Manager Metrology Equipment Engineering

Manager Metrology Equipment Engineering Full-time Job Type (exemption status): Exempt position - Please see related compensation & benefits details below Salary Range: 177,400.00-236,500.00 Business Function: Hardware Development Work Location: San Jose Great Oaks Headquarters--LOC_WDT_USCA23 Location (Secondary): Fremont Office--LOC_WDT_USCA13 Company Description WD is building the infrastructure behind the AI-driven data economy. As AI scales, so does data. Every interaction, every model, every system generates data that must be stored, managed, and made accessible over time. That’s where we come in. We combine deep engineering expertise with global-scale manufacturing to deliver the storage systems that make AI possible, powering hyperscale data centers, cloud platforms, and enterprise infrastructure worldwide. This isn’t theoretical work. It’s real systems, at real scale, people solving some of the hardest challenges in technology today. We’re looking for people who want to build, solve, and operate at that level. Join us and let’s shape the future of data. Job Description Role Overview We are seeking an experienced and strategic Metrology Equipment Engineering Manager to lead a team of Metrology Equipment Engineers supporting wafer manufacturing operations in San Jose and Fremont. In this role, you will be responsible for the technical direction, operational performance, and continuous improvement of the wafer metrology equipment fleet. You will serve as the primary escalation point for equipment issues across the metrology engineering team, drive prioritization decisions that balance line availability, quality risk, and resource capacity, and develop your team's technical and professional capabilities. You will partner closely with manufacturing, process integration, quality, and equipment supplier teams to ensure measurement systems meet the precision and throughput demands of leading-edge HDD wafer production. Essential Duties and Responsibilities Team Leadership & People Management Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Metrology Equipment Engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence, accountability, and continuous learning Set clear performance expectations, conduct regular 1:1s, and deliver timely, constructive feedback through formal performance reviews and ongoing coaching Support career development planning for team members across technical and leadership growth paths Drive team engagement, retention, and skill development through targeted training, stretch assignments, and cross-functional exposure Onboard new team members and ensure effective knowledge transfer across the team Model adoption of AI-assisted analysis tools and automation workflows to elevate team efficiency and analytical capability Escalation Management Serve as the primary technical escalation point for all wafer metrology equipment issues, including critical measurement excursions, tool downtime, and data quality anomalies Apply structured problem-solving methodologies (8D, RCCA, DMAIC) to drive rapid and permanent resolution of high-severity equipment issues Engage with equipment suppliers, field service engineers, and internal stakeholders to resolve complex technical issues that exceed individual engineer scope Maintain clear escalation pathways and communication protocols to ensure manufacturing leadership is informed of risk exposure and recovery timelines Own post-incident reviews to capture learnings and prevent recurrence across the fleet Prioritization & Resource Management Manage and prioritize workload across the team to align metrology engineering resources with production urgency, quality risk, and strategic program milestones Balance competing demands across preventive maintenance schedules, qualification activities, excursion investigations, and improvement projects Develop and maintain a team capacity model to support headcount planning, overtime decisions, and contractor or vendor resource allocation