Leaving Intel And What Is Next
On Monday I was notified that I’ll be laid off at the end of the month from my job at Intel — along with a large percentage of their workforce. This wasn’t entirely unwelcome. I had been intending to leave the company in September, when Intel’s four-day return-to-office (RTO) policy was set to begin, so this departure simply came a little earlier than planned.
Since the pandemic, I’d been mostly working from home, as I rarely needed to be on-site for the work that I was doing. Meanwhile, my partner got a job in Seattle, and we relocated closer to his work — which left me with a two-hour commute on the days that I needed to go on-site.
When the RTO policy was announced, we sat down and talked through our options. It was clear that one of us would need to leave their job. After weighing the financial health of our companies, our salaries, and where both of us were in our careers, we decided that it made the most sense for me to make a change.
Now, I’m at the beginning of a new chapter in my career. Thanks to some savings, a severance package, and a supportive partner, I’m in a rare and fortunate position: I don’t need to rush to find my next job. I have time to explore and so I’ve been thinking a lot about where I want to take my career from here.
A Bit About My Background
I hold a PhD in physics with a focus on experimental condensed matter physics, and I’ve spent the last 7.5 years working in semiconductor manufacturing specializing in electron beam lithography.
I love physics. I love lithography. But as I reflect on what’s brought me the most joy in both fields, it has consistently been programming.
I first started programming as an undergrad pursuing my BS in Physics. My academic advisor strongly encouraged me to take a computer science elective, and I ended up taking several: Introduction to Computing, Foundations of Computer Science, Algorithms and Data Structures, Introduction to Computational Physics, and Logic, Sets, and Functions.
As a PhD student, I built a scanning micro-photoluminescence microscope that was compatible with our cryogenic system and automated data collection and analysis using LabVIEW and MATLAB. That system went on to support multiple research projects and publications.
At Intel, I created scripts that automated data analysis for better process monitoring — one of which won an Intel Mask Operation Departmental Award. I also developed simulations that helped interpret lithographic data and optimize process parameters, some of which were presented at SPIE.
What Is Next
I want to transition into a more programming-centered role. Given my background, Computational Lithography is a natural fit — and I find it genuinely exciting. But I’ve also always been drawn to Quantum Computation. In fact, I nearly pursued it for my PhD. So, I’m going to take some time to explore that path more seriously.
My immediate plan is to work through Quantum Computation and Quantum Information by Nielsen and Chuang and start contributing to open-source projects. This will help me sharpen my skills and gain experience working within larger, collaborative codebases.
Additionally, I’m starting this blog to track my journey. ChatGPT suggested it — and honestly, why not? I’ve got the time.