Principal Engineer, Product Development Engineering

Sandisk; Milpitas (CA); On-site; USD 142,000 - 241,000; Full time

Job summary

Sandisk in Milpitas, CA seeks a Principal Engineer, Product Development Engineering to lead development from concept to qualification and launch. You will steer cross-functional teams, mentor engineers, and ensure exceptional product reliability through robust test strategies and data-driven decisions.

The role emphasizes root-cause analysis, cross-team collaboration, and leadership in delivering high-quality memory products that meet customer expectations.

Qualifications

• Requires a Bachelor's in Electrical/Computer Engineering with 8+ years of experience.
• Experience in product development engineering, troubleshooting, and failure analysis.
• Strong written and verbal English communication skills; leadership and mentoring abilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead from pre-silicon design through full qualification and production.
• Develop test strategies, flows, and stress screening methods.
• Perform root cause analysis and implement corrective actions.
• Collaborate with design, device, manufacturing and quality teams.
• Define product specs, test algorithms, and data-driven improvements.
• Monitor quality metrics and drive continuous improvement.

Skills

Leadership

Failure analysis

Data analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Specifications & testing

Project management

Mentoring

Communication to leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical/Computer Engineering

Master's degree (preferred)

Tools

DFM/DFT knowledge

Test equipment familiarity

Job description

• Full-time
• Salary Range: 142,000.00-241,400.00
• Job Type (exemption status): Exempt position - Please see related compensation & benefits details below
• Business Function: Product Development Engineering

Company Description

Sandisk understands how people and businesses consume data and we relentlessly innovate to deliver solutions that enable today’s needs and tomorrow’s next big ideas. With a rich history of groundbreaking innovations in Flash and advanced memory technologies, our solutions have become the beating heart of the digital world we’re living in and that we have the power to shape.

Sandisk meets people and businesses at the intersection of their aspirations and the moment, enabling them to keep moving and pushing possibility forward. We do this through the balance of our powerhouse manufacturing capabilities and our industry-leading portfolio of products that are recognized globally for innovation, performance and quality.

Sandisk has two facilities recognized by the World Economic Forum as part of the Global Lighthouse Network for advanced 4IR innovations. These facilities were also recognized as Sustainability Lighthouses for breakthroughs in efficient operations. With our global reach, we ensure the global supply chain has access to the Flash memory it needs to keep our world moving forward.

Job Description

We're looking for an experienced and visionary Principal Engineer, Product Development Engineering to join our team in Milpitas, United States. In this pivotal role, you will drive the development and optimization of innovative products from conception through qualification, ensuring exceptional quality and reliability. You will lead cross-functional teams, mentor engineering talent, and champion technical excellence while collaborating closely with design, manufacturing, and quality teams to deliver products that exceed customer expectations.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Lead and drive product development initiatives from pre-silicon design through first silicon and full qualification, ensuring alignment with technology and product roadmaps
• Develop and implement comprehensive test strategies, test flows, and screening methodologies that optimize product quality and reliability metrics
• Conduct in-depth electrical and functional failure analysis during new product development and qualification phases, identifying root causes and defining corrective action plans
• Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders including design engineers, device engineers, manufacturing partners, and quality teams to resolve complex technical challenges
• Define and refine product specifications, test algorithms, and stress screening methods based on rigorous data analysis and industry best practices
• Monitor product quality metrics and reliability performance across product lines, driving continuous improvement initiatives and process optimization
• Partner with system and firmware teams to develop robust error handling algorithms and enhance overall product resilience
• Mentor and support junior engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence, innovation, and collaborative problem-solving
• Communicate technical findings, recommendations, and strategic insights to senior leadership and cross-functional partners with clarity and precision
• Manage project timelines, deliverables, and resource allocation to ensure efficient execution and on-time product launches

Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field with 8+ years of experience
• Hands-on experience in product development engineering, with demonstrated expertise in troubleshooting and failure analysis
• Deep understanding of electrical failure analysis methodologies and proven ability to diagnose root causes and implement corrective actions
• Strong analytical and data interpretation skills, including statistical analysis and data-driven decision-making
• Demonstrated experience with product lifecycle management from design through qualification and production
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English
• Proven leadership capability with experience mentoring and developing engineering teams
• Self-motivated and passionate about solving complex technical problems with resilience and determination

Preferred:

• Master's degree in Electrical Engineering or related discipline with 6+years of experience
• Experience with semiconductor or memory product development
• Familiarity with system architecture, firmware principles, and device physics
• Knowledge of design for manufacturability (DFM) and design for testability (DFT) principles
• Experience with quality metrics such as DPPM (Defective Parts Per Million) evaluation and improvement
• Project management certification or demonstrated project leadership experience
• Experience with advanced testing and characterization equipment

**CORE COMPETENCIES:**

• Technical Leadership and Strategic Thinking
• Failure Analysis and Problem Resolution
• Data Analysis and Statistical Interpretation
• Cross-Functional Collaboration and Stakeholder Management
• Product Quality and Reliability Optimization
• Process Improvement and Innovation
• Team Mentoring and Development
• Technical Documentation and Specification Development

Additional Information

Sandisk 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 .

Sandisk 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.

Sandisk 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 [emailprotected] 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 11/27/2026(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.

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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 Sandisk'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 Sandisk'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 Sandisk's 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.