Synopsys to create 50 R&D jobs in Dublin

8 Dec 2008

A major player in generating intellectual property (IP) for the global electronics industry is to create 50 research and development (R&D) jobs in the areas of software and hardware engineering in Blanchardstown, Dublin.

With the support of IDA Ireland, the R&D activity at the Synopsys operation will involve the development of software and hardware for chip designers to control and support high speeds and increasing bandwidths in computing devices at technology nodes of 45 and 32 nanometers (nm). 

The research programme is in collaboration with the Departments of Electronic Engineering and the Centre for Efficiency Oriented Languages (CEOL) in University College Cork (UCC).

Synopsys is a world leader in providing software and IP products for semiconductor design and manufacturing. 

Synopsys technologies and design services help companies that develop and manufacture chips and electronic products bring high-performance products to market quickly, while reducing costs and schedule risk.

“The technology developed by Synopsys is innovative, leading-edge and addresses critical needs in the global semiconductor industry,” explained the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mary Coughlan TD.

“The addition of up to 50 R&D positions over time is consistent with the Government’s and IDA Ireland’s objective of winning quality R&D investments from the world’s leading companies and developing a knowledge-based economy.

“Synopsys has a strong history of high-value R&D investment in Ireland, and has already made significant investments in developing a number of its key product lines here. Today’s announcement could grow to a total of 74 R&D engineers carrying out strategic research aligned to Synopsys.”

IDA Ireland is understood to be working closely with Synopsys to optimise its return on investment, further strengthening this important relationship at corporate level.

Synopsys International Limited was established in Blanchardstown in 1999. It currently has an EMEA Financial Shared Services Centre, legal and international tax functions and two separate R&D units involved in the research, development and licensing of electronic design EDA software and IP products for Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and Japan.

“Technology advances in the semiconductor industry have increased the features, power efficiency and functional capacity of chips,” explained Antun Domic, senior vice-president and general manager, Implementation Group at Synopsys.

“The demand for smaller handheld consumer electronic devices that is driving these technical advances is also introducing new challenges for all participants in the semiconductor value chain, from designers to manufacturers.

“Synopsys plays a key role in addressing these technical challenges and this R&D announcement underpins the level of Synopsys’ commitment in Ireland. We look forward to working with UCC and its world-class researchers on a number of exciting projects,” Domic said.

The company’s design and verification software products are used to develop, simulate and test the physical design of complex systems-on-chips (SoCs) before production and on finished products.

Headquartered in Mountain View, California, Synopsys employs 5,100 people worldwide.

Welcoming today’s announcement, Brendan Cremen, director at the Office of Technology Transfer at UCC, said: “UCC is committed to high-quality research and to ensuring this research collaboration has economic relevance for Ireland, including the development of high-level engineering skills relevant to high-tech companies investing in Ireland.

“UCC is delighted to be a partner in this collaboration with Synopsys and IDA Ireland, as it reflects these commitments in a tangible and direct way,” added Cremen.

By John Kennedy

John Kennedy is a journalist who served as editor of Silicon Republic for 17 years

editorial@siliconrepublic.com