Npu/Ai Processor Synthesis Sr Staff Engineer

Job Summary

The NPU Synthesis Lead will be responsible for driving synthesis and timing closure for Neural Processing Unit (NPU) IP and subsystems in cutting-edge SoCs. This role involves leading synthesis flows, optimizing for PPA (Performance, Power, Area), and collaborating with architecture, RTL, and physical design teams to ensure high-quality netlists for advanced technology nodes.

Key Responsibilities

• Synthesis Ownership
  • Lead RTL-to-gate-level synthesis for NPU IP and subsystems using industry-standard tools (Synopsys Design Compiler, Cadence Genus).
  • Develop and maintain synthesis scripts and flows for hierarchical and flat designs.
• Timing Closure
  • Drive pre-layout and post-layout timing closure across multiple voltage and process corners.
  • Collaborate with STA teams to resolve setup/hold violations.
• Power Area Optimization
  • Apply physical-aware synthesis techniques to meet aggressive PPA targets.
  • Implement low-power strategies using UPF/CPF flows.
• Constraint Management
  • Validate and maintain SDC constraints for clocks, I/O delays, multi-cycle paths, and false paths.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
  • Work closely with RTL design, DFT, and physical design teams for seamless handoff.
  • Provide feedback to architecture and RTL teams for QoR improvements.
• Quality Checks
  • Perform LEC (Logical Equivalence Check), CLP (Clock/Power checks), and linting.
• Flow Innovation
  • Explore advanced synthesis methodologies and EDA tool capabilities for better QoR.
• Team Leadership
  • Mentor junior engineers and drive best practices across synthesis and timing teams.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Electrical/Electronics Engineering, Engineering, or related field and 6+ years of Hardware Engineering or related work experience.
• Master's degree in Computer Science, Electrical/Electronics Engineering, Engineering, or related field and 5+ years of Hardware Engineering or related work experience.
• PhD in Computer Science, Electrical/Electronics Engineering, Engineering, or related field and 4+ years of Hardware Engineering or related work experience.

Experience

• 12+ years in ASIC synthesis and timing closure, with at least 2 years in NPU or AI processor design.

Required Skills

• Technical Expertise
  • Strong knowledge of ASIC design flow: RTL Synthesis STA PR.
  • Proficiency in synthesis tools (Design Compiler, Genus) and STA tools (PrimeTime).
• Low-Power Design
  • Experience with UPF/CPF-based flows and multi-voltage designs.
• Scripting
  • Advanced skills in Tcl, Perl, Python for automation.
• EDA Tools
  • Familiarity with Spyglass, Lint, CDC tools, and power analysis tools.
• Leadership
  • Ability to lead synthesis teams and coordinate with cross-functional groups.
• Education
  • Bachelors/Masters in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field.
• Experience
• Preferred
  • Experience with advanced nodes (5nm/3nm), hierarchical synthesis, and physical-aware flows.
  • Prior tape-out experience for NPU or DSP cores.