Western Digital

Makes hard drives for cloud and AI data centers

Senior Engineer - Manufacturing Engineering

Process EngineeringConfirmed live in the last 24 hours

Full-timeBayan Lepas, Penang, MalaysiaNo salary listedIn-person

About the Job

Requirements

A bachelor's or master's degree in Materials Science and Engineering is required.
At least 1–3 years of professional working experience in manufacturing or process engineering is required.
Strong foundational knowledge of semiconductor or thin-film manufacturing processes is required.
Proficient spoken and written English communication skills are required.
Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities are required.
Leadership and team supervision experience is required.
Technical documentation and process characterization expertise are required.
Project management and process improvement methodology experience, such as FMEA or Six Sigma, is required.

Responsibilities

Plan, coordinate, and follow up on sputter system start-up or conversion activities and process documentation.
Periodically audit sputter parameters and practices, including online statistical process control (SPC) and procedure conformance.
Lead troubleshooting of common sputter-process issues and work with the shift process team on sustaining, troubleshooting, and improvement activities to achieve sputter utilization, downtime, yield, and quality goals.
Lead sputter process improvement projects involving utilization, STT, cost, quality, PPH, and other measures, including qualification of new products, machines, and processes.
Lead, supervise, coach, and train process technicians, engineering specialists, and characterization technicians.
Train and share PMR/DS sputter process and yield-improvement knowledge with the team.
Monitor sputter parameters, including online SPC and procedure conformance.
Manage sputter machine start-up, including process characterization for new products and process changes.
Conduct new product, machine, and process qualifications.
Perform FMEA and other assigned tasks from the supervisor.
Perform jobs safely and follow safety and health rules.
Assist with troubleshooting common sputter yield issues and work with the Anelva yield team on sputter yield sustaining, troubleshooting, and improvement to achieve yield goals, including 0725 Operation Yield Improvement.
Improve media magnetic baseline ACC% and enable process stability and repeatability through recipe tuning and optimization.

Desired Qualifications

Advanced coursework or thesis research in vacuum technology is preferred.
Research or professional experience with magnetic thin-film deposition and characterization is preferred.
Research experience at recognized academic or industrial institutions is preferred.

Job Description

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

To plan, coordinate and follow-up sputter systems start-up / conversion activities and process documentation.
To audit sputter parameters and practice periodically, include online SPC and procedure conformance.
To lead sputter process related issues trouble shooting (common causes), work closely with shift process team in sputter process sustaining, trouble shooting & improvement in order to achieve sputter utilization (down time), yield & quality goal.
To lead Sputter Process Improvement Projects (SU/STT/Cost/Quality/PPH & others), which include new products/machines/process qualification.
To lead, supervise and coach/train process tech, include engineering specialist and characterize technicians.
Responsible for sputter process related issues trouble shooting (common causes), work closely with Shift process team in sputter process sustaining, trouble shooting & improvement in order to achieve sputter utilization (down time) & quality goal.
Responsible to lead, supervise and coach/train process tech, include engineering specialist and characterize technicians. Responsible to train and share PMR/DS sputter process and yield improvement knowledge with the team.
Responsible for sputter parameters monitoring, include online SPC monitoring and procedure conformance.
Responsible for sputter machine start-up include process characterize (new products & process changes).
Responsible for new products/machines/process qualification.
Responsible for sputter process improvement projects (SU/STT/Cost/Quality/PPH & others).

Others include FMEA.

Understand and accept responsibility for performing jobs safely
Follow safety and health rules
Responsible to assist in sputter yield related issues trouble shooting (common causes).
Work closely with Anelva yield team in sputter yield sustaining, trouble shooting & improvement in order
to achieve sputter yield goal. This includes 0725 Operation Yield Improvement.
Other supervisor assigned task
Improve Media magnetic baseline: ACC% and to enable process stability and repeatability via recipe tuning and optimization.
Responsible for new product qualifications.

Qualifications

REQUIRED:

Bachelor's degree or Master's degree in Materials Science and Engineering
Minimum 1–3 years of professional working experience in manufacturing or process engineering
Strong foundational knowledge in semiconductor or thin-film manufacturing processes

PREFERRED:

Advanced coursework or thesis research in vacuum technology
Research or professional experience with magnetic thin-film deposition and characterization
Research experience from recognized academic or industrial institutions

CORE COMPETENCIES:

Proficient English communication skills (spoken and written)
Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities
Leadership and team supervision experience
Technical documentation and process characterization expertise
Project management and process improvement methodologies (FMEA, Six Sigma, or equivalent)

Additional Information

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. Please contact us at [email protected] to advise us of your accommodation request. In your email, please include a description of the specific accommodation you are requesting as well as the job title and requisition number of the position for which you are applying.

Notice To Candidates: Please be aware that WD and its subsidiaries will never request payment as a condition for applying for a position or receiving an offer of employment. Should you encounter any such requests, please report it immediately to WD Ethics Helpline or email [email protected].

About the Company

Western Digital

Makes hard drives for cloud and AI data centers

Western Digital, which goes by WD, designs and makes hard disk drives, mostly the high-capacity models that cloud and AI data centers use to store huge amounts of data cheaply. In 2013, its HGST unit shipped the first helium-filled hard drives, which fit more disks into each drive and use less power. Its drives store data on stacks of spinning magnetic disks, and the lineup runs from Ultrastar data center drives to WD Red and WD Purple drives for home servers and security cameras. WD makes its money selling these drives to cloud companies, PC makers, and retail shoppers. Western Digital was founded in 1970 and is based in San Jose, California, and in 2025 it spun off its flash memory business as Sandisk.

Company size: 10,001+
Company stage: IPO
Headquarters: San Jose, CA
Founded: 1970

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