Summer 2026 Intern - HAMR Component Testing

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ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES The intern will work with the tribological component testing team supporting Heat-Assisted Magnetic Recording (HAMR) technology. The project focuses on understanding and improving head-disk interface components operating under extreme conditions in HAMR. The intern will design and perform experiments to characterize tribological behavior of lubricants, overcoats and other materials relevant to HAMR head-disk interfaces and contribute to the development of next-generation storage technologies. This role is part of WD's early career development program. WD's early career development program is ideal for individuals at the early stages of their professional career. Participants receive foundational training through structured onboarding, mentorship, and a curated development curriculum. The responsibilities of this role are typically aligned with candidates who have approximately 0-2+ years of relevant professional experience, though candidates of all experience levels are encouraged to apply. REQUIRED Currently pursuing a PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Tribology, Physics, or a related fields Strong background in tribology, contact mechanics, surface science, or thin film materials Ability to work hands-on with precision mechanical testing systems Experience with experimental methods and data analysis Programming experience in Python, MATLAB, or similar PREFERRED Experience with surface characterization techniques, such as optical microscopy, SEM, AFM, surface profilometry Knowledge of lubrication, DLC coatings, or surface engineering Experience with thermal or thermo-mechanical effects in sliding interfaces Background in statistical analysis or design of experiments (DOE) Strong experimental problem-solving ability Document results and present findings to the research and engineering teams Contribute to development of improved test methodologies or reliability models Salary Range: 42.02-56.00 WD 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 . WD 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. WD 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 jobs.accommodations@wdc.com 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 08/18/2026 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. #LI-MT 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 com

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