Never experienced a company like Lam - Manager Lam Research Employee Review

1.0
Mar 30, 2009
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Lam pays very well. Salary and profit sharing (when they are profitable) are very competitive.

Cons

Layoffs. Paycuts. Mandatory time-off. Working in fear. Questionable decision making from upper and senior management. Some of the managers at Lam are very incompetent and uninspiring that don't seem to care since they are just there for the paycheck and wont leave as they probably wouldnt be hired anywhere else in the valley. Very surprised by the lack of professionalism and respect demonstrated to co-workers. "F" bombs and questionable language are very common in meetings. Still very much a "good ole boy" network. If you are not part of that network then expect to be in for a rude awakening.

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.

See reviews by: Helpful|Rating|Date|All