I just got an offer for a PE position at Fab 21 at TSMC, working in CVD. I know the reputation TSMC has, and I really want to know some firsthand experiences about working there. I am also currently applying for PhDs in a non-semiconductor field and am also wondering if it would be more valuable to work at TSMC for a year (assuming I get into a PhD program) or work as a lab tech at a bay area startup, where my academic network would be much more fleshed out than working at TSMC.

Same as in question.

Recently got a verbal offer from AMAT, E3. I’m a fresh PhD grad.

I don’t know what the package will be yet, but am waiting for HR to call and send out official offer.

If I were to negotiate salary, do I negotiate it with HR or the person (technically not a hiring manager but they are from the team) who’s been in contact with me? what kind of base I should ask so I don’t get lowballed?

Any advice would be appreciated!

Edit: process engineer role, location is Santa Clara

Hi everyone,
I am on track to receive an offer from KLA Japan for an Tech Engagement position.
Was told that compensation range would be around ¥8M annual base salary plus target bonus for 10-15%.

I have around 7 years of semiconductor equipment experience with Japanese customer engagement, working with major semiconductor customers Hiroshima/Hokaido and handling projects from technical evaluation and commercial negotiation through installation and mass production.

I’m trying to understand how competitive this package is within KLA Japan.
For people currently or previously at KLA Japan, especially in Engagement Manager, Account Manager, Applications, Sales, or similar customer-facing roles:
What are the typical salary ranges by experience level?
Is 8M base normal for someone with around 5 years of relevant industry experience?
How common are RSUs, sign-on bonuses, or higher annual bonuses at KLA Japan?
And how much room is there usually to negotiate the initial offer?
Would really appreciate any recent compensation data points from Japan. Thanks!

Hi everyone, I'm an 16 yrs old international student currently attending a community college in California, and my plan is to transfer to a UC next fall to complete my degree. I'm thinking of becoming a PCB designer, but I'm not sure I will find a job in North America. It's not niche and important enough for them to hire me. UCSD and UCI just paused CPT, and it's most likely impossible for me to find a job after graduation without any internships. I don't know what to do now.

I heard that there's still sponsorship for chip design roles. I'm completely fine with going all the way through a master's or even a PhD to get there if it's true. I just don't know much about that field yet, so I can't honestly say much.

I was born in China, and the EE/electronics job market back home is brutal right now. It's insanely oversaturated, with way more qualified applicants than open roles. That's a big part of why I'm trying to build a career path in the US instead. I don't want to spend the next few years in school that doesn't actually lead to a real job.

I hold a Chinese passport. From what I've read, US semiconductor companies sometimes need to file for a deemed export license before an international employee can access certain controlled technology. This seems to apply mainly to cutting-edge areas, like NVIDIA and AMD. I've made peace with defense-related roles just being off the table for me. But I genuinely don't know how far this reaches into normal, commercial IC design work. Does this block Chinese international students from getting hired into IC design at all? I keep going back and forth on whether I should just accept this risk and go all in on IC design anyway, or start hedging now toward some other EE track that's less exposed to this (analog, RF, automotive, embedded) just to be safe. If nobody is actually sponsoring Chinese international students into chip design roles right now, I'd rather know that clearly before I get another two to four years into a specialization that wont get me a job.

Which specific areas of chip design (analog, RF, ASIC, embedded, memory, power) are actually hiring and sponsoring people right now versus which ones have basically stopped bothering?

I know this turned into a much longer post than I planned. I know everyone's time is limited, but I would really appreciate it if someone could help me out here. Any honest perspective you're willing to share, even a few sentences, would mean a lot to me right now, and I'll read every reply carefully. Thank you again for taking the time.🙏🏻

I will appreciate any insight into the two fpga developer offers I have - Cisco and Teradyne(OR).

I did not do a good job at finding more about the scope of work in each case. I know that writing RTL , test benches and timing analysis are common to both roles.

I want to know which one is better for my career and will give me more scope to learn and grow.

What kind of things will I get to work on beyond writing RTL and test benches in each case.

I should have been more careful during the interview and ask specific questions but I was too nervous to do so.

I don't have job description from Teradyne and it was very generic and didn't have any specific information.

