Job Posting Title:
Principal Software Engineer
Req ID:
Job Description:
Principal Software Engineer, Media Architecture
Disney Entertainment and ESPN Product & TechnologyJob Summary:
We are redefining how streaming media is delivered, experienced, and scaled across a global ecosystem. From live and linear streaming to VOD workflows, advertising integrations, metadata platforms, and playback clients, our mission is to build a cohesive, high-performing media platform that powers world-class viewer experiences.
We are seeking a Principal Software Architect to operate at the intersection of strategy and execution, shaping end-to-end solutions across the Media Engineering ecosystem. This role is not confined to a single domain. You will architect systems that span ingest, processing, orchestration, distribution, and playback across platforms such as Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN.
This is a hands-on architecture role for a technical leader who can define vision, influence at scale, and dive deep into code and design when needed.
What You'll DoArchitecture & Technical Strategy
- Define and drive end-to-end solution architecture across Live, Linear, and VOD streaming workflows.
- Establish architectural patterns that unify media ingest, processing, metadata, ads, distribution, and playback ecosystems.
- Lead cross-domain design for integrations with Ad platforms, metadata services, rights systems, and client applications.
- Contribute to long-term technical strategy, ensuring scalability, resiliency, and cost efficiency across the media supply chain.
Cross-Functional Leadership
- Partner with Engineering, Product, Program Management, and stakeholders teams to deliver cohesive platform solutions.
- Influence technical direction across multiple teams and organizations without direct authority.
- Lead architecture reviews, drive alignment, and resolve complex cross-system challenges.
System Design & Implementation
- Design and document high-scale, distributed systems supporting millions of concurrent streams and global content distribution.
- Contribute to implementation where necessary, including prototyping, coding, and validating architectural decisions.
- Author clear architectural artifacts including solution designs, system diagrams, and technical proposals.
Operational Excellence
- Champion best practices in observability, reliability, performance optimization, and cost management.
- Guide teams in building resilient systems with strong SLAs/SLOs.
- Use metrics and data to continuously improve system performance and user experience.
Innovation & Continuous Improvement
- Challenge existing architectures and introduce modern approaches to evolving platform capabilities.
- Stay ahead of industry trends in streaming technologies, ad tech, and media workflows.
- Drive iterative improvements across systems, workflows, and developer experience.
Basic Qualifications- 10+ years of experience in software engineering, with significant time in architecture and distributed systems design.
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Software, Electrical or Electronics Engineering, or comparable field of study, and/or equivalent work experience
- Proven experience designing and scaling high-throughput, low-latency systems in a cloud environment.
- Strong proficiency in one or more languages such as Java, Python, or similar.
- Deep understanding of microservices architecture, event-driven systems, and API design.
- Experience with AWS or similar cloud platforms, including services such as S3, DynamoDB, Kinesis, SNS/SQS, or Kafka.
- Strong foundation in data modeling, system design, and performance optimization.
- Ability to write production-quality code and contribute hands-on when needed.
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence senior stakeholders and cross-functional teams.
Preferred Qualifications- Experience with media streaming systems, including Live, Linear, and VOD workflows.
- Knowledge of video delivery protocols (HLS, DASH), encoding/transcoding pipelines, and CDN distribution.
- Experience with media player and client integrations for video playback
- Familiarity with Ad Tech ecosystems, including SSAI, and ad decisioning systems.
- Experience working with player/client technologies across web, mobile, and connected devices.
- Exposure to machine learning applications in media workflows (e.g., content enrichment, personalization).
- Prior experience operating in a large-scale streaming platform environment.
What Sets You Apart- You think in systems, not silos, and can connect architecture across domains.
- You balance vision with execution, capable of both defining strategy and delivering outcomes.
- You are a force multiplier, elevating teams through influence, clarity, and technical leadership.
- You are comfortable operating in ambiguity and driving alignment across complex organizations.
Product EngineeringProduct Engineering is a unified team responsible for the engineering of Disney Entertainment & ESPN digital and streaming products and platforms. This includes product engineering, media engineering, quality assurance, engineering behind personalization, commerce, lifecycle, and identity.
#Disneytech
The hiring range for this position in NY, NY is $197,400 to $264,700 per year and in Santa Monica, CA is $188,400 to $252,600 per year. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate's geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. A bonus and/or long-term incentive units may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to the full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered.
Job Posting Segment:
PE - Media Engineering
Job Posting Primary Business:
PE - Media Platform - Media & Metadata Tooling
Primary Job Posting Category:
Software Engineer
Employment Type:
Full time
Primary City, State, Region, Postal Code:
New York, NY, USA
Alternate City, State, Region, Postal Code:
USA - CA - 2450 Broadway
Date Posted:
2026-05-19
