After graduating from Columbia University with a master’s degree in management science and engineering, Juneja faced the pressure of a 90-day unemployment clock. While he successfully transitioned from a startup to Amazon in Seattle, the constant threat of layoffs created a precarious environment. Under his STEM OPT visa, a sudden job loss would have triggered a countdown to forced departure, prompting him to seek a more resilient sector.
He found that stability at Applied Materials in Austin, Texas. By shifting to a technical product manager role in the semiconductor industry, Juneja aligned his career with the surging demand for AI chips. He reasoned that as manufacturers like TSMC ramped up production to meet NVIDIA’s needs, equipment providers like Applied Materials would remain insulated from the volatility seen in software-focused Big Tech. The move also offered higher compensation and a return to a climate that mirrored his upbringing in India. Now, he uses AI to accelerate his integration into the specialized field, treating the technology as a tool to bridge the gap between his computer science background and the complex realities of hardware manufacturing.
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