STA / Timing
STA Engineers for Multi-Corner, Multi-Mode Sign-Off
At 28nm, timing analysis is a checkpoint. At 5nm and below, it is a full-time job for a dedicated team. We place engineers who understand the physics. Not just the tool commands.
What they do
MMMC Sign-Off for Advanced-Node SoC Programs
STA engineers at Game 7 have closed timing on networking ASICs with hundreds of clock domains, AI accelerators with massive synchronous compute arrays, and automotive SoCs with multi-voltage islands. They own the SDC, correlate parasitics, and drive ECOs.
They understand OCV/AOCV/POCV, CPPR, cross-talk SI analysis, and sign-off correlation between PrimeTime and Tempus. The depth that separates STA from generic PD work.
Scope of work
- Multi-mode multi-corner (MMMC) static timing analysis across all PVT corners
- Timing closure: setup, hold, and clock domain crossing (CDC) constraint resolution
- SDC constraint authoring, verification, and handoff between synthesis and P&R teams
- Parasitic extraction correlation and timing ECO management
- CPPR (Common Path Pessimism Removal) and OCV/AOCV/POCV modeling
- Cross-talk SI timing analysis: aggressor/victim noise margin and glitch analysis
- Clock tree timing verification and jitter/uncertainty budget analysis
- Sign-off timing correlation between PrimeTime and Tempus flows
Tools & Technologies
The stack our STA / Timing engineers actually ship in.
Program context
A Dedicated Discipline on Large SoC Programs
At 28nm, timing analysis is a checkpoint. At 5nm and below, it is a full-time job for a dedicated engineering team. The explosion of process corners, FinFET timing sensitivity to layout-dependent effects, increased OCV variation at advanced nodes, and the complexity of multi-clock SoCs with hundreds of clock domains make MMMC timing closure a specialized skill. Networking ASICs, AI accelerators, and automotive SoCs all require STA engineers who understand the physics. Not just the tool commands.
FAQ
Common Questions on STA / Timing Staffing
When does a program need a dedicated STA engineer vs. a PD engineer who does STA?+
For smaller block-level designs, the P&R engineer typically runs timing analysis as part of the flow. Dedicated STA engineers become necessary on large SoC programs where: (1) the number of timing paths and corners exceeds what a PD engineer can manage in parallel with place-and-route, (2) sign-off timing must be independent from the implementation team, or (3) SDC quality and constraint verification is a program risk. At 5nm and below, we recommend planning for dedicated STA resources on any full-chip program.
What's the difference between PrimeTime and Tempus, and does it matter?+
PrimeTime (Synopsys) has been the industry gold standard for STA sign-off for decades. Most foundry sign-off decks are calibrated to PrimeTime. Tempus (Cadence) has strong market share in Cadence-flow shops and is fully integrated with Innovus. The difference matters at the flow level: engineers who have only used one tool will have a learning curve on the other, particularly around parasitic back-annotation, CPPR settings, and timing report interpretation. We ask which tool ecosystem the program uses and match accordingly.
Can Game 7 place STA engineers specifically for tape-out crunch phases?+
Yes. Tape-out STA crunch is one of the most common targeted engagements we staff. Typically 2 to 4 months of intensive timing closure work. Engineers brought in for this phase need to be self-sufficient: they should be able to read the SDC, understand the sign-off criteria, diagnose violations, and work with the P&R team on ECOs without a ramp-up period.
What does OCV/AOCV/POCV mean, and why does it matter?+
These are progressively more accurate models for on-chip variation. The fact that timing is not identical across the die. Original OCV applies a flat derate; AOCV (Advanced OCV) applies stage-count-based derates; POCV (Parametric OCV) uses statistical models for the most accurate representation. At advanced nodes (7nm and below), using flat OCV significantly overpessimizes timing and creates false violations. Engineers who understand which OCV model to use and how to calibrate it to the foundry characterization data produce cleaner, faster sign-off.
Related disciplines
Cross-Links Across the Team
Floorplan, P&R, STA, and Signoff Engineers for Advanced Process Nodes
P&R engineers who create the timing closure context.
RTL Design Engineers →SystemVerilog RTL Designers with Tape-Out Experience
Front-end engineers whose SDC constraints drive the STA flow.
DFT Engineers →Design for Test Engineers with Chip-Level DFT Ownership Experience
DFT sign-off requires STA-aware scan chain optimization.
Let's talk
Need a STA / Timing Engineer?
Tell us the program. We'll send a shortlist of 2-4 qualified engineers within days.