ATD Engineering Specialist

About our group

At Seagate, our mission is to build the world’s best data storage devices. The Advanced Transducer Development (ATD) group is a global R&D organization focused on developing next‑generation recording head technologies that advance areal density and enable Seagate’s long‑term HDD (Hard Disk Drive) product roadmap. Our process team operates at the forefront of wafer fabrication, leveraging state‑of‑the‑art cleanroom facilities and advanced tooling to develop leading‑edge reader and writer devices.

With a strong emphasis on proving the feasibility of new devices, processes, and materials, we play a critical role in strengthening Seagate’s technology leadership and accelerating time‑to‑market. If you thrive on innovation, enjoy hands‑on problem solving, and are passionate about turning ideas into reality. This role offers an exciting opportunity to grow your R&D career.

We are seeking an Engineering Specialist to join the Advanced Transducer Development team, supporting both the Reader and Writer Process Teams. In this hands‑on role, you will contribute deep technical expertise in process development, tooling, and materials characterisation, supporting new process set‑ups and advanced device characterisation. You will work closely with process, development and integration engineers, providing technical support across a broad range of tools and manufacturing areas.

Your work will help drive process learning, stability, and performance improvements. The role also includes extensive hands‑on metrology and characterisation activities—such as SEM, AFM, ellipsometry, and Raman spectroscopy—delivering data‑driven insights to guide process and device development. Your contributions will directly influence the evolution of Seagate’s future process technologies and the advancement of manufacturing capabilities for next‑generation HDD products. This is a full‑time, on‑site position, working 39 hours per week, Monday to Friday.

Derry/Londonderry, GB

• Provide day‑to‑day engineering support across a wide range of process and characterisation tools.
• Develop and maintain expertise in vacuum deposition, etch, electrodeposotion and wet‑etch systems.
• Support tool qualification, process optimisation, and troubleshooting activities.
• Support development by performing advanced characterisation using SEM, AFM, ellipsometry, and spectroscopy.
• Analyse process and characterisation data to drive process learning and improvement.
• Support the process and development roadmap for advanced reader and writer designs.
• Collaborate closely with process, development, and integration engineers to enable robust and scalable solutions.
• Maintain thorough documentation of processes, results, and best practices.
• Contribute to technology development and support the transition of processes from R&D into manufacturing.

• You are self‑motivated, intellectually curious, able to work independently and have a strong attention to detail.
• You are an honest and respectful team player, capable of working in strong partnership with a diverse global group.
• You are a well‑organized multitasker, able to balance day‑to‑day wafer processing needs with longer‑term work.
• You maintain thorough documentation of results and can clearly present and discuss them with other staff forums.
• You have a track record of innovation and regularly use outside sources (journals, patents, university projects and conferences) to inspire new ideas and directions.
• You are able and eager to work in a mix of clean room and laboratory environments.

• Degree (BSc, MSc, or equivalent experience) in Engineering, Physics, Materials Science, or a related discipline OR Five years experience working in Semiconductor or wafer fabrication facility.
• Experience supporting process tools in a semiconductor, thin‑film, or high‑tech manufacturing environment.
• Knowledge of Semiconductor or Wafer Processing Systems.
• Experience with metrology and characterisation techniques.
• Strong problem‑solving skills and a hands‑on, practical engineering mindset.
• Experience working in R&D or advanced development…