Senior Engineer, Failure Analysis Engineering

WD is building the infrastructure behind the AI-driven data economy.

As AI scales, so does data. Every interaction, every model, every system generates data that must be stored, managed, and made accessible over time. That’s where we come in.

We combine deep engineering expertise with global-scale manufacturing to deliver the storage systems that make AI possible, powering hyperscale data centers, cloud platforms, and enterprise infrastructure worldwide.

This isn’t theoretical work. It’s real systems, at real scale, people solving some of the hardest challenges in technology today.

We’re looking for people who want to build, solve, and operate at that level.

Join us and let’s shape the future of data.

Responsibilities

Conduct and supervise Failure Analysis (FA) activities for Production and New Product Introduction (NPI) samples, including trend analysis, reporting, and defect characterization.; Manage and mentor a team of technicians for media FA analysis and defect characterization using first level FA equipment.; Coordinate second-level analysis with analytical lab teams.; Generate and communicate comprehensive FA findings to stakeholders, including quarterly defect pareto reports; Collaborate with Yield/Defect Engineering, Process Teams, QC Teams, and Analytical Teams to drive yield and quality improvements; Participate in cross-functional meetings and global FA initiatives to share knowledge and best practices, including FA Database; Drive defect unification initiatives and FA methodology improvements; Maintain & update defect library when necessary.; Carry out simulations & experiments to understand the mechanism of defect formation.

Requirements

Minimum Bachelor Degree in Science, Engineering or related technical field; 2+ years of experience; Proficiency with FA equipment including Optical Microscopy (OM), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Zygo, and OSA; Experience with analytical tools such as SEM-EDX, FIB-SEM, Raman spectroscopy, ESCA, and TOF-SIMS; Strong understanding of defect characterization techniques and failure mode analysis; Knowledge of statistical analysis and data interpretation methods; Experience with Test Database systems and data visualization tools (Spotfire); Familiarity with FA database systems and IT enhancement projects

Nice to have

Strong problem-solving and analytical thinking capabilities; Excellent communication skills for cross-functional collaboration; Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities; Detail-oriented with strong documentation and reporting skills; Ability to conduct experiments and simulations for defect mechanism understanding