Sr. Manager, Maintenance Engineering

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.

Western Digital is seeking a responsible individual to fill the position of Sr. Manager Facilities Engineering and Maintenance & Operations at the Fremont Site, reporting to the Sr. Director of Corporate Real Estate & Workplace (CREW).  The Fremont location is a Wafer Fab semi-conductor manufacturing plant which operates 24/7. It is a critical resource in the supply of Hard Disk Drives to the global market.  

Western Digital's Fremont site is located at 41000 Osgood Rd. The site consists of 2 buildings (B1 & B2) at 290,000 SF square feet of Offices, Labs, Cleanrooms, manufacturing, and warehouse space.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: 

Leadership and team management

• Provide vision and strategic direction for the facilities team, which includes engineers, technicians, and contractors.
• Lead, mentor, and develop team members, cultivating a culture of innovation, accountability, and excellence.
• Collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, such as manufacturing, equipment, and EH&S, to align on business objectives. 

Operations and maintenance

• Manage the day-to-day operations and maintenance of critical fab systems, including HVAC, Ultra-Pure Water (UPW), wastewater treatment, chemical and gas delivery, and Building Management Systems (BMS).
• Develop and implement preventive maintenance (PM) schedules and procedures to maximize equipment uptime and reliability.
• Oversee the Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) for tracking maintenance activities, work orders, and asset management.
• Lead rapid and effective emergency response for any facility excursions to minimize impact on production. 

Engineering and project management

• Manage a portfolio of capital improvement projects, including the installation of new equipment, fab infrastructure upgrades, and system capacity expansions.
• Review new equipment facility requirements and coordinate tool installations with production and equipment teams.
• Planning and designing equipment layouts and renovations.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance facility efficiency, lower costs, and improve system reliability. 

Budget and finance

• Develop, control, and manage the facilities-related budget for operational expenses and capital investment projects.
• Manage contracts and relationships with external vendors and service providers, negotiating terms for high-value services.
• Track key performance indicator (KPI) metrics to measure and report on the performance of facilities against budget and operational goals. 

Safety, environmental, and quality

• Ensure full compliance with all safety, environmental, and building regulations, including OSHA, EPA, and local codes.
• Oversee EH&S programs, manage hazardous materials, and participate in audits and quality investigations.
• Develop and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and robust emergency response plans.
• Champion sustainability and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) goals by tracking and reducing utility consumption and waste. 

Duties of Sr. Manager Facilities Engineering and Maintenance & Operations

• Maintain Site Operations and coordinate with Wafer Manufacture Process teams
• Develop and monitor progressive and long-range preventative maintenance policies, procedures, and programs that contribute to the sustained investment value of all facilities and installed operating components.
• Oversee the performance of maintenance and repair work for the applicable department. Capable of establishing and operating the work order system to support delegate, monitor, and report on completed orders.
• Develop policies and procedures that respond to ongoing physical concerns of all buildings and building systems. 24/7 responsibilities for the applicable department. Maintain supplies inventory for systems, building components, and other items pertinent to the operation and Electrical Distribution, which include establishing critical spare parts lists.
• Provide coordination and procurement documentation to project management and contract administration personnel for building and building systems operations, maintenance and repair. Oversee projects concerning building systems, structure, energy management, and environmental conditions.
• Analyze a variety of technical engineering data, methods, and practices in determining appropriateness and effectiveness of maintenance operations, operating systems, and plant efficiencies.
• Manage building operation budget and control expenses. Manage building operations to assure high efficiency, cost effectiveness, and asset preservation.
• Meet with Wafer Manufacturing points-of-contact to establish lines of communication for the proper completion of assigned tasks.  Will be required to meet with various governmental controlling agencies to generate reports and provide information to demonstrate compliance with regulatory laws.
• Performance management of subordinate Maintenance and Operations staff, assuring appropriate human resources policy and practice, and timely, quality services to the facilities and its occupants. 
• Conducts employee performance evaluations.
• Ensures that the Operations and Maintenance staff is properly trained in safety, complex maintenance activities, and established operating policy and procedures.
• Prepare and deliver periodic presentations on delegated initiatives and projects as directed by management and leadership.
• Prepare and deliver KPI performance for area of responsibility including financial targets, work orders, and employee performance reviews.
• Assist procurement with sourcing best-in-class service partners, creating scopes of work, and issuing purchase requisitions. Includes SLA enforcement and monitoring service partner performance.

• Experience: A minimum of 10–15 years of progressive experience in facilities management, with several years in a leadership role within a semiconductor or other critical high-tech manufacturing environment.
• Education: A bachelor’s in Mechanical, Electrical, or Chemical Engineering, Facilities Management, or a related technical field is typically required.
• Technical Knowledge:
  • Strong understanding of complex facility systems, including HVAC, electrical distribution, high-purity water, and chemical delivery.
  • Experience with Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS) like Maximo, Wonderware, Johnson Controls and Building Automation Systems (BAS).
  • Familiarity with cleanroom environments, protocols, and equipment.
• Skills and Competencies:
  • Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills to manage diverse teams and interact with all levels of the organization.
  • Proven project management experience for delivering complex, high-stakes projects on time and within budget.
  • Strong problem-solving, analytical, and troubleshooting skills, with an emphasis on Root Cause Corrective Action.
  • Ability to work autonomously, make high-impact decisions, and adapt to a dynamic, 24/7 manufacturing environment. 

Desired Skills

Demonstrated leadership and people skills

Building management systems (BMS)

Impeccable verbal and written communication skills

Excellent project management skills

Strong understanding of Preventative Maintenance and control systems

Total Predictive Maintenance and Reliability Centered Maintenance systems

Candidate should have a good working knowledge of:

Cleanroom HVAC systems, VOC scrubbers, and exhaust systems

Fire/Life Safety systems, fire panels, detectors, sprinklers

Building Fire Life Safety codes

Electrical Systems - High Voltage, Medium Voltage, and Low Voltage

Waste Water Treatment and general understanding of EPA and RCRA regulations

RO/DI water

CDA and Process Vacuum system

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 1/1/2026 (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 this posting with a new anticipated application

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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 compensation for this role at the time of this posting.  We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range and this range is only applicable for jobs to be performed in California, Colorado, New York or remote jobs that can be performed in California, Colorado and New York.  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 will be eligible to be considered for bonuses under either Western Digital’s Short Term Incentive Plan (“STI Plan”) or the Sales Incentive Plan (“SIP”) which provides incentive awards based on Company and individual performance, depending on your role and your performance. 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 Western Digital’s Standard Terms and Conditions for Restricted Stock Unit Awards.

• We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid vacation time; paid sick leave; medical/dental/vision insurance; life, accident and disability insurance; tax-advantaged flexible spending and health savings accounts; employee assistance program; other voluntary benefit programs such as supplemental life and AD&D, legal plan, pet insurance, critical illness, accident and hospital indemnity; tuition reimbursement; transit; the Applause Program; employee stock purchase plan; and the Western Digital Savings 401(k) Plan.
• Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole discretion, consistent with the law.

Notice To Candidates: Please be aware that Western Digital 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 Western Digital Ethics Helpline or email [email protected].