HDD Cloud Storage, Field Application Engineer

Western Digital; San Jose (CA); Hybrid; USD 131,000 - 187,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative firm seeks a Field Application Engineer to join its dynamic team in San Jose. This role involves building strong technical relationships with customers and supporting key Cloud and OEM accounts. You will drive customer qualification plans, conduct on-site failure analysis, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to resolve technical issues. The ideal candidate is self-sufficient, possesses excellent communication skills, and has a deep understanding of storage technologies. Join a company that thrives on diversity and is committed to pushing the boundaries of technology, making extraordinary things possible.

Benefits

Paid vacation time

Medical/dental/vision insurance

Life insurance

Employee assistance program

Tax-advantaged flexible spending accounts

Short-Term Incentive Plan

Long-Term Incentive program (RSUs)

Paid sick leave

Qualifications

• 10+ years in a technical customer-facing role, skilled in storage architectures.
• Experience with debugging and creating failure analysis reports.

Responsibilities

• Manage product qualification and lead technical meetings with customers.
• Provide technical support and conduct failure analysis.

Skills

Technical customer-facing experience

Problem-solving skills

Excellent communication skills

Project management skills

Debugging and failure analysis

Interpersonal skills

Education

BS or MS in Computer Science or Engineering

Tools

Protocol analyzers

Job description

Company Description

At Western Digital, our vision is to power global innovation and push the boundaries of technology to make what you thought was once impossible, possible.

Salary Range: 131,920.00-186,900.00

At our core, Western Digital is a company of problem solvers. People achieve extraordinary things given the right technology. For decades, we’ve been doing just that. Our technology helped people put a man on the moon.

We are a key partner to some of the largest and highest growth organizations in the world. From energizing the most competitive 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.

We offer an expansive portfolio of technologies, storage devices and platforms for business and consumers alike. Our data-centric solutions are comprised of the Western Digital, G-Technology, SanDisk and WD brands.

Job Description

Western Digital is seeking a Field Application Engineer to join our technical sales and support team. We are looking for candidates that can work in a rapidly evolving and dynamic environment and are able to build strong technical relationships with customers.

As a Field Applications Engineer you will be part of a high performing team supporting key Cloud and OEM accounts. Candidate will be responsible for delivering value add proposition of the products and technologies to our customers, driving customer qualification plans and activities with the customer and Western Digital teams, completing on-site failure analysis and debug work, working with customer and cross functional teams resolving manufacturing and field activities. This includes gathering customer requirements, failure analysis and debug, coordinating technical meetings, and driving technical escalations.

Candidates for this role need to be highly motivated, self-sufficient, and demonstrate strong leadership skills. Individuals should possess excellent technical and communication skills on technical issues and requirements. Occasional domestic or international travel. This position is full-time and located in San Jose, CA with possible option for working remote.

Responsibilities

• Manage product qualification and associated activities.
• Work with customers on defining qualification plans, sample requirements, design/feature requirements and communicate internally.
• Understand customer qualification processes and applications.
• Lead qualification and technical meetings with customer.
• Lead the team in resolving technical issues and work with cross functional teams on resolution.
• Represent and advocate customer needs and priorities to internal teams.
• Provide technical support and documentation.
• Debug and 1st level failure analysis.

Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• BS or MS in Computer Science or Engineering.
• More than ten years’ experience in a technical customer-facing role.
• Familiar with storage architectures and concepts such as erasure coding, distributed file systems, object storage, Linux OS.
• Working knowledge of HDD along with SAS/SATA interfaces.
• Experience with debugging, analyzing, and resolving storage related issues.
• Experience with protocol analyzers.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Excellent project management skills.
• Experience with creating failure analysis reports and 8D reports.

Additional Information

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, sex, gender, age, national origin, sexual orientation, medical condition, marital status, physical disability, mental disability, genetic information, military and veteran status, or other legally protected characteristics.

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 are committed to an inclusive environment where every individual can thrive through a sense of belonging, respect and contribution.

Compensation & Benefits Details

• An employee’s pay position within the salary range may be based on several factors including but not limited to relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, ability, knowledge of the job, performance, contribution and results, geographic location, shift, internal and external equity, and 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.
• 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.
• 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; and other voluntary benefit programs.