Summer 2026 Intern - Software Engineering (Firmware)

Company Description

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

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

• Develop and validate HDD firmware in C/C++ (features, fixes, unit/integration tests)

• Contribute to device-driver–adjacent work across storage I/O: PCIe, SAS, SATA, NVMe

• Script Python tools for test automation, log parsing, and data checks

• Participate in Agile/Scrum (SAFe) rituals; write clear docs for designs, tests, and results

• Debug with analyzers/scopes; collaborate on root-cause and performance tuning

Qualifications

Required:

• Pursuing BS/MS in CS, CE, or EE (or similar); graduation target May 2027–May 2028

• Coursework/projects in C or C++ and Embedded/Firmware fundamentals

• Understanding of storage/IO or OS concepts (threads, memory, timing), and willingness to learn HDD specifics

• Strong communicator, collaborative, and curious problem solver

Preferred:

• Exposure to storage stacks (protocols, link layers) or Linux/Windows driver concepts

• Basics with I²C/SPI/UART/USB, RTOS concepts, or BSP

• Python test tooling experience

• Prior internship/co-op in firmware, storage, or driver development

• Project experience with microcontrollers or Raspberry Pi/Arduino 

• Familiarity with x86 assembly or MIPS fundamentals

How we work

• Short sprints, focused code reviews, hands-on lab time

• Dedicated mentor + structured onboarding

• Intern projects that land in product—no “intern shelf” work

Additional Information

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 perspecti