// Five years
Engineers in the silicon space aren't placed by resume matching. They're placed by someone who speaks the domain and treats candidates like peers.
I create teams that build AWS's custom silicon — Trainium and Inferentia, the chips that power Bedrock, EC2, and the AI infrastructure most of the industry now runs on.
Silicon hiring isn't resume matching. It's understanding the difference between a verification engineer and a physical-design engineer. It's knowing which Principal-level candidate has actually taped out, and which has watched it happen.
The best engineers have options. They choose the process that respects them — from first contact to welcoming them on their first day. That's the work.
First conversation is a deep-dive on the role's actual scope. RTL vs. design verification vs. physical design. Tape-out history. Team chemistry. Comp band. Whether the must-haves are actually must-haves — or just inherited from the last req.
In-house AI tooling lets me search by silicon vocabulary at scale — but every outbound is human-written. No mass email. No bait-and-switch JDs. Engineers can tell within two sentences whether the recruiter on the other end speaks the domain.
White-glove from first call to first day: candid comp conversations, real prep for every loop, structured offer negotiation, and a warm handoff to the team. The best engineers have options. They choose the process that respects them.
"He is one of the best candidate managers I have had the privilege to work with. He is an asset and will be for any firm. People just gravitate to him."
"I can say with a high degree of confidence that Sam is the best recruiter I have had the pleasure of working with — an invaluable asset on any team."
"Sharp, magnetic, energetic. He puts the human before the role — taking his recruits' interests and concerns with sincerity."
"It's rare that you come across standard talent like Sam. Extremely helpful, supportive, and kept me informed throughout. I would recommend him to everyone."
"Sam identified my passions and motivation and aligned them with the company so I could do what I love."
"Well-organised and very diligent, with strong communication and negotiation skills. He prepares the right shortlist from the ocean of candidates."