Firmware Engineering Lead – Embedded Storage

Western Digital Corporation; Rochester (MN); On-site; USD 137,000 - 183,000; Full time

Job summary

Western Digital Corporation is seeking a Manager of Firmware Development to lead a team delivering embedded firmware for complex storage products. You will guide architecture, design, and release activities while partnering with hardware, validation, and manufacturing to ensure robust solutions.

The role demands hands-on leadership, 7+ years in embedded firmware, and 1+ year of people management, with strong C/C++ skills and a track record of shipping full product lifecycles.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field.
• 7+ years of embedded or firmware development experience, with meaningful experience leading engineering teams.
• 1+ years of people management or equivalent leadership experience.
• Strong technical foundation in embedded systems and firmware development using C/C++; experience with low-level software, device control, drivers, and hardware/software integration.
• Experience leading teams through full product development cycles from concept through release and sustaining support.

Responsibilities

• Lead, develop, and retain a team of firmware engineers across architecture, design, implementation, integration, debug, and sustaining activities.
• Set goals, priorities, and execution plans aligned with product roadmaps and quality expectations.
• Drive firmware development with disciplined engineering practices: design reviews, coding standards, defect management, test strategy, and release readiness.
• Provide technical and organizational leadership for embedded firmware development and hardware interfaces.
• Guide debugging across firmware, hardware, system, and platform interactions; support root-cause analysis and corrective action closure.
• Partner with ASIC, hardware, systems, validation, manufacturing, reliability, and program teams to deliver complete solutions.
• Balance near-term execution with longer-term improvements in team capability, processes, tools, and roadmap.
• Review designs, development plans, and analyses to ensure sound decisions and risk management.
• Establish a high-accountability, collaborative environment for engineers at varying levels.
• Manage resource planning, work allocation, hiring, onboarding, and succession planning for firmware.
• Communicate status, risks, dependencies, and key technical decisions to leadership and stakeholders.
• Ensure documentation is complete across requirements, design artifacts, investigations, and release materials.

Skills

Embedded firmware development

People management

C/C++

Debugging & root-cause

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer/Elec Eng or related field

Tools

Firmware dev tools / emulation & simulation

CI/CD practices

Job description

Western Digital Corporation is seeking a Manager of Firmware Development to lead a team delivering embedded firmware for complex storage products. You will guide architecture, design, and release activities while partnering with hardware, validation, and manufacturing to ensure robust solutions.

The role demands hands-on leadership, 7+ years in embedded firmware, and 1+ year of people management, with strong C/C++ skills and a track record of shipping full product lifecycles.