As you pass by Challenger Road, some still refer to that building as Samsung's headquarters. Rumors in the industry often arrive a year or two late.

Recently, I've heard several people express their desire to apply to Samsung in Ridgefield Park. So, I want to clarify the facts first.

Samsung Electronics' U.S. branch has used 85 Challenger Road in Ridgefield Park as its headquarters since 2010. However, in August 2024, it announced it would move to 700 Sylvan Avenue in Englewood Cliffs.

That building was originally the site of Unilever's U.S. headquarters. Samsung will hold an opening event there on September 22, 2025.

The story doesn't end there. On June 1, 2026, Samsung officially announced it would move its U.S. headquarters to the Plano campus in Texas by the end of the year.

It's as if they packed up and left less than a year after opening the new headquarters. In martial arts terms, it's like a sect moving its gate only to descend the mountain again immediately.

The WARN report released in July indicated that 739 employees in Englewood Cliffs were targeted for layoffs effective September 30. According to Reuters, this is more than half of Samsung's workforce in New Jersey.

However, Samsung has proposed Texas relocation to most of the affected employees, stating that calling it a layoff is not accurate. It's important to consider both sides of the story.

Ridgefield Park hasn't been quiet either. Samsung SDS America, located at 100 Challenger Road, filed a WARN notice affecting 179 employees, with an effective date of October 1.

This is also believed to be related to the process of moving the North American headquarters to Plano. Ultimately, the prospect of joining Samsung's Ridgefield Park headquarters seems difficult under the current circumstances.

WARN is a system that requires advance notice of large layoffs or plant relocations. The New Jersey Department of Labor posts the notice list on its website, so if you're interested in a company, it's advisable to check it before applying.

That said, the door isn't completely closed. Samsung has stated that some employees will remain in New Jersey to handle local operations.

So, what you need to do now is to look at the official hiring channels rather than relying on rumors. Samsung's U.S. job postings are available on the official portal based on Workday.

Try filtering the portal for New Jersey and then Texas separately to see what positions are open in each location. You can easily compare where the same roles are available.

Job postings on LinkedIn or Indeed may still show the old address. It's safest to verify the work location against the original text on the official portal.

There's also a law in New Jersey that you should know when viewing job postings. The New Jersey Salary Transparency Law, effective June 1, 2025.

Employers with 10 or more employees must include the hourly wage or salary range in their postings. They must also disclose a list of benefits available during the first 12 months.

So, if a New Jersey job posting doesn't include a salary range, it's worth questioning. Conversely, if a range is provided, it can serve as a good reference point during salary negotiations.

If you're a student aiming for an internship, here's a number to keep in mind. Based on 36 self-reported cases on Glassdoor, the average hourly wage for interns at Samsung Electronics' U.S. branch in Ridgefield Park was $23.

Of course, this is self-reported data and not an official salary table. It's best to refer to the range listed in the job posting.

Proficiency in Korean is definitely an asset. In sales, marketing, and supply chain roles that frequently communicate with headquarters, being bilingual often works to your advantage.

However, that alone won't open doors. A resume that quantifies your job experience comes first, and Korean is a secondary tool.

Realistically, I see three options. You can aim for the few positions remaining in New Jersey, prepare for a move to Texas, or take a different path.

A different path could mean this: Englewood Cliffs is home to LG Electronics' North American headquarters, and there are quite a few Korean companies and partners in the Bergen County area.

Instead of clinging to the name of a large corporation, gaining experience in the same industry and looking for opportunities can also be a strategy. Experts don't just stick to the main gate.

If you're considering a move to Texas, you'll need to factor in housing costs, schools for your kids, and your spouse's job all at once. If you only look at the salary figure, you might run into complications later.

When writing your motivation for applying, it's good to show that you're aware of the current situation. First, find out what the remaining organization in New Jersey will be doing after the headquarters move, and align your experience with that for greater persuasiveness.

If it were me, I would set up alerts on the official portal and check the salary range and work location as soon as a New Jersey posting appears. Then, I would send a short, polite message to someone currently working there on LinkedIn.

The building on Challenger Road is now referred to only by its old name. While it's unfortunate, the landscape of the industry changes like this.

Ultimately, it's those who read the postings, not the rumors, who will open the door. That's the conclusion I've drawn from this relocation situation.