Semiconductor Processing Technicians
Perform any or all of the following functions in the manufacture of electronic semiconductors: load semiconductor material into furnace; saw formed ingots into segments; load individual segment into crystal growing chamber and monitor controls; locate crystal axis in ingot using x-ray equipment and saw ingots into wafers; and clean, polish, and load wafers into series of special purpose furnaces, chemical baths, and equipment used to form circuitry and change conductive properties.
Most important skills
- Operations Monitoring
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Monitoring
- Quality Control Analysis
- Speaking
- Social Perceptiveness
Key knowledge
- Production and Processing
- English Language
- Public Safety and Security
- Computers and Electronics
- Education and Training
- Chemistry
- Customer and Personal Service
- Mathematics
What the work involves
- Manipulate valves, switches, and buttons, or key commands into control panels to start semiconductor processing cycles.
- Maintain processing, production, and inspection information and reports.
- Inspect materials, components, or products for surface defects and measure circuitry, using electronic test equipment, precision measuring instruments, microscope, and standard procedures.
- Clean semiconductor wafers using cleaning equipment, such as chemical baths, automatic wafer cleaners, or blow-off wands.
- Study work orders, instructions, formulas, and processing charts to determine specifications and sequence of operations.
- Load and unload equipment chambers and transport finished product to storage or to area for further processing.
- Place semiconductor wafers in processing containers or equipment holders, using vacuum wand or tweezers.
- Inspect equipment for leaks, diagnose malfunctions, and request repairs.
Strongest interest areas (O*NET): Realistic, Conventional, Investigative.
Qualifications and licensing
- Most common education
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) (83.9% of respondents)
- Related experience
- None (48.2%)
- On-the-job training
- Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year (49%)
- Preparation level
- O*NET job zone 2: Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Licensing
- Not yet verified. Check your state licensing board.
Check before planning
- Licensing for Semiconductor Processing Technicians is not yet verified for any state: check the state licensing board before planning.
Limits
- Distributions show what current workers or occupational experts report, not legal minimums.
- Requirements vary by employer and state; time to qualify is not estimated.
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0); BLS Employment Projections · dataset 2026.10.8 · method e3-qualification-1.0.0
Work environment
How the typical conditions of this occupation compare with 911 occupations in O*NET (very low = the lowest fifth).
Levels are relative. Most occupations involve a lot of contact with people, for example, so “very low” can still mean regular contact; the last column shows what workers actually reported.
| Condition | Level | Compared with other occupations | Most common answer (O*NET survey) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contact with others | Very low | Lower on contact with others than 92% of occupations compared | 51% of surveyed respondents chose “Contact with others most of the time” |
| Dealing with the public | Very low | Lower on dealing with the public than 99% of occupations compared | 96% of surveyed respondents chose “Not important at all” |
| Teamwork | Low | Lower on teamwork than 71% of occupations compared | — |
| Freedom to make decisions | Very low | Lower on freedom to make decisions than 88% of occupations compared | 42% of surveyed respondents chose “Some freedom” |
| Time pressure | Very high | Higher on time pressure than 95% of occupations compared | 73% of surveyed respondents chose “Every day” |
| Conflict situations | Low | Lower on conflict situations than 66% of occupations compared | 41% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a month or more but not every week” |
| Dealing with unpleasant or angry people | Low | Lower on dealing with unpleasant or angry people than 75% of occupations compared | 53% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a year or more but not every month” |
| Consequence of error | Low | Lower on consequence of error than 67% of occupations compared | 42% of surveyed respondents chose “Fairly serious” |
Work-pressure profile
- Time pressure: very high
- Conflict situations: low
- Dealing with unpleasant or angry people: low
- Consequence of error: low
Each part is shown on its own. There is no combined stress score, and conditions vary by employer and role.
Full answer distributions
Contact with others
- No contact with others: 1.9%
- Occasional contact with others: 24.92%
- Contact with others about half the time: 1.26%
- Contact with others most of the time: 51.46%
- Constant contact with others: 20.46%
n = 14, Incumbent 08/2026
Dealing with the public
- Not important at all: 96.21%
- Fairly important: 2.53%
- Important: 0.63%
- Very important: 0.63%
- Extremely important: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
n = 14, Incumbent 08/2026
Teamwork
- Not important at all: 1.3%
- Fairly important: 8.63%
- Important: 22.36%
- Very important: 23.62%
- Extremely important: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
n = 14, Incumbent 08/2026
Freedom to make decisions
- No freedom: 9.86%
- Very little freedom: 21.09%
- Limited freedom: 2.53%
- Some freedom: 42.22%
- A lot of freedom: 24.29%
n = 14, Incumbent 08/2026
Time pressure
- Never: 1.9%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 0.63%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 0.63%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 24.29%
- Every day: 72.55%
n = 14, Incumbent 08/2026
Conflict situations
- Never: 24.29%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 13.69%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 40.93%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 21.09%
- Every day: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
n = 14, Incumbent 08/2026
Dealing with unpleasant or angry people
- Never: 25.56%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 53.35%
- Once a month or more but not every week: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
- Once a week or more but not every day: 0.63%
- Every day: 20.46%
n = 14, Incumbent 08/2026
Consequence of error
- Not serious at all: 21.9%
- Fairly serious: 41.82%
- Serious: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
- Very serious: 23.77%
- Extremely serious: 12.51%
n = 13, Incumbent 08/2026
Is this career right for me? Find jobs with conditions you prefer
Where people with this background could move
- Analyze
Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Closeness 92/100
- Analyze
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers
Closeness 92/100
- Analyze
Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers
Closeness 92/100
- Analyze
Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Closeness 92/100
- Analyze
Electromechanical Equipment Assemblers
Closeness 92/100
- Analyze
Printing Press Operators
Closeness 92/100
Find more alternativesCompare skills with another job
O*NET-SOC 51-9141.00 · SOC 51-9141 (exact, high confidence) · dataset 2026.10.8