Senior Staff Metrology & Characterization Engineer - Advanced Process Development

About our group:

The HGA Process Development team owns early‑stage process invention, feasibility, and KPIV understanding to enable future product requirements
The team builds deep, physics‑based process knowledge, focusing on identifying critical KPIVs, defining their relationships to KPOVs, and delivering validated, tool‑ready concepts
Working closely with HGA/TGA design and product teams, the group ensures alignment to next‑generation architectures while influencing process capability and design tradeoffs
Operating upstream of integration and factory organizations, the team emphasizes rapid learning, concept validation, and technical risk reduction
Development is strongly engineering‑driven, with focus on process physics, materials behavior, and reliability, supported by analytical tools such as modeling and FEA

About the role - you will:

• Lead the metrology and characterization strategy for advanced HGA process development, ensuring critical features and process behaviors are accurately measured and understood
• Define and develop measurement approaches for key KPIVs and KPOVs, enabling clear understanding of process performance, variation, and sensitivity
• Operate and advance lab‑based metrology and characterization tools, supporting process engineers with high‑quality data and insights
• Establish strong correlation between different measurement techniques and tools, ensuring consistency, accuracy, and reliability of data across development activities
• Partner closely with process architects (SLA, TIC, adhesives, etc.) and tool/controls engineers to ensure measurement capability aligns with process requirements and supports root cause understanding
• Work with internal and external metrology teams, leveraging specialized tools and capabilities beyond the local lab to enable comprehensive characterization
• Define measurement requirements and specifications for new processes and tooling, ensuring metrology capability keeps pace with increasing precision and complexity
• Drive development of data analysis approaches, linking measurement results to process behavior, variation, and performance outcomes
• Support rapid experimentation and learning cycles, enabling timely feedback and insight to guide concept development and decision making
• Collaborate with global engineering teams, including U.S.-based partners, requiring flexibility to support cross‑time‑zone engagement and periodic evening meetings
• Deliver robust characterization methodologies and data sets, enabling confident decision making and supporting downstream process development and scaling

About you:

• Background in metrology, materials characterization, or precision measurement, with experience in engineering or manufacturing environments
• Experience working with lab-based measurement or characterization tools, with exposure to techniques such as optical, mechanical, electrical, or surface analysis considered a plus
• Understanding of measurement fundamentals, including accuracy, repeatability, and correlation across different systems
• Familiarity with data analysis and interpretation, with ability to extract meaningful insights from complex or variable data sets
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with ability to connect measurement results to underlying process behavior
• Experience collaborating with cross-functional teams and external technical groups, leveraging broader expertise and capabilities
• Good communication skills in English (written and spoken), capable of working effectively with global teams
• Demonstrated initiative and ownership, with ability to lead technical direction in measurement and characterization

Location:

Teparuk Thailand

Home to over 4,000 employees, our Teparuk site specializes in producing nano-recording heads-a crucial component for the read/write functionality of hard disk drives. At our Teparuk facility, work is both productive and enjoyable. You and your colleagues can grab breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks at our 24/7 on-site canteen and coffee shop. Stay active by taking a few laps around our running track or participating in volleyball, basketball, table tennis, badminton, or football at our on-site gymnasium and fitness center. We also offer a variety of activities, including music, dance, and aerobic classes. Alternatively, unwind in our lush green areas. Consider joining any of our employee resource groups (ERGs), such as Seagate Women in Leadership Network (SWLN), Seagate PRIDE: Thailand chapter, or Seagate's parents and caregivers group. These ERGs provide educational and fun activities. Additionally, enjoy on-site festivals, celebrations, and opportunities to give back to the local community.