Associate, Corporate Development Analyst

Western Digital · Planning

Hours: Full-time
Where: San Jose, CA
Posted: Aug 28

Western Digital is entering a new chapter. Following our spin-off of SanDisk, we are stepping into our future as an independent deep-tech company, one built on decades of engineering breakthroughs and pointed squarely at the biggest technological frontiers of our time.

We are a company of physicists, materials scientists, AI researchers, and engineers. We work at the frontier of magnetics, photonics, nanofabrication, and machine learning - disciplines most people never encounter, solving problems most people don't know exist. Our teams hold one of the largest intellectual property banks in Silicon Valley, and our labs are staffed with hundreds of PhDs who've spent their careers pushing what's physically possible.

Most folks know us as a data storage company, powering data centers, hyperscale clouds, and AI systems that define the modern economy.

What you'd do

Lead financial modeling and deal economics independently including DCF/valuation, trading and transaction comps, accretion/dilution, synergy analysis, and deal structuring.
Build and defend sophisticated financial models from scratch, including stress-testing assumptions under executive scrutiny.
Develop unit economics, return analyses, and value-creation frameworks for M&A and venture opportunities; support investment thesis development with rigorous quantitative underpinning.Target Landscape & Pipeline Management
Map and maintain target landscape: research acquisition candidates, track competitor M&A activity, and maintain the deal pipeline and CRM.
Conduct primary and secondary research to identify and prioritize acquisition, JV, and investment targets; support pipeline reviews and portfolio prioritization discussions with Corporate Development leadership.Deal Materials & Executive Communication
Produce executive-ready investment memos, deal summaries, and Board materials.
Translate complex financial and strategic analysis into clear, compelling narratives for senior leadership.WD Capital & Venture Support
Support WD Capital: conduct company and technology diligence on startup investment opportunities and develop investment thesis independently for venture opportunities in storage, data infrastructure, and AI adjacencies.
Build relationships with VCs, accelerators, and startup ecosystems to support deal sourcing.Cross-Functional Partnership
Partner closely with Finance, Legal, HR, and business leaders throughout the deal lifecycle to enable due diligence coordination, risk assessment, and integration hand-off.

What they want

3–6 years in investment banking, private equity/growth equity, corporate development, or management consulting where financial modeling depth and analytical rigor were clearly demonstrated.
Transaction execution experience required - must have worked on live deals through diligence, negotiation, and close.
Exceptional financial modeling and quantitative analysis skills; can build models from scratch across valuation, alternative deal structures and economics, and can defend assumptions under executive pressure.
Experience producing investment memos, Board materials, and executive-ready deal summaries with minimal senior oversight.
Familiarity with due diligence workstreams across Legal, Finance, HR, IT, and technical/product.
Operates independently, drives workstreams to completion, and delivers against tight deadlines. Demonstrates strong attention to detail, proactiveness, and independence.
Familiarity with market intelligence platforms (PitchBook, CapIQ, etc.))
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Strong Excel and PowerPoint skills; data visualization a plus.Preferred Qualifications
Prior experience in highly technical industry