Samsung enticing top foundry talent in the US with $320,000 salaries

Chipmaking is a highly competitive and very lucrative business. There's intense competition among chipmakers for the best talent and that leads to generous compensation packages for those who've got a lot of experience in the business.

Samsung is investing billions of dollars in chipmaking plants in the United States. It'll also require people who can reliable convince customers to have their chips made at Samsung's foundry, so the company is offering qualified individuals packages of $320,000 or more.

Korean media is reporting that Samsung's US semiconductor arm is currently looking for experienced talent for director and manager-level positions. It's offering a maximum base salary of $320,000, a clear sign that it wants to encourage the best in the business to join it.

It's currently recruiting for three foundry positions with two director-level sales and business development jobs and one for a senior engineering manager who will oversee customer quality management.

The maximum base salary of $320,000 is a good starting point and the total compensation could be even higher. According to some estimates, when bonuses and other incentives are factored in, people in these jobs could make well over $400,000 per year.

It's seriousness in making the US fabs competitive in the market is also reflected by some other recent hirings, including that of ex-TSMC executive Margaret Han, who was recently brought on as president for US foundry sales.

Analysts expect that there will be considerable demand for chip manufacturing in the United States from fabless chip designers like NVIDIA, Broadcom, Marvell, and others. Samsung's setting up state-of-the-art chipmaking facilities in the country to ensure that it can grab a big chunk of that business.