Sr Principal Application Engineer - Custom IC and Implementation

Job Title

Sr Principal Application Engineer - Custom IC and Implementation

Role Summary

Customer-facing application engineering role supporting Cadence Custom IC design and implementation tools. Work with customers to diagnose design problems, demonstrate solutions, and drive adoption of Cadence flows across simulation, layout, and electromagnetic analysis.

Collaborate with R&D, Product Engineering, and Sales to resolve issues, deliver technical evaluations, and ensure customer success on complex IC, RF, and advanced packaging projects.

Experience Level

Senior level — requires 7+ years of relevant industry experience in custom IC design, simulation, layout, or electromagnetic analysis.

Responsibilities

Primary responsibilities include technical customer engagement, issue resolution, and enabling adoption of Cadence solutions.

• Understand customer requirements for custom IC design, simulation, layout, and EM analysis.
• Advise customer design teams on methodologies and flows to improve productivity and quality.
• Diagnose and resolve critical tool issues, collaborating with product development and peer AEs.
• Support RFIC, RF module, and multichip module design workflows.
• Deliver technical presentations, customized demos, and training to customer teams.
• Lead technical evaluations, benchmarks, and proof-of-concept activities.
• Partner with Sales to identify opportunities and develop technical strategies to win business.
• Communicate customer feedback and requirements to Engineering and Product teams.
• Promote adoption of system-level solutions including heterogeneous integration and EM/thermal analysis.

Requirements

Must-have technical skills, workplace capabilities, and other essential qualifications.

• 7+ years practical, hands-on experience in simulation and/or layout applications for Custom IC design.
• Strong problem-solving, communication, presentation, planning, and organizational skills.
• Ability to work independently and produce high-quality results in a fast-paced environment.
• Willingness and ability to travel as required; valid driver’s license for site visits.
• Experience collaborating with cross-functional teams (R&D, Product, Sales) to resolve customer issues.

Nice-to-have:

• Analog, mixed-signal, or RF design/layout experience.
• Experience with electromagnetic solvers or EM analysis for ICs and advanced packaging.

Education Requirements

Bachelor's or Master's in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering, or equivalent practical work experience.

About the Company

Company: Cadence Design Systems

Headquarters: San Jose, California, USA

Cadence Design Systems is a global electronic design automation company that provides software, hardware, and intellectual property for designing advanced semiconductor chips. With over 25 years in the industry, Cadence is known for its innovative technology solutions and has been recognized by Fortune Magazine as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For. The company is dedicated to solving complex technical challenges in order to enable customers to create revolutionary products and experiences.