Western Digital: Patent Technologist — San Jose, CA, United States

About Western Digital

Western Digital develops and manufactures data-storage technology for data centres, cloud platforms and enterprise infrastructure. Its employer introduction connects this work with the need to retain, manage and access information generated by digital systems and AI applications. The business brings engineering and manufacturing together around the physical systems behind data storage. Its described purpose is to make growing volumes of information available over time, supporting the infrastructure on which other digital services depend.

The position and its setting

Western Digital lists Patent Technologist in San Jose, CA, United States, under reference REF34876A. The details below separate the work described by the employer from essential conditions, preferred experience and practical preparation advice.

• Employment type: Full-time
• Employer listing date: 21 October 2026
• Business Function: Legal
• Brands: Western Digital
• Work Location: San Jose Great Oaks Headquarters

Responsibilities and work described

• This full-time, hybrid position will be based in San Jose, California or Irvine, California, and will report to the Assistant General Counsel, Patents
• Research / execution: patent landscape analyses responsive to client and business needs
• Assess the Company’s patent portfolio against technical developments and industry landscape to assist with maintenance/annuity fee review, high-value asset identification, and determination of new patent filing strategies
• Assess third party patents and portfolios to support litigation, licensing and M&A activities
• Support: the invention review process by assessing invention disclosures and gathering the necessary technical expert input
• Use AI-based patent analysis tools to support search, analysis, and portfolio evaluation work
• Collaboration: with patent attorneys and engineering teams to evaluate inventions and support the Company’s patent strategy
• Preparation: clear written analyses and communicate findings effectively to legal, technical, and business stakeholders

Essential requirements and candidate background

• Required:
• Familiarity: the patent process, including experience in patent prosecution, patent searching, or other patent portfolio or landscape analysis
• Experience: using AI-based patent analysis tools and manipulating large datasets to extract insights and high-level trends
• A Bachelor’s degree in the areas of engineering, physics, or materials science
• Written and oral communication skills and technical acumen to communicate effectively across technical and legal contexts

Education and qualification routes

• Degree / qualification: Graduate-level education (M.S. or Ph.D.) in engineering, physics, materials science, or a related technical field

Preferred experience and additional strengths

• Prior education and/or experience in semiconductor, magnetic and optical industries and related areas
• A patent agent registration with the U.S
• Patent and Trademark Office

Location, schedule and contract conditions

For this overseas or regional listing, confirm work authorisation and any location restrictions with the employer. The location does not establish visa sponsorship or permission to work remotely from India.

• Work arrangement: Hybrid
• Advertised location: San Jose, CA, United States

Benefits mentioned by the employer

• The salary range is what we believe to be the range of possible compensation for this role at the time of this posting
• 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 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 WD's Standard Terms and Conditions for Restricted Stock Unit Awards
• Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable
• Notice To Candidates: Please be aware that WD 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 WD Ethics Helpline or email compliance@wdc.com

Conditions requiring the complete notice

Some passages contain complex or combined conditions that have not been reduced to short eligibility statements here. Read the complete linked notice for those passages, including any alternatives, exceptions or restrictions. The concise facts above should not be treated as the full wording of every condition.

Pay and application dates

A verified salary figure is not established in this article. An online estimate for another Patent Technologist vacancy is not an offer for reference REF34876A; use the employer’s own pay disclosure and recruitment communication.

A closing date is not confirmed in this article. Check the current employer page before submitting: an undated posting can change or be withdrawn.

How to apply to Western Digital

Applications follow the official employer page linked below. The source includes these application-specific points:

Open the official Western Digital posting below and match the title and reference REF34876A.

Compare your qualifications and experience with the essential conditions for the San Jose, CA, United States position, then read the preferred criteria separately.

Prepare an accurate CV and the supporting items requested in that employer’s application. Provide only information and documents you are authorised to share.

Use the employer’s application option, complete the required fields and review the submission. Retain the acknowledgement when one is provided. Job Alerts World does not receive the application.

• Accommodation requests: jobs.accommodations@wdc.com

Practical preparation: AI

An AI-related example should make the task and evaluation explicit. Explain the inputs, the system’s intended output and how you checked errors, usefulness or reliability, rather than relying on the model name alone.

Relevant skills

• AI/ML
• AI
• maintenance
• stakeholder management
• communication