Technologist, Product Design Engineering

Job description

The Product Design Engineering Technologist develops robust head-media interfaces for magnetic recording media, which will be integrated into Western Digital's hard disk drive products. This critical role involves collaborating with R&D and worldwide teams to innovate and productize recording media designs. This role requires strong technical expertise and the ability to manage complex manufacturing systems while ensuring defect mitigation, quality assurance, and reliability standards. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Develop head-media interface designs that meet product performance requirements and scale into high-volume manufacturing environments. Improve hard disk sputtering processes to reduce defects and enhance manufacturing yield. Optimize magnetic areal density by reducing head-media spacing while maintaining reliability specifications and performance standards. Conduct comprehensive testing and validation of recording media designs to ensure compliance with product specifications and industry standards. Collaborate with cross-functional teams including manufacturing, quality assurance, and product engineering to drive innovation and process improvements. Analyze manufacturing data and performance metrics to identify optimization opportunities and implement corrective actions. Document technical findings, design specifications, and process improvements through detailed reports and presentations. Support the transition of new designs from development to production, ensuring manufacturability and cost-effectiveness. REQUIRED: Master's or PhD degree in Materials Science, Chemistry, Physics, or related engineering field. 15+ years of engineering development or R&D experience for magnetic recording media in hard disk drive applications. In-depth knowledge of hard disk carbon overcoat and lubricant processes, as well as reliability testing methodology. Strong technical knowledge in vacuum technology, including physical vapor deposition (PVD) and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) techniques. Demonstrated experience in head-media interface design and optimization for high-volume manufacturing environments. Proven ability to analyze manufacturing data and performance metrics to identify process optimization opportunities. PREFERRED: In-depth understanding of disk sputter equipment operation, preferably with hands-on experience on ANELVA deposition tools. Quality Engineering knowledge and experience with defect mitigation strategies. Experience transitioning new designs from development to production phases with focus on manufacturability and cost-effectiveness. Track record of leading cross-functional collaboration initiatives between manufacturing, quality assurance, and product engineering teams. SKILLS: Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities with expertise in complex manufacturing systems. Excellent cross-functional collaboration and team leadership capabilities. Proficiency in technical documentation, data analysis, and presentation of findings to diverse audiences. Project management skills with ability to drive innovation and implement corrective actions. 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 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 . At WD, 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, WD 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™. 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, WD is fueling a brighter, smarter future. Today’s exceptional challenges require your unique skills. Together, we can build the future of data storage.