Sr. Director, Semi Engineering

Adeia; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 250,000 - 310,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Generous paid time off

Stock options and RSU program

Job summary

Adeia in San Jose, CA, seeks a Sr. Director of Semi Engineering to lead the process development team focused on hybrid bonding and advanced packaging. You will guide R&D programs, manage laboratory operations, and ensure that experimental data informs priorities and resource allocation. This role demands a Ph.D. and 15+ years in semiconductors, with strong leadership and collaboration across functions. The base package includes incentives and a path to impact cutting-edge tech.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Materials Science or Engineering or a related field.
• 15 years of semiconductor experience with at least five years leading multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience managing multiple R&D programs, laboratories, and budgets.

Responsibilities

• Lead hybrid bonding and advanced-packaging R&D process development.
• Oversee laboratories, prototype activities, and R&D supply chain.
• Translate vision into team goals and drive execution with data-driven methods.
• Represent Adeia in conferences, customer meetings, and collaborations.

Skills

Technical leadership

R&D process development

Data-driven decision making

Design of experiments

Cross-functional collaboration

Mentoring and people development

Education

Ph.D. in Materials Science or related field

Job description

Adeia Inc. (Nasdaq: ADEA) develops foundational innovations that shape how the world computes, connects and experiences entertainment. Its inventions span a broad range of semiconductor and media technologies, including 3D interconnect (hybrid bonding) and advanced thermal management for AI datacenters, as well as content discovery, personalization, and streaming. These inventions are licensed to leaders across the chip design and manufacturing, consumer electronics, automotive, digital entertainment, and e-commerce industries. Adeia’s innovations enable more powerful and efficient products, and more immersive, personalized experiences across billions of devices worldwide. Learn more at www.adeia.com.

Position Summary

The Sr. Director, Semi Engineering reports to Head of Engineering and manages the process development team developing hybrid bonding and advanced-packaging technology in our San Jose office. This role oversees hybrid bonding process development, R&D programs, laboratory operations, and a prototype supply chain with critical processes managed in-house.

The Sr. Director executes the technical direction, ensures disciplined program execution, and creates an environment where innovation and accountability thrive. Using experimental data, market insight, and customer requirements, this individual provides input for our technology development priorities while balancing resources to deliver results.

Key Responsibilities

Technical Leadership and R&D Process Development

• Develop and execute engineering plan aligned with Adeia’s business, intellectual-property, and customer objectives.
• Define program objectives, milestones, resources, risks, and measurable success criteria
• Use data-driven decision-making to balance exploratory research with disciplined execution. Ensure rigorous use of design of experiments, data analysis, process controls, and technical documentation.
• Evaluate new concepts and recommend priorities, partnerships, and development paths.
• Review results, challenge assumptions, identify gaps, and keep programs technically sound and on schedule.

Laboratory and Prototype Operations

• Oversee engineering laboratories, prototype activities, specialized equipment, and the supporting R&D supply chain.
• Manage relationships with equipment suppliers, external laboratories, research partners, and specialized service providers.
• Identify operational and supply-chain risks and establish appropriate contingency plans.
• Maintain strong standards for safety, equipment readiness, material management, with on-site laboratory responsibilities.

People and Organizational Leadership

• Lead and further develop an organization that includes managers, senior technologists, engineers, recent graduates, laboratory personnel, and technicians.
• Translate the organization’s vision into clear team and individual goals.
• Build a collaborative R&D culture that values creativity, technical rigor, accountability, inclusion, and open communication.
• Coach direct reports, strengthen management capabilities, and develop team.
• Collaborate with cross-functional leaders to achieve annual goals.

Innovation and Thought Leadership

• Create an environment that encourages high-value invention and experimentally validated innovation.
• Represent Adeia in technical conferences, seminars, customer meetings, and external collaborations.
• Strategic engineering and technology leadership
• Strong technical judgment and data-driven decision-making
• R&D leadership and disciplined program execution
• Organizational leadership and talent development
• Executive communication and cross-functional collaboration

Minimum Qualifications

• Ph.D degree in Materials Science or Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, or a related field.
• 15 years of semiconductor experience with at least five years of experience leading multidisciplinary semiconductor engineering or R&D teams of 7 or more employees.
• Experience managing employees at multiple levels, including managers, senior technologists, engineers, recent graduates, and technicians.
• Demonstrated technical success as an individual contributor in semiconductor technology, advanced packaging, or a related field.
• Experience managing multiple R&D programs, laboratory operations, technical resources, and budgets.
• Strong knowledge of design of experiments, data analysis, process development, and evidence-based decision-making.
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills, including experience communicating with senior technical, and customer audiences.

Preferred Qualifications

• Expertise in hybrid bonding, wafer bonding, heterogeneous integration, semiconductor materials, thermal management, interconnects, or advanced packaging.
• Experience advancing technology from early-stage research through prototype demonstration, customer evaluation and licensing or commercialization.
• Experience managing external research partnerships, equipment vendors, suppliers, or university collaborations.
• Knowledge of semiconductor intellectual-property development and technology-licensing models.

Location: San Jose, CA

San Jose, CA Range: $250,000 - $310,000

Bonus Target: 25% of annualized base pay

Restricted Stock Units Target (as a % of annualized base pay): 100%

The base compensation is based on the primary work location, as ranges are location-specific. Actual compensation will depend on factors such as skills, experience, and qualifications.

Benefits include medical, dental, vision, 401(k), paid time off, and other company programs.

At Adeia, we are dedicated to creating a workplace where all employees have a voice and

sense of belonging, feel safe and valued, and are acknowledged for how their unique

differences contribute to organizational culture and business outcomes.

Our employees and their families are important to us, and our comprehensive pay, stock,

and benefits programs reflect that. Adeia supports personal well-being, builds financial

security, and enables employees to share in our collective success.

Rewards include:

• Competitive compensation (salary, equity, and bonuses) and comprehensive benefits are designed to foster work-life balance, care for your health, protect your finances, and help you save and invest for the future.
• Generous paid time away from work, including flexible time off, holidays and sick time, health and wellness initiatives, and a charitable match program to help you give back to your community.
• Great benefits, which vary by location and can be site-specific: employee discounts, transportation reimbursements, and fitness facilities.