Home02 · The HostSemiconductor Experience
Semiconductor experience
Test floors, process modules, tool sets, teams, and the ecosystem around them.
Most semiconductor careers stay in one lane. Mine crossed them on purpose: back-end test, front-end CVD, equipment engineering for the OEMs, facility and infrastructure programmes, and finally the ecosystem work with governments and academia. That breadth is what makes a fab startup legible to me end to end.
0semiconductor FAB startups
0ATMP / OSAT programs
0+installations, integrations, relocations, readiness projects
0+engineers led at peak for global OEM customers
>0%equipment uptime on installed and supported fab tools
0+customers won for PTW India in year one
Coverage
Where I've been hands-on, and where I've led.
Eight capability areas across six employers. Solid cells are direct, hands-on work; light cells are teams and programmes I led.
Capability
Infineon
2004–08
2004–08
ASE
2008–10
2008–10
Micron
2010–13
2010–13
Orbit · TechM
2016–23
2016–23
HCL
2023–25
2023–25
PTW India
2025–
2025–
Wafer probe & final test
ATE, probers & handlers
CVD process module
Equipment install, hookup & qualification
Cleanroom & facility integration
EPCM / PMCM & Owner's Engineering
Workforce & training
DPR, RFP & ecosystem
Hands-on, directLed teams or programmesNot in scope
Scale
From an OJT buddy to a 500-engineer bench.
The size of the team I was trusted with grew with each rung. What did not change: the expectation that the person leading can still stand at the tool.
The workforce built at HCL was designed as a fab-ready pipeline for FAB, ATMP/OSAT, OEM and advanced-manufacturing projects, with training programmes aligned to global semiconductor manufacturing requirements.
Tool sets
Equipment I have installed, run, fixed or taught.
Named because names matter on a fab floor. A résumé says "CVD"; a shift lead says "Producer GT chamber B, HARP recipe, two hours to PM."
Test & probe (back end)
Teradyne J750Teradyne J971 / J973Teradyne CatalystAdvantest testersWafer probersTest handlersProbe cardsDIB boards
Infineon and ASE, Singapore. Setup, operations, maintenance and troubleshooting at wafer and IC level; 16/32-bit microcontroller design verification and release to manufacturing.
CVD module (front end, 300 mm)
AMAT Producer GTAMAT Producer SELam ExpressLam ExtremeLam AHMLam GXLam TCRLam HSTLam TEOSLam xTLam StrikerLam Strata / GXELam Altus MaxLam LRW / LRW-GLTEL SOD
Micron Fab10. Processes: HARP, BPSG, AC/TC, SOD. PECVD SAT/LAT and warranty across Asia and Europe with Applied Materials.
Equipment engineering operations
CVDPVDEtchCMPALDMetrologyPM / CMFAT · SAT · LATRelocationRefurbishmentDecommissioning
Orbit, Tech Mahindra and PTW. End-to-end installation and engineering operations for OEM and fab customers; sustaining through PM, CM and troubleshooting.
Facility & programme
Cleanroom readinessFacility hookupsUtility integrationMEPEPCMPMCMOwner's EngineerDPRRFPTechnical due diligenceEHS · SEMI · ISO
HCL and PTW. Design, build and operational-readiness programmes for ATMP/OSAT facilities, R&D and ATE labs, and equipment build centres.
Roles in detail
The professional record.
- Established and lead PTW India's operations: strategic growth, organisational capability and market expansion in India's semiconductor and advanced-manufacturing ecosystem.
- Built and scaled the semiconductor equipment engineering and lifecycle services portfolio: installation, integration, commissioning, relocation, refurbishment, decommissioning, fab automation and operational support.
- Trusted advisor on facility planning, infrastructure development, cleanroom readiness, tool-install strategy, operational resilience, and Owner's Engineer, PMC and PMCM services including technical due diligence.
- Lead engineering delivery, operational governance, EHS compliance, commercial execution and customer-success programmes.
- Acquired and support 10+ customers across semiconductor, solar and lab-grown diamond manufacturing; represent PTW in ecosystem initiatives, government engagement, academic collaboration and workforce development.
- Led the Detailed Project Report, project planning, stakeholder coordination and government-approval activities for the proposed HCL–Foxconn ATMP/OSAT facility in India.
- Directed technical project management for facility design, build and operational readiness: ATMP/OSAT facilities, semiconductor R&D labs, ATE labs, and equipment build and assembly centres.
