Western Digital Technologies

HDD Servo Processing Subsystem Architecture Lead

Western Digital Technologies • $215K — $287K *
San Jose, CA 95123In-Person
Telecommunications & Hardware
8 - 10 years of experience
2 weeks ago
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or equivalent field
  • Master's degree or relevant professional certification in embedded systems or real-time architecture is desirable
  • PhD or specialist certification in real-time, multi-core computing platform architecture is highly desirable
  • 10+ years of experience in embedded architecture, focusing on real-time control or storage technology
  • 5+ years of senior technical leadership experience
  • Deep expertise in digital signal processing and real-time systems development
  • Experience with FPGA/ASIC design for servo processing applications

Responsibilities

  • Define future servo real-time compute architecture and ISA for data streaming and multi-actuator control
  • Co-lead SoC microarchitecture decisions impacting servo compute resource allocation
  • Manage servo compute resource budgeting and prevent conflicts through integration practices
  • Lead co-design of firmware platform architecture for multi-cluster and actuator orchestration
  • Drive evolution of servo compute tooling ecosystem for better testing and debugging across teams
  • Coordinate with distributed teams to align platform decisions with program objectives
  • Deliver new capability meeting performance and power targets on SoC generation
  • Mentor junior engineers and evolve standards for platform-level contributions

Benefits

  • Paid vacation and sick leave
  • Comprehensive medical/dental/vision insurance
  • Life, accident, and disability insurance
  • Tuition reimbursement
  • Employee assistance program and other voluntary benefits
  • 401(k) retirement plan with company match
  • Employee stock purchase plan
Full Job Description
Job Description

We are seeking an experienced HDD Servo Processing Subsystem Architecture Lead to join our organization in San Jose, CA, United States. In this pivotal role, you will drive the strategic vision and execution of the servo real-time compute platform architecture-encompassing firmware architecture, instruction set architecture (ISA), and SoC microarchitecture-to enable next-generation HDD products with multiple concurrent data streams and multi-actuator control. You will be accountable for defining a coherent, scalable platform strategy that balances technical feasibility with economic viability across program schedules, power envelopes, and cost constraints. This position offers the opportunity to shape the future of storage technology while leading cross-functional teams across multiple locations and technical disciplines.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
  • Define and maintain a future-state servo real-time compute architecture and ISA that scales from single to multiple concurrent data streams and supports concurrent control of multiple actuators and heads, with explicit guidance to SoC and servo teams on power, area, and performance trade-offs
  • Co-lead SoC microarchitecture decisions affecting servo compute, including core count and placement, memory hierarchy, interconnect design, and dynamic control accelerators, ensuring that FPGA prototype work and accelerator designs map cleanly into production-ready firmware and tools models
  • Own servo compute resource management and budgeting, including instruction/data memory allocation, processor cycle and path-length limits, and regression thresholds; drive adherence through continuous integration practices to prevent late-stage resource conflicts
  • Lead the co-design of firmware platform architecture, including core control-loop implementations, multi-cluster and multi-actuator orchestration, and cross-generation stability, ensuring deterministic real-time performance across multiple SoC generations
  • Drive evolution of the servo compute tooling ecosystem-including internal compiler, real-time compute platform simulator, Renode-based system simulation, debug and diagnostics tools, and profiling/debug flows-to support multi-cluster, multi-stream characterization and debugging by servo, manufacturing, and validation teams
  • Coordinate across geographically distributed teams (servo firmware (FW), SoC architecture/design, recording subsystem/algorithms, servo tools, manufacturing FW, and test) to align platform decisions with program risk, schedules, yield, and customer experience objectives
  • Deliver a major multi-stream and multi-actuator capability that meets control performance and power targets on a new SoC generation, demonstrating the viability of the defined architecture and ISA
  • Strengthen the organizational pipeline by evolving servo compute training, standards, and review processes into a broader platform curriculum, enabling more engineers to safely contribute to platform-level code and architectural changes
  • Conduct technical reviews and provide architectural guidance to engineering teams throughout the product development lifecycle, ensuring alignment with platform strategy and resource constraints
  • Analyze and optimize servo loop performance through modeling, simulation, and real-world validation using tools such as MATLAB and Simulink, with focus on multi-actuator control scenarios and high-bandwidth data paths
  • Develop and document architectural standards, design guidelines, and best practices for servo subsystem development, including guidance on HAMR, laser, spacing, and read/write channel control parameter mapping to the compute platform
  • Mentor and develop junior engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence, platform thinking, and continuous improvement in servo compute architecture
  • Communicate technical concepts, architectural trade-offs, and strategic recommendations to senior management and cross-functional stakeholders


Qualifications

REQUIRED
  • Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or an equivalent degree and professional experience
  • Master's degree or relevant professional certification (e.g., in embedded systems, real-time architecture) desirable
  • PhD or specialist certification with demonstrated expertise in real-time, multi-core computing platform architecture highly desirable
  • 10+ years of professional experience in embedded architecture and development, with specific focus on real-time control, storage technology, or related servo control applications
  • 5+ years of experience as a project technical leader or in senior technical leadership roles, demonstrating strong leadership and commitment to delivering results
  • Deep expertise in digital signal processing and real-time systems development
  • Demonstrated experience with FPGA and/or ASIC design for servo processing applications

