Head of Economics and Data Science

Company Description

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.

We are a key partner to some of the largest and highest growth organizations in the world. From energizing the most competitive gaming platforms, to enabling systems to make cities safer and cars smarter and more connected, to powering the data centers behind many of the world’s biggest companies and public cloud, Western Digital is fueling a brighter, smarter future.

Binge-watch any shows, use social media or shop online lately? You’ll find Western Digital supporting the storage infrastructure behind many of these platforms. And, that flash memory card that captures and preserves your most precious moments? That’s us, too.

We offer an expansive portfolio of technologies, storage devices and platforms for business and consumers alike. Our data-centric solutions are comprised of the Western Digital®, G-Technology™, SanDisk® and WD® brands.

Today’s exceptional challenges require your unique skills. It’s You & Western Digital. Together, we’re the next BIG thing in data.

Job Description

Operating at the intersection of economics, operations research and data science, the Economics and Data Science team will be responsible for guiding application of quantitative techniques and economic theory to important business problems in the area of planning, pricing, capacity allocation and industrial engineering. This is a unique opportunity for a leader with a vision for establishing this new capability at Western Digital.

Innovation and leadership in memory technology has led Western Digital to provide over 50% of the storage capacity for the world. Western Digital leads in Flash and Hard Disk Drive technology which forms the foundation of the digital economy. This role reports to the EVP Flash Business Unit. The Western Digital Flash Business Unit participate in large markets serving the largest and most important technology platforms in the world, including cloud, mobile, edge computing and IoT, as well as being known worldwide for its SanDisk consumer portfolio. As the business has reached very high scale, so has the need for sophisticated approaches and systems for answering business questions. The Economics and Data Science team will partner with business, engineering, finance, and operations leaders to apply scientific techniques and develop quantitative approaches to solving business problems across the enterprise. Whether your background is in industrial engineering, operations research, economics or data science, if you have a passion to bring your skills to applied business problems we are interested in you.

We are looking for a leader of the Economics and Data Science team. In this role, you will hire and develop a team of economists and machine learning (ML) scientists to partner with business leaders and work across the enterprise. You will own the development and governance of quantitative models deployed to solve business problems in the areas of pricing, planning, capacity allocation and industrial engineering. You will leverage ML techniques to up level existing quantitative tools, and innovate in solving problems. The ideal candidate will have strong technical knowledge across Economics and ML, a proven ability to lead a team of scientists, and will be an effective communicator with senior leadership. They will enjoy working on ambiguous problems and will have strong business acumen. They will serve as a key member of the Flash Business Unit team, working with peers leading engineering, product, operations and strategy.

Key job responsibilities

• Establish this new capability within Western Digital.
• Create analytical models and decisioning engines.
• Guide direct and cross functional teams in application of data science best practices.
• Manage a project portfolio, aligning with the business on prioritization.
• Partner with outside luminaries and experts to import new capabilities to WD.
• Hire and develop top talent.

Qualifications

Required Background

• PhD in economics, operations research, or related technology domain
• 3-10 years demonstrated capability in creating value in the business
• Leadership skills to identify, prioritize and align on projects with peers.
• Ability to apply economic and game theory concepts to business problems
• Strong set of quantitative approaches to model building and development.
• Guide direct and cross functional teams in application of data science best practices.
• Manage a project portfolio, aligning with the business on prioritization.
• Partner with outside luminaries and experts to import new capabilities to WD.

Additional Information

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 staffingsupport@wdc.com 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.

#LI-JS1

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.
• You will be eligible to participate in Western Digital’s Short-Term Incentive (STI) Plan, 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 Virgin Pulse Program; 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.