Senior Engineer, Process Development & Sustaining Engineering

Westerndigital; Bayan Lepas; On-site; MYR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Westerndigital in Penang, Malaysia, seeks a Senior Engineer for Process Development & Sustaining to lead development, optimization, and ongoing support of HDD manufacturing processes. The role requires strong chemistry/materials science foundations and cross-functional collaboration with R&D and production teams.

The candidate will mentor junior engineers, drive DOE and qualification activities, ensure process stability, and contribute to cost-competitive manufacturing while complying with WD

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or related discipline with strong industry experience.
• Master's Degree in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Chemistry, Polymer Science, or related field.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop new manufacturing processes or significantly improve existing ones for HDD production.
• Conduct Design of Experiments (DOE) to characterize process windows, key parameters, and optimize outputs.
• Evaluate and qualify new chemicals, materials, and process consumables for manufacturing use.
• Develop process recipes, control plans, and SOPs.
• Translate R&D/lab-scale processes into robust, scalable, high-volume manufacturing processes.
• Own sustaining engineering for assigned process modules and ensure process stability and control.
• Lead ECOs for process changes and material updates, manage deviations, and maintain QMS documentation.
• Lead chemical/material qualification activities including material testing and qualification studies.

Skills

DOE methodologies

Six Sigma / Lean

Statistical analysis

Cross-functional teamwork

Mentoring

Presentations

Chemistry fundamentals

Materials science background

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Chemical Engineering or Materials Science

Master's Degree in Chemical Engineering or related field

Tools

JMP

Minitab

Job description

Job Description

The Senior Engineer, Process Development & Sustaining will lead the development, optimization, and sustaining of manufacturing processes for WD's HDD storage products. This is a technically deep, cross-functional role requiring strong foundation in chemistry, materials science, or chemical engineering.

You will drive process characterization, chemical/material qualification, and yield improvement initiatives while ensuring manufacturing processes remain stable, compliant, and cost-competitive. You are expected to operate with high technical autonomy, interface with global R&D and process teams, and mentor junior engineers on the Penang floor.

This role is ideal for a Master's, or Bachelor's graduate in Chemical Engineering or Materials Science who is passionate about translating lab-scale science into high-volume manufacturing solutions.

Key Responsibilities

Process Developmen t

• Design and develop new manufacturing processes or significantly improve existing ones for HDD production
• Conduct Design of Experiments (DOE) to characterize process windows, identify critical process parameters (CPPs), and optimize process outputs
• Evaluate and qualify new chemicals, materials, and process consumables for manufacturing use
• Develop process recipes, control plans, and standard operating procedures (SOPs)
• Translate R&D/lab-scale processes into robust, scalable, high-volume manufacturing processes

Process Sustaining

• Own sustaining engineering for assigned process modules - ensure processes remain stable, in control, and within specification
• Monitor Statistical Process Control (SPC) charts; respond to out-of-control signals with structured problem-solving
• Lead Engineering Change Orders (ECOs) for process changes, chemical substitutions, and material updates
• Manage process deviation requests and ensure timely resolution
• Maintain process documentation, control plans, and work instructions per WD QMS

Chemical & Material Engineering

• Lead chemical/material qualification activities including incoming material testing, process compatibility studies, and shelf-life evaluations
• Evaluate alternative chemistries and materials for cost reduction, sustainability, or supply chain risk mitigation
• Work with EHS team to ensure safe handling, storage, and disposal of process chemicals per regulatory requirements
• Support RoHS, REACH, and PFAS compliance reviews for process chemicals and materials

Yield & Quality Improvement

• Lead yield loss analysis and drive structured RCCA (Root Cause and Corrective Action) for process-related defects
• Apply Six Sigma / SPC / Lean methodologies to reduce process variation and improve Cpk
• Partner with Quality Engineering to resolve customer escapes and field returns linked to process issues
• Drive continuous improvement projects with measurable cost and quality impact

NPI & Technology Transfer

• Support New Product Introduction (NPI) process readiness - from process concept to mass production release
• Lead or support technology transfer of new processes from R&D/HQ to Penang manufacturing
• Develop process qualification protocols (PQ), installation qualification (IQ), and operational qualification (OQ) plans

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Interface with R&D, Product Engineering, Quality, EHS, Supply Chain, and Equipment Engineering teams globally
• Present process data, findings, and recommendations to senior management and global stakeholders
• Collaborate with equipment engineers on process-equipment interactions and optimization

People & Mentorship

• Mentor and coach junior and mid-level process engineers
• Lead technical reviews, knowledge-sharing sessions, and engineering forums
• Support capability building within the Penang process engineering team

Academic Qualification :

Bachelor's Degree (BSc/BEng) in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or related discipline with strong industry experience

Master's Degree (MSc/MEng) in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Chemistry, Polymer Science, or related field

Experience and Skills Required :

• Minimum 5-10 years experience in process or manufacturing environment.
• Knowledge on HDD media cleaning technology will be added advantage.
• Knowledge in SPC, FMEA, Technical Report Writing and DOE run.
• Green Belt or Lean Six Sigma will be and added advantages.
• Good technical presentation skill.
• Good communication skill.
• Technical Skills - Core

Technical Skills - Core

• Strong fundamentals in chemistry, materials science
• Proficiency in DOE methodologies (full factorial, RSM, Taguchi)
• Working knowledge of Statistical Process Control (SPC) and statistical analysis tools (JMP, Minitab, or equivalent)
• Familiarity with thin film, surface treatment, wet chemical, cleaning
• Understanding of failure analysis techniques (SEM, EDX, XRD, FTIR, or equivalent)
• Knowledge of chemical safety, EHS regulations, and REACH/RoHS compliance

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