SK hynix has opened a new round of hiring for production roles, as expectations build for outsized bonuses amid a semiconductor upcycle.
According to industry sources on Tuesday, the chipmaker posted openings for maintenance engineers and operators on its recruitment website, with applications open through April 22.
Maintenance roles cover equipment upkeep and line operations, while operators handle quality testing and defect inspection in semiconductor production.
Applicants must be high school or junior college graduates, including those expected to graduate in August. Candidates with bachelor’s degrees or higher are not eligible.
New hires will be assigned to key production bases in Icheon and Yongin in Gyeonggi Province, as well as Cheongju in North Chungcheong Province, including the M15X DRAM plant under construction and the planned Yongin semiconductor cluster.
The hiring push comes as earnings expectations climb. Brokerages estimate SK hynix could post operating profit of up to 250 trillion won this year, driven by strong demand for AI memory chips.
Under a labor-management agreement, the company allocates 10 percent of annual operating profit to a performance-sharing bonus pool.
If projections hold, the average bonus could reach around 700 million won ($510,000) per employee before tax, based on a workforce of about 35,000.
The prospect of massive payouts has fueled strong interest in SK hynix’s production jobs, widely seen as among the most sought-after roles in Korea’s manufacturing sector.
jylee@heraldcorp.com
