Full-Time
Technology Pathfinding & Program Manager
SK hynix
5,001-10,000 employees
Global producer of DRAM and NAND.
Compensation Overview
$148k - $210k/yr
San Jose, CA, USA
In Person
 Business & Strategy (1) |
|---|
- BS/MS preferably in EECS fields, or equivalent practical experience
- Minimum 5-8 years of related experience in semiconductors, technology research, program management or similar role
- General understanding of semiconductor industry and the importance of memory (DRAM, HBM), HW-SW based solution, heterogeneous integration, implications of AI data center and Edge AI demands and challenges
- Interest in new and emerging technologies for the AI era; system level efficiencies for data center solutions and the edge
- Outstanding written and verbal communication, strong presentation skills, ability to develop key insights into actionable next steps
- Goal oriented, results-driven individual, able to adapt and thrive in a dynamic and collaborative environment
- Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities
- Strong interpersonal skills with ability to build collaborative relationships across teams
- Conduct pathfinding activities for emerging technologies and solutions through comprehensive research and strategic networking with ecosystem partners
- Develop valuable insights on potential collaboration areas, with special focus on emerging AI technologies for edge and data center segments and innovative business and research opportunities
- Expand the U.S.-based network of technical contacts
- Evangelize Memory Systems Research’s objectives with the ecosystem to identify potential collaboration partners, use cases, partnership strategies
- Support the US AI Research Center team in achieving technology project goals through partnerships
- Formulate new business/research ideas – looking beyond SK hynix as commodity memory
Summary of SK hynix: 1) What does the company do? It is a global producer of semiconductor memory, specializing in DRAM and NAND Flash that power IT devices like computers, phones, and servers. 2) How do its products work? DRAM stores data using tiny capacitors and requires periodic refreshing to keep data, providing fast volatile memory. NAND Flash stores data in non-volatile memory cells and preserves data without power, serving as durable storage. Both chips are mounted in devices to enable fast processing and data retention. 3) How is the company different from competitors? It ranks as the second-largest memory chip maker with a broad product portfolio and strong technology, backed by the SK Group, giving it scale, resources, and global reach. 4) What is the company's goal? To become the world’s best semiconductor company by meeting diverse customer needs and leading in memory technology.
Company Size
5,001-10,000
Company Stage
IPO
Headquarters
Seoul, South Korea
Founded
1983
Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- AI-factory buildout expands SK hynix demand beyond datacenter HBM alone.[2]
- NVIDIA partnership can deepen design influence and lock in future memory generations.[2]
- Wafer capacity doubling supports larger shipments once new fabs ramp later.[6]
What critics are saying
- Samsung and Micron now compete for Vera Rubin HBM4 supply slots.[3]
- New fab capacity arrives slowly; greenfield lines need more than five years.[6]
- Cheongju’s hydrogen fluoride leak highlights operational and regulatory safety exposure.[Reuters]
What makes SK hynix unique
- NVIDIA named SK hynix a multiyear partner for AI-factory memory codevelopment.[2]
- SK hynix supports Vera Rubin, Vera CPUs, RTX Spark PCs, and Jetson Thor.[2]
- The company combines HBM leadership with packaging innovation like iHBM cooling.[1]
Help us improve and share your feedback! Did you find this helpful?
Your Connections
People at SK hynix who can refer or advise you
Benefits
Health Insurance
Paid Vacation
Paid Holidays
Paid Parental Leave
401(k) Company Match
Educational reimbursement
Donation Matching and volunteering opportunities
Corporate discount programs
Health Insurance
Paid day offs: PTO + Company Holidays + Happy Fridays
Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
↓ -2%1 year growth
↓ -2%2 year growth
↓ -2%Manufacturers have started developing DDR6 RAM with an eye on 2028. By Daniel Whitaker Game Journalist at 7GrandSteps | Reviews and Gameplay Articles Last updated: May 05, 2026 Samsung, SK hynix, and Micron - the biggest names in memory - have quietly started work on DDR6 standardization. JEDEC hasn't signed off on final specs yet, but companies are already coordinating with substrate suppliers to get test samples out the door. The initial clocking target is 8,800 MT/s (roughly on par with top DDR5 modules), with a roadmap that hopes to push toward 17,600 MT/s later on. To keep signals usable at those rates, the proposed physical approach shifts from DDR5's 2x32-bit lanes to a 4x24-bit arrangement, i.e., narrower lanes but more parallel channels. Classic DIMM connectors create real physical limits, so the supply chain is looking to CAMM2 as a form factor that preserves signal paths better - whether it becomes dominant depends on board-level adoption and vendor buy-in. Expect early customer validations in 2027; broader commercialization and mass shipments are penciled in for 2028-2029, primarily aimed at AI DCs (AI data centers). That timeline still assumes a lot of integration work (PHY IP, thermal behavior, supply logistics, etc.), so consider these dates provisional rather than carved in stone.
SK Hynix is accelerating investment in its US NAND flash subsidiary Solidigm as AI-driven demand for storage grows. The company has deployed over $100 million to its Sacramento research and development centre, completing its five-year investment target 18 months ahead of schedule. Solidigm, acquired from Intel in 2020 for approximately $9 billion, posted its first annual profit in 2024 after three years of losses. The turnaround comes as AI datacentres drive surging demand for enterprise solid-state drives, Solidigm's main product. NAND prices have risen for 15 consecutive months, reaching record highs. SK Hynix has climbed to second place in the SSD market through Solidigm. The company recently opened an office in San Jose to strengthen collaboration with major technology clients including Nvidia, Apple and Google.
SK hynix has invested in Semidynamics to co-develop memory-centric AI infrastructure optimised for data movement and access efficiency in large language models and AI inference applications. The partnership aims to align memory technologies with AI processing demands to improve performance and scalability. However, the company faces a US International Trade Commission investigation launched on 26 March 2026 into alleged patent infringement involving certain NAND and DRAM memory chips. The probe, following a complaint by MonolithIC 3D Inc., could affect SK hynix's access to the US market. Investors are evaluating the long-term benefits of the AI infrastructure partnership against near-term regulatory and intellectual property uncertainties. The ITC has not yet determined the investigation's merits.
SK hynix has developed new high-capacity AI computer drives and will begin supplying Dell Technologies in April as its first global IT enterprise partner. The memory chipmaker is offering 1TB and 2TB versions using 321-layer QLC NAND technology, which stores four bits per cell to increase capacity. The technology delivers up to 56% faster writes and over 23% better write power efficiency compared with previous generations. IDC expects QLC NAND to comprise 61% of the global PC and notebook SSD market by 2027, up from 22% last year. SK hynix plans to extend 321-layer NAND to enterprise SSDs for data centres and Universal Flash Storage for smartphones. The company is pursuing petabyte-scale SSDs that could replace hard disk drives for storing large AI datasets.
Semidynamics, a Barcelona-based advanced computing company, has secured a strategic investment from SK hynix to develop memory-centric AI inference chips. The investment reflects a shared belief that memory architecture, rather than compute power alone, will determine the economics of next-generation AI inference. The company is building AI infrastructure designed to address memory bottlenecks that constrain current systems. Its proprietary Gazzillion technology enables significantly greater memory capacity than conventional HBM-based systems, supporting larger models and contexts whilst reducing cost per token. Semidynamics recently completed a 3nm silicon tape-out with TSMC, marking a significant milestone for a European semiconductor company. The partnership will explore co-optimising Semidynamics' architecture with next-generation memory technologies. The company has raised €45 million in non-dilutive funding from European innovation programmes and employs over 150 engineers.