Tribo-Component Research & Development Engineer

Western Digital•San Jose, CA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

WD is seeking a Tribo-Component Research & Development Engineer to design, develop, and execute component-level test methodologies for HAMR media and head/media interface characterization. This role involves developing a deep technical understanding of tester equipment, operating and troubleshooting test equipment, and performing physics-based experimental investigations to understand the impact of media design variables on head/media interface behavior. The engineer will characterize thermal, optical, mechanical, and magnetic properties of media components, conduct reliability and robustness evaluations, and investigate laser power, thermal profiles, and tester boundary conditions on head/media interaction. The position also requires designing or modifying test fixtures, working closely with media sputter, process, and design teams, and collaborating with HDD and Head engineering teams to translate component-level findings into actionable design and test guidance. The role involves leading and contributing to end-to-end technical investigations.

Requirements

An advanced degree (M.S. or Ph.D.) in Materials Science, Physics, Chemistry, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Optical Engineering is strongly preferred.
Hands-on experience with laser-based testers, thermal/mechanical stress tools, surface analysis, and interface characterization equipment is highly desirable.
Excellent analytical and root-cause problem-solving skills, with a solutions-oriented mindset.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly present tester data and technical conclusions.
Strong experience in tribology interface design and component-level tribology testing, including material characterization and analytical instrumentation.
Demonstrated understanding of test equipment, control systems, sensors, and measurement limitations relevant to head/media interface testing.
Solid understanding of head/media interface physics and HAMR-related technologies.
Proven capability in data analytics, statistics, and experimental design, including correlation of tester outputs to physical mechanisms.
Ability to quickly learn, adapt, and improve new test systems, hardware, and methodologies.
Ability to manage multiple component-level test activities and equipment dependencies while meeting project deadlines.

Nice To Haves

Programming skills (e.g., Python) for test automation, data analysis, or equipment interfacing are a plus.

Responsibilities

Design, develop, and execute component-level test methodologies for HAMR media and head/media interface characterization.
Develop a deep technical understanding of tester equipment, including laser-based test systems, tribology testers, thermal/mechanical stress platforms, and interface characterization tools.
Operate, calibrate, and troubleshoot component-level test equipment, ensuring data integrity, repeatability, and correlation across platforms.
Perform physics-based experimental investigations to understand the impact of media design variables on head/media interface behavior, including laser interaction, tribology, lubrication, and carbon overcoat performance.
Characterize thermal, optical, mechanical, and magnetic properties of media components and correlate these properties to interface performance and failure mechanisms.
Conduct reliability and robustness evaluations at the component level using established test protocols, accelerated stress testing, and statistical best practices.
Investigate laser power, thermal profiles, and tester boundary conditions on head/media interaction, defining component-level design windows and sensitivities.
Design or modify test fixtures, hardware, and control parameters to isolate component-level phenomena and enable root-cause analysis.
Work closely with media sputter, process, and design teams to correlate process conditions to component-level test results.
Collaborate with HDD and Head engineering teams to translate component-level findings into actionable design and test guidance.
Lead and contribute to end-to-end technical investigations, from problem definition and experimental setup through data analysis and conclusions.

Benefits

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
the WD Savings 401(k) Plan