Prototyping and Emulation Engineer

Position Overview

Role: Prototyping and Emulation Engineer
Location: Markham, ON & Austin, TX (Onsite)
Duration: Full-Time

We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated FPGA Prototyping and Emulation Engineer to join our hardware development team. This role is critical to accelerating silicon validation and system-level debug through advanced prototyping and emulation platforms. You will work closely with architecture, design, and verification teams to enable early software development and system bring-up.

We’re on the lookout for an engineer with strong experience in semiconductor validation and hardware/software co-debug. Ideal candidates have worked on advanced SoC designs and validation methodologies, with prior experience developing large-scale SoC models (1B+ gates) and applying expert debug techniques.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain FPGA-based prototypes using Xilinx FPGAs and Synopsys HAPS platforms.
• Perform FPGA synthesis, partitioning, and timing closure for complex SoC designs.
• Drive bring-up and debug of SoC prototypes, including waveform capture and analysis.
• Interface with custom PCBs and semiconductor components for system-level validation.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to support pre-silicon and post-silicon debug.
• Integrate and support emulation platforms including Synopsys ZeBu, Cadence Palladium/Protium, and Mentor Veloce.
• Use AI-based modeling to generate behavioral models of removed modules.
• Maintain and monitor quality model development, deployment, and automated regression testing infrastructure.
• Develop and maintain model "smoke tests" to ensure model functionality prior to delivery to bring-up teams.
• Drive technical innovation across validation, including tool and script development, methodology enhancement, and cross-functional initiatives.
• Debug issues across bring-up, validation, and production phases of SoC programs.
• Track test execution and ensure timely validation and optimization of all features.
• Engage with other software/hardware modeling frameworks and support teams.
• Lead collaborative efforts across multiple engineering teams.

Required Qualifications

• Strong hands-on experience with Xilinx FPGA architecture and toolchains.
• Expertise in Verilog/SystemVerilog design and simulation.
• Proficiency with FPGA synthesis and partitioning tools (e.g., Synplify, Vivado).
• Experience with Synopsys HAPS prototyping platforms.
• Solid understanding of SoC bring-up, debug methodologies, and waveform analysis.
• Familiarity with PCB bring-up and hardware/software interfacing.
• Proficiency with C/C++, low-level boot code, and firmware development.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with emulation platforms such as Synopsys ZeBu, Cadence Palladium/Protium, or Mentor Veloce.
• Understanding of BIOS for system, x86, and ARM cores.
• Knowledge of scripting languages (Python, Tcl, Perl, Ruby) for automation and tool integration.
• Background in semiconductor validation and hardware/software co-debug.
• Prior development of large SoC models (1B gates+).
• Strong debug techniques and methodologies.
• Extensive experience with lab equipment (protocol/logic analyzers, oscilloscopes, etc.).
• Deep experience with board/platform-level debug, delivery, sequencing, and optimization.
• Strong knowledge of system architecture and validation strategy.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills with attention to detail.
• Self-starter with the ability to independently drive tasks to completion.

Academic Credentials

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering