Senior Director of IT DevOps - Manufacturing Technology

Position Overview

We are seeking a visionary Senior Director of DevOps to lead our manufacturing technology transformation, driving smart automation, data-driven operations, and cloud modernization across our manufacturing enterprise. This strategic role will spearhead the convergence of IT and OT systems, implementing cutting-edge DevOps practices specifically tailored for manufacturing environments.

Key Responsibilities

Platform Engineering for Smart Automation and Engineering Data Collection & Statistical Process Control

• Lead development of unified manufacturing platforms integrating IoT, AI/ML, and automation systems
• Architect comprehensive data collection systems from manufacturing equipment and sensors
• Design and implement platform engineering solutions for real-time manufacturing data processing
• Establish Statistical Process Control (SPC) frameworks with automated data collection and analysis
• Oversee edge computing solutions for manufacturing floor operations

• Implement automated data validation, cleansing, and standardization processes
• Design dashboards and analytics platforms for manufacturing KPIs and metrics
• Lead implementation of machine learning models for process optimization
• Drive adoption of advanced analytics for yield improvement and defect reduction

End-to-End Manufacturing Data Transformation

• Orchestrate complete data pipeline transformation from shop floor to executive dashboards
• Design data lakes and warehouses optimized for manufacturing time-series data
• Lead ETL/ELT process automation for manufacturing data workflows
• Establish data governance and lineage tracking for manufacturing operations
• Drive real-time data streaming and event-driven architectures for manufacturing processes

Cloud Opportunities for Manufacturing Systems

• Develop cloud migration strategies for manufacturing systems and applications
• Implement hybrid cloud solutions balancing security, latency, and compliance requirements
• Lead cloud-native application development for manufacturing operations
• Design disaster recovery and business continuity solutions for critical manufacturing systems
• Establish multi-cloud strategies for manufacturing system resilience

Software Development Architecture & Practices

• Define and implement DevOps practices tailored for manufacturing environments
• Establish CI/CD pipelines for manufacturing software and firmware deployments
• Drive adoption of microservices architecture for manufacturing applications
• Implement containerization strategies for manufacturing system portability
• Lead API-first development for manufacturing system integrations
• Establish secure software development lifecycle (SDLC) practices for manufacturing environments
• Integrate security practices into DevOps workflows (DevSecOps)
• Champion DevOps evangelism and knowledge sharing across the organization

Experience & Leadership

• 20+ years of experience in manufacturing technology, industrial automation, or related fields
• Proven track record of successful digital transformation in high volume transactions environment
• Experience leading large-scale system modernization projects
• Strong background in both IT and OT (Operational Technology) systems

Technical Expertise

• Experience with CI/CD pipelines for manufacturing software deployment
• Knowledge of version control and configuration management for manufacturing systems
• Understanding of agile methodologies adapted for manufacturing environments
• Experience with monitoring and observability for manufacturing systems
• Proficiency in multiple programming languages (Python, C#, Java, etc.)
• Deep expertise in manufacturing execution systems (MES), SCADA, and PLCs
• Experience with industrial protocols (OPC-UA, Modbus, Ethernet/IP, MQTT)
• Knowledge of Statistical Process Control (SPC) and Six Sigma methodologies
• Understanding of lean manufacturing principles and continuous improvement practices
• Experience with predictive maintenance and condition monitoring systems
• Expertise in cloud platforms with manufacturing focus (AWS IoT, Azure IoT, Google Cloud IoT)
• Experience with edge computing platforms and industrial gateways
• Proficiency in containerization (Docker, Kubernetes) for manufacturing applications
• Knowledge of infrastructure as code for manufacturing environments
• Understanding of industrial cybersecurity and OT network security

Soft Skills & Competencies

• Exceptional strategic thinking and ability to translate business needs into technical solutions
• Strong communication skills with ability to engage both technical teams and executive leadership
• Proven change management capabilities in traditional manufacturing environments
• Experience building bridges between IT, OT, and manufacturing operations teams
• Track record of driving innovation while maintaining operational stability

Western Digital is committed to providing equal opportunities to all applicants and employees and will not discriminate 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 Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law poster.

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.

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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].