HDM Principal Engineer (Data Storage)

Location: Based in the Shakopee, MN, Longmont, CO, or Fremont, CA offices, United States. Travel: Up to 10%.

Salary: $160,888–$238,912 annual base salary, depending on work location, skills, experience, and education.

Company

hirify.global develops high-capacity data storage technologies for AI, cloud, and hyperscale applications.

What you will do

• Drive development of adaptive fly-height and Field Adjust Fly Height technologies for next-generation storage products.
• Engineer Angstrom-level head-to-media spacing control using mechanical, electrical, chemical, and materials engineering principles.
• Solve multidisciplinary challenges involving drive design, recording performance, manufacturing yield, product reliability, and manufacturability.
• Partner with engineering, operations, suppliers, and research organizations to accelerate technology development and product readiness.
• Investigate critical performance and reliability issues through data-driven analysis and first-principles engineering.
• Lead the transition of breakthrough head-disk interface concepts into high-volume manufacturing solutions.

Requirements

• Strong technical leadership, communication, teamwork, and interpersonal skills in a global cross-functional engineering environment.
• Knowledge of head-disk interfaces, slider and tribology technologies, and fly-height adjustment.
• Understanding of HDD storage systems for enterprise server, desktop, and notebook applications.
• Experience with charting in Microsoft Excel, JMP, or Minitab; Python scripting and debugging; and data-acquisition automation.
• Statistical knowledge for data analysis and the ability to translate technical challenges into experiments, decisions, and implementation plans.
• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant engineering or science field with 15+ years of experience, master’s degree with 12+ years, PhD with 8+ years, or equivalent experience and education.

Nice to have

• Previous hard drive and slider technology experience.
• Experience leading teams and working with tribology.

Culture & Benefits

• Work alongside global experts across mechanics, tribology, materials science, chemistry, electronics, and recording physics.
• Access to collaborative engineering, manufacturing, operations, supplier, and research environments.
• Eligible employees may participate in discretionary bonuses, medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, disability coverage, 401(k), employee stock purchase, HSA, dependent-care, and healthcare spending accounts.
• Paid time off includes 12 holidays, flexible time off, at least 48 hours of paid sick leave, and 16 weeks of paid parental leave.
• Office campuses offer fitness facilities, wellness programs, cafeterias, employee resource groups, and community activities.