Head & Media Integration

• Serve as the Single Thread Leader (STL) for integrating head and media devices into new HDD products
• Define and manage head/media configurations, qualification plans, and engineering change (EC) processes
• Provide head and media component specifications and ensure alignment with HDD development requirements

Yield, Performance & Reliability

• Establish and manage head yield, utilization targets, and long‑term roadmaps
• Drive improvements in head/media yield, performance, and reliability to meet product and customer expectations
• Monitor HDD‑level and component‑level yield and reliability metrics, identifying trends and leading corrective actions

Development & Manufacturing Support

• Support new product development builds, including qual wafers, EVT/DVT cycles, and early‑ramp readiness
• Collaborate with wafer, slider, HGA, and media manufacturing teams to address process issues and optimize capability
• Provide Backend PE support for integration, debug, and issue resolution

Data Analytics & Problem Solving

• Perform end‑to‑end data analysis from head/media parameters through HDD performance
• Utilize statistical tools and data‑driven methods to identify root causes, correlations, and improvement opportunities
• Lead cross‑functional problem‑solving efforts involving design, process, manufacturing, and reliability teams

Cross‑Functional Collaboration

• Communicate technical status, risks, and configuration changes across global development and manufacturing teams
• Coordinate with design, process, reliability, and program management teams to ensure alignment with product milestones
• Manage post‑LPR major EC activities and ensure smooth transitions into mass production

Job Requirement:

• BS degree or higher in physics, electrical engineering, communication or related
• discipline.
• Minimum 10+ years in HDD industry experience
• Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills
• The ability to clearly communicate and document findings
• Programming experience, preferably SAS, Python language
• Willingness to travel abroad for short periods

PREFERRED:

• Experience with hard disk drive integration, head device process, head media characterization

SKILLS:

• Strong understanding of magnetic recording physics, magnetic reader/writer/NFT fundamentals, and media technology
• Experience with head/media manufacturing processes (wafer, slider, HGA, media)
• Proficiency in data analysis tools (e.g., JMP, Python) and statistical methods
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross‑functional engineering efforts
• Strong communication, documentation, and configuration‑management skills
• Experience in HDD development, NPI, or component engineering preferred

Because Western Digital thrives on the power of diversity and is committed to an inclusive environment where every individual can thrive through a sense of belonging, respect, and contribution, we are committed to giving every qualified applicant and employee an equal opportunity. Western Digital does not discriminate against any applicant or employee based on their protected class status and complies with all federal and state laws against discrimination, harassment, and retaliation, as well as the laws and regulations set forth in the "Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law" poster.

WD thrives on the power and potential of diversity. As a global company, we believe the most effective way to embrace the diversity of our customers and communities is to mirror it from within. We believe the fusion of various perspectives results in the best outcomes for our employees, our company, our customers, and the world around us. We are committed to an inclusive environment where every individual can thrive through a sense of belonging, respect and contribution.

WD is committed to offering opportunities to applicants with disabilities and ensuring all candidates can successfully navigate our careers website and our hiring process. Please contact us at jobs.accommodations@wdc.com to advise us of your accommodation request. In your email, please include a description of the specific accommodation you are requesting as well as the job title and requisition number of the position for which you are applying.

Notice To Candidates: Please be aware that WD and its subsidiaries will never request payment as a condition for applying for a position or receiving an offer of employment. Should you encounter any such requests, please report it immediately to WD Ethics Helpline or email compliance@wdc.com.

At Western Digital, our vision is to power global innovation and push the boundaries of technology to make what you thought was once impossible, possible.

At our core, Western Digital is a company of problem solvers. People achieve extraordinary things given the right technology. For decades, we’ve been doing just that—our technology helped people put a man on the moon and capture the first-ever picture of a black hole.

We offer an expansive portfolio of technologies, HDDs, and platforms for business, creative professionals, and consumers alike under our Western Digital®, WD®, and WD_BLACK™ brands.

We are a key partner to some of the largest and highest-growth organizations in the world. From enabling systems to make cities safer and more connected, to powering the data centers behind many of the world’s biggest companies and hyperscale cloud providers, to meeting the massive and ever-growing data storage needs of the AI era, Western Digital is fueling a brighter, smarter future.

Today’s exceptional challenges require your unique skills. Together, we can build the future of data storage.