Summer 2026 Intern - Hardware Development Engineering - Tape Head Development

Western Digital • San Jose, CA

10h

About The Position

Position Overview: We're inviting motivated graduate students to apply for our Hardware Development Engineer Internship. In this role, you will gain invaluable experience with advanced measurement technologies, including UV microscopes and Picoscale laser interferometers, focusing on the measurement and analysis of magnetic recording heads. This internship is an exceptional opportunity to contribute to the innovation and development of data storage technology.
Why This Internship? This position is more than an internship; it's a gateway into the field of hardware development for data storage solutions. You'll work alongside experts in a dynamic environment that bridges theoretical knowledge with practical application. This internship will enhance your engineering skills, prepare you for a future career in the tech industry, and give you the opportunity to contribute to meaningful technological advancements.

Requirements

• Academic Path : We're looking for Masters students poised to graduate between December 2026 and June 2027, from disciplines such as Electrical Engineering (EE), Physics, Mechanical Engineering (ME), or Computer Science (CS). Your educational journey is key to bringing fresh perspectives to our team.
• Technical Proficiencies : In our work, proficiency in MatLab, Solidworks, and programming languages like C or Python is highly valued. These skills are instrumental in navigating the challenges and opportunities in our projects.
• Lab Experience : Hands-on experience with lab equipment, such as digital voltmeters (DVMs), oscilloscopes, and familiarity with soldering and working on detailed components, enriches our collaborative projects.
• Innovation Drive : A passion for robotics, microcontrollers, and a drive to apply these interests in real-world scenarios are qualities we cherish. Your enthusiasm for exploring new technologies and solving complex problems is what we aim to support and develop further.

Nice To Haves

• If your toolkit includes experience with Autodesk Eagle or Arduino IDE, we're excited about the diverse insights you can bring.
• If you've engaged with CNC mills, routers, 3D printers, or soldering stations, your practical knowledge will greatly contribute to our team.

Responsibilities

• Use state-of-the-art equipment to measure the span of magnetic recording heads, applying your skills in UV microscopy and laser interferometry.
• Accurately measure head deformations (both in-plane and out-of-plane) using advanced interferometry techniques.
• Conduct hands-on measurements on critical components like rowbars and modules, deepening your understanding of data storage hardware.
• Analyze measurement data using software tools such as MatLab and JMP to identify patterns and correlations, informing future technology developments.
• Propose experimental projects based on your findings, contributing to the improvement of measurement methods and our understanding of magnetic recording technologies.
• Use of AFM/MFM to characterize Tape head performance/design.

Benefits

• 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 Western Digital Savings 401(k) Plan.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Intern
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees