General Manager / VP, PVD

Full-Time Permanent Position | San Jose, California

About Samba Solutions

To lead the next era of semiconductor manufacturing with best-in-class semiconductor equipment - empowering customers to deliver more performance from every chip, panel, and substrate.

Samba is a fast-growing semiconductor startup building next-generation equipment for AI and High-Performance Compute (HPC). We are solving atomic-level challenges in plasma physics, hardware design, materials science, and process engineering to unlock radical performance gains.

Founded by industry veterans and backed by leading partners, Samba is scaling a world-class team across Silicon Valley and Asia. We move fast, think big, and operate with trust, creativity, and purpose.

Role Overview

Samba Solutions is seeking an entrepreneurial, hands-on General Manager to build and grow its PVD business. This leader will own the business from product development and customer demonstrations through equipment delivery, qualification, and revenue growth.In Samba’s startup environment, the General Manager must combine strategic judgment with direct execution- working closely with engineers, customers, suppliers, and the leadership team to solve problems, make timely decisions, and deliver results with a lean organization.The role will lead the PVD portfolio across advanced packaging applications, logic/foundry, memory, power devices, and image sensors market.

Key Responsibilities

Build the Business

• Own the PVD strategy, product roadmap, revenue, margins, and spending.
• Focus resources on applications and customer opportunities with the best ROI potential.
• Develop pricing and investment plans that balance growth, profitability, and cash discipline.
• Partner directly with the CEO on business priorities and critical decisions.

Turn Customer Engagement into Revenue

• Lead customer discussions, demonstrations, technical proposals, and qualification programs.
• Translate customer needs into achievable specifications and clear acceptance criteria.
• Work with sales to convert successful demonstrations into orders and repeat business.
• Stay directly involved in critical customer issues and delivery commitments.

Drive Product Development

• Lead engineering and applications execution, resolving technical issues and removing barriers.
• Prioritize film performance, coverage, adhesion, temperature control, throughput, and reliability.
• Balance customer-specific requirements with development of a repeatable, scalable platform.
• Make practical tradeoffs among performance, cost, resources, and schedule.

Deliver Reliable Equipment

• Coordinate manufacturing, supply chain, installation, and service to deliver systems successfully.
• Work directly with suppliers to address component performance, cost, and availability.
• Ensure learning from demonstrations and field installations leads to product improvements.
• Establish essential quality and execution practices as the business grows.

Build a Lean, Accountable Team

• Lead a small, multidisciplinary team and recruit selectively to close critical capability gaps.
• Set clear priorities, owners, and milestones.
• Encourage open communication, fast decisions, and early escalation of problems.
• Take personal ownership of outcomes and step into execution wherever needed.

Ideal Candidate

• Semiconductor equipment leader with strong PVD technical knowledge and commercial judgment.
• Experience taking equipment from development through customer qualification productionadoption.
• Demonstrated ability to win customer trust and turn technical capability into business results.
• Comfortable working with limited resources, changing priorities, and incomplete information.
• Willing to work directly on technical, customer, supplier, and operational challenges.
• Experience in advanced packaging and in a startup or emerging product business preferred.
• Engineering or related technical degree; advanced degree preferred.

First-Year Success

• A focused PVD roadmap tied to customer demand and available resources.
• Customer demonstrations converted into qualifications and equipment orders.
• Reliable system delivery and successful customer acceptance.
• Improved product performance, margins, and spending discipline.
• A capable team with clear ownership and consistent execution.

Why Join Samba?

• Build a semiconductor equipment business with direct impact on customer success and company growth.
• Develop new equipment and processes from the ground up.
• Collaborate with industry pioneers and leading customers.
• Take meaningful business and technical ownership in a fast-moving startup.
• Competitive compensation, equity, and flexible work options.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Samba is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.