Roles / Static Timing Analysis Engineer

Static Timing Analysis Engineer

PD-006v1

Physical Design & ImplementationImplementationIC3–IC6Individual contributor

Also known as: STA Engineer; Timing Analysis Engineer; Timing Closure Engineer

See this role on the SoC lifecycle or on the Soft IP lifecycle or on the FPGA lifecycle or on the Automotive lifecycle or on the Startup lifecycle or on the Space lifecycle or on the FPGA chip lifecycle or on the Structured ASIC lifecycle or on the Hard IP lifecycle

Summary

Analyses and closes setup, hold, and design-rule timing across all modes and corners so the design meets its frequency targets with correct, non-optimistic constraints.

A day in the life

Work in progressNo day-in-the-life description has been written for this role yet. If you do this work, we would welcome yours. Suggest a source or a correction

Responsibilities

Lines tagged General are the Hub's general description of this kind of role, used where the role register has no entry yet. They are kept under review and will be refined.

Project

Work done for a product or program.

Build and maintain MMMC scenario definitions covering functional, test, scan-shift, and low-power modes.
Author, review, and validate SDC constraints including generated clocks, IO delays, and timing exceptions.
Run signoff timing in PrimeTime or Tempus with SPEF parasitics and analyse violation clusters by root cause.
Generate targeted ECO fix lists using PrimeTime ECO and verify slack recovery after implementation.
Apply and validate derating strategies including AOCV, POCV, and CRPR to remove unjustified pessimism.
Validate constraint quality with lint checks in Synopsys Timing Constraint Consistency or equivalent flows.
Correlate PD tool timing with signoff timing and drive alignment of libraries, extraction, and settings.
Analyse asynchronous interfaces, latch-based paths, and source-synchronous IO timing budgets.
Support silicon debug by correlating measured shmoo behaviour to predicted critical paths.
Maintain timing dashboards and report slack trend, violating path count, and closure burn-down per block.

Function

Work that keeps the discipline running: methods, tools, suppliers and people.

Maintain implementation flows, scripts and sign-off checklists.General
Work with EDA vendors and the CAD team to fix tool issues and improve results.General
Feed lessons from each tapeout back into flows and guidelines.General

Major tasks

Project

Produce and hand over the role's key deliverables
- MMMC signoff timing reports for all scenarios
- Validated SDC constraint set with exception justification
- Timing ECO fix lists and closure burn-down tracker
- Constraint lint and consistency report
- PD-to-signoff timing correlation analysis
Implement the layoutGeneral
- Floorplan and plan the power grid
- Place, build the clock tree and route
- Run extraction and analysis
Close sign-offGeneral
- Close timing at every corner
- Clear DRC and LVS
- Complete the sign-off checklist

Function

Maintain the flowGeneral
- Update scripts and flow settings
- Qualify new tool versions
Share knowledgeGeneral
- Document fixes for recurring issues
- Train newer engineers on the flow

Works with

Physical Design Engineers
CTS Engineers
RTL Designers
DFT Engineers
Library Engineers
Silicon Bring-Up Teams

Typical backgrounds

BS/MS in Electrical Engineering; 3–12 years in physical implementation or timing analysis.

Demand signal

2 open listings right now
0 Talent Wafer employer inquiries

Counts live listings tagged to this role, and employer interest in candidates from Talent Wafer runs for this role (all runs to date). Hub activity only, not the wider market.

Comp tier (within semis)

3 / 5

Remote feasibility

High

Semis core vs. portable

Core semiconductor-only

Geographic hotspots

Bangalore, Austin, Santa Clara, Hsinchu, Haifa, Shanghai, Seoul, Noida, Cairo

Certifications / standards training

Synopsys PrimeTime certification; IEEE 1801 UPF training

Transfers to (industries)

EDA timing tool development; FPGA timing closure services

Risk if vacant

Timing risk is invisible until silicon, raising the probability of a frequency-limited or functionally failing part and a costly metal re-spin.

Static Timing Analysis Engineer

Summary

A day in the life

Responsibilities

Project

Function

Major tasks

Project

Function

Works with

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