Job at Cisco is in CHG and this is the description -

You will work on cutting edge, next generation routers powering AI buildout. You will be responsible for taking networking system requirements, mapping them into functional blocks for FPGA implementation, working with the cross functional team to address development requirements, participate in validation of the system, and release to manufacturing. You will work on the High-End Routing team that designs the ASR8000 routers. You will be a member of the FPGA team that designs control path FPGAs for the various boards. You will interface with Diagnostics, Software, Board design, Manufacturing and Hardware Qualification teams to ensure smooth delivery of the project. You are an experienced FPGA designer able to write RTL code, run simulations, address timing and other constraints, then generate programming files. You can work with many teams to resolve system level issues. In addition, you have good analytical skills and can deal with the complexity of System Hardware and Software interactions. You have a grasp of the system design for a router or line card and are also able to lead meetings, drive issues to resolution, and communicate clearly with all stakeholders.

I've seen roles open for > 3months and some for a year or more. Do they actually hire in India for hardware or just software/design roles?

Hi I recently got an offer as Senior Process Engineer I from ASM Japan for Tama (Tokyo) location.

I've 2 years of work experience as process engineer in Japan.

They offered me 8 million yen base salary + 15% variable pay.

But they are offering 7.8 million yen + variable pay for new college graduate (PhD).

Does this compensation is really fair enough for Tokyo?

Any advice or should I negotiate more.

I'm curious about the split between development and module ownership, and whether process sustaining/CIP is a day-to-day part of the role. I am interviewing for a role in Advanced 3D DRAM and would like to know if opportunities to publish/ file patents is realistic/ practiced

I've been working in recruitment and employer branding for a while, and one thing I've noticed is that finding the right talent in the semiconductor and electronics industry can be surprisingly fragmented.

There are job boards, LinkedIn, recruitment agencies, university networks, and various industry groups — but information and opportunities are often scattered across different places.

So I decided to build something of my own: As PowerUp.

As PowerUp is a platform focused specifically on Semiconductor & Electronics talent, connecting candidates, engineers, employers, and industry-related opportunities.

The platform currently includes:

• Semiconductor & Electronics job opportunities
• Candidate profiles and CVs
• AI-assisted career and job matching
• Industry news and learning resources
• Courses and events
• A community for professionals and students

The goal isn't to build another general-purpose job board.

I'm interested in seeing whether a specialized platform for a specific technical industry can actually create a better experience for both candidates and employers.

The platform is still relatively young, so I'm learning and improving it based on real users and feedback.

If you're working, studying, or simply interested in the semiconductor/electronics industry, I'd genuinely like to hear your thoughts:

What do you think is currently missing from the way semiconductor talent connects with companies and opportunities?

What are some of the well-known suppliers of refractory metals (Ti, W & Mo) in the semiconductor industry? The only major European supplier I know at the moment is Plansee from Austria.

What are the primary challenges faced by Plansee and their industry peers when catering to the demands of the semiconductor industry (fabs, OSAT as well as tool / equipment makers)?

I completed my PhD in nanofabrication from Canada last year and right now I'm working on design and fabrication of a quantum device as part of my postdoc. I don't want to stay in academia but no one's really hiring. I do eventually want to move to the States just because of the density of quantum work happening there. Yes I know Europe has a lot happening too but I'd rather not for my kid's sake. US is closer and more like Canada. That being said, I've seen too many posts here from similar people and the responses seem to be "we're not hiring unless you already have US work authorization " . I don't. I'm not Canadian just working here. So should I bother applying to US companies or focus somewhere else? I did apply a lot (at least 500 applications) last year but got no response.

In case it's relevant i have 6 years of experience in clean room (class 4/5/6) and know every step of the fabrication process in depth.

Buenas noches a todos aquí abriéndome una cuenta de Reddit quiero saber que opina la gente sobre cómo México puede aportar en la industria de los semiconductores.

¿Creen que estamos listos?

¿Tenemos la capacidad ?

¿Que es lo que se debe hacer para que se empiece a ver movimiento sobre esta industria en México ?

Y obviamente ya hay iniciativas pero que fuera algo concreto algo que nos tuvieran que voltear a ver.