Staff Engineer, Wafer Metrology

At WD, 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, WD 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, WD is fueling a brighter, smarter future. Today’s exceptional challenges require your unique skills. Together, we can build the future of data storage. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: As a metrology engineer, you will be responsible for developing and implementing precise, robust, and high‐throughput solutions to control high volume manufacturing of complex, three dimensional thin film magnetic read/write head structures.  Examples of projects include developing spectroscopic ellipsometer models to measure thin film thickness and index of refraction, creating recipes for atomic force microscopes, and analyzing x-ray fluorescence spectra.  To accomplish this objective, you will need to collaborate closely with process engineering teams that support wafer manufacturing operations. Work independently with minimal supervision in the Manufacturing Metrology group to 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. Required: B.S., M.S., or Ph.D. in physics, chemistry, engineering (chemical, mechanical, electrical), material science Programming/scripting experience in any of SQL, Python, Matlab, JSL, C#, etc. Strong detail-oriented work habits. Ability to complete projects on schedule Preferred: Engineers are required to be hands on (equipment, wafers) so clean room and wafer fabrication/processing experience is needed, preferably in a manufacturing environment. Experience with spectra analysis and film stack modeling strongly preferred: visible light reflectometry, spectroscopic ellipsometry, x-ray fluorescence Experience with application of atomic force microscopy in a production environment preferred Knowledge of tunneling electron microscopy including practical experience with sample preparation, extraction/handling, and imaging Skills: Excellent skills in problem solving, data analysis, statistics, and both written and oral communications. Practical understanding of electronics and mechatronics as applied to modern industrial measurement tools. Salary Ranges:  115,200.00-153,600.00 WD 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 . WD 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. WD is committed to offering opportunities to applicants with disabilities and ensuring all candidates can successfully navigate our careers website and our hiring process. 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