- Oversaw EPCM, MEP, cleanroom readiness, utility integration, facility hookups, tool-installation support and commissioning across multiple infrastructure projects.
- Established and integrated six offshore development centres for new semiconductor customers; built a 500+ member equipment and process engineering workforce and the training programmes behind it.
- Directed AI-enabled semiconductor manufacturing capability development and digital-transformation initiatives; supported growth through solutioning, DPRs, RFP responses and partnerships.
- Managed semiconductor engineering operations across global fabs and advanced manufacturing labs for OEM and R&D fab-lab customers: end-to-end equipment engineering for CVD, PVD, Etch, CMP, ALD and metrology tools.
- Developed and managed teams of up to 450+ engineers and specialists (SMEs, global product support, customer support, lab technicians, design engineers) across business units for multiple OEM customers.
- Directed cleanroom setup, facility integration programmes and metrology tool installations; led installation, commissioning, FAT qualification and warranty support in India and global fabs at >95% uptime.
- Managed global deployment programmes with OEM clients in the US, China, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Japan and India, ensuring configuration consistency and process alignment.
- Prepared RFPs, DPRs and business proposals for new semiconductor engagements; developed training and skill-development programmes; engaged government, industry associations and institutes to grow the ecosystem.
- Managed a 120+ member team of semiconductor SMEs, product-support and customer-support engineers, lab technicians and design engineers across BUs for multiple OEM customers.
- End-to-end equipment installation and engineering operations for CVD, PVD, Etch, CMP, ALD and metrology equipment; sustained fab process tools through PM, CM and troubleshooting.
- Technical project and programme management of equipment installations for OEM and fab customers; developed training and skill-development programmes.
- Led semiconductor training and development programmes in India, turning fab-floor experience into structured, hands-on curriculum for equipment and manufacturing roles.
- Led the Fab CVD module engineering team: managed and executed 100+ new equipment installations, facility hookups and qualification, releasing tools for production during the Fab10 startup, including cleanroom and support infrastructure.
- Managed a 200+ member team of SMEs, equipment engineers, technical specialists and technologists for CVD and metrology modules in a fully automated 12-inch fab.
- Installation, commissioning, SAT/LAT qualification and warranty support for PECVD tools across Asia and Europe with Applied Materials, consistently meeting SLA targets and >95% uptime.
- Operations, maintenance and troubleshooting of CVD equipment (AMAT Producer GT/SE; Lam Express, Extreme, AHM, GX, TCR, HST, TEOS, xT, Striker, Strata, Strata GXE, Altus Max, LRW, LRW-GL; TEL SOD) for HARP, BPSG, AC/TC and SOD processes.
- Led 200 mm to 300 mm fab conversions at Tech Semiconductor (Singapore), coordinating AMAT, TEL, Novellus and Lam Research and managing shift teams of equipment technologists.
- Managed 90+ production specialists and 30+ setup technicians.
- Operations, setup, maintenance and troubleshooting of wafer- and IC-level test equipment (Teradyne, J750, Advantest), probers and test handlers.
- Sustained product on line with SPC/FDC monitoring; guided process engineers in qualification and fine-tuning of new processes and equipment; OJT buddy for new team members.
- Operations, setup, maintenance and troubleshooting of Teradyne (J750, J971/J973, Catalyst) and Advantest test systems, probers and handlers; 100+ new ATE installations for a new facility.
- Design verification of 16/32-bit microcontrollers with the silicon design team: first silicon, wafer test, package test, engineering samples, probe cards and DIB boards, reliability, package qualification, characterisation and release to manufacturing; test-time optimisation and yield management.
- SPC/FDC monitoring and troubleshooting; training and OJT buddy for new team members.
- PED Technician at Harita Seating Systems; Electrical Supervisor at Raja Lakshmi Spinners: the foundation years of hands-on electrical and production engineering.
Employers & clients
Fabs, OSATs and OEMs I have worked in and for.
InfineonemployerASEemployerMicronemployer · clientApplied MaterialsclientLam ResearchclientASMLclientTokyo ElectronclientKLAclientIntelclientSCLclientTech MahindraemployerHCL TechnologiesemployerPTW Asiaemployer
Global footprint
Seven countries of fab and OEM deployments.
IndiaSingaporeUnited StatesChinaKoreaTaiwanJapanEurope (PECVD SAT/LAT)
Ecosystem engagements in India include KDEM, APEITA, TIDCO, IDSPS, iNEMI, Bharat Semiconductor Society and WOW India Foundation.