--- title: 'Principal Applications Engineer at Vertical Semiconductor' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/principal-applications-engineer-vertical-semiconductor-somerville-6wdc8d4d3n68' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-09-05' --- # Principal Applications Engineer at Vertical Semiconductor - **Company:** Vertical Semiconductor - **Location:** Somerville, MA - **Employment:** full-time - **Work type:** onsite - **Posted:** 2026-03-10 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-05 - **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/verticalsemi/6b1a62c0-0759-42e0-9306-9fbc54259d71 ## Job description ## COMPANY DESCRIPTION Vertical Semiconductor, a venture-backed MIT spin-out, is leading the development of vertical gallium nitride (GaN) power semiconductors to build the foundational power layer for the next generation of compute and AI. ## ROLE OVERVIEW We’re hiring a Principal Applications Engineer to help commercialize next-generation Vertical GaN power devices (100 V - 2300 V) by translating device performance into system-level wins for customers. This role blends customer-facing technical leadership, hands-on power converter evaluation, simulation/model development, and bench characterization of fast-switching wide bandgap devices. The role offers significant ownership of customer technical engagement, and the development of evaluation hardware, reference designs, and technical content (application notes, trainings, demos). As the company scales, this position has the strong potential to evolve into a team leadership role. ## KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Customer technical leadership / design-in acceleration - Serve as senior technical interface for strategic accounts: translate customer specs into power device requirements; support design in activity including simulations, testing, troubleshooting, and performance optimization. - Present Vertical Semiconductor technology, products, and roadmap to customers and partners; act as a subject-matter expert for target applications. Simulation, modeling, and system enablement - Develop and own SPICE and/or PLECS simulation workflows for Vertical GaN in realistic converter environments (switching behavior, parasitics, loss/thermal estimation, gate-drive tradeoffs). - Build reusable solution templates (topology starting points, loop inductance/parasitic models, measurement-informed parameters) to rapidly evaluate customer use cases. - Create system collateral: application block diagrams, design guidelines, technical notes, and simulation models as part of an enablement roadmap. Evaluation hardware & reference design leadership - Lead development of evaluation boards, demo boards, and reference designs (schematic/layout, BOM, bring-up plan, test plan, characterization report). - Perform system-level bench testing and debug; drive design optimizations based on measured performance. High-voltage WBG bench characterization - Where needed, perform hands-on characterization of fast-switching WBG devices, including switching waveform integrity, parasitic-sensitive measurements, and robustness characterization. - Develop and publish practical “design rules” for customers: gate drive, layout/loop inductance, protection strategies, and measurement techniques. Technical content and technical marketing - Develop application notes, design guides, trainings/webinars, and other media that make Vertical GaN easy to adopt. Cross-functional product influence - Provide structured customer feedback to Device Engineering and Product teams: performance requirements, feature requests, failure-mode learnings, and competitive insights. ## REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS - 5+ years in applications engineering supporting power semiconductor customers OR 5+ years developing power systems/converters. - 5+ years experience developing or working with power converters (e.g., inverters, PFC, isolated DC-DC). Experience delivering reference designs or complete converter hardware is a strong plus. - Proven bench characterization experience with high voltage and high current wide bandgap devices. - Strong understanding of high-frequency power converter design (switching loss mechanisms, magnetics implications, layout/parasitics, gate drive). - Deep familiarity applying SiC and GaN devices in real converters (including design-in pitfalls and best practices). - Proficiency with SPICE and/or PLECS; ability to develop models and quickly evaluate power circuits. - Strong technical communication skills: clear written application guidance and confident in customer-facing engagement. - Experience with parasitic-aware layouts and EMI-aware design practices for fast-switching power stages. - M.S. or Ph.D. in EE (Power Electronics) or equivalent practical experience. ## LOCATION & TRAVEL - Preference for candidates who can work in-office in Somerville, MA. - Travel to customer sites and industry events (< 25% of the working time) ## VALUES & CULTURE FIT Vertical Semiconductor is seeking an engineer who is not only capable of accelerating the technical vision of the company but is also willing to get involved in the day-to-day execution of a startup. The ideal candidate is someone who enjoys tackling complex engineering challenges, is comfortable with a hands-on approach in a collaborative arena and thrives in a startup environment where they can make an immediate impact. We value integrity, initiative, problem-solving, creativity and a passion for creating transformative technology that can change industries and improve the world. ## COMPENSATION We offer a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package with participation in our stock option program that is commensurable with candidates’ experience and impact. ## About Vertical Semiconductor ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: Vertical Semiconductor is an MIT spin-out developing next-generation vertical gallium nitride (GaN) power semiconductors to serve as the foundational power layer for data centers, AI compute, and grid infrastructure. - **Entity Type**: Private (Venture-backed; Seed stage) - **Headquarters**: Somerville, Massachusetts, United States (also listed as Cambridge, MA) - **Founded**: 2024 - **Founders**: