South Korea’s SK Hynix, the world’s leading supplier of high-bandwidth memory (HBM), is gearing up for a massive hiring push as demand for AI chips continues to skyrocket.
The company’s advanced HBM products are a critical component in NVIDIA’s GPUs—the backbone of today’s AI boom powering systems like ChatGPT.
That makes SK Hynix not just a key player in Korea’s tech industry, but also an indispensable part of the U.S. AI supply chain.
Beginning September 22, SK Hynix will open applications for hundreds of new positions spanning chip design, device development, manufacturing, and research.
The roles will be based in the company’s R&D and fabrication hubs in Icheon, Bundang, Cheongju, and Seoul, with successful candidates expected to start in early 2025.
To handle the influx of applicants, SK Hynix is rolling out an AI-driven recruitment platform called “A! SK.” The system uses tailored interview questions and video-based assessments to evaluate problem-solving, communication, and technical skills—looking beyond traditional resumes and transcripts.
The hiring surge follows a blockbuster year. In the first half of 2024, SK Hynix reported the highest operating profit among Korea’s top 500 companies, fueled by record-breaking global demand for HBM.
Analysts say that if full-year earnings meet forecasts, average employee bonuses could top $72,000—a figure that has propelled SK Hynix past Samsung Electronics in surveys of the most desirable employers among Korean university students.
Campus recruiting events have already drawn overflow crowds, as young engineers flock to opportunities tied directly to next-generation AI technology.
For many, SK Hynix represents not just job security but a chance to work at the epicenter of a once-in-a-generation tech shift.
While SK Hynix does not manufacture chips in the U.S., its technology is deeply embedded in the supply chains of American AI and cloud giants. Industry experts note that continued investment in people and infrastructure will be essential to ensuring a stable supply of HBM for AI accelerators—especially as geopolitical tensions and supply chain pressures continue to reshape the semiconductor landscape.
