Principal Engineer Jobs in Sunnyvale, CA
Principal Engineer jobs in Sunnyvale are in strong demand, concentrated in the Lawrence Expressway corridor, downtown Sunnyvale, and the Mathilda Avenue tech district, across semiconductors, enterprise software, and cloud infrastructure. Employers hiring right now include Synopsys, Hewlett Packard Enterprise | HPE, and Walmart. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
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Showing 5 of 906+ Principal Engineer jobs
Date posted 11/08/2026
Category Engineering
Hire Type Employee
Job ID 18967
Base Salary Range $193200-$289800
Remote Eligible No
Date Posted 11/08/2026
We Are
Synopsys is a leader in silicon-to-systems engineering solutions, helping customers accelerate innovation in AI-driven products through industry-leading EDA, IP, and design solutions.
You Are
As a Principal Front-End Design Engineer, you will lead methodology, subsystem architecture, and AI-enabled design innovation across IP and SoC development. You will build scalable design solutions, improve engineering productivity, and drive best practices across global teams.
What You'll Be Doing
- Develop and deploy AI-driven solutions for verification, synthesis, constraints, and DFT workflows.
- Architect reusable subsystem reference designs for Synopsys IP.
- Debug and optimize front-end design methodologies and automation flows.
- Drive adoption of best practices across design and verification teams.
- Collaborate with EDA, IP, and customer-facing engineers to solve complex design challenges.
- Mentor engineers through technical leadership and knowledge sharing.
- BS/MS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field.
- 10+ years of ASIC, SoC, or IP design and verification experience.
- Expertise in verification, synthesis, timing constraints, DFT, CDC/RDC, or lint methodologies.
- Strong experience with Synopsys tools such as VCS, VC SpyGlass, Fusion Compiler, Design Compiler, and TestMAX.
- Proficient in SystemVerilog, UVM, Tcl, Python, or similar languages.
- Demonstrated technical leadership and influence across cross-functional engineering teams.
What Sets You Apart
- Deep understanding of IP reuse, subsystem integration, and SoC development.
- Passion for using AI to improve design productivity and quality.
- Strong problem-solving, communication, and mentoring skills.
- Ability to translate complex technical challenges into scalable, practical solutions.
The Team You'll Be Part Of
You will be a member of the Digital Methodology Interop Engineering team, a team of engineers dedicated to advancing IP and subsystem design excellence at Synopsys. The team collaborates across global sites, driving innovation in methodology, tool integration, and best practices. You will help shape the future of SoC design with Synopsys IP.
Rewards and Benefits
We 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...
Date posted 11/08/2026
Category Engineering
Hire Type Employee
Job ID 18967
Base Salary Range $193200-$289800
Remote Eligible No
Date Posted 11/08/2026
We Are
Synopsys is a leader in silicon-to-systems engineering solutions, helping customers accelerate innovation in AI-driven products through industry-leading EDA, IP, and design solutions.
You Are
As a Principal Front-End Design Engineer, you will lead methodology, subsystem architecture, and AI-enabled design innovation across IP and SoC development. You will build scalable design solutions, improve engineering productivity, and drive best practices across global teams.
What You'll Be Doing
- Develop and deploy AI-driven solutions for verification, synthesis, constraints, and DFT workflows.
- Architect reusable subsystem reference designs for Synopsys IP.
- Debug and optimize front-end design methodologies and automation flows.
- Drive adoption of best practices across design and verification teams.
- Collaborate with EDA, IP, and customer-facing engineers to solve complex design challenges.
- Mentor engineers through technical leadership and knowledge sharing.
- BS/MS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field.
- 10+ years of ASIC, SoC, or IP design and verification experience.
- Expertise in verification, synthesis, timing constraints, DFT, CDC/RDC, or lint methodologies.
- Strong experience with Synopsys tools such as VCS, VC SpyGlass, Fusion Compiler, Design Compiler, and TestMAX.
- Proficient in SystemVerilog, UVM, Tcl, Python, or similar languages.
- Demonstrated technical leadership and influence across cross-functional engineering teams.
What Sets You Apart
- Deep understanding of IP reuse, subsystem integration, and SoC development.
- Passion for using AI to improve design productivity and quality.
- Strong problem-solving, communication, and mentoring skills.
- Ability to translate complex technical challenges into scalable, practical solutions.
The Team You'll Be Part Of
You will be a member of the Digital Methodology Interop Engineering team, a team of engineers dedicated to advancing IP and subsystem design excellence at Synopsys. The team collaborates across global sites, driving innovation in methodology, tool integration, and best practices. You will help shape the future of SoC design with Synopsys IP.
Rewards and Benefits
We 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...
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Find Principal Engineer JobsPrincipal Engineer Job Market in Sunnyvale
Who's Hiring
- Synopsys215
- Hewlett Packard Enterprise | HPE200
- Walmart138
- Northrop Grumman123
- Fortinet61
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software
Principal Engineer Jobs in Sunnyvale: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a principal engineer job in Sunnyvale?
The most direct path is targeting Sunnyvale's semiconductor and cloud infrastructure employers, where principal engineering roles concentrate most heavily. Roles in the Lawrence Expressway corridor and Mathilda Avenue tech district favor candidates with deep system architecture experience and a history of shipping at scale. Presenting a portfolio of cross-functional technical leadership, including design reviews or standards ownership, gives candidates a clear edge over those with purely individual-contributor backgrounds.
Which companies hire principal engineers in Sunnyvale?
Companies currently hiring principal engineers in Sunnyvale include Synopsys, Hewlett Packard Enterprise | HPE, and Walmart, per current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Sunnyvale's employer base skews heavily toward established semiconductor firms, hyperscale cloud providers, and enterprise networking companies, many of which maintain large engineering campuses within the city.
Are there remote principal engineer jobs in Sunnyvale?
Yes, though remote availability depends on the role type: software and systems architecture positions lean more remote-friendly, while hardware, lab, or chip design roles typically require on-site presence. About 31% of principal engineer openings tied to Sunnyvale are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, with hybrid arrangements most common at cloud and enterprise software employers in the downtown and Mathilda Avenue areas.
How can I get a principal engineer job in Sunnyvale with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is joining a Sunnyvale semiconductor or cloud company at the senior engineer level and building toward principal through internal promotions, since most local employers promote from within for that title. Networking at events hosted by Sunnyvale-area IEEE chapters or hardware-focused meetups helps establish local visibility. Companies with structured engineering ladders, common among the larger campus employers along the Lawrence Expressway corridor, offer the clearest promotion frameworks for engineers making this move.
Which industries hire the most principal engineers in Sunnyvale?
The sectors hiring the most principal engineers in Sunnyvale are Technology & Software, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Sunnyvale's status as a hub for chip design, networking hardware, and enterprise cloud infrastructure drives concentrated demand for senior technical leadership across those fields.
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