Early Career Talent, HDD Applications Engineer (Role Begins Summer 2026) at Western Digital

San Jose, California, United States

Western Digital Logo
Not SpecifiedCompensation
Entry Level & New GradExperience Level
Full TimeJob Type
UnknownVisa
Data Storage, Technology, HardwareIndustries

Requirements

  • Masters Degree in Engineering or Core Science (e.g., EE, ME, Physics, etc.)
  • Can-do attitude
  • Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Skills
  • Ability to Quickly Ascertain a Situation and Determine What is Needed
  • Strong Communication and Presentation Ability

Responsibilities

  • Accountable for Customer Qualifications of Enterprise HDDs
  • Interlock with the Cross-Functional Team Including Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Marketing, Sales and Customer Technical Support to Promote Alignment with the Customer Qualification Strategy
  • Partner with a Senior Application Engineer (AE) to Prepare & Deliver Product Introduction/Concept/Design Reviews, Customer Spec Gap Analysis, Development Status Updates and Qualification Failure Analysis Reports
  • Coordinate the Customer Sample Plan Including Gathering of Requirements, Interlocking with Manufacturing and Delivery to the Customer
  • Manage Customer Communication & Qualification of Product Changes (ECs/PCNs)
  • Represent CTS on the Product Core Team

Skills

Key technologies and capabilities for this role

HDDCustomer QualificationProduct IntroductionDesign ReviewsSpec Gap AnalysisQualification Failure AnalysisCustomer Sample PlanECsPCNs

Questions & Answers

Common questions about this position

What degree is required for this Early Career Talent position?

A Masters Degree in Engineering or Core Science (such as EE, ME, Physics, etc.) is required.

Is this position remote or on-site?

The position is on-site.

What key skills are needed for this Applications Engineer role?

Required skills include a can-do attitude, critical thinking and problem solving, ability to quickly ascertain a situation and determine what is needed, and strong communication and presentation ability.

What are the main responsibilities in this role?

Responsibilities include customer qualifications of Enterprise HDDs, interlock with cross-functional teams, partnering with a Senior AE for reviews and reports, managing customer sample plans, handling product change communications, and representing CTS on the Product Core Team.

What is the salary or compensation for this position?

This information is not specified in the job description.

Western Digital

Provides data storage solutions and services

About Western Digital

Western Digital provides a variety of data storage solutions, including Network Attached Storage (NAS), Storage Area Network (SAN), private cloud, and hyper-converged infrastructure. Their products are designed to help businesses manage and store data efficiently and reliably. For example, their all-flash arrays are optimized for high input/output applications, while the JetStor brand offers cost-effective NAS and SAN arrays that support multiple host ports for improved performance. What sets Western Digital apart from its competitors is its extensive experience in the data storage market and its ability to cater to a wide range of clients, from large corporations to small businesses. The company's goal is to deliver high-value storage solutions that meet the diverse needs of its customers, ensuring they have the tools necessary for effective data management.

San Jose, CaliforniaHeadquarters
2014Year Founded
$927.9MTotal Funding
IPOCompany Stage
Data & Analytics, Enterprise SoftwareIndustries
10,001+Employees

Benefits

Paid sick leave & vacation time
Medical/dental/vision insurance
Life, accident, & disability insurance
Tax-advantaged flexible spending and health savings accounts
Employee assistance program
Tuition reimbursement
Employee stock purchase plan
Western Digital Savings 401(k) Plan

Risks

Seagate's HAMR technology may outperform Western Digital's ePMR in high-capacity HDDs.
Toshiba's HAMR and MAMR technologies intensify competition in the storage market.
Focus on consumer products may neglect enterprise client needs, risking market share.

Differentiation

Western Digital leads in high-capacity HDDs with 32TB UltraSMR and ePMR technology.
The company offers diverse storage solutions, including NAS, SAN, and private cloud.
Western Digital's SanDisk and WD_BLACK brands target creators and gamers effectively.

Upsides

Growing demand for high-capacity storage driven by AI and data-intensive applications.
Recent product launches cater to the expanding gaming and content creation markets.
Advancements in ePMR technology enhance Western Digital's competitive edge in HDDs.

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