Silicon Validation Software Engineer (Sr Staff)
SynopsysJob Title
Silicon Validation Software Engineer (Sr Staff)
Role Summary
Senior engineer responsible for designing and maintaining software and automation used for silicon validation, characterization, and system-level debug of high-speed mixed-signal IP. The role sits at the hardware-software boundary and works closely with analog designers, firmware, and lab engineers to accelerate bring-up and improve test coverage.
Experience Level
Senior - typically requires substantial prior experience in validation software and hardware test environments (senior-level responsibilities and mentorship expected).
Responsibilities
Deliver and maintain tools and workflows that enable efficient silicon validation and debug.
- Design, develop, and maintain Python-based automation frameworks and validation software.
- Build automated test flows and data pipelines to convert lab measurements into analysis and reports.
- Integrate and control lab instrumentation for data acquisition using protocols such as JTAG, I2C, SPI, and UART.
- Troubleshoot hardware-software interaction during silicon bring-up; isolate root causes across instruments, setup, silicon, and code.
- Enhance and scale validation tools across multiple IP product lines to improve reliability and coverage.
- Manage code repositories, branching strategies, and code review workflows using Git/GitLab.
- Mentor junior engineers on software best practices and validation methodologies.
Requirements
Core technical skills and practical lab experience required or strongly preferred.
- Strong proficiency in Python for automation, instrumentation control, and data analysis.
- Proven experience building hardware automation frameworks or validation tools used in production validation environments.
- Solid debugging and problem-solving skills spanning both software and hardware domains.
- Familiarity with low-level hardware communication protocols (JTAG, I2C, SPI, UART) is highly desirable.
- Experience working in laboratory environments with test equipment and instrumentation is a strong plus.
- Experience with Git or GitLab for repository management, branching, and code reviews.
- Demonstrated ability to mentor others and improve team workflows and tooling.
Education Requirements
Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field (the posting specifies Bachelor's with ~8+ years experience) or Master's degree in a related field (the posting specifies Master's with ~6+ years experience). No explicit mention of alternative-equivalent phrasing beyond these degree+experience combinations.
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.
