Western Digital Summer HAMR Media Tribology intern PhD 

United States, California, San Jose 

160659686

Today’s exceptional challenges require your unique skills. Together, we can build the future of data storage.

As a HAMR Media Tribology intern, you will be part of the HAMR Media R&D team responsible for improving the HAMR head-media interface reliability. This role requires:

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Investigate media thermal, optical, mechanical, and magnetic property impacts to media interface.
2. Set up component-level evaluation environment to investigate media surface properties and tribology performance
3. Provide analysis support to understand the failure.

Required:

1. Ph.D. candidate in material science, physics, chemistry, EE, mechanical engineering, optical engineering, or equivalent required. (2026 Graduate)
2. Knowledge or Experience in Tribology, interface design, tribology testing, material analysis and instrument
3. Knowledge in head/media interface and HAMR technology
4. Possess data analytics and statistics skillset
5. Excellent problem-solving skills, solutions oriented with a positive, can-do attitude.
6. Excellent interpersonal skills, including written and verbal communication.

Compensation & Benefits Details

• An employee’s pay position within the salary range may be based on several factors including but not limited to (1) relevant education; qualifications; certifications; and experience; (2) skills, ability, knowledge of the job; (3) performance, contribution and results; (4) geographic location; (5) shift; (6) internal and external equity; and (7) business and organizational needs.
• The salary range is what we believe to be the range of possible compensation for this role at the time of this posting. We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range and this range is only applicable for jobs to be performed in California, Colorado, New York or remote jobs that can be performed in California, Colorado and New York. This range may be modified in the future.
• If your position is non-exempt, you are eligible for overtime pay pursuant to company policy and applicable laws. You may also be eligible for shift differential pay, depending on the shift to which you are assigned.
• You will be eligible to participate in Western Digital’s Short-Term Incentive (STI) Plan, which provides incentive awards based on Company and individual performance. Depending on your role and your performance, you may be eligible to participate in our annual Long-Term Incentive (LTI) program, which consists of restricted stock units (RSUs) or cash equivalents, pursuant to the terms of the LTI plan. Please note that not all roles are eligible to participate in the LTI program, and not all roles are eligible for equity under the LTI plan. RSU awards are also available to eligible new hires, subject to Western Digital’s Standard Terms and Conditions for Restricted Stock Unit Awards.
• We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid vacation time; paid sick leave; medical/dental/vision insurance; life, accident and disability insurance; tax-advantaged flexible spending and health savings accounts; employee assistance program; other voluntary benefit programs such as supplemental life and AD&D, legal plan, pet insurance, critical illness, accident and hospital indemnity; tuition reimbursement; transit; the Applause Program; employee stock purchase plan; and the Western Digital Savings 401(k) Plan.
• Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole discretion, consistent with the law.