Process Engineering at AMAT

Sep 23, 2020 128 Comments

So I’m a process engineer at AMAT and I wanted to share this to anyone else coming from a STEM PhD who might be intrigued by the number of process engineering roles available at AMAT or Lam, and the “nice” salaries that show up on Glassdoor (nice relative to the stipends that PhDs typically get).

Where do I even begin. I guess first or all, this depends entirely on who your manager is. But from my experience, process engineers are basically overpaid process technicians that stop learning after 2 weeks on the job after they get training on how to operate the tool. I basically work as a coupon taxi driver, taking coupons from shipping, chopping them up and doing a dozen scattershot approaches with a less than 2% success rate, and finally sending them off for metrology to wallow in sadness as the next dozen DOE splits are thought of by upper management.

Next are the last minute emails coming from management to run their tests for them. Did I get a chance to have any input on the experiments? Nope. It’s just a direct order to carry out someone else’s science project, not a beneficial learning experience that can improve my career. Not to mention the bullshit micromanagement over all the itty bitty experiments that three other managers requested.

I am so sick of this place and the management that I have had to put up with. Currently job hunting now and will be so glad to leave after getting my woefully low RSU’s and potential no-show bonus in December. And this would be after I get all of my accrued PTO stolen from me for accounting purposes. Extremely disappointed with how industry has been shaping up so far, makes staying in academia seem like a paradise tbh.

TC: 120K/20k/10
YOE: 3

#hardware #interview #semiconductor

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  • You forgot the other worst thing, puzzling coupons back to full wafer 😂
    Sep 26, 2020 5
  • Dude. This post.... I feel this so hard. Process engineer at Lam for 5 years. No career development, no transferable skills, just run as many experiments as you can as fast as you can. Life sucks balls. Get out as soon as you can. I would have been gone after my second week if I didn't have a family to take care of. My colleagues only stick around because they're stuck due to visa status. All the good ones jump ship for AAPL as soon as they can.
    Sep 25, 2020 6
  • Sounds about right. In line with what I’ve heard from my friend whose first job out of EE PhD was process engineer at Lam. He hated it (no longer there)

    Process Engineers at fabs and equipment vendors are just phd technicians.

    But from I understand, they are decent jumping board to “real” hw jobs at FAAG, esp. Apple.

    I’ve come to realize that semiconductor/HW career development prospects in Bay Area are pretty dismal if you’re not at FAAG.
    Sep 24, 2020 3
  • Intel
    Tiger Lake

    Go to company page Intel

    Tiger Lake
    Hi applied.
    You’re absolutely right. Semiconductor industry has declined and is no longer a good career option for EE PhDs. To be fair top schools have already moved away from semiconductor device research due to lack of funding towards bio and AI stuff. There aren’t that many new students from these schools. But I have seen schools in the Midwest and south still produce EE CMOS / semiconductor device PhDs.

    My advice to anyone starting a PhD program is to steer clear of this field. It was great in the 90s and early 2000s but it started a downward spiral by mid 2000s.

    The tool makers are the worst. Shittiest jobs and lowest pay. Companies like intel or Samsung are a step above AMAT and LAM but still far from great. My advice is that don’t make a fast move to yet another semi. Try to develop and align your skills with FAANG jobs ( some even hire semi process engineer with that title but the nature of the work is different). This is one way out for good

    Another way is to suck it up and go up the ladder in a place like AMAT step by step to be the last man standing. At VP and above won’t be that bad but it will take years and the company might tank before you get there.

    A 2nd career option for semi if you don’t have to be In the Bay Area is defense and aerospace. You get the same salary as AMAT (maybe a bit higher if you’re good) but live in lower cost (yet desirable ) areas plus job security and other perks. You will be working on cutting edge tech and different things pretty much like a university research lab.
    Sep 24, 2020 2
    • Some great advice!!

      Agree re: FAAMG. Apple hires many semi process engineers, job is to interface with fabs and foundries in Asia - no cleanroom work involved. Try to develop cross-functional and tech communication skills along those lines.

      Another great skill to pick up is Failure Analysis.

      Dont waste too much time in the cleanroom. Cleanroom work is for technicians and interns.
      Sep 24, 2020
    • New
      sbGe82

      New

      sbGe82
      Why was there a downward spiral by the mid-2000s? I noticed the semi equipment suppliers don't seem to be hiring many optical engineers.

      Is ASML doing better since they are providing the EUV systems?
      Dec 11, 2020
  • Moreover if Stanford phd will get 120k , he will continue to work in 120-135k base over the next 7 years.. this is like nickels if u want to sustain in bay area where housing costs are so high.. one has to literally wait for a recession to buy a house.. frankly i think time has come for semi equipment companies to move out from bay area.. or for us to switch to other industry careers or move to FANG is u can get a job there
    Sep 27, 2020 2