Western Digital: Quantum Compute Thin Film Stack Materials Engineer — San Jose, CA, United States

About Western Digital

Western Digital develops and manufactures data-storage technology for data centres, cloud platforms and enterprise infrastructure. Its employer introduction connects this work with the need to retain, manage and access information generated by digital systems and AI applications. The business brings engineering and manufacturing together around the physical systems behind data storage. Its described purpose is to make growing volumes of information available over time, supporting the infrastructure on which other digital services depend.

The position and its setting

Western Digital lists Quantum Compute Thin Film Stack Materials Engineer in San Jose, CA, United States, under reference REF34806M. The details below separate the work described by the employer from essential conditions, preferred experience and practical preparation advice.

• Employment type: Full-time
• Employer listing date: 9 October 2026
• Business Function: R&D Engineering
• Brands: Western Digital
• Work Location: San Jose Great Oaks Headquarters

Responsibilities and work described

• We are seeking a talented researcher to join our team and drive innovative research projects in quantum computing, specifically to focus on quantum compute materials thin film stack development
• The key emphasis of the project will be careful surface preparation, careful control of interfaces, grain size distribution, crystallinity and room temperature stack resistance
• The overarching goal of the project is to translate process uniformity abilities in Western Digital into resonator and qubit performance uniformity across the wafer, and from wafer to wafer
• In the course of the project, you will collaborate with nanofabrication scientists working on device nanofabrication, electrical characterization team focused on quantum characterization of devices and with device designers
• ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
• Leadership: and execute research projects in quantum computing thin film materials stack design, and surface and interfaces control
• Leadership: effort in thin film materials stack characterization
• Collaboration: with product teams to tackle novel challenges and develop innovative solutions
• Collaboration: Stay current with industry and academic trends, publishing papers and presenting at conferences
• Reporting: Develop and present detailed reports and visualizations to communicate findings, trends, and actionable insights to stakeholders at all levels
• Motivation: Highly self-motivated problem solver able to thrive in unstructured environment
• Independently pursue fundamental research, including paper writing and publishing
• Communication: written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present complex data and insights clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences
• Analytical Skills: Demonstrated ability to quickly grasp and address challenges outside of immediate field of expertise

Essential requirements and candidate background

• Required:
• Ph.D degree and post-doctoral experience in Physics, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science with focus on development of various (Al, Nb, Ta) thin film materials stacks for superconducting qubits
• Thorough understanding of superconducting qubit design theory
• Experience: thin film materials characterization including XRD, AFM, CIPT, cross-sectional TEM, XPS and other
• Proficiency: a wide array of programming languages, like Python, Rust, TCL, or C, and the ability to choose the right one for the task, including knowledge (or willingness to acquire knowledge) of FPGA based microcontrollers

Preferred experience and additional strengths

• Experience: nanofabrication methods for superconducting qubits is a plus

Location, schedule and contract conditions

For this overseas or regional listing, confirm work authorisation and any location restrictions with the employer. The location does not establish visa sponsorship or permission to work remotely from India.

• Work arrangement: On-site
• Advertised location: San Jose, CA, United States

Benefits mentioned by the employer

• The salary range is what we believe to be the range of possible compensation for this role at the time of this posting
• This range may be modified in the future
• If your position is non-exempt, you are eligible for overtime pay pursuant to company policy and applicable laws
• You may also be eligible for shift differential pay, depending on the shift to which you are assigned
• 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 WD's Standard Terms and Conditions for Restricted Stock Unit Awards
• Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable
• Notice To Candidates: Please be aware that WD and its subsidiaries will never request payment as a condition for applying for a position or receiving an offer of employment
• Should you encounter any such requests, please report it immediately to WD Ethics Helpline or email [email protected]

Conditions requiring the complete notice

Some passages contain complex or combined conditions that have not been reduced to short eligibility statements here. Read the complete linked notice for those passages, including any alternatives, exceptions or restrictions. The concise facts above should not be treated as the full wording of every condition.

Pay and application dates

A verified salary figure is not established in this article. An online estimate for another Quantum Compute Thin Film Stack Materials Engineer vacancy is not an offer for reference REF34806M; use the employer’s own pay disclosure and recruitment communication.

A closing date is not confirmed in this article. Check the current employer page before submitting: an undated posting can change or be withdrawn.

How to apply to Western Digital

Applications follow the official employer page linked below. The source includes these application-specific points:

Open the official Western Digital posting below and match the title and reference REF34806M.

Compare your qualifications and experience with the essential conditions for the San Jose, CA, United States position, then read the preferred criteria separately.

Prepare an accurate CV and the supporting items requested in that employer’s application. Provide only information and documents you are authorised to share.

Use the employer’s application option, complete the required fields and review the submission. Retain the acknowledgement when one is provided. Job Alerts World does not receive the application.

• Accommodation requests: [email protected]

Practical preparation: Python

Python work is easier to assess through a concrete example than a list of libraries. Explain the problem, the input data, the parts you implemented and how you checked the output. Include a repository or a short technical note when you can share it.

Relevant skills

• Python
• FPGA
• stakeholder management
• communication
• electrical engineering