Summer 2026 Intern - SOT Reader Film Research at Western Digital

San Jose, California, United States -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

03 Jun, 26

Salary

0.0

Posted On

06 Mar, 26

Experience

0 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

SOT Film Development, Thin Film Deposition, PVD, Sputtering, Electrical Characterization, Magnetic Characterization, Structural Characterization, Device Performance Analysis, Statistical Methods, Compact Modeling, Python, MATLAB, Semiconductor Manufacturing, Test-Chip Fabrication, Technical Reporting, Process Tuning

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 and capture the first-ever picture of a black hole. We offer an expansive portfolio of technologies, HDDs, and platforms for business, creative professionals, and consumers alike under our Western Digital®, WD®, and WD_BLACK™. We are a key partner to some of the largest and highest-growth organizations in the world. From enabling systems to make cities safer and more connected, to powering the data centers behind many of the world’s biggest companies and hyperscale cloud providers, to meeting the massive and ever-growing data storage needs of the AI era, Western Digital is fueling a brighter, smarter future. Today’s exceptional challenges require your unique skills. Together, we can build the future of data storage. Job Description The CTO office focuses on developing and accessing next-generation materials and device technologies for scalable manufacturing. This includes areas such as spintronics, magnetic thin films, spin–orbit torque (SOT) materials, advanced deposition processes, nanoscale characterization, device integration, and emerging memory solutions. We are seeking a highly motivated Research Intern to join our team, focusing on Spin–Orbit Torque (SOT) thin-film development for HDD read-head magnetic sensor applications. This role emphasizes SOT film research and development, test-chip fabrication and testing, device performance, and manufacturability. The responsibilities of this position include: Collaborate with researchers and engineers to develop and optimize SOT thin film stacks compatible with semiconductor manufacturing requirements Support thin film deposition and process tuning using industry-standard tools (e.g., sputtering, PVD), with attention to uniformity, repeatability, and yield Perform electrical, magnetic, and structural characterization to evaluate film quality, SOT efficiency, switching current, and reliability metrics Analyze device performance and variability using experimental data, statistical methods, and compact modeling approaches Assist in integrating SOT thin films into prototype devices and test structures, working closely with fabrication and test teams Document processes, results, and best practices in technical reports to support technology transfer and scale-up efforts Contribute to cross-functional meetings with device, integration, and reliability teams to review results and align on development goals 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 BS in Engineering, Physics, Computer Science, or Mathematics or related field Knowledge of programming languages like Python or MATLAB and statistical analysis, and experience in system control and electrical testing. Passionate about problem-solving, research, and tackling complex technical challenges Excellent written and oral communication skills in English 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 04/13/26, 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 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. Notice To Candidates: Please be aware that WD 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 WD Ethics Helpline or email [email protected]. Job Type (exemption status): Non-Exempt position - Please see related compensation & benefits details below Business Function: Engineering Support Work Location: San Jose Great Oaks Headquarters--LOC_WDT_USCA23

Responsibilities

The intern will collaborate with researchers to develop and optimize Spin-Orbit Torque (SOT) thin film stacks for HDD read-head sensors, involving deposition, process tuning, and characterization using industry-standard tools. Responsibilities also include analyzing device performance, assisting in prototype integration, and documenting results for technology transfer and scale-up efforts.