Senior Manager, Information Technology

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.

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 and capture the first-ever picture of a black hole.

We offer an expansive portfolio of technologies, HDDs, and platforms for business, creative professionals, and consumers alike under our Western Digital®, WD®, WD_BLACK™, and SanDisk® Professional brands.

We are a key partner to some of the largest and highest-growth organizations in the world. From enabling systems to make cities safer and more connected, to powering the data centers behind many of the world’s biggest companies and hyperscale cloud providers, to meeting the massive and ever-growing data storage needs of the AI era, Western Digital is fueling a brighter, smarter future.

Today’s exceptional challenges require your unique skills. Together, we can build the future of data storage.

Essential duties and responsibilities

• Automation IT MFG Senior Manager and Trusted Business Partner providing single point-of-contact accountability to Wafer Business Leadership for Automation requirements and intake,  project deliverables and timelines, and Service Level Agreements necessary to provide MFG Operations 24x7 IT Systems availability
• Liaison to all IT Support Functions to ensure consistent integrity of Wafer Automation solution architecture and foster functional relationships with other project and supporting application owners.
• Nurture DevOps philosophy and strategies to assure software development (Dev) and IT operations (Ops) deliver automation and image analytic applications faster and more reliably, emphasizing collaboration, automation, continuous feedback, and integration throughout the software lifecycle for quicker, higher-quality releases. 
• Break down existing silos between application developers and encourage them to work as one team during the planning, coding, building, testing, deploying, operating, and monitoring DevOps cycle to increase velocity and better serve customers. 
• Foster a culture that nurtures digital transformation and optimizes application delivery timelines while minimizing effort and costs.
• Assure IT MFG Change Process Guidelines are followed to assure no unplanned MFG impacts due to changes to any component within the IT infrastructure and application sphere.
• Validate the alignment of Wafer IT MFG solutions with corporate standards and compliance requirements. Establish and enforce IT security standards and protocols specific to the manufacturing domain.
• Keep abreast of emerging technologies and trends in the manufacturing IT landscape. Possess a deep understanding of current technology, solutions, and industry trends, and conceptualize solutions that effectively address business needs, opportunities, and challenges. Lead discussions on solution options/alternatives and their associated impacts.
• Work with IT MFG Architecture team to develop and oversee the IT architecture roadmap for the Wafer manufacturing domain, ensuring seamless alignment with the overarching enterprise architecture strategy. Maintain comprehensive documentation for automation IT architecture and systems.
• Conduct thorough analyses of Wafer manufacturing processes and workflows to pinpoint opportunities for IT-driven automation and optimization. Effectively manage and prioritize a portfolio of automation IT projects within the wafer manufacturing domain.
• Support Wafer IT architecture plans and documentation for the architectural review process (e.g., ARB) and architecture team to facilitate discussions regarding necessary modifications to project solution architecture, overcoming design challenges, or addressing deviations observed in project design.
• Support IT MFG Wafer efforts to provide digital transparency for automation application solutions and meaningful KPI Metrics that provide the business with necessary insights to make the appropriate financial decisions that optimize revenue.  
• Constant business interfacing requires on-site presence at either Great Oaks San Jose,  or Fremont MFG Factories 5 days per week. 

 Required

• Bachelors degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Information Systems, or related field.
• Strong knowledge of industrial automation protocols & standards (Secs Gem, Modbus, OPC UA).
• Strong DevOps background with proven history of tranforming IT development teams into highly efficient and structured units capable of managing large projects by incrementing development workload to lower cost regions when necessary. 
• Strong leadership and emotional intelligence skills with experience in managing cross-functional teams.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively collaborate with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Minimum 7 years of experience in IT architecture design and implementation, with a strong focus on the automation and manufacturing domains.
• Minimum 10 total years' experience in other technical roles such as developer or system analyst.
• Experience with MES and Manufacturing workflow and process technologies.
• Experience with data analytics and visualization tools.
• Proficiency in Agile development methodologies and Project Management methodologies.
• Deep understanding of IT security principles and best practices in the manufacturing environment.
• Expertise in cloud computing platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud) and their application in manufacturing IT.
• Strong knowledge of IoT technologies and their integration with manufacturing systems.
• Experience with ERP systems and their integration with manufacturing processes.
• Proficiency in programming languages relevant to manufacturing IT (e.g., Python, Java, C++)

Preferred: 

• Masters degree in a relevant field such as Computer Science, Engineering, or Information Systems.
• Industry certifications such as CISSP, PMP, or ITIL.
• Experience with lean manufacturing principles and Six Sigma methodologies.
• Knowledge of semiconductor manufacturing processes and technologies.
• Experience with digital twin technology and its application in manufacturing.

 

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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 [email protected] 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 09-24-2025 (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

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