Sr Principal Application Engineer

At Cadence, we hire and develop leaders and innovators who want to make an impact on the world of technology. Job Summary Cadence Design Systems is seeking an experienced Application Engineer to drive customer success in AI-driven digital implementation and signoff workflows. This role focuses on enabling next-generation design methodologies powered by AI, applied to backend physical design using the Innovus platform and timing signoff flows. The ideal candidate will be looking to combine experience in AI-enabled workflows and data-driven problem solving with strong technical fundamentals in place-and-route (PnR) and static timing analysis (STA), helping customers transition to more automated and intelligent design methodologies. Key Responsibilities AI & Next-Generation EDA Lead adoption of AI-driven design and debug workflows (e.g., Innovus AI Assistant, agentic workflows) Apply AI/ML techniques to improve: Design debug efficiency Flow automation Design convergence and optimization Contribute to internal and customer-facing initiatives involving: LLM-based debug assistance Knowledge-driven design automation Multi-agent workflows for implementation and signoff Help define and evolve next-generation AE workflows leveraging AI capabilities Customer Engagement Act as a trusted technical advisor to key customers Deliver workshops, training, and best-practice guidance, including AI-enabled workflows Drive issue resolution across AE, PE, and R&D teams Build long-term strategic relationships with customer design teams Physical Design & Implementation Drive end-to-end physical design closure including: Floorplanning, placement, CTS, routing, and optimization Congestion, power, and performance tuning Debug complex design issues and provide scalable solutions across blocks and full-chip designs Optimize PPA (Performance, Power, Area) and turnaround time (TAT) using both traditional and AI-assisted approaches Timing Signoff & Correlation Enable and support timing closure and signoff flows using industry-standard methodologies Debug timing issues including: Setup/hold violations Derates, variation modeling, and multi-corner/multi-mode analysis Required Qualifications BS/MS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field Demonstrated experience in: AI/ML, data-driven workflows, or automation applied to engineering problems ,or Digital backend design (physical design / PnR), or EDA application engineering or CAD support Strong technical foundation in one or more of: Place-and-route (PnR) flows Static timing analysis (STA) and timing closure methodologies Experience working with Innovus or comparable implementation tools Strong debugging, problem-solving, and communication skills in complex SoC designs Preferred Qualifications Experience with AI/ML applications in EDA, including one or more of: AI-assisted design/debug (e.g., Innovus AI Assistant, JedAI) Workflow automation or data-driven optimization Experience with advanced nodes (≤7nm) and large-scale SoC or full-chip implementation Strong knowledge of timing signoff methodologies, including: MMMC (Multi-Mode Multi-Corner) Variation modeling (SOCV, AOCV) Extraction and signoff correlation flows Hands-on experience with Cadence EDA tools (one or more strongly preferred): Innovus (PnR / Implementation) Tempus (STA / Signoff) Quantus (Extraction) Pegasus (Physical Verification) Genus (Synthesis) Prior experience in Application Engineering, CAD, or customer-facing roles Impact & Growth Help drive the transition of semiconductor design workflows toward AI-first methodologies Influence strategic customer engagements and drive adoption of Cadence enabled EDA solutions Collaborate across global teams to define next-generation implementation and signoff methodologies Additional Information Requires collaboration with global teams and customer interaction Travel may be required based on business needs The annual salary range for Massachusetts is $133,000 to $247,000. You may also be eligible to receive incentive compensation: bonus, equity, and benefits. Sales positions generally offer a competitive On Target Earnings (OTE) incentive compensation structure. Please note that the salary range is a guideline and compensation may vary based on factors such as qualifications, skill level, competencies and work location. Our benefits programs include: paid vacation and paid holidays, 401(k) plan with employer match, employee stock purchase plan, a variety of medical, dental and vision plan options, and more. We’re doing work that matters. Help us solve what others can’t. Additional Jobs Equal Employment Opportunity Policy: Cadence is committed to equal employment opportunity throughout all levels of the organization. Read the policy(opens in a new tab) We welcome your interest in the company and want to make sure our job site is accessible to all. 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Our shared passion for solving the world’s toughest technical challenges, our dedication to pushing the limits of the industry, and our drive to do meaningful work differentiates the people of Cadence. Cadence is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran, basis of disability, or any other protected class.