Also called: UPW Technician, Fab Water Systems Technician
Runs the systems that make water so pure it's cleaner than lab-grade, which chip fabs use by the millions of gallons to rinse wafers.
You walk a maze of tanks, filters and membranes under the fab, checking that the water contains less than a few parts per trillion of anything. When a sensor flags a tiny contamination spike, you hunt down the source before it ruins chips.
Estimate.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Associate's degree (2-year), about 2 years after high school. Associate degree or water treatment certification; chemistry helps.
Ways in: 2-year college, Certification, On-the-job training, Military. Training cost: Under $15k.
Majors to look at: Water Treatment Technology (2-year), Chemical Technology.
Growing much faster than average. No separate BLS projection; the CHIPS Act is funding many new US fabs.
Low risk for 10 years. Control systems automate monitoring; sampling, maintaining filters and responding to upsets stay hands-on.
Classes: Chemistry, Biology, Algebra II.
Official data: O*NET occupation 51-8031.
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