CTO Man.26.06.26

IR Search BV; Eindhoven; Hybrid; EUR 170,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

IR Search BV is seeking a Chief Technology Officer to own the technology lifecycle from PoC to OEM-qualified product. You will shape the roadmap, scale the engineering organization, define the system architecture, and set critical engineering KPIs.

You will report to the CEO and collaborate with the Chief Scientist and Head of Industrialization to drive manufacturability and volume production. Willingness to travel to Silicon Valley is required.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in semiconductor equipment, vacuum deposition, or plasma/ion-beam hardware.
• Proven track record taking hardware from lab to fab or through OEM qualification.
• Leadership of multi-disciplinary engineering teams.

Responsibilities

• Drive the technology roadmap from PoC to OEM-qualified product.
• Build and lead a multi-disciplinary engineering team of 10–30+ engineers.
• Oversee system architecture, reliability, and manufacturability.

Skills

Semiconductor equipment

Vacuum deposition

Plasma/ion-beam hardware

Engineering leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Job description

Eindhoven, Netherlands (with regular travel to the Bay Area) OR based in Bay Area

Our client is an ambitious startup building a disruptive thin-film deposition platform for next-generation semiconductor manufacturing. Operating at the intersection of plasma physics, vacuum engineering, and advanced materials, the company has successfully validated its technology with a running proof-of-concept (PoC). The next phase is scaling this innovation from the R&D lab into a fab-ready, production-grade tool.

The Role

As Chief Technology Officer, you will own the technology lifecycle from PoC to OEM-qualified product. You will shape the technical roadmap, scale the engineering organization, define the system architecture, and establish critical engineering KPIs. Reporting directly to the CEO, you will work in close partnership with the Chief Scientist (focusing on physics and IP) and the Head of Industrialization (focusing on volume manufacturability).

Key Responsibilities

• Technical Roadmap: Drive the execution of the technology strategy from the current PoC through industrial pilot phases to final OEM qualification.
• Organizational Leadership: Build and manage a multi-disciplinary engineering team spanning plasma physics, materials science, mechanical, electrical, vacuum, controls, and software engineering.
• System Architecture & Quality: Oversee system architecture, reliability engineering, and the strategic path to full manufacturability.
• Talent Acquisition: Spearhead senior technical hiring to scale the engineering capabilities.
• OEM Engagement: Lead technical interactions and joint development/qualification programs with top-tier OEMs and customers.

Your Profile

• Industry Experience: 10+ years in semiconductor equipment, vacuum deposition, or plasma/ion-beam hardware. A proven track record of successfully taking a hardware platform from lab to fab or through OEM qualification is strict and non-negotiable.
• Technical Depth: Deep expertise in plasma and ion source physics, high-voltage/power systems, vacuum and thermal design, and complex system integration.
• Leadership: Proven experience building and leading multi-disciplinary engineering teams of 10 to 30+ engineers.
• Ecosystem Network: Direct experience collaborating with tier-one fabs or OEMs (e.g., TSMC, Samsung, Intel, TEL, AMAT, Lam, KLA, ASML, or equivalent).
• Mobility: Willingness and flexibility to travel to Silicon Valley on a regular basis to interface with key stakeholders, partners, and the US ecosystem.
• Cultural Fit: High agency, low ego. You are hands-on, focus on shipping product, and communicate with radical candor.
• Preferred Qualifications:
  • Direct experience in PVD, CVD, ALD, ion implant, or etch tool development.
  • Experience guiding a completely new process tool through fab qualification.
  • Published patents/patent authorship.
  • Experience operating across a dual European and US (Silicon Valley) footprint.

What We Offer

• Full ownership of a high-impact technology organization at the foundational stage of its growth.
• The opportunity to lead a world-class team that has already successfully proven the core physics.