Patent Technologist
Western Digital · San Jose, California, United States · hybrid
WD is building the infrastructure behind the AI-driven data economy.
As AI scales, so does data. Every interaction, every model, every system generates data that must be stored, managed, and made accessible over time. That’s where we come in.
We combine deep engineering expertise with global-scale manufacturing to deliver the storage systems that make AI possible, powering hyperscale data centers, cloud platforms, and enterprise infrastructure worldwide.
This isn’t theoretical work. It’s real systems, at real scale, people solving some of the hardest challenges in technology today.
We’re looking for people who want to build, solve, and operate at that level.
Join us and let’s shape the future of data.
As a member of WD’s Patent Development Team, this individual will support the growth and transformation of WD’s patent portfolio by applying his or her technical and patent expertise in various patent analysis and related analytical tasks. This full-time, hybrid position will be based in San Jose, California or Irvine, California, and will report to the Assistant General Counsel, Patents.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Conduct 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.
- Assist 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.
- Collaborate with patent attorneys and engineering teams to evaluate inventions and support the Company’s patent strategy.
- Prepare clear written analyses and communicate findings effectively to legal, technical, and business stakeholders.
Required:
- At least 8 years of relevant technical and legal work experience including prior engineering or scientific work experience, with at least 2 years of experience working in the patent area either in a law firm or corporate legal department, or in other settings with similar patent work exposure.
- Familiarity with the patent process, including experience in patent prosecution, patent searching, or other patent portfolio or landscape analysis.
- Experience with 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.
- Strong written and oral communication skills and technical acumen to communicate effectively across technical and legal contexts.
Preferred:
- Graduate-level education (M.S. or Ph.D.) in engineering, physics, materials science, or a related technical field.
- 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.
Western Digital is committed to providing equal opportunities to all applicants and employees and will not discriminate against any applicant or employee 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 "Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal” poster. Our pay transparency policy is available here.
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 jobs.accommodations@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.
Based on our experience, we anticipate that the application deadline will be 10/31/2026 (3 months from posting), although we reserve the right to close the application process sooner if we hire an applicant for this position before the application deadline. If we are not able to hire someone from this role before the application deadline, we will update this posting with a new anticipated application deadline.
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.
- 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 will be eligible to be considered for bonuses under either WD’s Short Term Incentive Plan (“STI Plan”) or the Sales Incentive Plan (“SIP”) 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 WD'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 Applause Program; employee stock purchase plan; and the WD Savings 401(k) Pla