SKILLS
  • Advanced programming skills in C/C++ and experience with hardware description languages (HDL)
  • Proficiency with MATLAB, Simulink, and other modeling and simulation tools
  • Deep expertise with specialized simulation and development tools including Renode, Verilator, and LLVM
  • Solid understanding of hardware-software co-design and system-level integration
  • Strong proficiency in servo control theory, including loop design, stability analysis, and performance optimization highly desirable
  • Proven ability to lead cross-functional engineering teams across geographically distributed locations and manage complex technical projects
  • Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills with meticulous attention to detail
  • Excellent communication, interpersonal, and collaborative skills, including strong presentation abilities, with demonstrated capability to work effectively across worldwide engineering teams in English
  • Experience with product development lifecycle and design for manufacturability principles
  • Familiarity with industry standards and best practices in storage technology
  • Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, collaborative environment

Salary Range

215,900.00-287,800.00

Compensation & Benefits Details
  • An employee's pay position within the salary range may be based on several factors including but not limited to (1) relevant education; qualifications; certifications; and experience; (2) skills, ability, knowledge of the job; (3) performance, contribution and results; (4) geographic location; (5) shift; (6) internal and external equity; and (7) business and organizational needs.
  • The salary range is what we believe to be the range of possible compensation for this role at the time of this posting. We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range and this range is only applicable for jobs to be performed in California, Colorado, New York or remote jobs that can be performed in California, Colorado and New York. This range may be modified in the future.
  • If your position is non-exempt, you are eligible for overtime pay pursuant to company policy and applicable laws. You may also be eligible for shift differential pay, depending on the shift to which you are assigned.
  • You will be eligible to be considered for bonuses under either WD's Short Term Incentive Plan ("STI Plan") or the Sales Incentive Plan ("SIP") which provides incentive awards based on Company and individual performance, depending on your role and your performance. You may be eligible to participate in our annual Long-Term Incentive (LTI) program, which consists of restricted stock units (RSUs) or cash equivalents, pursuant to the terms of the LTI plan. Please note that not all roles are eligible to participate in the LTI program, and not all roles are eligible for equity under the LTI plan. RSU awards are also available to eligible new hires, subject to WD's Standard Terms and Conditions for Restricted Stock Unit Awards.
  • We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid vacation time; paid sick leave; medical/dental/vision insurance; life, accident and disability insurance; tax-advantaged flexible spending and health savings accounts; employee assistance program; other voluntary benefit programs such as supplemental life and AD&D, legal plan, pet insurance, critical illness, accident and hospital indemnity; tuition reimbursement; transit; the Applause Program; employee stock purchase plan; and the WD Savings 401(k) Plan.
  • Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company's sole discretion, consistent with the law.

About Western Digital Technologies

Western Technology Investment is a venture capital firm that specializes in offering acquisition financing to revenue-generating firms. The firm provides debt and lease financing to venture capital backed technology companies.

Western Digital Technologies Careers

Join the innovative world of Western Digital Technologies, a leader in data storage solutions, where we are committed to empowering our global team of professionals. This is an unparalleled opportunity to advance your career with a company at the forefront of technological innovation and digital storage.

Work You’ll Do

At Western Digital Technologies, you will be part of a dynamic team that drives data innovation across various industries. Our commitment to excellence and leadership in the technology sector provides a unique platform for professionals to influence the future of digital storage and management solutions.

Explore Job Opportunities and Growth

Western Digital Technologies offers a variety of job opportunities that cater to a range of skills and experiences. Whether you’re looking for an entry-level position or a more senior role, our company is eager to support your professional growth through challenging projects and continuous learning opportunities.

Internship Programs

Kickstart your career with Western Digital Technologies through our internship programs. These positions are designed to give you hands-on experience and insights into our day-to-day operations, preparing you for a full-time role in our company. Interns at Western Digital Technologies gain invaluable industry knowledge, networking opportunities, and professional skills under the guidance of experienced mentors.

Benefits and Culture

We pride ourselves on a culture that fosters diversity, innovation, and leadership. Western Digital Technologies is dedicated to providing employees with a supportive work environment where everyone is encouraged to be their best. Our benefits package is comprehensive, including health, dental, and vision insurance, employee wellness programs, and significant career development opportunities.

Join Our Team

We are continuously hiring creative, curious, and motivated individuals who are ready to drive innovation in the technology space. Explore open positions that match your skills and interests on our careers page. At Western Digital Technologies, we value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

Professional Development and Training

Advance your career with Western Digital Technologies through our professional development programs. We offer a range of training and development options, including leadership training, skills enhancement workshops, and diversity training sessions to help you grow as a leader and innovator in our industry.

Stay Connected

Keep up to date with the latest career tips, industry insights, and company news by subscribing to our careers blog. Personalize your experience by signing up for job alert emails tailored to your career preferences and be the first to know about new openings and exciting opportunities at Western Digital Technologies.

Apply Now

Ready to take the next step in your career? Submit your resume, prepare for your interview, and join a team that’s redefining the future of technology. At Western Digital Technologies, your future is waiting.

SEARCH WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES JOBS

Join us at Western Digital Technologies, where your career growth is integrated with innovation and leadership, empowering you to reach new heights in the technology industry.
Learn more about Western Digital Technologies
Size
65,600 employees
Market Cap
$9.9 billion
Industry
Enterprise Technology
Net Income
$167 million
Founded
1970
5 Year Trend
-0.3%
Revenue
$16.3 billion
NASDAQ
WDC
* Ladders Estimates

Similar Jobs

Ad banner background

Get Ready For Your
Next Interview

More Jobs at Western Digital Technologies

More Telecommunications & Hardware Jobs

Find similar HDD Servo Processing Subsystem Architecture Lead jobs:

NationwideSan Jose, CA