Western Digital Technologies

Senior Engineering Director, HDD Head Wafer Manufacturing

Western Digital Technologies • $175K — $210K *
San Jose, CA 95123In-Person
Manufacturing & Automotive
8 - 10 years of experience
Today
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Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's or Master's degree in a relevant engineering field with extensive experience in wafer fabrication or semiconductor manufacturing.
  • 10+ years of experience in HDD head wafer fabrication with a strong focus on process and equipment engineering.
  • Proven leadership of large engineering teams (50+ staff) in high-volume manufacturing settings, accountable for yield and cost.
  • Experience in yield improvement, cycle time reduction, and cost productivity initiatives relevant to wafer fabs.
  • Demonstrated commitment to safety leadership within engineering organizations.

Responsibilities

  • Lead and cultivate Process Engineering and Equipment Engineering teams, establishing performance standards and improvement culture.
  • Drive strategies for maximizing wafer supply and address engineering aspects of capacity and tool performance.
  • Oversee comprehensive yield improvement initiatives, identifying root causes and deploying corrective actions.
  • Execute cycle time reduction projects, pinpointing bottlenecks in manufacturing processes.
  • Champion productivity and efficiency programs to drive cost reduction through lean principles.
  • Ensure high-quality wafer production by instituting process control frameworks that minimize defects.
  • Model and promote safety standards across the organization, ensuring compliance and accountability.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance packages.
  • Paid vacation and sick leave, along with employee assistance programs.
  • Tuition reimbursement and various voluntary benefit programs.
  • 401(k) plan with company savings matching and stock purchase options.
  • Incentive opportunities through both short-term and long-term incentive plans including bonuses and restricted stock units.
Full Job Description
Job Description

WD's Great Oaks facility is one of the few remaining vertically integrated HDD head wafer fabs in the world and is mirrored by a second site in the SF Bay Area. This role leads the engineering organization that keeps the Great Oaks site running and moving forward. As Senior Engineering Director, you will own the Process Engineering and Equipment Engineering teams across all wafer process modules, tools, and segments, directly accountable for wafer supply, yield, cycle time, and cost performance. You report to the VP of HDD Head Wafer Manufacturing and operate as a senior member of the HDD Operations leadership team, with both day-to-day manufacturing accountability and a mandate to transform the fab into a modern, data-driven operation. This is a high-visibility role that requires equal parts of technical credibility, operational discipline, and organizational leadership.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities
  • Lead and develop the Process Engineering and Equipment Engineering teams across all wafer process modules, tools, and segments, setting clear engineering standards, performance expectations, and a culture of continuous improvement
  • Drive wafer supply maximization strategies, owning the engineering response to capacity constraints, tool availability, and process excursions that threaten output commitments
  • Own yield improvement programs end-to-end - from defect root cause analysis and process characterization to corrective action deployment and verification - targeting systemic reduction of yield loss across the fab
  • Develop and execute cycle time reduction initiatives, identifying and eliminating bottlenecks across process flow, equipment utilization, and cross-functional handoffs
  • Champion cost reduction through productivity and efficiency programs, applying lean manufacturing principles and instilling an operational mindset that balances speed, quality, and cost discipline
  • Uphold the highest quality standards for wafer production, establishing process control frameworks that minimize defects, reduce variation, and protect customer-facing output integrity
  • Advocate safety leadership at every level of the organization - modeling safe behaviors, driving accountability for EHS compliance, and embedding safety as a non-negotiable engineering and operational standard
  • Partner with HDD head technology and product engineering teams to ensure manufacturing capability keeps pace with product roadmap requirements and new process introductions
  • Recruit, develop, and retain engineering talent; build organizational depth and succession readiness across a team of approximately 50 engineers
  • Drive restructuring and scaling initiatives where required, bringing the organizational structure, processes, and engineering practices into alignment with current and future manufacturing demands

Skills
  • Deep technical fluency in wafer process and equipment engineering sufficient to drive engineering decisions, assess root cause quality, and hold engineering teams accountable to rigorous standards
  • Ability to translate manufacturing performance data - yield trends, cycle time metrics, equipment utilization - into clear strategic priorities and executable engineering plans
  • Organizational leadership: builds bench strength, develops managers, and creates team environments where engineering excellence is expected and rewarded
  • Change leadership: demonstrated ability to introduce new operational mindsets and practices in established manufacturing cultures
  • Executive communication: able to present manufacturing performance, risk, and investment needs clearly to senior leadership and cross-functional partners


Qualifications

Required:
  • Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Applied Physics, or a related field, with 10+ years of relevant experience; or Master's degree with 8+ years of relevant experience
  • 0-10+ years of experience in HDD head wafer fabrication, semiconductor wafer manufacturing, or an adjacent full-scale wafer fab environment, with demonstrated knowledge of process and equipment engineering across multiple process modules
  • Proven track record leading large engineering organizations (50+ people) in a high-volume manufacturing environment, with direct accountability for yield, supply, and cost outcomes
  • Demonstrated experience driving yield improvement programs, cycle time reduction, and cost/productivity initiatives in a wafer fab or equivalent manufacturing context
  • Experience setting engineering standards, building high-performing teams, and leading organizational change or restructuring
  • Strong safety leadership track record - able to model, advocate, and institutionalize a safety-first culture across an engineering organization

Preferred:
  • Master's degree (M.Sc.) in a relevant engineering or applied science discipline
  • Direct experience with HDD head wafer processes and HDD technology (e.g., GMR/TMR head fabrication, thin film deposition, photolithography, CMP, ion milling)
  • Experience leading engineering organizations through significant scaling or restructuring phases
  • Familiarity with lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, or equivalent process improvement methodologies applied in a wafer fab context
  • Experience partnering with product and technology development teams on new process introductions (NPI) and technology transfers


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.

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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

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