Returning to Work After A Career Break: RIYA Returnship 

Synopsys Editorial Staff

Jul 25, 2022 / 4 min read

Synopsys technology is in the autonomous vehicles that are driving us to the future; in medical breakthroughs that are extending the quality of life; and in a web of interconnected things that are smarter and more intuitive than we ever could have imagined. We are helping to build new virtual worlds, bringing the stuff of our dreams to life. You can even find our technology in solutions tackling some of the biggest challenges we’ve faced in human history, from climate change to pandemics. But one thing is for certain—we can’t be part of these solutions without top talent. We are always looking for great people, even if you’ve taken a break.

RIYA Logo | Synopsys

We understand that there are lots of reasons for career breaks for both women and men. There is child rearing, elder care, the adventure of a lifetime, sidewinding, and way making. These are the twists and turns of life, both planned and unexpected. If you are someone who has taken a break from your engineering career for a minimum of two years, and if you desire to get back into the workforce as an engineer, there are options for you, such as the Synopsys Reignite Your Aspiration (RIYA) Returnship program.

Check Your “Yeah, buts…” at the Door

With a RIYA Returnship, you can check your “yeah, buts…” at the door. You know the ones we are talking about.

Yeah, but:

  • technology moves so fast….
  • perhaps it’s too late…it’s been too long…
  • I can’t compete against freshly minted graduates with the latest knowledge or mid-career professionals, seasoned with relevant, current real-world experience…

If you think it’s impossible, think again. Because Synopsys is working to change old tropes about those breaks on your resume. Alessandra Costa, senior vice president of the Sales and Customer Success Group (SCSG), gives a window into why she felt it was important to start this program for SCSG. “If I have a regret in life, it is not having taken a longer leave when my daughter Bianca was born….At that time, there was no “return” path that would ease the way back to professional life for people who wanted to take a break for caregiving reasons. And I felt the risk was too high. That was the driving force that pushed me to take a little step to change the status quo…”

What is a Synopsys RIYA Returnship?

Our India team has been working successfully for years with RIYA Returnships, and recently the SCSG launched a returnship program with opportunities in the United States. The SCSG RIYA Returnship Program is a four- to six-month opportunity enabling you to refresh and update your skillset and reintegrate into the high-tech workplace. It’s a great place to network as well. If you are accepted into the program, you will be assigned a mentor and meet leaders in their field, the Synopsys workforce.

Some of the applicant requirements for an SCSG RIYA Returnship include a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field, and previous experience with:

  • EDA tools
  • VLSI CAD algorithms
  • Semiconductor ICs (a basic knowledge)
  • RTL-to-GDSII design flow and methodology

This returnship program enables you to be part of an applications engineering team, supporting industry-leading solutions for verification, implementation, and signoff while collaborating with R&D and the Sales team in a dynamic and innovative environment. Expansion of Synopsys RIYA Returnship opportunities are on the horizon.

The Returnship Path: Applicants to Hires

The results of the pilot returnship program in SCSG have been so fantastic that we made employment offers to those recently completing the program. One of these hires is Kahina Hahad, who is currently working as a software engineer in our Silicon Realization Group. “Since I had been out of the workforce for 17 years,” said Hahad, “I recognized that there were huge technological advancements that had happened during my off-time and that I would need to catch up. A friend informed me about the Returnship Program offered at Synopsys. This was the nudge I needed to get myself back into the engineering workforce.” Sang Yoo was hired as a senior applications engineer in SCSG after completing the returnship program. “I was intrigued by the Synopsys returnship job posting, listing many of the experiences and skills I possessed as a chip designer in my career,” said Yoo. “Although I had been away from the high-tech workplace for quite a while, I decided to respond to it because it offered a rare opportunity to re-enter a high-tech workplace with a promise of a gentler ramp.”


No matter what the situation, everyone should have the opportunity to come back to their professional life after taking time off for family reasons.

– Radhika Shankar, Executive Council Representative, Customer Success Group for Diversity and Inclusion Working on Returnships and Internships

Jump-Start Your Next Act and Apply

Synopsys is looking for smart, hard-working, go-get-‘em, problem-solving engineers with ingenuity and unique-in-all-the-world perspectives. So even if your skillset is a bit rusty now, we have a way back in to practicing your profession. We understand that while education, training, and experience are all important, it’s the spirit that underlies it that is the biggest determinant of your (and our) long-term success. If you’ve taken a career break and would like to be part of a company at the forefront of EDA innovation, building a world of Smart Everything, check out our RIYA Returnship program. We have returnship requisitions that will stay active no matter how many we fill. If this opportunity speaks to you, make our day and apply.

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