Workload not sustainable in dry etch groups (process engineering) - Process Engineer Lam Research Employee Review

2.0
13 Dec 2021
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The dry etch process groups hire 95% international fresh grads, if you fall in that category, you will form a tight camaraderie with this group - bonding over the large work load and varying levels of resentment to management (depending how much work you can take). Management has PhDs - if you have the same background it's easy to intellectually connect and communicate.

Cons

Specific to the dry etch process group - high workload and low levels of appreciation for it. Everyone works hard so the practice of overworking employees are normalized. A 6 month period of 80 hour weeks ends with a 11.95USD thank you lunch, if the project did not successful. This is 80 hours where I was working on equipments availability and schedule, with food and bathroom breaks as a second thought. 80 hours in front of you desk is NOT the same as 80 hours standing in a cleanroom, emerging only for meetings. The saddest thing about all this, is that the knowledge you gain is actually not very valuable. There are 10 "knobs" you can turn in process for dry etch, the entirety of the role is to come up with combinations of the knobs that etches the substrate to your specification. You do NOT learn about how your work fits in with the entire IC design, how logic chips work etc. You can learn about it on your own time.

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5.0
21 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great opportunities, pay, and benefits

Cons

Some employees suffer work/life balance

1.0
25 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Opportunities to support global activities

Cons

Heavy micromanagement — frequent revisions on ppt to minor details like font size and colors. Frequently calling staffs even after work hours and lunch time. Manager often takes on additional work from other teams without considering current team workload, So the manager appears supportive and “nice” externally but creates additional burden to the subordinates. Manager controls team budget strictly for team-building activities (events and meals), team members feel restrictive and reluctant to participate, for example team members dare not order appetizers, dessert or drinks on top of entrees during team events. Manager used up most of the travel budget. Biz trip and personal travel boundaries are unclear, especially when manager frequently has business trips overlaps with personal travel. Seems like manager using biz trip to get free hotel and free air tickets for PTO.

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