Vice President, Process / Yield Engineering (Chief Yield Officer)

CONFIDENTIAL RETAINED SEARCH | US SEMICONDUCTORS

Search Reference: TNF-SC-YLD-2026 | Yield Leadership Mandate, US Semiconductors

ABOUT THIS SEARCH

Top Notch Finders has been retained on an exclusive and strictly confidential basis to identify a VP of Process / Yield Engineering for a well-established organization in the United States semiconductor industry. To protect the interests of our client and of every candidate who engages with us, the identity of the company and the location of its operations are disclosed only to qualified candidates under a confidentiality agreement. All inquiries and applications are received and managed solely by Top Notch Finders.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The VP of Process/Yield Engineering directs process integration and yield-ramp strategy across leading-edge nodes, overseeing plasma etch, chemical vapor deposition, atomic layer deposition, and related process programs.

MARKET CONTEXT

New leading-edge fabs entering initial production need immediate yield-ramp leadership. Regional semiconductor hubs report needing hundreds of additional process, yield, and equipment specialists in 2026 to support a single facility’s ramp, making the executives who can build and lead those organizations exceptionally scarce.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Own yield-ramp strategy and execution for leading-edge process nodes (4nm/5nm and below).
• Lead process integration across etch, deposition, lithography, and metrology teams.
• Diagnose and resolve yield-limiting defects through statistical process control and root-cause analysis.
• Partner with equipment suppliers and materials vendors to optimize process windows.
• Build and scale a process/yield engineering organization to support fab ramp timelines.
• Report yield performance and improvement roadmaps to fab and corporate leadership.
• Mentor and develop process engineering talent pipelines.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• 15+ years of process or yield engineering experience at leading-edge nodes.
• Deep technical credibility in yield-ramp methodologies and defect reduction.
• Experience managing cross-functional engineering teams through fab ramp cycles.
• Global experience with leading-edge fabs in Asia-Pacific manufacturing centers is highly valued.
• Advanced degree in materials science, chemical engineering, or electrical engineering preferred.

CONFIDENTIALITY AND HOW TO APPLY

This is a discreet, retained engagement. Your candidacy will never be presented to any organization without your explicit prior authorization, and no application will be visible to the hiring company at this stage. Accomplished process and yield engineering leaders are invited to submit a resume in confidence through the Top Notch Finders website. Please reference search code TNF-SC-YLD-2026 in your submission. Do not include export-controlled technical data or other proprietary information of any kind in your application materials. Only candidates whose backgrounds align closely with the mandate will be contacted.