Silicon Validation/Characterization Engineer - Staff Engineer

Job Description and Requirements

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 experience in bringing silicon to life, and you know the moment when a test chip boot is just the beginning. You look at an eye diagram and know whether the problem is in silicon, the firmware, the board, or the test setup, and you do not stop until you know which one. The hardest part of validation is not running the test; it is designing the test that actually tells you something useful.

You are comfortable in the lab with an oscilloscope in one hand and a Python script in the other, moving between electrical measurements and data analysis without losing sight of what you are trying to prove. You do not wait for perfect documentation. You work with what you have, ask the right questions, and build the characterization plan that gets the team to release.

What You'll Be Doing
* Work on the first-silicon bring-up and validation for DDR6, DDR5, LPDDR6/X, LPDDR5/5X, MRDIMM, and HBM test chips and evaluation platforms
* Develop and execute validation plans covering functionality, parametric characterization, margin analysis, and reliability testing across voltage, frequency, process, and temperature corners
* Perform electrical characterization including eye diagram analysis, jitter measurements, timing margins, VREF optimization, power consumption, and signal integrity metrics, correlating silicon results against simulation and design expectations
* Drive systematic debug and root cause analysis of silicon, firmware, board, and test infrastructure issues using lab instrumentation, data analytics, and cross-functional collaboration with design and firmware teams
* Build automated validation frameworks and reusable test infrastructure using Python, C/C++, and scripting tools to improve efficiency, data collection, and characterization workflows
* Participate in the development of multilayer PCB designs for silicon characterization platforms, validation boards, and customer evaluation kits.
* Generate characterization reports, present silicon performance data and debug findings to stakeholders and customers, and maintain validation documentation to support release readiness and customer engagements

The Impact You Will Have
* Accelerate time to market for next-generation memory PHY products by driving validation closure and sign-off readiness for DDR6, LPDDR6, HBM, and MRDIMM silicon
* Ensure silicon performance, functionality, and reliability meet design specifications and customer expectations, reducing the risk of field issues and customer escalations
* Build validation methodologies and automated test frameworks that become the foundation for future product generations and improve team efficiency across programs
* Influence design and firmware quality by providing data-driven feedback during silicon debug and root cause analysis, catching issues before they reach customers
* Enable customer success by delivering accurate characterization data, supporting issue replication and resolution, and presenting silicon performance with clarity and confidence
* Strengthen team capability by mentoring junior engineers, sharing validation best practices, and leading technical workstreams on major silicon programs
* Improve lab infrastructure and processes through equipment selection, validation database development, and process enhancements that benefit the broader engineering organization

What You'll Need
* Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Engineering Physics, or related discipline
* 3-5 years of semiconductor industry experience in silicon validation, characterization, test, or product engineering with proven experience bringing up and validating complex mixed-signal or high-speed interface products
* Strong understanding of DDR/LPDDR/HBM protocols, high-speed interfaces, Interface IP/PHY architectures, and digital and mixed-signal semiconductor design concepts
* Understanding of PCB board design signal integrity, and power integrity concepts.
* Hands-on experience with lab instrumentation including oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, power analyzers, SMUs, pattern generators, and Automated Test Equipment (ATE) along with test program generation
* Experience performing statistical analysis, correlation studies, margin analysis, failure analysis, and root cause investigations with the ability to interpret large datasets and drive engineering decisions
* Experience with scripting any programming languages such as MATLAB/ Python/ Visual Basic/ TCL/ PERL as well C/C++ & test automation
* Understanding of JEDEC, automotive qualification standards and specifications and reliability testing. 

Who You Are
* You drive complex technical problems independently across multiple disciplines without waiting for direction
* You diagnose whether a failure is silicon, firmware, board, or test setup and make the call quickly
* You translate technical findings into clear recommendations that design, firmware, and customer teams can act on
* You push back when validation coverage is thin or root cause stops at correlation instead of causation
* You treat documentation as part of the deliverable, not an afterthought

The Team You'll Be Part Of

You will join the growing Nepean lab team focused on validating Synopsys' memory interface IP portfolio. This is a hands-on lab environment where you will work closely with firmware and design groups to bring new IP from silicon bring-up through production release. The team operates at the intersection of design intent and real-world silicon behavior, and your work will directly inform product readiness and customer deployments.

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.

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 [email protected].