Principal (STA/Sign-Off) Engineer

Job Title

Principal (STA/Sign-Off) Engineer

Role Summary

Lead static timing analysis and sign-off activities for ASIC/SoC implementations. Work with RTL designers, verification, and physical design teams to drive timing closure and deliver sign-off-ready designs.

Experience Level

Senior (Principal). Typically 7+ years of relevant static timing analysis and sign-off experience.

Responsibilities

Primary responsibilities for this role include:

• Lead STA/sign-off for assigned blocks or full-chip designs and take ownership of timing closure.
• Develop and maintain timing constraints (SDC) and timing sign-off methodologies.
• Run and interpret static timing analysis using industry tools (e.g., Synopsys PrimeTime, Cadence Tempus).
• Debug timing failures, propose fixes with RTL/physical teams, and verify fixes through sign-off flows.
• Perform multi-corner, multi-mode (MCMM) sign-off and ECO sign-off activities as required.
• Automate flows and create scripts/tools (Tcl, Python) to improve productivity and repeatability.
• Prepare timing sign-off reports and documentation for tapeout or release milestones.
• Mentor and provide technical guidance to less-experienced STA engineers.

Requirements

Key qualifications and skills expected for applicants.

• Must-have: Extensive experience in static timing analysis and sign-off for ASIC/SoC designs.
• Must-have: Hands-on experience with STA tools such as Synopsys PrimeTime or Cadence Tempus.
• Must-have: Strong knowledge of timing constraints (SDC), timing exceptions, and timing methodologies.
• Must-have: Proficiency with scripting (Tcl, Python) to automate STA flows.
• Must-have: Practical experience collaborating with RTL, verification, and physical design teams to resolve timing issues.
• Nice-to-have: Experience with advanced sign-off topics (MCMM, on-chip variation, sign-off under multiple PVT corners).
• Nice-to-have: Familiarity with physical-design impacts (placement, CTS, ECO flows) and EDA tool flows.

Education Requirements

Not specified.

About the Company

Company: Synopsys

Headquarters: Mountain View, California, USA

Synopsys is a leading company in electronic design automation (EDA) and semiconductor IP solutions. It provides tools and services for designing and verifying complex semiconductor devices and systems. The company plays a pivotal role in the semiconductor industry, helping engineers innovate and deliver higher-quality products faster. Synopsys is committed to advancing technology standards and offers a range of software and hardware solutions to its clients globally.