[Interview] A Rocket Toward Her Future: Eva Neill’s Career Journey at Samsung

Eva Neill has spent most of her life in Taylor, Texas. She went to high school here. Her family is here. And now her career is here too.

Neill works as an environmental technician at Samsung Austin Semiconductor’s Taylor site. On any given day, she might be checking the ponds or wastewater treatment plant, reviewing environmental service requests or following up with vendors. Since joining as a full-time employee, she has learned spill management and soil remediation and completed certifications related to her work.

There is no real routine, she says. “The days are never the same. There is never a dull moment here.”

Work is only part of her schedule. Neill is also studying for a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Management, which she hopes to complete in 2028. She lives close to work with her dog and cat, not far from where she grew up.

Not long ago, though, she was a student at Taylor’s Legacy Early College High School who was not sure what she wanted to do after graduation. She was even considering taking a year off.

Internship Points Her in a Direction

Neill graduated from Legacy Early College High School, where she was part of a class of just 24 students. From her sophomore through senior years, she took college courses through Temple College and graduated with an associate’s degree in General Studies.

But deciding what to do next was another matter. “What was holding me back was indecisiveness and how much there is to do in the world,” Neill said. Choosing a career felt like a big decision, especially when it meant spending a significant amount of money preparing for a path she was not sure about.

She considered a gap year to explore different interests and jobs. Instead, she decided to try an internship. Neill joined Samsung Austin Semiconductor’s paid internship program with Taylor ISD, where she spent two summers working with Environmental, Health and Safety. She took part in inspections and water testing and researched Zero Liquid Discharge systems. The work exposed her to different areas of environmental work, from water and waste to air and chemicals. “Each task was something new that I genuinely felt excited to learn about,” she said.

By her second internship, her work was focused on the Environmental team. Before that internship ended, she was offered a full-time technician position. “I was super nervous and excited, but knew it was something I was ready for.” She accepted.

More Responsibility, More to Learn

As an intern, Neill needed an escort when she went onto the worksite. As a full-time technician, she has her own areas of responsibility and more freedom to go where the work takes her.

Her daily responsibilities include inspecting ponds and the wastewater treatment plant, coordinating soil remediation, making sure Environmental Services requests are approved, and checking in with a variety of vendors. She has also completed training and certifications related to Department of Transportation shipping, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and Occupational Safety and Health Administration General Industry standards.

Some days are more demanding than others. One of the moments Neill remembers most clearly brought her Environmental team together with the Emergency Response Team. She stayed at work until 1 a.m. the first night, and continued supporting response efforts throughout the rest of the week. “My team and I worked extremely hard getting this issue resolved,” she said.

Much of what she has learned has come from the people around her. Neill says she could not name just a few mentors because coworkers on her team and across the company have all taught her something. That has included how complex systems work, how environmental projects are managed and even how capital and investment budgets are handled. “I would not be able to limit my mentors to just a few people,” she said. “Coworkers and other teams have all helped me learn something new and useful toward my career knowledge.”

College After Work

Earning an associate’s degree while in high school was only the beginning of Neill’s educational journey. Getting a full-time job did not mean putting her education on hold.

She is now enrolled at Columbia Southern University, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Management while working full time. At the time of her interview, she had 52 credits left and was aiming to finish in 2028.

“In the next few years, my goal is to grow my career by continuing my education and finishing my bachelor’s degree while working here at Samsung,” she said. “Alongside this, I hope to gain more experience and certifications that will help me do my job further.” She wants to keep learning and become an expert in environmental work.

A Job and a Life in Taylor

Starting her career at Samsung Austin Semiconductor also meant Neill could stay in Taylor. “Being able to secure a job right after high school and work in my hometown has been great,” she said. “I have been able to find my own home close to work, provide for and take care of my dog and cat, and overall be able to get almost everything I need right here in Taylor!”

Her former principal at Legacy Early College High School remains part of her life. Neill still runs into her and talks with her at community events hosted by Samsung.

Then there is her grandmother. “My grandma still comments on all the Samsung Austin Semiconductor social media posts related to the Taylor interns,” Neill said. Years after Neill first joined the program, her grandmother is still following the next groups of Taylor students coming through it.

Taylor itself looks different too. Neill remembers it as a small town surrounded by the cornfields she grew up seeing. “It has always been a small town, however, ever since Samsung arrived, Taylor has been growing so fast,” she said.

She sees new buildings and restaurants. She sees suppliers and other businesses connected to the semiconductor ecosystem coming into the area. “The company has been instrumental to the growth of the town,” she said. “All of the suppliers and other businesses that are part of the semiconductor ecosystem are all injecting money and jobs into the area.”

From Cornfields to the Taylor Fab

This year, Neill spoke about those changes at Samsung’s 2026 Tool Move-In event. “As someone who has grown up in Taylor, watching Samsung grow and bring in new opportunities is exciting,” she said. “Watching it go from cornfields to a building is unreal.”

In the audience were people she knew, including the Taylor ISD superintendent and local students. Neill had once been one of those students, joining Samsung as an intern without knowing exactly where the experience would lead.

Now she was standing in front of them as a Samsung employee. She was less nervous than she expected. “It felt surreal to be on the stage with so many people,” she said. “I was honored that Samsung chose me to come back to speak at the milestone event for the Taylor fab.”

What Comes Next

Neill has simple advice for students who are still unsure what they want to do after high school: take the opportunity. “You never know what it may bring you!”

She recommends the Taylor ISD internship program not only to students who already see themselves working at Samsung, but also to those who are still figuring things out. She suggests exploring different departments and types of work, just as she did during her internships.

Neill already knows some of what she wants next. Finish her bachelor’s degree. Gain more experience and certifications. Keep growing at Samsung. Become an expert in her field. Asked to sum up what the opportunity has meant to her, she chose a more vivid description. “This opportunity has been a rocket towards my career growth and development,” she said. “I am always excited to see what it brings next.”

For now, that rocket has not taken her far from home. She is still in Taylor.