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When it comes to the integrated circuit design industry, Cadence Design Systems uses SQL to manage customer information and look at huge amounts of data about semiconductor designs. This is why Cadence Design Systems LOVES to ask SQL query questions during job interviews for Data Science, Data Engineering, and Data Analytics.
If you’re trying to get ready for the SQL Assessment, here are 10 practice questions from recent interviews at Cadence Design Systems that are similar to the ones you might be asked. See how many you can answer correctly?
The world of electronic design automation (EDA) is a dynamic and ever-evolving landscape, where innovation and expertise reign supreme. For aspiring engineers seeking to embark on a fulfilling career at Cadence Design Systems a leading name in the industry preparation is paramount. This comprehensive guide delves into the depths of Cadence Design Systems interview questions, equipping you with the knowledge and strategies to navigate your interview with confidence and emerge victorious.
Unveiling the Cadence Design Systems Interview Process
The interview process at Cadence Design Systems usually takes a few steps. Each step is meant to test your technical skills, problem-solving skills, and ability to fit in with the company’s culture. The first screening may include a written test to see how well you understand basic EDA ideas. In later rounds, you’ll probably have technical interviews where you’ll talk in depth about your technical skills and experience. The managerial round asks about your leadership skills and career goals, while the HR round looks at how well you fit in with the company’s culture and how well you’d be suited for the job overall.
Navigating the Depths of Common Cadence Design Systems Interview Questions
1 Unveiling Your EDA Expertise Optimizing Designs for Power, Performance, and Area (PPA)
This question delves into your ability to balance the intricate interplay of power, performance and area (PPA) in the design process. Emphasize your understanding of EDA tools and methodologies for optimizing designs, showcasing your ability to strike the perfect equilibrium between these critical factors.
2 Demonstrating Your Problem-Solving Prowess Optimizing Complex Integrated Circuits (ICs)
This inquiry probes your approach to optimizing complex IC designs, highlighting your ability to tackle intricate challenges with a strategic and efficient mindset. Share your experience with IC design optimization techniques, demonstrating your problem-solving acumen and deep understanding of the design process.
3. Illuminating Your Knowledge of Synthesis and Place-and-Route (P&R) Tools
This question tests how well you understand synthesis and P Show that you have a deep understanding of the design process by explaining how these tools are used to turn digital or analog IC designs into physical layouts.
4. Conquering Debugging Challenges: A Tale of Perseverance
These questions are about how good you are at debugging and how you deal with difficult software problems. Tell me about a time when you ran into a debugging problem and how you solved it in a way that shows how persistent and good at solving problems you are.
5. Ensuring Code Quality and Maintainability: A Collaborative Endeavor
This question explores your commitment to code quality and maintainability, emphasizing your ability to write clean, well-documented code that fosters collaboration and efficiency. Discuss your experience with code review processes, unit testing, and documentation, demonstrating your dedication to producing high-quality, maintainable code.
6. Designing Static Timing Analysis Tools for Advanced Process Nodes: A Journey into Complexity
This inquiry delves into your understanding of static timing analysis (STA) tools, specifically for advanced process nodes. Discuss the critical considerations involved in designing such tools, highlighting your ability to navigate the complexities of advanced process nodes and ensure accurate and efficient timing analysis.
7. Embracing Hardware Description Languages (HDLs): VHDL and Verilog
This question explores your experience with HDLs like VHDL and Verilog, essential tools for digital logic circuit design. Share your projects using these languages, emphasizing your ability to design and simulate digital circuits, demonstrating your proficiency in these critical tools.
8. Balancing Feature Development Speed and Code Stability: A Delicate Dance
This inquiry probes your approach to balancing the pace of feature development with the need for code stability. Discuss your experience with iterative development, continuous testing, and version control systems, highlighting your ability to strike the perfect balance between innovation and stability.
9. Unveiling Your Preferred Programming Languages and Tools: A Journey into Efficiency
This question explores your preferred programming languages and tools for EDA or semiconductor-related development. Discuss the languages and tools you’ve found most effective, highlighting their advantages and how they’ve contributed to your success in previous projects.
10. Collaboration: A Catalyst for Success
This inquiry delves into your experience collaborating with cross-functional teams to resolve technical challenges. Share an instance where collaboration led to a successful resolution, emphasizing your ability to communicate effectively, integrate diverse perspectives, and work harmoniously towards a common goal.
11. Functional Verification: The Cornerstone of IC Design
This question explores your understanding of functional verification, a critical step in ensuring the correctness of IC designs. Discuss the importance of functional verification in preventing design errors, highlighting your commitment to delivering high-quality, error-free designs.
12. Embracing Innovation: Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence in EDA
This inquiry delves into your experience with machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) in the context of EDA tools and processes. Share your projects using these technologies, demonstrating your ability to innovate and enhance efficiency through advanced techniques.
13. Prioritization and Resource Allocation: A Balancing Act
This question explores your approach to prioritizing tasks and allocating resources when managing multiple projects. Discuss your experience with project management tools, setting clear objectives, and delegating tasks, highlighting your ability to effectively manage resources and ensure project success.
14. Parasitic Extraction: A Critical Step in IC Design Optimization
This inquiry delves into your understanding of parasitic extraction, a crucial step in IC design optimization. Explain the importance of parasitic extraction in evaluating the performance of an IC before manufacturing, highlighting your ability to optimize designs considering parasitic effects.
