Principal – Semiconductor

Job Description

Title: Principal - Semiconductor Technology

Reports to: President

Type: Full-time

Location: Virtual

 

Soundside Partners is seeking a full-time Principal - Semiconductor Technology to serve as a senior technical, commercial, and client-facing leader for the firm. The Principal will work closely with Soundside’s Founder & President and will play a central role in leading complex consulting engagements, shaping client strategy, managing teams of consultants and subcontractors, and identifying new business opportunities.

 

The ideal candidate is a PhD-level semiconductor expert with exceptional executive presence, strong commercial judgment, and the ability to translate complex technical topics into clear business implications for clients. This is a high-impact role for someone who can operate credibly and fluently across technologists, business executives, investors, and delivery teams.

 

This is a full-time, virtual role. Some travel will be required for client meetings, conferences, and other engagements aligned with firm needs.

 

Why Soundside?

 

This is an opportunity to join Soundside Partners at a time of rapid growth and expanding industry presence. The Principal will not step into a narrow, predefined corporate role; this person will help shape the firm’s capabilities, client relationships, delivery model, service offerings, and long-term market position. For the right candidate, it is an opportunity to move beyond advising within a single organization and instead help build a specialized consulting platform serving companies, investors, and institutions across the semiconductor ecosystem.

 

Core Responsibilities

 

Technical and Strategic Leadership

The Principal must bring deep semiconductor subject matter expertise while also being able to lead work across a wide range of technical domains. Responsibilities include:

• Provide senior-level expertise on semiconductor technologies, industry structure, market dynamics, product strategy, manufacturing ecosystems, and commercialization pathways

• Lead projects that may span areas such as devices, process technology, packaging, design, EDA, memory, logic, analog, power semiconductors, sensors, photonics, AI hardware, advanced materials, supply chain, and adjacent emerging technologies

 

Team and Project Management

The Principal will be responsible for leading teams and ensuring successful delivery of client work. Responsibilities include:

• Manage teams of consultants, analysts, advisors, and subcontractors

• Define project scope, workstreams, responsibilities, timelines, and quality standards

• Maintain project momentum, resolve issues, and ensure on-time delivery

• Help build repeatable methods, templates, tools, and operating practices that allow Soundside to scale

 

Client Engagement Leadership

The Principal will lead high-value client engagements across a broad range of technical and business topics. Responsibilities include:

• Serve as a senior client-facing lead on consulting projects; engage directly with executives, technical leaders, investors, and other senior stakeholders

• Develop and oversee executive-ready deliverables, including client presentations, technical assessments, market analyses, diligence reports, and board- or investor-facing materials that meet Soundside’s standards for strategic insight and professionalism

 

Business Development and Opportunity Creation

The Principal will be expected to identify and help win new client opportunities. Responsibilities include:

• Identify new business opportunities with existing and prospective clients

• Develop trusted relationships with executives, technical leaders, investors, and industry participants

• Represent Soundside in business development conversations, conferences, industry events, and professional networks

• Help shape proposals, scopes of work, project approaches, budgets, and client pitches

• Publish thought leadership content to expand Soundside’s visibility and reach

 

Firm Leadership

As a senior member of a growing consulting firm, the Principal will contribute beyond individual projects. Responsibilities include:

• Act as a close strategic partner to the Founder & President

• Help strengthen Soundside’s reputation as a trusted advisor in semiconductors and advanced technology

• Contribute to firm strategy, operating cadence, hiring, expert network development, and delivery standards

• Bring a builder’s mindset to a growing firm where senior leaders are expected to create value, not simply manage assigned work

 

Required Qualifications

The successful candidate will have:

• PhD-level technical depth in a semiconductor-relevant discipline

• Deep semiconductor industry expertise gained through senior roles in industry, including ≥5 years prior experience at Director-level or higher

• Strong understanding of semiconductor technology and business dynamics, including at least several of the following areas:

  • Semiconductor device physics, wide bandgap expertise particularly relevant

  • Process technology and manufacturing

    • Epitaxy

    • Device fabrication

    • Advanced packaging and heterogeneous integration

  • Foundry, fabless, IDM, OSAT, and equipment ecosystems

  • Memory, logic, analog, RF, power, sensors, photonics, or AI hardware

  • Semiconductor supply chains and industry economics

  • Technology roadmapping and commercialization

• Demonstrated ability to lead complex, ambiguous projects from problem definition through final executive deliverable

• Strong commercial acumen, including the ability to connect technical issues to market opportunity, competitive advantage, customer need, investment rationale, business risk, etc.

• Executive presence and the ability to represent Soundside credibly with senior clients

• Ability to develop client relationships and identify new revenue opportunities

• Comfort working in a virtual, entrepreneurial, fast-moving consulting environment

• Strong judgment with confidential client information, sensitive technical data, competitive intelligence, and potential conflicts of interest

 

Preferred Qualifications

Strong candidates may also have:

• Experience at a leading semiconductor company, consulting firm, or advanced technology business

• Experience developing proposals, selling consulting work, expanding accounts, or originating client opportunities

• Experience conducting technical due diligence, market assessments, competitive analyses, technology assessments, or commercialization strategy work

• A strong industry network across semiconductor companies, investors, equipment suppliers, materials companies, foundries, OSATs, startups, research labs, or strategic customers

• Public-facing credibility through publications, patents, conference presentations, industry panels, or recognized technical leadership

 

Example Engagement Areas

The Principal may lead or contribute to engagements such as:

• Semiconductor technology and market assessments

• Technical and commercial due diligence

• Device fabrication process monitoring and/or transfer and qualification leadership

• Competitive landscape analysis

• Commercialization strategy for emerging technologies

• Partnership, acquisition, or investment opportunity assessments

• Board or investor-facing technical briefings

 

Compensation & Benefits

This role will carry a compensation package appropriate for a leader in an early-stage, specialized consulting firm. The package will be structured to reflect the individual’s technical depth, commercial impact, and contribution to firm growth and will include base salary, retirement contribution, professional development (including attendance at conferences and industry events), and flexible combined PTO and sick leave.

 

Work Location

This is a full-time, virtual position. The Principal may work remotely from any suitable location with adequate connectivity and airport access. Occasional travel (est. 10-15% domestic travel) will be required for client meetings, conferences, or business development activities.