Cynthia Liao (CEO & Co-founder), Dr. Joshua Perozek (CTO & Co-founder), Prof. Tomas Palacios (Advisor & Co-founder) ## Core Business - **Primary Industry**: Semiconductor Manufacturing / Power Electronics - **Target Customers**: B2B; Data center operators, grid infrastructure providers, and power system OEMs. - **Mission/Purpose**: To build the foundational power layer for the next era of compute and AI by bringing the superiority of vertical GaN to a scalable manufacturing platform, enabling higher density and efficiency from 40 V to over 2 kV. ## Products & Services - **Vertical GaN Power Transistors**: A family of high-voltage, high-density vertical gallium nitride (GaN) power devices designed for applications ranging from 40 V to 2.3 kV. These devices offer higher efficiency, higher switching frequency, increased power density, and lower total cost of ownership (TCO) compared to lateral GaN HEMTs and legacy silicon. The technology targets grid infrastructure and data center power systems, enabling a shift to more compact and reliable solid-state power converters. ## Market Standing - **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly available (private company). - **Key Metric (Funding)**: Total funding of **$18.45 million** across two rounds (Seed as of Oct 2025: $11.0M; Venture round as of Mar 2025: $7.4M) [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/verticalsemiconductor). - **Notable Investors/Partners**: Not publicly named in available sources, but is a venture-backed MIT spin-out leveraging technology developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). - **Growth Signals**: The company is actively scaling, with 8 total employees and 3 active job postings (Principal Applications Engineer, Principal Semiconductor Device Engineer, Semiconductor Process Engineer) as of mid-2025. LinkedIn shows a substantial yearly follower growth of +494.6% [builtin.com](https://builtin.com/company/vertical-semiconductor). The company is commercializing a differentiated technology with applications in high-growth markets (AI data centers, renewable energy grid infrastructure). ## Competitive Advantages - **Vertical GaN Architecture**: Unlike conventional lateral GaN HEMTs that struggle to scale past 700V, Vertical Semiconductor’s vertical design inherently supports higher voltages (up to 2.3 kV) and higher current, unlocking new applications in grid and high-power compute. - **MIT-Born IP**: Founders and technology originate from MIT, with the CTO (Dr. Joshua Perozek) earning his Ph.D. there developing novel vertical GaN transistor technologies, and Prof. Tomas Palacios serving as an advisor [verticalsemi.com](https://verticalsemi.com/). - **Scalable Manufacturing**: The company emphasizes a "breakthrough manufacturing approach" that brings vertical GaN to a scalable platform, ready to meet the demands of modern power systems. - **System-Level Benefits**: Their devices promise a lower total cost of ownership (TCO) through reduced system complexity, smaller footprints, and cooler operation, directly addressing key pain points in data center and grid infrastructure. ## Strategic Focus - **Commercialization**: The company is in a critical phase of transitioning from R&D to commercial product, hiring senior applications and device engineers to drive customer technical engagement and product definition. - **Target Markets**: Focused on two primary verticals: **Data Centers** (power converters for AI and compute) and **Grid Infrastructure** (solid-state power systems for HVDC and renewable energy). - **Product Scaling**: Developing a family of devices from 40 V to 2.3 kV to cover a broad range of power applications. ## Why Work Here - **High-Impact Startup**: Join an early-stage, venture-backed MIT spin-out working on foundational technology for the next era of compute and energy. Employees have significant ownership and direct impact on the product and company trajectory. - **Hands-On Technical Work**: Roles emphasize deep, practical skills—from cleanroom fabrication to bench characterization of fast-switching wide bandgap devices. The company values building deep technical expertise. - **Culture**: Described as valuing innovation, collaboration, and impact. The team is small (6-8 people), offering a tight-knit, fast-paced environment. - **Work Policy**: Hybrid workspace based in Somerville, MA. Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work, with some roles requiring on-site presence (especially fabrication roles) [builtin.com](https://builtin.com/company/vertical-semiconductor). - **Growth Potential**: As the company scales, senior hires have the potential to evolve into team leadership roles. The company offers a chance to build a career in a cutting-edge semiconductor technology. ## Sources 1. [verticalsemi.com](https://verticalsemi.com/) 2. [verticalsemi.com/careers](https://verticalsemi.com/careers) 3. [builtin.com](https://builtin.com/company/vertical-semiconductor) 4. [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/verticalsemiconductor) 5. [jobs.ashbyhq.com](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/verticalsemi) ## Other roles at Vertical Semiconductor - [Fall Commercial and Strategy MBA Intern/Co-Op](https://feeny.ai/job/fall-commercial-and-strategy-mba-intern-co-op-vertical-semiconductor-somerville-0ggbnfd40b9y) — Somerville, MA - [Device Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/device-engineer-vertical-semiconductor-somerville-wv821yqf9yb3) — Somerville, MA - [Senior Characterization & Reliability Engineer for Power Semiconductors](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-characterization-reliability-engineer-for-power-semiconductors-vertical-w1m7t6pc0wty) — Somerville, MA - [Principal Semiconductor Device Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/principal-semiconductor-device-engineer-vertical-semiconductor-somerville-6jkmbmhhxa8a) — Somerville, MA - [Principal Applications Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/principal-applications-engineer-omni-design-technologies-milpitas-r1j0yjq7cbkb) — Milpitas, CA - [Principal Applications Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/principal-applications-engineer-omni-design-technologies-bengaluru-mj5x8t4fnrtp) — Bengaluru, India