Summer 2026 Intern - SOT Reader Film Research

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®, and ™.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.The CTO office focuses on developing and accessing next-generation materials and device technologies for scalable manufacturing. This includes areas such as spintronics, magnetic thin films, spin-orbit torque (SOT) materials, advanced deposition processes, nanoscale characterization, device integration, and emerging memory solutions.We are seeking a highly motivated Research Intern to join our team, focusing on Spin-orbit torque (SOT) thin-film development for HDD read-head magnetic sensor applications . This role emphasizes SOT film research and development, test-chip fabrication and testing, device performance, and manufacturability. The responsibilities of this position include:Collaborate with researchers and engineers to develop and optimize SOT thin film stacks compatible with semiconductor manufacturing requirementsSupport thin film deposition and process tuning using industry-standard tools (e.g., sputtering, PVD), with attention to uniformity, repeatability, and yieldPerform electrical, magnetic, and structural characterization to evaluate film quality, SOT efficiency, switching current, and reliability metricsAnalyze device performance and variability using experimental data, statistical methods, and compact modeling approachesAssist in integrating SOT thin films into prototype devices and test structures, working closely with fabrication and test teamsDocument processes, results, and best practices in technical reports to support technology transfer and scale-up effortsContribute to cross-functional meetings with device, integration, and reliability teams to review results and align on development goalsThis position is part of our Early Career program Early Career program is designed to support individuals beginning their professional career by providing the foundational training through a structured onboarding, mentorship, and development curriculum.Currently pursuing BS in Engineering, Physics, Computer Science, or Mathematics or related fieldKnowledge of programming languages like Python or MATLAB and statistical analysis, and experience in system control and electrical testing.Passionate about problem-solving, research, and tackling complex technical challengesExcellent written and oral communication skills in EnglishWestern 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…