Staff Engineer, Manufacturing Equipment Engineering

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day equipment maintenance, troubleshooting, and line issue management to ensure high availability.
• Lead equipment reliability, maintenance, and engineering improvement initiatives to support stable manufacturing operations.
• Drive preventive and predictive maintenance strategies to reduce failures and sustain long-term performance.
• Manage equipment upgrades, machine conversions, and technology improvements for next-generation HDD products.
• Lead new equipment installation, commissioning, and acceptance testing to ensure systems meet operational and safety specifications.
• Perform root cause analysis for equipment failures and implement effective corrective and preventive actions.
• Collaborate with Process Engineering and Sputter Yield teams to improve yield performance and reduce defects.
• Provide technical leadership, guidance, and mentorship to junior engineers and technicians.
• Maintain strong collaboration with OEM suppliers and technical partners for technology development and troubleshooting.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Electronic, Materials Engineering, or a related discipline.
• 8–12 years of experience in equipment engineering, preferably in sputter media, semiconductor, or vacuum coating environments.
• Strong knowledge of vacuum systems, sputtering equipment, automation systems, and equipment control architecture.
• Strong analytical and data analysis skills to evaluate equipment performance and OEE improvements.
• Excellent project management skills with the ability to lead cross-functional teams.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Access).

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience specifically in a sputter media or semiconductor manufacturing environment.
• Knowledge of high-vacuum technology and plasma physics.
• Experience with PLC systems, automation, and equipment control systems.
• Solid understanding of Statistical Process Control (SPC) and data-driven decision-making.

About the Company

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. We offer an expansive portfolio of technologies, including HDDs and platforms for business, creative professionals, and consumers alike. We are a key partner to some of the largest and highest-growth organizations in the world, fueling a brighter, smarter future through advanced data storage solutions.