Meet Yongxue Tao: From intern to official member of Siemens
Siemens recently welcomed a familiar new member, Yongxue Tao, who interned at Siemens last year as an application engineer.
Yongxue received her bachelor’s degree in Applied Physics at Shanghai University, and her master’s degree in Condensed Matter Physics at Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU). SJTU is an important partner of Siemens. Many professors in SJTU use Siemens software tools in teaching and research. There are several courses which supported by Siemens courseware and textbooks. Now Yongxue is a member of the Siemens OPC (Optical Proximity Correction) team. The internship at Siemens helped her better understand the field of the digital industrial software and establish her career plan.
Let’s learn more about Yongxue’s journey with Siemens.
Why did you choose to intern at Siemens?
“My university studies have provided some basic knowledge and background in the field of semiconductors. However, my research in school is mainly theoretical analysis, and I want to explore more about the practical application of these knowledge. So, I decided to have a try in digital industrial software, where I could actually apply the knowledge learned in school.”
“Since Siemens is one of the best semiconductor EDA vendors worldwide, I think it is a good choice to start my first try. My process of entering Siemens as an intern is relatively smooth. I obtained the information about Siemens’s recruitment of interns online, and then applied for the position of OPC application engineer considering my specialty and interests. About one week later, the manager contacted me and we confirmed the internship after an interview. After that, I started my internship at Siemens.”
What was your internship experience like at Siemens?
“I would describe my internship at Siemens as pleasant, supported, and accomplished.”
“I worked three days a week for about three months. I was responsible for testing a new software. Specifically, I wrote test programs to determine the recommended parameters for the software. As a novice, I inevitably encountered some technical problems during my internship. Fortunately, Siemens’s scientific training and guidance for interns helped me solve these problems. I met my manager every two weeks regularly, discussing the overall progress, problems, and the next plan. In addition, I could get a quick response from my manager whenever I needed it. My problem-solving skills have been greatly improved during the internship.”
“Another thing I want to mention is the relaxing and friendly atmosphere at Siemens. I used to think that workplace might be hierarchical, stressful, and monotonous, while the internship at Siemens showed me another possibility. Everyone in my team is approachable. They are willing to offer support to everyone in the team. In the spare time of work, we also spend much wonderful leisure time together. We can share our thoughts freely in coffee time.”
What made you decide to join Siemens after graduation?
“Through my internship at Siemens, I think the EDA industry for semiconductors is promising. I would like to establish my career in this field. As a competitive company in this field, Siemens can provide a good platform for me to grow into an excellent engineer.”
“I choose to join the OPC team, which is also my internship team. OPC is critical for the manufacturing of integrated circuits in advanced technology nodes. Our OPC team works closely with the semiconductor industry’s leading firms. We help to address their needs utilizing the Calibre product line of design to-silicon software products and service. We support the adoption, proliferation and successful production deployment of Calibre products in the design of mask production.”
“In addition, I really like the atmosphere at Siemens. I feel like we are a tightly united team. We worked together, support each other, and care for each other. I think this harmonious atmosphere makes us productive and efficient. It makes me a better team player, as well as a better independent engineer”
What advice would you give students considering establish a career in digital industrial software industry?
“You don’t need to worry that your academic background does not match well with this field. It is inevitable that you need to embrace new things during your whole career. I wasn’t familiar with what I was expected to do in my internship at Siemens, but in the end, I got a response and I was actually very happy at work. In school, I conducted several projects in computational physics and semiconductor materials, and learned basic Linux and Python. Although such knowledge was not directly related to my internship project, it equipped me with the capability to learn and think, which enabled me to achieve success in my internship project.”
“If you have an internship opportunity, just seize it. During the internship, you can also find out if you are a good fit for this job and if you like the atmosphere of the company. Internship experience can also be of great help in finding a formal job in the future.”
Thanks to Siemens Empowers Education & Startups
Feng Shao, senior AE manager in Siemens’s Foundry Semi Solution Department, also Yongxue’s manager, thanks Siemens global education team: “Siemens Empowers Education & Startups helps us recruit the talents we want. Thanks to the internship program, we have gained a great advantage in the talent market. In this way, we can build a better talent echelon. It further solidifies Siemens’s leading position in the industry.”
