Senior Director, Industrial Engineering - Western Digital

At Western Digital, we are on a mission to unlock the potential of data so people, companies and organizations everywhere can create what’s next. To fulfill our vision, we are always on the lookout for potential team members who share our passion for solving problems to empower others.

When you join Western Digital, you join a legacy more than 50 years in the making. Across our Western Digital®, SanDisk®, SanDisk® Professional, WD® and WD_BLACK™ brands, we have brought some of the most storied advancements in memory and data storage technology to market—and our best, most innovative work is yet to come.

From energizing gaming platforms, to enabling systems to make cities safer and cars smarter and more connected, to powering the data centers behind many of the world’s biggest companies and public cloud, Western Digital is fueling a brighter, smarter future.

Here’s how you can help.

Position Overview: The Senior Director of Industrial Engineering will lead the strategic direction and execution of the planning team for the front end wafer manufacturing process in collaboration with the JV with Kioxia. This role is critical to drive the strategic planning activities, drive engineering programs and manage execution for the WD JV. The role provides a unique proposition to contribute in a broad spectrum of activities ranging from Strategic Nodal and Capital planning to engineering program execution. The ideal candidate will possess a strong background in industrial engineering, project management, cost management and flexibility to drive long term strategic initiatives as well as program manage engineering project to the technical details

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Leadership & Strategy:
  • Develop and implement strategies to optimize manufacturing processes, improve product quality, and reduce costs.
  • Lead a team of industrial engineers, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.
  • Collaborate with leaders across WD and the JV to align engineering and program management milestones and roadmaps.
• Program Management:
  • Oversee the planning, execution, and monitoring of multiple product roadmaps, ensuring they are completed on time and within budget.
  • Implement project management best practices and tools to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
  • Manage stakeholder communications, ensuring transparency and alignment throughout project lifecycles.
• Process Improvement:
  • Identify opportunities for process improvements, conduct root cause analyses and implement corrective actions to address manufacturing inefficiencies.
  • Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess the effectiveness of engineering initiatives and make data-driven decisions.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration:
  • Work closely with JV teams, product and process engineering teams, quality assurance, and supply chain teams to ensure seamless integration of engineering solutions.
  • Act as a liaison between technical teams and JV management to communicate project status, risks, and opportunities.
• Talent Development:
  • Mentor and develop engineering and project management teams, promoting professional growth and knowledge sharing.
  • Lead recruitment efforts to attract top talent in industrial engineering and program management.

REQUIRED:

• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field; Master’s degree preferred.
• 10+ years of experience in industrial engineering and program management, with at least 5 years in a leadership role within the relevant industry.
• Strong knowledge of manufacturing processes, project management methodologies, and continuous improvement frameworks.
• Proven track record of successfully managing complex engineering projects from conception to completion.

SKILLS:

• Excellent communication, leadership, and interpersonal skills.

PREFERRED:

• Certification in Project Management (PMP) and/or Six Sigma Green/Black Belt.
• Familiarity with advanced manufacturing technologies (e.g., automation, IoT, AI).
• Experience in cost analysis and budgeting for engineering projects.

Western Digital 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.

Western Digital 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.

Western Digital 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 jobs.accommodations@wdc.com 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.

Based on our experience, we anticipate that the application deadline will be 02/07/2025 (3 months from posting), although we reserve the right to close the application process sooner if we hire an applicant for this position before the application deadline. If we are not able to hire someone from this role before the application deadline, we will update this posting with a new anticipated application deadline.

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.
• 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.