Staff Engineer, Wafer Manufacturing Metrology at Western Digital

Fremont, California, United States

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Not SpecifiedCompensation

Senior (5 to 8 years), Expert & Leadership (9+ years)Experience Level

Full TimeJob Type

UnknownVisa

Semiconductor, Data Storage, ManufacturingIndustries

Requirements

B.S., M.S., or Ph.D. in physics, chemistry, engineering (chemical, mechanical, electrical), material science
Minimum of 3-6 years of work experience depending on education
Programming/scripting experience in any of SQL, Python, Matlab, JSL, C#, etc
Strong detail-oriented work habits
Ability to complete projects on schedule
Clean room and wafer fabrication/processing experience, preferably in a manufacturing environment (preferred)
Experience with spectra analysis and film stack modeling: visible light reflectometry, spectroscopic ellipsometry, x-ray fluorescence (preferred)
Experience with application of atomic force microscopy in a production environment (preferred)
Knowledge of tunnelling electron microscopy including practical experience with sample preparation, extraction/handling, and imaging (preferred)
Excellent skills in problem solving

Responsibilities

Develop, document, optimize, and sustain automated inspection recipes and process control solutions
Develop and refine technical methods/processes to identify root causes of operational issues, process inefficiencies, and measurement deviations
Establish accurate baseline measurements and qualification of metrology solutions by collaborating with cross-functional teams across the fab
Deploy robust metrology system calibration and correlation strategies
Identify and resolve equipment issues, collaborating with equipment engineering teams and tool vendors to ensure optimal tool performance
Cross-train within Metrology Engineering to ensure seamless support coverage across teams
Partner with engineering and quality teams to analyze real-time metrology data, identify process deviations, and implement automated corrective strategies to improve yield and reduce cycle time
Summarize, document, and present results to technical and executive audiences to drive data-driven improvements
Communicate effectively with both management and shop floor
Display comfort and skill in presenting issues/findings
Work independently with minimal supervision in the Manufacturing Metrology group
Collaborate closely with process engineering teams that support wafer manufacturing operations
Develop and implement precise, robust, and high-throughput solutions to control high volume manufacturing of complex, three dimensional thin film magnetic read/write head structures (e.g., developing spectroscopic ellipsometer models, creating recipes for atomic force microscopes, analyzing x-ray fluorescence spectra)

Skills

Key technologies and capabilities for this role

spectroscopic ellipsometrythin film metrologyatomic force microscopyAFMx-ray fluorescenceXRFwafer manufacturingmetrology engineeringprocess controlautomationdata analysis

Questions & Answers

Common questions about this position

Is this position remote or on-site?

This is an on-site position.

What are the key responsibilities of this role?

Responsibilities include developing and implementing metrology solutions for wafer manufacturing, such as spectroscopic ellipsometer models, AFM recipes, and XRF analysis, while collaborating with process engineering teams and optimizing inspection recipes.

What skills are required for the Staff Engineer role?

Key skills include experience with metrology tools like spectroscopic ellipsometers, atomic force microscopes, and x-ray fluorescence, ability to develop automated inspection recipes, root cause analysis, data analysis, and effective communication with technical and executive audiences.

What is the company culture like at Western Digital?

Western Digital fosters a culture of problem solvers who achieve extraordinary things with the right technology, emphasizing collaboration across teams and pushing the boundaries of innovation in data storage.

What makes a strong candidate for this position?

Strong candidates can work independently with minimal supervision, collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, have expertise in metrology for semiconductor manufacturing, and excel at data analysis and presenting results to diverse audiences.

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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