Semiconductor jobs are growing across the U.S. as new fabs come online in Arizona, Texas, Oregon and New York. If you’re an engineer, technician or someone thinking about switching industries, this is one of the few fields where demand is clear, the work is technical, and many employers are willing to train people with the right fundamentals.
This guide covers where the hiring is happening, what roles are in demand, what they pay, and how to get your foot in the door.
Are Semiconductor Jobs in Demand?
Yes. According to Oxford Economics, the U.S. semiconductor workforce is projected to grow by nearly 115,000 jobs by 2030, from about 345,000 to about 460,000. The same study, published with the Semiconductor Industry Association, estimated that about 67,000 of those jobs for technicians, computer scientists and engineers could go unfilled.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics also projects employment of semiconductor processing technicians to grow 8% from 2025 to 2035, much faster than the average for all occupations.
Where Are Semiconductor Jobs in the U.S.?
People often search for “semiconductor jobs near me.” These are the regions where most of the new hiring is happening.
Arizona (Phoenix and Chandler)
Arizona has become one of the biggest chipmaking hubs in the country.
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TSMC Arizona in Phoenix has completed its first fab, which is producing 4-nanometer chips, and plans call for a cluster of six fabs, two advanced packaging facilities and an R&D center.
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Intel’s Fab 52 in Chandler has been operational and ramping since October 2025, according to Tom’s Hardware.
Roles to look for: process, equipment, yield, facilities and manufacturing engineers, plus technicians.
Texas (Austin, Taylor and Sherman)
Texas searches are some of the most common in semiconductor job hunting, especially around Austin.
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Texas Instruments began production at its new 300mm wafer fab in Sherman in December 2025.
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Samsung’s fab in Taylor, northeast of Austin, was reported to begin trial operations in fall 2026, with full-scale mass production pushed to early 2027.
Roles to look for: process integration, equipment, test, product and reliability engineering.
Oregon (Hillsboro and Beaverton)
Intel’s largest research and manufacturing campus, Gordon Moore Park at Ronler Acres in Hillsboro, is home to its leading-edge D1X factory. The Portland metro area also has a large network of equipment makers and suppliers.
Roles to look for: process development, device engineering, equipment and R&D roles.
New York (Albany and Syracuse areas)
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GlobalFoundries has its global headquarters and a highly automated manufacturing site in Malta, near Albany.
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Micron broke ground in January 2026 on a $100 billion memory manufacturing complex in Clay, near Syracuse.
Roles to look for: manufacturing, facilities, equipment and quality engineering, with more roles expected as construction moves forward.
California (San Jose and Silicon Valley)
Silicon Valley remains a center for chip design, equipment companies and semiconductor software. Many design and verification roles are based here, and some are hybrid or remote.
Roles to look for: design, verification, physical design, test and applications engineering.
What Are Semiconductor Jobs? The Main Roles
|
Area |
Common roles |
What you’d do |
|---|---|---|
|
Design |
Design, verification, physical design engineers |
Build and test chip designs before manufacturing |
|
Manufacturing |
Process, yield, equipment engineers |
Run and improve the steps that make chips in the fab |
|
Test and product |
Test, product engineers |
Catch defects and own a chip from development to production |
|
Packaging and reliability |
Packaging, reliability engineers |
Connect chips to the outside world and test how long they last |
|
Technician roles |
Process, equipment, maintenance technicians |
Operate, maintain and troubleshoot fab tools |
Semiconductor Job Salary: What to Expect
Pay depends on the role, location and experience. For reference, here are national medians from the Bureau of Labor Statistics for May 2025:
|
Occupation |
Median annual wage |
|---|---|
|
$130,220 |
|
|
$120,630 |
|
|
$51,430 |
Pay in fab hubs is often higher than national medians, and many fab roles include shift differentials. Always compare offers against your local market.
Can You Get a Semiconductor Job Without a College Degree?
Yes, for technician roles. The BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for semiconductor processing technicians. Many employers and community colleges also offer training programs.
Engineering roles usually require at least a bachelor’s degree in electrical, chemical, materials, mechanical or physics-related fields.
Semiconductor Jobs for Chemical, Mechanical and Other Engineers
You don’t need a semiconductor background to get hired. These skills transfer well:
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Chemical engineers: process development, thin films, etch and wet processing.
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Mechanical engineers: equipment design, thermal management, facilities and packaging.
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Materials scientists: device, deposition and reliability work.
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Electrical engineers: test, product, design and verification.
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Manufacturing and quality engineers from automotive, aerospace or medical devices: statistical process control, FMEA and yield improvement.
The trick is translating your experience. “Reduced scrap in an extrusion process using DOE” tells a fab manager you can help with yield.
Is Semiconductor a Good Career?
For many engineers, yes. The work is highly technical, the industry is investing heavily in the U.S., and skills like data analysis, process control and equipment troubleshooting are valuable across many industries. The trade-offs are real, too: fab roles can involve shift work, cleanroom environments and a fast pace when tools go down.
Will AI Replace Semiconductor Jobs?
AI is changing how fabs analyze data and catch defects, but it also depends on the chips these fabs produce. For engineers, the practical move is to add data skills like Python, statistics and machine learning basics to your toolkit. Engineers who can work with both the process and the data will be in the strongest position.
How to Get Hired in Semiconductors
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Pick a region. Focus your search on one or two hubs where you’re willing to live.
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Lead with data. Show yield, defect, cycle-time or test-coverage results on your resume.
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Name your tools. JMP, Python, SPC, Cadence, Synopsys, specific equipment platforms.
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Consider contract roles. Contract work is often the fastest way into a new fab, and many roles convert to full-time. Read our comparison of contract vs. full-time engineering roles.
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Work with a specialized recruiter. Many semiconductor roles are filled before they’re widely posted.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the top semiconductor job hubs in the U.S.?
Arizona (Phoenix and Chandler), Texas (Austin, Taylor and Sherman), Oregon (Hillsboro), New York (Albany and Syracuse areas) and California (Silicon Valley).
What’s the best entry point into the semiconductor industry?
Technician, equipment, process and test engineering roles are common entry points because they value hands-on problem-solving.
Are there remote semiconductor jobs?
Some design, verification and software roles are hybrid or remote. Manufacturing and fab roles are on-site.
Find Your Next Semiconductor Role
Protingent places engineers with semiconductor teams in design, manufacturing, test and packaging. Our recruiters have technical backgrounds, so we’ll tell you which of your skills transfer and which roles fit.
Search semiconductor and engineering jobs at Protingent or learn more about our semiconductor engineering staffing.
