Overall good place to work, but need to be able to cope well with strong personalities - Project Manager Lam Research Employee Review

3.0
Nov 19, 2008
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great growth opportunities and recognition if you have the right manager. During an interview, make sure you 'select' a manager you can respect and who is well respected, you click with, and you are golden.

Cons

The other extreme - if you have an insensitive manager who doesn't get-it or care, it can be the worst place to work. That by itself is not unique to Lam. What one needs to be aware of is that it is very hit or miss with managers/leaders here. You can get extremely amazing ones that lead and inspire, and extremely horrible ones that berate, micromanage, and are totally out for themselves. Fortunately most key sr leadership positions are great. The competence is generally high but expect your experience to be very hit or miss.

Explore other reviews about Lam Research

5.0
Jun 11, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Lead business and overview of business

Cons

Too many travelling to international

2.0
Jun 11, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Pay is market rate or slightly higher. Smart new fresh grads join every year. They work hard.

Cons

Avoid Dielectric Etch Org as much as you can. Both product and process engineering. Constant Pressure, extreme long work hours, You are working 7/8 AM to 9/10PM, need to work on weekends because of lack of tool times. High level management yelling, screaming in meetings for anything trivial. If CVP wakes up not happy that day, someone will get yelled at in either large or small meetings for small things. THIS IS Dielectric Etch Culture at Lam. This place is a cesspool of nepotism. Even director levels are being yelled at constantly in meetings for various reasons, if he or she is not favored by the CVP. If a mediocre engineer or director who is liked by CVP, he will have much easy time cruising through with minimal effort and knowledge. ... If you are fresh PhD from top or mid tier schools, expect 80hr work weeks, and if you are not lucky, wait for 4 years to be promoted from lvl 3 to 4 level and stuck with no options to move around because you are stuck in Semiconductor equipment industry and other orgs in Lam won't take you. There are many junior engineers with excellent work ethic stuck doing the same things for half a decade without a move in their career. But if you are good at lip service, your life will be easier. Do not trust the general statement of Lam has good culture, it is very very dependent on which Org inside Lam.

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