Vice President of Operations (Semiconductor)

Ethernovia•San Jose, CA

4d•Onsite

About The Position

The VP of Operations will be the architect of Ethernovia’s delivery engine. Unlike purely administrative operations roles, this position requires a leader who is hands-on with semiconductor product, test, and qualification. You will bridge the gap between world-class networking chip designs and high-volume, automotive-grade silicon manufacturing.

Requirements

Semiconductor Operations Mastery: 15+ years of experience in fabless semiconductor operations , specifically for complex, high-performance SOCs or networking ICs.
Hands-on Qualification Expertise : Must have direct experience managing and executing semiconductor qualification flows. You should be comfortable reviewing raw reliability data and troubleshooting failure mechanisms (FA).
Product/Test Engineering : Proven track record of direct involvement in ATE (Automated Test Equipment) strategy, test time reduction, and product binning for high-speed communications chips.
Automotive Tech & Quality: Experience navigating the Automotive electronics ecosystem, including IATF 16949, ISO 26262, and PPAP (Production Part Approval Process).
Series B to Scale: Proven track record of building an operations and supply chain function from the ground up in a venture-backed startup.
Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related technical field.
Vendor Management: Expert-level negotiation skills with Tier-1 partners (Foundries, Assembly, and Test houses).
Networking Communications Focus: Understanding of the operational requirements for high-bandwidth data-path products (Ethernet, Switching, or high-speed SerDes).
Systems Implementation: Experience deploying ERP systems (e.g., NetSuite, SAP) tailored for semiconductor supply chain and inventory tracking.
Excellent communication/documentation skills.
Attention to details.
Collaboration across multidisciplinary and international teams.

Nice To Haves

TSMC Experience: Direct experience managing manufacturing flows through TSMC, including familiarity with their latest process nodes, FinFET technologies, and capacity planning.
IPO & Public Company Readiness: Experience scaling operations for a company that successfully navigated an Initial Public Offering (IPO).
International Expansion: Experience establishing operational hubs or quality centers in Europe or Asia to support global Tier-1 automotive OEMs.

Responsibilities

Hands-on Product & Test Leadership : Drive the development of test hardware and software (wafer sort and final test). Oversee characterization, bench-to-ATE correlation, and limit-setting to ensure high-performance networking specs are met.
End-to-End Semiconductor Qualification : Take direct ownership of the qualification strategy. You must have hands-on experience defining and executing stress testing, including HTOL (High-Temperature Operating Life), ESD, Latch-up, and HAST to ensure long-term silicon reliability.
Automotive Grade Execution: Lead the transition to Automotive Qualification, ensuring all products meet rigorous reliability standards (AEC-Q100) and functional safety requirements (ISO 26262).
Networking Silicon Manufacturing: Direct the operational lifecycle for high-speed Ethernet packet processors and PHYs, ensuring signal integrity and performance standards are maintained at scale.
Foundry & OSAT Management: Act as the primary technical and commercial interface with Tier-1 foundries and OSAT partners; manage wafer capacity, production scheduling, and technology nodes.
Yield & Cost Optimization: Use data-driven product engineering techniques to drive aggressive yield improvements and COGS reductions.