Senior OPC Applications Engineer

General InformationJob TitleSenior OPC Applications EngineerJob ID18775CityAustinState/ProvinceTexasDate Posted11-Sep-2026Job CategoryEngineeringJob SubcategoryApplications EngineeringHire TypeEmployeeRemote EligibleNoBase Salary Range: $95000 - $142000Descriptions & RequirementsJob Description and RequirementsWe AreSynopsys is the leader in engineering solutions from silicon to systems, enabling customers to rapidly innovate AI-powered products. We deliver industry-leading silicon design, IP, simulation and analysis solutions, and design services. We partner closely with our customers across a wide range of industries to maximize their R&D capability and productivity, powering innovation today that ignites the ingenuity of tomorrow.You AreYou have spent years in the trenches of semiconductor manufacturing, where a single mask error can cost millions and a tapeout delay ripples through an entire production schedule. You know that OPC is not just software, it is the difference between a chip that works at 3nm and one that does not make it out of the fab. You have debugged enough runtime failures at 2 a.m. to know the questions to ask before the customer even finishes explaining the problem.You are comfortable translating between a process engineer worried about edge placement error and an R&D team that needs a reproducible test case. You do not panic when a customer calls with a production blocker three hours before tapeout. Instead, you isolate the variable, coordinate across time zones, and find the path forward without creating collateral damage downstream.You think in workflows, not features. When a customer says "it is slow," you know that could mean anything from HPC configuration to model complexity to job scheduling, and you have the instinct to triangulate fast. At Synopsys, you will work with semiconductor manufacturers pushing the edge of what is possible, and the solutions you deliver will directly affect whether their next-generation chips make it to market.What You'll Be DoingSupport semiconductor manufacturing customers using Proteus OPC and computational lithography tools, diagnosing software, workflow, model, and runtime issues that affect production tapeouts and process developmentPerform root cause analysis on customer-reported problems, coordinating resolution across R&D, Product Engineering, and customer teams in both US and TaiwanDeploy and qualify Proteus software releases at customer sites, supporting migration to new versions and advanced technology nodes while validating workflows in beta and production cyclesOptimize OPC production environments by advising on runtime performance, HPC utilization, job scheduling, and scalability for high-volume manufacturingBuild technical relationships with OPC, RET, and process integration teams at key customers, leading regular technical reviews and acting as their advocate inside SynopsysCapture enhancement requests and communicate customer requirements to Product Management and R&D, contributing to product validation and benchmark studiesCreate application notes, troubleshooting guides, and training materials, and mentor junior engineers on Proteus capabilities and best practicesThe Impact You Will HaveReduce time to resolution for production-blocking issues, directly affecting customer tapeout schedules and fab yieldEnable successful deployment of Proteus releases at advanced nodes (7nm, 5nm, 3nm and below), accelerating customer adoption of new features and technologyDrive workflow improvements that increase OPC runtime efficiency and throughput, saving customers compute time and resources in high-volume manufacturingStrengthen strategic customer relationships through technical expertise and responsiveness, contributing to long-term business growth and customer retentionInfluence Proteus product roadmap by translating real-world manufacturing challenges into actionable R&D prioritiesReduce repeat customer issues by identifying systemic problems and driving corrective actions across the product organizationExpand customer technical capability through training and enablement, helping teams scale their use of computational lithography solutionsWhat You'll NeedBachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Computer Engineering, Materials Science, or related technical discipline5+ years of hands-on experience in semiconductor manufacturing, computational lithography, OPC, RET, mask synthesis, or EDA applications supportDirect experience supporting production semiconductor customers in a technical or applications engineering capacityStrong working knowledge of semiconductor process technology and lithography fundamentals, including how OPC affects manufacturing outcomesProficiency in Linux environments and scripting languages such as Python, Perl, Tcl, or Shell for automation and troubleshootingMaster's degree or PhD in a relevant engineering or physical sciences discipline is a plusExperience with Synopsys Proteus OPC solutions, or direct knowledge of optical proximity correction, resolution enhancement techniques, lithography simulation, or mask data preparation is a strong plusWho You AreYou can take a vague customer complaint like "the results look wrong" and systematically narrow it to a specific model parameter, software version, or input deck issue within an hourYou stay calm under pressure, whether that means a customer production issue at 10 p.m. or coordinating a fix across three time zones before a tapeout deadlineYou build trust with customer engineering teams by showing up prepared, following through on commitments, and knowing when to escalate versus when to solve it yourselfYou can explain a complex tradeoff between runtime and accuracy to a process integration manager in two sentences without losing the technical nuanceYou take ownership of problems end to end, even when the solution requires coordinating across R&D, IT, and customer teams who do not report to youYou are curious enough to dig into unfamiliar codebases or workflows when a customer issue does not fit a known patternThe Team You'll Be Part OfYou will work within the Proteus OPC Customer Support organization, collaborating closely with Product Engineering, R&D teams in the US and Taiwan, and Customer Success teams supporting semiconductor manufacturers in the Dallas region. Your role will involve direct engagement with customer OPC, RET, and process integration teams at leading fabs and IDMs, and you will serve as a technical bridge between customer manufacturing challenges and Synopsys product innovation.Rewards and BenefitsWe offer a comprehensive range of health, wellness, and financial benefits to cater to your needs. Our total rewards include both monetary and non-monetary offerings. Your recruiter will provide more details about the salary range and benefits during the hiring process.At Synopsys, we want talented people of every background to feel valued and supported to do their best work. Synopsys considers all applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, military veteran status, or disability.In addition to the base salary, this role may be eligible for an annual bonus, equity, and other discretionary bonuses. Synopsys offers comprehensive health, wellness, and financial benefits as part of a competitive total rewards package. The actual compensation offered will be based on a number of job-related factors, including location, skills, experience, and education. Your recruiter can share more specific details on the total rewards package upon request. The base salary range for this role is across the U.S.