category manager

project leader

test technician

reliability engineer

process engineer

Hemlock Semiconductor

You run circles around alot of lazy employees. lots of drama. People spread untrue rumors and lie. Alot of people like to blame game and play victim and treat orher workers who work hard as if they are making more work for everyone. They take advantage of there customers by working Slow and effortlessly, speed and precision isnt valued except by table leaders because they want you to do all there work. Realisticly everyone there doesnt actually care about the company they work for and works very  carelessly and make many simple mistakes, overall a very stressful environment with rude idiots that get offended over anything and try to get a rise out of you so that you quit. People want you to quit this job, because there is so much overtime and money involved that people want it all to themselves.  So people who are hard working rarely get the credit for hard work. Also dont waste trying to make TOO good of work friends with people because once you get used to working a certain way and working with people you like, they switch you to a different table, or even a different building and you work with completely different people and people always like to gang up on you and spread lies about your work ethics to others before you even get a chance to work around others. You cannot trust anyone, also they have 30 page rule books hanging all over the place designed SPECIFICALLY so that they can describe all the laws you must follow in order to 'properly" do the procedure  which usually involves making a rudimentary task into a very dramatic and overly cautious/ careful procedure.  You more less have to put a bow tie on everything you do in order  to 'make it look good on camera'. Everything is about what there customer thinks and sees, so you must do everything in the same EXACT way that there rule books say without violating 1 of the 30 rules to each simple process. There is much over exaggerating and complaining and just about everyone there acts like they work too much so they need a easy day or to go home early because its just so unbearable to stand and swing  a tiny hammer. People make huge deals out of little messes and small disorganizations and know little about what it takes to achieve good results and alot of times many of the people  i work with at this company work like they are in fear of making any kind of mistake any where they turn so they work like they are scared  or failure to perform the simplest procedures and making things much harder then what they need to be in order to be done. People seem to always assume others are mad when they are working so you constantly have to reassure  people that your having a good day and you know what your doing  or else they start to have attitudes and more less drop workload bombs on your position when your not looking rather then being effective. Between all the departments/ different people/ and different  sets of  rules overall its a very stressfull job because you always have someone telling you that your doing some thing wrong or not there way. Youd be better off finding a company that values  hard work if you plan on working hard here it wont get you anywhere. You got to learn to be well respected have good reputation at this company because if someone doesnt like you all it takes is some calculated lies to make it where nobody likes you and then they just toss you back and forth between all there departments until you quit or throw a fit at someone because its too much to handle. You gotta be a good butt kisser and hope people find you fun to be around if you want to work tons of overtime because the Team leaders can choose who they want to come with them for overtime so if you have no team leaders that like you then good luck getting on there lists. Too much drama find a better company to work for eventually if you  work here. 

I have worked there for roughly six months in the finishing side of things as a contract employee but it was just announced that they are changing to a swing shift (2 weeks of nights then two weeks of days and being on call in between) from day shift 12 hour 2-3-2 schedule (which I am on now).

Unfortunately I won’t be staying around to be on swing shift because the pay is currently $16/hr and I can only work days. Other employers in the area are currently paying $18-20/hour for doing a similar job. 

I have worked incredibly hard to try and move up since I have been there and I was able to move to different buildings to learn different jobs, receive my work truck license and had the opportunity to apply for internal positions direct with HSC.

The finishing work itself is fast paced in the building I am currently in but not mentally difficult, just physically strenuous at times due to the 12 hour shift and incredibly short break periods.
. 


The only thing good about this company is if you need a quick pay check.  They do not care about your personal issues.  I have seen people terminated over health issues and just because issues.  You are limited to time off and they will mandate you to work 72 hours a week.  This takes a toll on you, but then again they do not care.  There is a lot of cliques and favoritism within this place.  If you are dating someone within the company, then you have it made and are in for advancement.  Your qualifications for the position will not matter.  This place is the most ill managed place I have ever worked at.  They do not let you know of chemical leaks that are happening within or near your building.  You will hear of it on the news when you get home.  Their safety department is also a joke, they do not help you.  You will see a lot of things said and being done that is illegal, but they feel since this is a at-will state, they are invincable.  During the  years I have been there, I have never seen any fire marshal inspections or osha inspections.  Stay away if you care about your health and your family time.

This was one of the best places that I have worked, the company shut down the local facility due to economic issues.

A typical day at work consisted of pulling work orders and completing the daily tasks.  I learned the value of planning and scheduling and the benefits/efficiency of planning.  I also learned the tremendous value of putting safety first and the importance that the company placed on safety, HSC was the most safety oriented facility that I have had the pleasure of working at.  

