Also called: Nanofab Technician
Runs the equipment in ultra-clean labs where computer and quantum chips are made.
You suit up, load wafers into machines that coat, bake, and etch them, and check results under microscopes. Even one speck of dust can ruin a chip, so everything is careful and precise.
Based on semiconductor processing technicians.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Associate's degree (2-year), about 1 year after high school. High school diploma plus a semiconductor or nanotech certificate or associate degree.
Ways in: 2-year college, Certification, On-the-job training, Military. Training cost: Under $15k.
Majors to look at: Semiconductor/Nanotechnology (2-year), Electronics Technology.
Growing faster than average (about 5% over 10 years). New US chip fabs are adding jobs.
Medium risk for 10 years. Fabs keep automating wafer handling, but chip plants are expanding fast; loading, checking and fixing tools stay human.
Classes: Chemistry, Physics, Manufacturing CTE.
Official data: O*NET occupation 51-9141.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.