NAVEED ANJUM FAZILI
Materials Science and Engineering (2025)
PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOUR ROLE AND MAIN RESPONSIBILITES
I have been allocated the role of Process Integration (PI) Engineer at Micron. In this role, I am responsible for solving day-to-day production and yield issues or inefficiencies in the mass production of memory chips. These memory chips are the components that enable data storage in most of our everyday electronic devices. Beyond this, I am expected to be working on projects related to the integration of new memory chip designs and manufacturing methods. Additionally, I may take on ad hoc assignments from other departments, which require cross collaborative work and coordination.
HOW LONG DID YOU TAKE TO SECURE THE JOB?
Micron had been my preferred company since Year 3, so I began applying for full-time positions at the start of my Year 4, Semester 1. However, these early applications were unsuccessful. Following valuable advice from my CAO LevelUP! mentor, I resumed my applications during the winter break.
I received a call for my first online interview in early March, followed by an in-person interview two weeks later in the last week of March. I received my offer on the same day as my in person interview. Overall, it took me about two months from application to receiving the offer.
WHAT WERE SOME CHALLENGES YOU FACED WHEN LOOKING FOR A JOB AND HOW DID YOU OVERCOME THEM?
The main challenge I faced during my job search was navigating and understanding job descriptions (JD), which varied greatly in format, content, and depth — not only across companies but even between departments within the same company. As a result, I had to spend considerable time analysing JDs to determine whether I was a suitable fit for the role. This made the job application process tedious, tiring and inefficient, as it was easy to misinterpret the requirements of certain positions.
I overcame this challenge with the help of my CAO LevelUP! mentor, who provided in-depth and up-to-date insights into the semiconductor industry. This guidance helped me narrow down the roles I applied for by focusing on keywords relevant to my degree and skills, such as process engineering. Furthermore, my mentor assisted me by suggesting resume modifications aligned with industry preferences, which significantly improved the effectiveness of my applications.
WHAT ARE SOME STRATEGIES THAT YOU USED TO LAND YOURSELF IN THIS POSITION?
The main strategy I used to land this position was to first understand the skill sets I had developed over the past three years through my two internships, multiple projects and coursework. During the first semester of my final year, I used this understanding of my strengths and experiences to position myself for process engineering roles. I felt confident in this area as I had applied process engineering principles during my internships and learned the theoretical frameworks through my coursework.
I marketed myself for broad process engineering roles across two industries — the semiconductor industry, which was my primary interest, and the general engineering industry. For each of these industries, I created a distinct resume to highlight my semiconductor-related process engineering skills and my general process engineering skills separately.
Since I had a strong preference for the semiconductor industry, I further strengthened my profile by choosing a Final Year Project (FYP) and coursework related to the semiconductor field.
HOW HAVE CAO HELPED YOU IN YOUR JOB SEARCH SUCCESS?
I participated in LevelUP!, CAO’s structured mentorship programme, between December 2024 and March 2025. I chose to join this programme because I wanted to learn from an industry professional in the semiconductor field and receive mentorship guidance.
This programme was immensely helpful as my mentor, Varsha, a Senior Scientist at Micron, not only provided continuous guidance and advice on any questions I had but also referred me to roles she believed suited my skill set and abilities. Throughout the duration of the programme, and even beyond it, I was able to build a strong professional relationship with her, which I hope to continue nurturing to further develop my professional skills and knowledge.
SHARE TIPS AND ADVICE WITH STUDENTS WHO WILL BE LOOKING FOR JOBS OR INTERNSHIPS.
A few tips I would like to share for prospective internship or full-time job seekers:
Understand yourself first. Ask yourself what concepts or technical fields truly fascinate you and keep you thinking. If you have not yet identified your interests, use your available time to explore. Take on different types of internships or research work during the semester breaks. Doing so will not only diversify your resume, making you eligible for a wider range of applications, but also help you gain clarity on what you enjoy.
Participate actively in CAO programmes. Join as many as you can and the earlier the better. Programmes such as the LevelUP! structured mentorship allow you to learn directly from professionals in your chosen industry while building a professional network. These programmes are valuable at any stage of your undergraduate journey — whether you are a first year or a final-year student. It is never too early to start!