AI Researcher

Job Description

Western Digital creates technologies that power the world’s data infrastructure. From advanced storage solutions to intelligent data systems, we enable customers, businesses, and partners to unlock the full potential of their data. Across our Sales and Marketing organization, we continue to innovate, streamline operations, and accelerate growth through modern analytics and AI-driven automation.

We are seeking an AI Researcher who will evaluate how artificial intelligence can improve processes, reduce operational costs, generate additional revenue opportunities, and enhance productivity across the Sales and Marketing organization. This is a research‑focused role, not a developer position. The AI Researcher will analyze current workflows, tools, and data usage patterns, identify opportunities for AI‑driven impact, and advise internal engineering and development teams on which solutions should be prioritized for implementation.

The ideal candidate blends strategic thinking, technical understanding, and business acumen. They will research new AI techniques, assess feasibility, map processes, calculate ROI, and propose clear, actionable recommendations that enable developers and systems teams to build the highest‑value solutions.

• Conduct research on AI and machine learning capabilities that can support Sales and Marketing goals such as cost reduction, lead generation, funnel optimization, and workflow automation

• Analyze current organizational processes and identify high‑ROI opportunities for AI intervention

• Evaluate and score potential automation or optimization projects based on feasibility, cost, impact, and data readiness

• Partner closely with developers, analysts, and system owners to translate research findings into actionable system enhancements

• Create research briefs, business cases, and recommendation documents for leadership

• Propose frameworks for automated lead scoring, customer segmentation, predictive insights, content generation workflows, and marketing efficiency improvements

• Evaluate vendor AI tools, platforms, and integrations; compare build vs buy recommendations

• Develop a roadmap for AI adoption within Sales and Marketing, aligning with business priorities and budget constraints

• Stay current on industry trends, LLM advancements, AI‑driven marketing technologies, and competitive benchmarks

• Conduct ethical and risk assessments for any proposed AI solution, ensuring alignment with security and compliance standards

• Identifying high‑value opportunities that result in meaningful cost savings or efficiency gains

• Providing clear, actionable, and prioritized recommendations to developers

• Delivering research that accelerates WD’s AI adoption and supports organizational decision‑making

• Creating a scalable and repeatable evaluation framework for future AI initiatives

REQUIRED

• Bachelor’s degree in Data Science, Computer Science, Applied Math, Business Analytics, or related field

• 5+ years of experience in AI research, marketing analytics, sales operations research, or similar roles

SKILLS

• Strong analytical and quantitative skills, including the ability to model savings, revenue lift, and efficiency gains

• Familiarity with AI technologies including LLMs, GenAI platforms, embeddings, RAG systems, and marketing automation tools

• Comfortable evaluating AI workflows, APIs, and vendor features to assess feasibility

• Excellent understanding of Sales and Marketing processes including funnel analytics, lead generation, audience segmentation, and campaign optimization

• Strong documentation and communication abilities; able to translate research insights for non‑technical stakeholders

• Ability to partner cross‑functionally with product managers, developers, and business leaders

PREFERRED

• Experience working in a Sales, Marketing, or E‑Commerce environment

• Exposure to Adobe Marketing ecosystem (Analytics, Target, Marketo), Salesforce, or similar platforms

• Prior involvement in cost‑optimization programs or operational efficiency projects

• Experience developing business cases or ROI analyses for technical investments

• Understanding of data governance, AI…