About the role

Aplyr's Quick Take

This role is for a Senior Principal Product Engineer focused on Static Timing Analysis (STA) tools, particularly the Tempus Timing Signoff Solution. You'll engage with customers to understand their needs, translate those into product specifications, and work closely with R&D to enhance tool quality and usability. It's a hands-on, technical position that requires strong expertise in STA and customer interaction.

Good fit

Ideal candidates have extensive experience in STA, particularly with Tempus or similar tools, and possess strong communication skills for customer engagement. A background in VLSI design flows and scripting (Tcl, Python) is beneficial, along with a collaborative working style.

Worth noting

The role emphasizes a blend of technical expertise and customer engagement, which may not be typical for purely engineering roles. The focus on continuous tool improvement and customer feedback suggests a dynamic work environment, but the spec lacks clarity on specific day-to-day tasks.

At Cadence, we hire and develop leaders and innovators who want to make an impact on the world of technology.

The STA Product Engineer plays a critical role in driving best‑in‑class timing analysis solutions by combining deep technical expertise in STA tools and methodologies with strong customer engagement. The role focuses on understanding customer requirements, translating them into precise product specifications, and working closely with R&D to continuously improve tool quality, usability, and deployment success—especially for Tempus Timing Signoff Solution.

Key Responsibilities

Possess strong hands-on expertise in Static Timing Analysis (STA), including advanced signoff methodologies for timing, SI, OCV/POCV, AOCV, MPW, derates, CDC/clocking, Hierarchical design closure, and constraint modeling.
Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of STA tools, with a strong focus on Tempus, and good familiarity with industry-standard signoff flows.
Act as a technical bridge between customers and R&D, capturing customer pain points, use cases, and requirements with clarity and precision.
Own the creation of detailed and efficient product specifications, ensuring accurate translation of customer needs into implementable engineering requirements.
Collaborate closely with R&D teams to drive feature development, enhancements, and bug fixes—ensuring timely, high-quality delivery.
Support tool deployment and customer enablement, including evaluations, benchmarking, flow recommendations, and best-practice guidance.
Engage with new and existing customers to expand adoption, enable successful signoff deployments
Actively participate in technical discussions, reviews, and escalations, providing clear, data-backed guidance and resolution.
Contribute to continuous tool improvement by proactively identifying gaps, proposing enhancements, and validating solutions across real customer designs.

Required Technical Skills

Strong understanding of STA fundamentals and advanced signoff concepts
Hands-on experience with Tempus and/or PrimeTime exposure
Expertise in timing constraints (SDC), clocking architectures, and path-based analysis
Working knowledge of VLSI design flows (front-end to signoff)
Ability to analyze complex timing issues and propose scalable, customer-ready solutions
Scripting skills (Tcl, Python preferred) for automation, analysis, and flow optimization

Customer & Product Engineering Skills

Excellent customer interaction and communication skills, with the ability to explain complex concepts clearly and confidently
Strong capability to understand customer requirements deeply, beyond surface-level issues
Proven experience in requirement gathering, specification writing, and cross-team execution
Ability to influence both customers and internal teams through technical credibility and clarity
Experience supporting tool adoption, deployment, and expansion across customer environments

Personal Traits & Work Ethic

Passionate about VLSI and STA, with a strong drive to learn and go deep into technical details
Hard-working, inquisitive, and self-driven, with a problem-solving mindset
A great team player who collaborates effectively across Product, R&D, and Field teams
Actively engages in knowledge sharing and mentoring
Enthusiastic, proactive, and committed to product and customer success
Demonstrates ownership, accountability, and a strong sense of execution

We’re doing work that matters. Help us solve what others can’t.

Skills & Tags

product

Aplyr's read

Cadence Design Systems excels in electronic design automation, attracting professionals passionate about integrated circuits and system-on-chip innovations.
Synthesized from recent postings & public sources

What's promising

•Cadence is a leader in electronic design automation, providing cutting-edge tools for semiconductor design.
•The company offers diverse career paths, from digital verification to automotive solutions engineering.
•Cadence's global presence provides opportunities for international collaboration and growth.

What to watch

•The niche focus on EDA may limit opportunities for those seeking broader tech roles.
•High competition in the semiconductor industry could impact job stability and growth.
•Frequent technical updates require continuous learning, which may be challenging for some employees.

Why Cadence Design Systems

•Cadence's software is integral to designing advanced integrated circuits and systems on chips.
•The company has a strong reputation for innovation in electronic design automation.
•Cadence's partnerships with leading tech firms enhance its influence in the semiconductor industry.

Aplyr’s read is generated by AI from public sources. Was it useful?

About Cadence Design Systems

Cadence Design Systems

cadence.com

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Cadence Design Systems provides electronic design automation (EDA) software and engineering services for the design of integrated circuits, systems on chips, and printed circuit boards.