Job Specifications
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 and capture the first-ever picture of a black hole.
We offer an expansive portfolio of technologies, HDDs, and platforms for business, creative professionals, and consumers alike under our Western Digital®, WD®, WD_BLACK™, and SanDisk® Professional brands.
We are a key partner to some of the largest and highest-growth organizations in the world. From enabling systems to make cities safer and more connected, to powering the data centers behind many of the world’s biggest companies and hyperscale cloud providers, to meeting the massive and ever-growing data storage needs of the AI era, Western Digital is fueling a brighter, smarter future.
Today’s exceptional challenges require your unique skills. Together, we can build the future of data storage.
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.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
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
What Success Looks Like
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
Qualifications
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
Exp