SerDes System Design Engineer

Job Title

SerDes System Design Engineer

Role Summary

Develop system-level models and perform system sign-off for SerDes IP used in PCIe and Ethernet. Work with analog, digital, firmware and validation teams to ensure simulation-to-silicon correlation and product compliance.

Team is based in Pavia, Italy; role uses a hybrid working model and supports product releases and post-silicon validation. Expected start date: December 2026.

Experience Level

Mid-level. The posting does not state explicit years of experience; early professional experience, internships or thesis work in communications, circuits, or signal processing are valuable.

Responsibilities

Primary responsibilities focus on system modeling, sign-off, and closing the loop between simulation and silicon.

• Build and maintain MATLAB (or C++) models of SerDes analog and DSP blocks in collaboration with system architects and circuit designers.
• Own system performance evaluation and sign-off; present results in gate reviews and drive actions into product releases.
• Correlate simulation and lab measurements; work with post-silicon validation to refine models and predictions.
• Assess how block and algorithm choices affect link quality across the signal chain and ensure compliance with Ethernet and PCIe specifications.
• Develop and translate new algorithms into implementable solutions for product operation or performance improvements.
• Script and automate simulation runs, including AI-assisted flows, to increase throughput and iteration speed.
• Support lab-data analysis and debugging to identify root causes of performance issues.

Requirements

Must-have technical skills and desirable experience for practical success in the role.

• Proficiency in MATLAB or C++ for system modeling, scripting, and automation.
• Solid understanding of analog and digital circuit fundamentals and SerDes architectures.
• Knowledge of channel loss and equalization, amplifier frequency response, reflections and impedance matching, jitter analysis, and DAC/ADC performance metrics.
• Basic understanding of optical communication systems and photonics.
• Fluent English with ability to present technical material and defend sign-off decisions.
• Familiarity with Linux, Bash and Python is a plus.
• Prior SerDes or communications-modeling projects, lab measurement experience, internships or thesis work in related areas are a strong plus.

Education Requirements

Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, or a related field is requested. The posting also highlights internships, thesis work, or early industry experience as valuable supporting experience.

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.