The management team was young and learning but all in all, the facility was running well.  My co-workers were some of the best to work with, as a team we worked together and efficiently. 

The hardest part of the job has been leaving to be honest, there were just not many downsides to this company.  The most enjoyable part was being able to look forward to work each day and participating in what could have been a wonderful opportunity in the local area.

First hired in and thought that this was going to be the last company I would work for.  Great environment, benefits were top notch and didn't cost a lot to have, opportunity to advance to higher paying and more responsible positions, bonuses at least once a month, etc.  3 years in and most of that changed.  My dept was shutdown and after being moved to another dept I lost a third of my pay.  Advancement became less and less possible; nepotism and the Buddy system really was how people were gettin promoted.  Management saw and knew this, but nothing happened.  My work site lost almost half the number of employees; over 600.

Your job is what you make of it. 

Yes, breaking poly at a table for 12 hours can be hard work. I was going home with aches in muscles I didn't even know I had!

I read these reviews griping about relationships and standing around too much. I don't have an issue because I'm not there to date, make friends or stand around. 

I keep my eye on the prize, which is to make more per hour. I'm 5 months in and the supervisors want to promote me. I can't complain about that. I came to the company with no insider friends or advantages. 

My advice is to show up to work. Do your job. If you are standing around then tell the foreman you need something to do. Be trustworthy. If they KNOW that when they turn their back you are proactive, then you will stand out. 

You get what you put into ANY job. I have a family to provide for. This job acheives that and I'm going to move up the pay scale quickly. Not a bad gig at all.

• Certified Equipment Care Operator for the fluid bed reaction process in a polycrystalline silicon plant. Duties include set up, starting and adjusting of equipment, observing gages to analyze and control process conditions such as temperature, pressure and flow of chemical process materials. Maintenance and inspection of equipment for leaks and other hazards are also part of daily production duties.
• Equipment Care Operator/ Chemical Tech.
• Follow Safety Operation Procedures
• Work on Job Plans while looking at and following P&ID’s
• The job was to maintain the chemical in the line and to make a finish product. Work on pumps and compressors and did a daily report on the job to make sure thing ran in their proper function.
• Did day to day trouble shooting to solve problem.
• Work on job plans to make sure that the job was done right per standard operating procedure.

 For an entry level position, the starting pay of $18.90 and plethora of optional benefits/ 401k are some of, if not the only positive aspect of being a cleanroom operator for HSC. The hours bring a new element of chaos to the kind of person who enjoys a more linear sleep schedule. (Twelve hour shifts that swing every two weeks 6am-6pm, 6pm-6am)
 It's this fact that I believe is the main catalyst in why many people you will work with in the cleanroom have such a negative attitude, especially the management.
 The work is easy,breaking polysilicon rods to size per customer request, filling, sealing bags of the product, however a lack of sleep, long periods of standing in one place, and an unfortunately hostile team make the experience unenjoyable, quite tiring, and mundane.

Most jobs are very physical and hands on, staffing use to be through a staffing agency but are now fully HSC employees, insurance is not good only choice is a high deductible plan, you work a 12 hour 2-3-2 swing shift so every two weeks you go from days to nights then back to days, you are always on call so the company can call you in at any time when you are off, all positions are positive coverage/relief so if your coverage doesn't show up then you stay for a 16 hour shift or until the on call person is able to make it in. If you are on call and can't come in or refuse to come in then you are disciplined up to termination. The jobs use to be good when they were through the staffing agency because the agency didn't play them games with employees lives like the company does, but now the jobs are not worth the stress and frustration.

Worked for Hemlock Semiconductor for almost five year- started as a RCO, promoted to a RCL and then to an ECO where I was injured on the job in Feb of 2010. I was off for over a year with my injury doing physical therapy and returned to work in the safety department for a year with permanent restrictions. The makeshift job in safety was do-able but my injury was so severe that the pain was not allowing me to sleep and the challenges of coming off the medications perscribed for me made me sick constantly. HSC tried to transition me into a lateral position as a PCO but lack of sleep and poor training ended my career reguardless of the endless conversations with my Ops. Leader and Flex Tech Trainer.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Category manager 6 salaries reported	$125,020 per year
Project leader 5 salaries reported	$143,000 per year
Test technician 8 salaries reported	$27.00 per hour
Reliability engineer 8 salaries reported	$112,634 per year
Process engineer 5 salaries reported	$132,466 per year

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