15. High-Performance Computing Solutions: A Journey into Speed and Efficiency
This question explores your experience with high-performance computing solutions for EDA or related domains. Discuss your projects in this area, highlighting your ability to develop and implement effective computing solutions that enhance efficiency and speed.
16. Mentoring Junior Engineers: Fostering the Next Generation
This inquiry delves into your approach to mentoring junior engineers. Share your experience in guiding and developing others, emphasizing your ability to create a supportive environment where junior engineers can learn and grow.
17. Staying Ahead of the Curve: Embracing the Latest Trends in EDA
This question explores your strategies for staying updated with the latest advancements and trends within the EDA industry. Discuss your approach to continuous learning, highlighting your commitment to staying at the forefront of innovation and technological advancements.
Additional Resources to Enhance Your Cadence Design Systems Interview Preparation
- Glassdoor: Access a wealth of interview questions and insights from candidates who have previously interviewed at Cadence Design Systems.
- LeetCode: Practice your coding skills with a vast library of coding challenges and solutions.
- EDA Playground: Explore a hands-on platform for learning and practicing EDA concepts.
- Cadence Design Systems Career Page: Stay updated on the latest job openings and company news.
By thoroughly preparing for your Cadence Design Systems interview, you’ll demonstrate your technical expertise, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit, increasing your chances of landing your dream job. Remember, confidence, preparation, and a genuine passion for EDA will set you apart from the competition, paving the way for a successful and fulfilling career at Cadence Design Systems.
SQL Question 4: Filter Customers Who Use Specific Cadence Design System Products
As an analyst at Cadence Design Systems, you’ve been asked to get a list of all the customers who are using OrCAD, Allegro, or Sigrity to do their work. A customer is considered actively using the software if they have logged in during the past 7 days.
| usage_id | software_name | customer_id | last_login_date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 | OrCAD | 001 | 06/13/2022 00:00:00 |
| 501 | Allegro | 002 | 06/05/2022 00:00:00 |
| 502 | Sigrity | 003 | 06/11/2022 00:00:00 |
| 503 | Incisive | 004 | 06/10/2022 00:00:00 |
| 504 | Virtuoso | 005 | 06/17/2022 00:00:00 |
This SQL query first joins the and tables on the field. Then, it filters for those customers using OrCAD, Allegro, or Sigrity. Lastly, it checks if the is within the past 7 days, indicating active users. The result set will have the customer IDs, first names, last names, and email addresses of all of these customers who are currently using the service.
If you want to answer a question like this on DataLemur’s free interactive SQL code editor, try this Meta SQL question:
SQL Question 2: Analyze Design Product Performance
If you have a table called that keeps track of how different clients use and rate different Cadence design products, you need to write an SQL query that figures out the average score each client gave each product over a certain amount of time.
Consider the table is as shown below:
| performance_id | client_id | record_date | product_id | performance_score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 101 | 987 | 2022-06-20 | 40001 | 87 |
| 102 | 654 | 2022-06-18 | 40001 | 90 |
| 103 | 654 | 2022-06-20 | 69852 | 85 |
| 104 | 987 | 2022-07-15 | 40001 | 82 |
| 105 | 321 | 2022-07-17 | 40001 | 96 |
| 106 | 321 | 2022-07-20 | 69852 | 94 |
The SQL query you need to write should give you the rolling average of the performance scores for each client_id for the given product_id over the last three days.
| client_id | product_id | average_score |
|---|---|---|
| 987 | 40001 | 84.5 |
| 654 | 40001 | 90.0 |
| 654 | 69852 | 85.0 |
| 321 | 40001 | 96.0 |
| 321 | 69852 | 94.0 |
This query leverages the window function . It partitions the data by and , then orders the records within each partition by . This part of the query sets the frame for our calculation: in this case, the current row and the two that came before it. This gives us a rolling average of the last 3 recorded usage performance scores per client per product. And finally, a clause was added at the end to make the data we got easier to check.
To solve another question about calculating rates, try this TikTok SQL Interview Question on DataLemurs interactive coding environment:
CADENCE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS 2024 | Freshers | Intern | Analog Profile | IITs
FAQ
How many rounds of interview are in Cadence?
What is a cadence design system?
Why do you want to join Cadence?
How many questions did Cadence Design Systems Software Engineer ask?
113 Cadence Design Systems Software Engineer interview questions and 88 interview reviews. Free interview details posted anonymously by Cadence Design Systems interview candidates.
What was the interview process like at Cadence Design Systems?
I interviewed at Cadence Design Systems It was straight-forward and the interviewer got straight to the point. The interview was quite deep and technical and lasted about 1 hour. Overall, it was a nice introduction into the company. The basics of CFD and fluid mechanics.
What is the Cadence Design Systems hiring process?
The Cadence Design Systems hiring process typically consists of multiple rounds, including a screening written test, technical rounds, a managerial round, and an HR round. Candidates report that the difficulty level is intermediate, with a focus on coding exercises, technical questions, and discussions about previous projects.
What was the interview process like at Cadence Design Systems (Bangalore Rural)?
I interviewed at Cadence Design Systems (Bangalore Rural) in Feb 2024 Interview process consisted of a technical presentation of a previous project I worked on. The interview was done in two calls, in first the extended team was attending and asked question at the end. On the second call several supervisors asked more technical questions.
