Sr Staff Digital Engineer – Microcontroller (MCU) Systems & Architecture
Listed on Renesas Electronics’s official careers site. Posted September 28, 2026. Check that it is still open and apply there.
Apply on Renesas Electronics’s careers site →Job description
Position Overview
We are seeking an experienced and visionary Senior Staff Engineer to join our General Purpose Microcontroller (MCU) Design and Architecture team. In this senior technical leadership role, you will lead the specification, RTL implementation, physical synthesis, and full-chip verification of next-generation MCU platforms integrating both RISC-V and ARM® Cortex®-M CPU cores. You will drive the full lifecycle of the System Control Sub-system (SYSSS), CPU Sub-system (CPUSS), Peripheral IPs, IOTOP, and ChipTop design and verification, bridging architecture definitions with silicon implementation, advanced debugging, and technology verification.
Key Responsibilities
SYSSS, CPUSS, Peripheral IP, IOTOP & ChipTop Design & Verification (Full Flow): Specification & Architecture: Translate high-level Product Requirement Documents (PRDs) into comprehensive Target & Detail Specifications for System Control Sub-system (SYSSS), CPU Sub-system (CPUSS), Peripheral IPs, IOTOP, and ChipTop modules.
RTL Implementation & Hand-off
Perform RTL coding (Verilog / SystemVerilog) for SYSSS, CPUSS, Peripheral IPs, IOTOP, and ChipTop. Author and deliver clear implementation instructions to MiddleEnd and BackEnd (Physical Design) teams.
Design Verification & Debugging
Create test plans and execute Unit-Level Verification (UT) and Chip-Level / Top-Level Verification (CT) using UVM and SystemVerilog environments. Lead root-cause debugging across IP, MCU, and SoC levels.
Physical Synthesis & Technology Verification
Run module-level physical synthesis and perform top-level technology checks, including High-Level DRC (HLDRC), Static Timing Analysis checks (STAchk), and Design-for-Testability checks (DFTchk) at SYSSS and ChipTop levels.
Architecture & Subsystem Integration
Define and integrate MCU subsystems around RISC-V and ARM Cortex-M architectures. Integrate key peripherals (WDT, INTC, IIC, SPI, ADC, etc.) and handle clock domain crossing (CDC) / asynchronous transfer designs across clock and reset boundaries. Drive interconnect architecture based on AMBA bus protocols (AHB, APB, AXI). Technical Expertise & Domain Knowledge IP / MCU / SoC Debugging: Strong hands-on experience in IP, MCU, and SoC level development with expert-level debugging skills across front-end RTL, simulation, and post-synthesis environments.
Processor Cores & Peripherals
Deep understanding of RISC-V and ARM Cortex-M CPU architectures and common MCU peripherals (e.g., Watchdog Timers [WDT], Interrupt Controllers [INTC], I2C/IIC, SPI, ADC).
Bus Protocols & Interconnects
Thorough technical knowledge of AMBA protocols (AHB, APB, AXI, etc.).
Asynchronous Transfer & CDC
In-depth knowledge of Clock Domain Crossing (CDC) and Asynchronous Transfer Design techniques to prevent metastability in multi-clock MCU systems.
HDL & Programming Languages
High proficiency in industry-standard languages: Hardware / Verification: Verilog, SVA, SystemVerilog, UVM Embedded Software / Verification: C, C++ Scripting & Automation: Perl, Python EDA Toolchains: Hands-on experience with industry-standard Cadence and Synopsys EDA tools, including: Simulators & Debuggers: Xcellium, VCS, SimVision, Verdi RTL Lint, CDC & Static Analysis: Spyglass, and related static check tools.
Synthesis and netlist check
Design compiler, Formality, STAcheck (PrimeTime), HLDRC, DFTcheck Design & Verification Flow: Full-flow experience from PRD specification writing to RTL coding, UT/CT testbench creation, verification checklist, coverage.
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