Jobs / United States / Western Digital Technologies INC

Western Digital Technologies INC

Manager, Firmware Development

Rochester, MN, US Posted today

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Skills this job asks for

LeadershipProduct managementRisk managementC++Communication

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Sponsorship verdict

Sponsorship possible

One solid signal, not two. Worth applying, and worth asking about sponsorship early.

  • Employer is on a government sponsor recordThe US Department of Labor certified 176 H-1B/E-3 labor condition applications for this employer between Oct 2025 and Jun 2026 (latest Jun 2026) — the step every H-1B hire needs first.
  • The posting doesn’t mention sponsorshipSilence isn’t a refusal — ask the recruiter before investing much time.
  • No salary bar for this routeH-1B has no fixed salary bar: the employer must pay at least the prevailing wage for the role and area.
  • What Western Digital Technologies INC paid sponsored hires in similar roles35 certified filings for “Staff Engineer, Hardware Development Engineering” (Industrial Engineers) in CA: $120k–$163k, median $145k.
  • Confirmed live todayWhen a source last listed this job as open.
Details and sources
Employer is on a government sponsor record
The US Department of Labor certified 176 H-1B/E-3 labor condition applications for this employer between Oct 2025 and Jun 2026 (latest Jun 2026) — the step every H-1B hire needs first. Source: LCA disclosure data (US Department of Labor (OFLC)).
No salary bar for this route
H-1B has no fixed salary bar: the employer must pay at least the prevailing wage for the role and area. Cap-subject employers enter a lottery weighted by wage level. Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/12/29/2025-23853/weighted-selection-process-for-registrants-and-petitioners-seeking-to-file-cap-subject-h-1b, rules effective 2026-02-27.
What Western Digital Technologies INC paid sponsored hires in similar roles
35 certified filings for “Staff Engineer, Hardware Development Engineering” (Industrial Engineers) in CA: $120k–$163k, median $145k. Most were filed at wage level II (44%) — 2 lottery entries, ≈31% projected selection odds for cap-subject employers. Source: US Department of Labor LCA disclosure data (Oct 2025 – Jun 2026).

US H-1B: cap-subject employers enter a lottery weighted by wage level — Level I gets 1 entry, Level IV gets 4 (DHS projected selection odds ≈15% at Level I to ≈61% at Level IV). Universities and non-profit research employers are cap-exempt. The $100,000 fee for new petitions from abroad is currently blocked by a court order (appeal pending).

A verdict summarises public evidence. It is not legal advice and never a guarantee: the employer and the immigration authority decide. Sign in to factor in where you can already work.

About the role

Position Summary The Manager, Firmware Development leads a team of firmware engineers responsible for the design, development, integration, debug, and delivery of embedded firmware for complex storage products. This role combines people leadership, technical judgment, execution discipline, and cross-functional collaboration to ensure high-quality firmware delivery aligned with product, program, and business objectives. The Manager will manage engineers with varying levels of firmware development experience, building team capability through clear direction, coaching, prioritization, and performance management. The role partners closely with hardware, systems, validation, program management, quality, and manufacturing teams to develop robust firmware solutions and resolve technical issues across the product lifecycle. Essential Duties and Responsibilities • Lead, develop, and retain a team of firmware engineers working across architecture, design, implementation, integration, debug, and sustaining activities. • Set clear goals, priorities, and execution plans for the team, ensuring alignment with product roadmaps, schedule commitments, and quality expectations. • Drive firmware development using disciplined engineering practices, including design reviews, coding standards, defect management, test strategy, and release readiness. • Provide technical and organizational leadership for embedded firmware development, including data structures, software algorithms, drivers, control paths, and hardware interfaces. • Guide the team in debugging complex issues across firmware, hardware, system, and platform interactions; support root-cause analysis and corrective action closure. • Partner cross-functionally with ASIC, hardware, systems, validation, manufacturing, reliability, and program teams to deliver complete solutions. • Balance near-term execution with longer-term improvements in team capability, development processes, tools, and technical roadmap. • Review technical designs, development plans, and engineering analyses to ensure sound decisions, clear tradeoffs, and effective risk management. • Establish a high-accountability, collaborative team environment that supports engineers at different experience levels and enables growth in technical depth and ownership. • Manage resource planning, work allocation, hiring, onboarding, and succession planning for the firmware organization. • Communicate status, risks, dependencies, and key technical decisions clearly to the Director of Firmware Development and other stakeholders. • Ensure documentation is complete and maintained throughout the firmware development lifecycle, including requirements, design artifacts, investigations, and release materials. Required Qualifications • Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field; advanced degree preferred. • 7+ years of embedded or firmware development experience, with meaningful experience leading engineering teams. • 1+ years of people management or equivalent leadership experience, including performance management, coaching, and career development. • Strong technical foundation in embedded systems and firmware development using C/C++; experience with low-level software, device control, drivers, and hardware/software integration. • Experience leading teams through full product development cycles from concept through release and sustaining support. • Demonstrated ability to manage engineers with a broad range of experience and skill levels. • Strong problem-solving, debugging, and root-cause analysis skills in complex system environments. • Effective written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate technical and execution topics to both

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