"I want a bonus worth hundreds of millions of won, too"... SK hynix opens recruitment for 'King-sanjik' jobs, drops high school/junior college requirement

SK hynix to Open Recruitment for Production Employees in Second Half
Hiring for Maintenance and Operator Roles... Applications Accepted Through Nov. 17
Workplaces in Icheon, Yongin and Cheongju; New Hires to Start in February
Semiconductor Boom Fuels Expectations of Record-High Performance Bonuses

SK hynix will recruit production employees in the second half of this year. Applications are expected to pour in as the company has eliminated the education requirement that previously limited eligibility to high school and junior college graduates, while expectations of unusually large performance bonuses amid the semiconductor boom are also drawing attention.

According to industry sources on November 11, SK hynix posted a recruitment notice on its careers website the previous day for “November Talent Highway Maintenance and Operator” positions. The application deadline is November 17.

Among production employees, those in maintenance roles are responsible for maintaining and repairing semiconductor manufacturing equipment and operating production lines. Operators conduct quality-related tests and inspect factors that may cause defects. The positions are for candidates who can start work in February next year, with workplaces in Icheon and Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, and Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province.

A key feature of this recruitment is that the education requirement for applicants has been eliminated. SK hynix dropped the education requirement for production employee positions in June. Previously, only high school or junior college graduates were eligible to apply, but removing that restriction has expanded the pool of applicants.

SK hynix headquarters in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province. Yonhap News Agency.

The hiring process will consist of a document screening, the SKCT (SK Competency Test), and an interview. The written test is scheduled for November and interviews for December, after which final candidates will be selected.

Earlier this year, SK hynix revamped its existing experienced-hire recruitment brand, “Monthly Hynix Talent,” and renamed it “Monthly Highway.” The move aims to secure semiconductor talent regardless of recruitment timing or channel by expanding rolling recruitment, previously limited to office positions, to production positions as well.

Recently, the company has shown strong appeal among job seekers, ranking first on recruitment platforms for both “companies of interest to job seekers” and “companies they want to join.” Expectations of performance bonuses amid the recovery in the semiconductor industry are seen as one factor behind its popularity.

Brokerages expect SK hynix to post approximately 284 trillion won in operating profit this year, driven by a semiconductor supercycle. If that forecast materializes, the funds for the “Profit Sharing” (PS) bonus to be paid early next year are expected to reach approximately 28 trillion won, or 10% of operating profit. Actual payments will vary according to factors such as position and years of service, but a simple calculation based on the company’s approximately 35,000 employees would put the average at about 800 million won per person before tax.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.