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Semiconductor fab and process engineer
Also called: Fab engineer, Wafer process engineer
Runs and improves the steps that turn plain silicon wafers into working chips in a clean-room factory.
What the work is
Chips are made in fabs: huge clean-room factories where silicon wafers go through hundreds of steps such as deposition, lithography, etching and testing. Process engineers own one or more of these steps. They keep machines tuned, solve problems that lower yield (the share of good chips), and work with equipment and quality teams.
India is building its first large commercial fab at Dholera in Gujarat and several assembly and test plants. These plants need process, equipment, yield and quality engineers, and many Indians are being trained in Taiwan, Japan and the US to run them.
A typical week
- Monitor and adjust a process step in the clean room
- Analyse yield data to find the cause of defects
- Work with equipment engineers on machine problems
- Write procedures and keep quality records
It suits people who
- Like chemistry, physics and materials
- Enjoy solving problems with data
- Are comfortable with strict rules and shift work
Your path to get there
School (Class 8-10)
- Take Science with Maths (PCM)Chemistry matters here too
Class 11-12
- JEE Main or JEE AdvancedECE, Chemical, Materials or Metallurgy; or B.Sc Physics or Chemistry
College or fresher
- Learn semiconductor device physics and basic statistics
- Do a project or internship in a clean-room lab (many IITs have one)
- Apply to graduate trainee programmes of the new fabs and assembly plants
Working or switching
- Process, quality and maintenance engineers from pharma, chemicals, solar cells or display manufacturing move in with company training
- Start with a skills refresh of 6 to 12 weeks: one short course and one TalentMeter assessment to show where you stand today.
- Use returnship and second-career programmes; many large employers in India run them for people back after a break.
- Explain the gap in one honest line on your CV and LinkedIn, and list what you did in it (caregiving, freelancing, courses, volunteering).
- Contract, part-time and freelance roles are a common way back in; they turn into full-time offers often.
Exams and certifications
| Name | What it is for | When |
|---|---|---|
| JEE Main and JEE Advanced ↗ | B.Tech admission at NITs, IIITs and IITs | After Class 12 |
| GATE (Electronics EC or Electrical EE) | M.Tech in VLSI or microelectronics, and PSU jobs | Final year or after |
Exam names, eligibility and dates change. Always check the official website for this year's notice.
Job market
Job titles to search
Who hires
Where the jobs are
These buttons open a live search for "Process engineer" on each job site. TalentMeter does not list or vouch for the jobs there.
Outlook
New and growing as India's first fabs and assembly plants start production between 2025 and 2027. Early joiners get rare experience that is in demand worldwide.
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