Early Career Talent - Metrology Engineer – Optical & Physical (Ph.D. Only) at Western Digital

Fremont, California, United States -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

20 May, 26

Salary

136600.0

Posted On

19 Feb, 26

Experience

0 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Optical Metrology, Spectroscopic Ellipsometry, Scatterometry, White-Light Interferometry, Overlay Metrology, Critical Dimension (CD), Profile Measurement, Structural Parameter Measurement, Structure Modeling, Inverse Problem Solving, Physics-Based Modeling, Structure-Based Modeling, Data Analysis, Python, SQL, Analytical Skills

Industry

Computer Hardware Manufacturing

Description

Company Description At Western Digital, 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, Western Digital 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. We are a key partner to some of the largest and highest growth organizations in the world. From energizing the most competitive gaming platforms, to enabling systems to make cities safer and cars smarter and more connected, to powering the data centers behind many of the world’s biggest companies and public cloud, Western Digital is fueling a brighter, smarter future. Binge-watch any shows, use social media or shop online lately? You’ll find Western Digital supporting the storage infrastructure behind many of these platforms. And, that flash memory card that captures and preserves your most precious moments? That’s us, too. We offer an expansive portfolio of technologies, storage devices and platforms for business and consumers alike. Our data-centric solutions are comprised of the Western Digital®, G-Technology™, SanDisk® and WD® brands. Today’s exceptional challenges require your unique skills. It’s You & Western Digital. Together, we’re the next BIG thing in data. Job Description You will join an advanced metrology team supporting magnetic recording head wafer fabrication in the hard disk drive industry. Your primary responsibility will be to support critical dimension (CD), profile, and structural parameter measurement operations and development using optical metrology techniques, including spectroscopic ellipsometry, scatterometry, white-light interferometry, and overlay metrology. This role is well suited for physics graduates interested in structure modeling and inverse problem solving. You will work with real production data, contribute to physics-based and structure-based models, and help improve measurement accuracy, stability, and cross-tool correlation. The position provides hands-on exposure to production-impacting metrology challenges, with close collaboration across process, equipment, and data This position is part of our Early Career program at WD. Our Early Career program is designed to support individuals beginning their professional career by providing the foundational training through a structured onboarding, mentorship, and development curriculum. Qualifications Currently pursuing or recently completed Ph.D. degree in Physics, Applied Physics, Materials Science, or equivalent experience Strong foundation in optics, or applied physics Proficiency in Python for data analysis, modeling, and automation; foundational knowledge of SQL preferred Experience with structure, geometry, or physical modeling, gained through coursework, research, or projects Familiarity with numerical modeling or inverse problem approaches (e.g., fitting, parameter extraction, optimization) Demonstrated intellectual curiosity, strong analytical and problem-solving skills, humility, and a collaborative mindset Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly explain technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences Additional Information Western Digital is committed to providing equal opportunities to all applicants and employees and will not discriminate against any applicant or employee based on their race, color, ancestry, religion (including religious dress and grooming standards), sex (including pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, breastfeeding or related medical conditions), gender (including a person’s gender identity, gender expression, and gender-related appearance and behavior, whether or not stereotypically associated with the person’s assigned sex at birth), age, national origin, sexual orientation, medical condition, marital status (including domestic partnership status), physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, protected medical and family care leave, Civil Air Patrol status, military and veteran status, or other legally protected characteristics. We also prohibit harassment of any individual on any of the characteristics listed above. Our non-discrimination policy applies to all aspects of employment. We comply with the laws and regulations set forth in the "Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal” poster. Our pay transparency policy is available here. Western Digital 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. Western Digital 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 [email protected] 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. Based on our experience, we anticipate that the application deadline will be 11/28/2024 (3 months from posting), although we reserve the right to close the application process sooner if we hire an applicant for this position before the application deadline. If we are not able to hire someone from this role before the application deadline, we will update this posting with a new anticipated application deadline. #LI-MT 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 Western Digital’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 Western Digital’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 Western Digital 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. Notice To Candidates: Please be aware that Western Digital 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 Western Digital Ethics Helpline or email [email protected]. Job Type (exemption status): Exempt position - Please see related compensation & benefits details below Salary Range: 102,500.00-136,600.00 Business Function: Hardware Development Engineering Work Location: Fremont Office--LOC_WDT_USCA13

Responsibilities

The role involves supporting critical dimension (CD), profile, and structural parameter measurement operations and development using various optical metrology techniques within magnetic recording head wafer fabrication. Responsibilities include contributing to physics-based and structure-based models to improve measurement accuracy, stability, and cross-tool correlation.