardware and software capabilities and try new things.  

• Make a real impact by developing innovative products and solutions to meet our global customers' evolving needs and help make people’s lives easier, safe and secure. 

• Maximize your performance and wellbeing in our flexible and inclusive work environment. Our people-first culture and global support system, including the remote work option and Employee Resource Groups, will help you excel from the first day.    

Are you ready to own your success and make your mark?  

Join Renesas. Let’s Shape the Future together.  

Renesas Electronics is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer, committed to supporting diversity and fostering a work environment free of discrimination on the basis of sex, race, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, military status, veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. For more information, please read our Diversity & Inclusion Statement.

Renesas is an embedded semiconductor solution provider driven by its Purpose, To Make Our Lives Easier. With a global team of over 21,000 engineers and problem solvers in more than 30 countries, we offer the opportunity to work on world‑leading technology for Automotive, Industrial, Infrastructure, and IoT, shaping a safer, healthier, greener, and smarter future.

At Renesas, TAGIE is our culture, grounded in being Transparent, Agile, Global, Innovative, and Entrepreneurial. It shapes how we work, grow and deliver on our purpose together. This collaborative spirit and mindset drive our semiconductor technology to transform industries and impact millions of lives.

We believe in rewarding our employees with a competitive benefits package alongside their salary. More information will be provided during the hiring process.

Are you ready to join our team and shape the future with us?

Renesas Electronics is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer, committed to supporting diversity and fostering a work environment free of discrimination on the basis of sex, race, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, military status, veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. For more information, please read our Diversity & Inclusion Statement.

Renesas is an embedded semiconductor solution provider driven by its Purpose, To Make Our Lives Easier. With a global team of over 21,000 engineers and problem solvers in more than 30 countries, we offer the opportunity to work on world‑leading technology for Automotive, Industrial, Infrastructure, and IoT, shaping a safer, healthier, greener, and smarter future.

At Renesas, TAGIE is our culture, grounded in being Transparent, Agile, Global, Innovative, and Entrepreneurial. It shapes how we work, grow and deliver on our purpose together. This collaborative spirit and mindset drive our semiconductor technology to transform industries and impact millions of lives.

We believe in rewarding our employees with a competitive benefits package alongside their salary. More information will be provided during the hiring process.

Are you ready to join our team and shape the future with us?

Renesas Electronics is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer, committed to supporting diversity and fostering a work environment free of discrimination on the basis of sex, race, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, military status, veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. For more information, please read our Diversity & Inclusion Statement.