How to hire a wafer fabricator

How to hire a wafer fabricator, step by step

Here's a step-by-step wafer fabricator hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a wafer fabricator job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new wafer fabricator
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

Post a wafer fabricator job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   The wafer fabricator hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A wafer fabricator's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, wafer fabricators from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of wafer fabricators.

   Type of Wafer Fabricator	Description	Hourly rate
   Wafer Fabricator		$19-45
   Fabricator	A fabricator specializes in manufacturing and assembling equipment or devices, ensuring every product's quality and efficiency. There are instances when a fabricator is required to make multiple gears, conduct verification processes on product schematics and specifications, perform quality control inspections, and test the product in different environments... Show more	$12-21

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Semiconductor
   • Statistical Methods
   • Etching
   • Silicon
   • DOE
   • Clean Room Environment
   • Statistical Process Control
   • FAB
   • Dry Etch
   • ISO
   • Certifications
   • Troubleshoot
   • JMP
   • Tweezers

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Perform basic routine operation in GaAs and silicon wafer fabrication environments, basic wafer etching and probe testing production processes.
   • Operate acid bath sinks for wafer etching ..
   • Train to do digital I/O and analog diagnostics.
   • Direct a team of over 60 wafer fab operators and 3 supervisors using 3 shifts to meet require completion dates.
   • Use of tweezers for small delicate chips for testing purposes to make sure chip will not be damage or contaminate.
   • Glass glazing/commercial aluminum window panel fabrication

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your wafer fabricator job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A wafer fabricator salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, wafer fabricators' average salary in hawaii is 45% less than in maine.
   • Seniority. Entry-level wafer fabricators earn 57% less than senior-level wafer fabricators.
   • Certifications. A wafer fabricator with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a wafer fabricator's salary.

   Average wafer fabricator salary

   $62,984yearly

   $30.28 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level wafer fabricator salary

   $41,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

4. Writing a wafer fabricator job description

   A good wafer fabricator job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a wafer fabricator job description:

   Wafer fabricator job description example

   Be visionary
   
   At Teledyne FLIR, we have a simple but ambitious mission: to develop market-leading thermal and sensing technologies which enhance everyday life. From saving energy, to saving lives Teledyne FLIR is making a real difference in our world.Our products are used in a wide array of situations to rescue people in danger, detect criminals, conserve energy, navigate safely, provide security around the globe, and protect our environment.
   
   We are looking for individuals who thrive on making an impact and want the excitement of being on a team that wins.
   
   Job Description
   
   Job Summary:
   As part of the uncooled detector (focal plane array) research and development team, the successful candidate will have responsibility for processing silicon wafers in a cleanroom environment. Process could include lithography, plasma etch, thin film deposition, and wet cleans. Candidate qualify tools and processes, and process wafers per instructions. Candidate will characterize wafers and devices using Filmetrics, Tencor profilometer, optical microscopes, and SEM. As part of process development, hands-on wafer fabrication and characterization of pilot lots is required. This is the right place for a self-directed, goal-oriented, collaborative engineering technician. The work is varied and challenging where creative problem solving opportunities are many. Our culture is collaborative, supportive, and fun. The work environment is mixed general office and clean room/lab.
   
   Primary Duties & Responsibilities:
   Establish feasibility of new processes with hands-on processing of pilot lots on production equipment Characterize results using quantitative metrology tools Automate or improve established processes Document methods and workflows in MES-ready format Collaborate with device physicists, research technicians, and test engineers to participate in overall product R&D cycle
   
   Job Qualifications:
   High School Diploma or equivalent experience in related technical discipline required0-5 years of related experience desired Proficient computer skills - Word, Excel & OutlookAbility to communicate clearly in written and spoken EnglishSome data analysis skills (fluency in Excel, MatLAB JMP, Python, SQL, or equivalent is helpful) Ability to use inspection equipment (microscopes, FIB/SEM, interferometers), semiconductor fabrication equipment, and wet bench chemistry Direct experience with one or more key wafer fabrication processes is helpful Familiarity and/or strong desire to learn microelectronic/semiconductor and MEMS fabrication techniques Candidate must be a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident.
   Desired Background
   • Wafer processing tools for semiconductor or MEMS fabrication
   • Infrared detector technology
   
   Teledyne FLIR and all of our employees are committed to conducting business with the highest ethical standards. We require all employees to comply with all applicable laws, regulations, rules and regulatory orders. Our reputation for honesty, integrity and high ethics is as important to us as our reputation for making innovative sensing solutions.
   
   Teledyne FLIR is an equal opportunity employer.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find wafer fabricators for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your wafer fabricator job on Zippia to find and recruit wafer fabricator candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with wafer fabricator candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new wafer fabricator

   Once you've selected the best wafer fabricator candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new wafer fabricator. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a wafer fabricator?