Employment Status

Being an open ended contract engineer (11 months to date) I thought my extended absence for hip replacement surgery was also the end of my employment. Apparently they liked my work and expertise/experience. Being up the learning curve probably didn't hurt either.

Instead they brought in a designer with less education and expertise to help fill the void. Initially he was to stay a few weeks past my return, and that was it. I haven't put in a full work week since returning to work due to physical therapy, and at first just because I didn't have the energy. That may be partly why he's still working, but not the whole story. I just learned he'll be staying at least through the end of February.

Frankly I'm glad he's still working because he has been doing the important grunt work that would bore me to death. Besides, there's enough work stacked up to bury me without the help, as far as I can see anyway.

I also hear that one of the past co-op students will be joining us in the middle of January. They're also looking for a new R&D Process Engineer.

It sure looks like the silicon semiconductor business is on the rise. We can't grow enough crystals, of the right type, to supply the demand and the projections are for an increase in demand. I'll be heavily involved in converting growers, and creating handling equipment, for production of different product and more efficient processing.

I think I'll be working there for a while, unless I stumble upon a direct hire position that I'll like.