The Walt Disney Company

Sr Software Engineer

The Walt Disney Company$141K — $190K *
Information Technology
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 5+ years in backend development with AI-driven applications.
  • Expert in modern machine learning models (GPT-4, Claude) and prompt engineering.
  • 3+ years in deploying and monitoring ML systems (PyTorch/TensorFlow).
  • Strong background in AWS and containerization (Docker, Kubernetes).
  • Demonstrated leadership in technical projects and mentoring.
  • Proficient with AI-assisted development tools to boost productivity.
  • Exceptional communication skills for technical and non-technical audiences.

Responsibilities

  • Design production-grade AI systems for service reliability and user experience.
  • Lead development of agentic AI systems for predictive modeling.
  • Create data pipelines to transform telemetry into actionable insights.
  • Design scalable APIs and microservices for cross-functional teams.
  • Collaborate with teams to embed intelligence into workflows, improving TTD and TTR.
  • Promote best practices, conduct code reviews, and foster innovation in observability.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive medical benefits for employees.
  • 401(k) plan with company matching for long-term savings.
  • Generous paid time off and holiday leave policies.
  • Opportunities for professional development and certifications.
  • Employee discounts on Disney products and services.
Full Job Description
Job Posting Title:
Sr Software Engineer

Req ID:


Job Description:

Disney Entertainment and ESPN Product & Technology

Product 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.

The Observability & Insights group ensures that Disney Streaming's distributed systems are reliable, performant, and transparent. We build the telemetry, dashboards, alerting, insights pipelines, and developer experience tooling that enable engineers across the organization to understand system health and take action quickly.

Job Summary:

As a Senior Software Engineer (P3), you will lead the design and implementation of intelligent, AI-driven systems that safeguard the reliability and performance of Disney's global streaming ecosystem. You will be a technical leader in developing agentic systems, complex machine learning models, and high-throughput real-time pipelines that transform massive telemetry and log datasets into automated detection, root cause analysis, and proactive insights.

In this role, you will own the architectural vision for autonomous agents capable of reasoning over complex system behaviors across Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN. You will act as a bridge between engineering, product, and platform teams, translating high-level business needs into scalable AI solutions that reduce operational overhead.

As a P3 engineer, you are expected to deliver mission-critical features, mentor junior engineers, and drive engineering excellence through rigorous design reviews and high-quality, production-ready code in a fast-paced, AI-native environment.

Responsibilities and Duties of the Role:
  • Own the design and operation of production-grade, intelligent systems leveraging real-time signals and AI-driven detection to ensure the health of critical services and premium customer experiences.
  • Lead the development of agentic AI systems powered by modern foundation models (e.g., Claude Opus/Sonnet, GPT-4). You will define the strategy for automated reasoning, decisioning, and predictive modeling for global-scale system reliability.
  • Oversee the creation of end-to-end data pipelines that process high-volume telemetry and user signals into actionable, automated insights and root cause analysis.
  • Design and maintain scalable APIs and microservices that provide explainability and predictive signals to cross-functional engineering and product stakeholders.
  • Partner with leadership and cross-functional teams to embed intelligence into global workflows (incident response, release validation), significantly reducing Time-to-Detect (TTD) and Time-to-Resolve (TTR).
  • Promote engineering best practices, provide technical guidance through code and design reviews, and drive innovation in observability and developer productivity through applied AI.


Required Education, Experience/Skills/Training:

Basic Qualifications
  • 5+ years of applicable experience in backend development, with a proven track record of building and scaling AI-powered or data-driven applications.
  • Advanced proficiency with modern models (GPT-4/o1, Claude Opus/Sonnet, Bedrock), including deep experience in prompt engineering, model evaluation, and building complex agentic workflows using frameworks like LangChain or LangGraph.
  • Minimum 3 years of hands-on experience deploying and monitoring ML systems (PyTorch/TensorFlow) and large-scale data processing (PySpark, Pandas) in production environments.
  • Strong experience with AWS ecosystem and containerization (Docker, Kubernetes) at scale.
  • Proven ability to lead technical projects, mentor junior talent, and champion software development best practices (Git, CI/CD, Agile).
  • Expert level use of AI-assisted development tools (e.g., Cursor, Claude) to accelerate team velocity and maintain high code quality.
  • Exceptional communication skills with the ability to navigate ambiguity and explain complex AI/technical concepts to both technical and non-technical partners.


Preferred Qualifications
  • Experience implementing observability and monitoring systems for high-volume, low-latency production environments.
  • Experience with modern databases and observability platforms (Datadog, Grafana, Conviva, MongoDB) handling billions of events.
  • Advanced knowledge of distributed systems, microservices architecture, and API design patterns.


Education
  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent experience


#disneytech
The hiring range for this position in New York City, NY and Seattle, WA is $148,700 - $199,400 per year, and in Glendale, CA is $141,900 - $190,300 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 - Sports, News & Entertainment, Tech Enablement

Job Posting Primary Business:
PE - Sports, News & Entertainment, Enablement - Insights & Observability

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 - 1200 Grand Central Ave, USA - WA - 925 4th Ave

Date Posted:
2026-05-20

About The Walt Disney Company

The Walt Disney Company started as a cartoon studio and evolves into sports coverage and television shows. Using the company's portfolio of brands to differentiate our content, services, and consumer products, Walt Disney seeks to develop creative, innovative, and profitable entertainment experiences and related products.

The Walt Disney Company Careers

Join the magical world of The Walt Disney Company, a place where dreams come true and imagination meets innovation. As a global leader in entertainment and media, we offer unparalleled job opportunities that invite you to be part of a beloved brand known for its influential culture, diversity, and dynamic growth. Work You’ll Do Embark on a career journey with The Walt Disney Company and play a pivotal role in shaping the future of media and entertainment. Engage in work that matters, contributes to storytelling excellence, and brings joy to millions around the globe. Transform your professional life by joining a team that values creativity, leadership, and visionary thinking. The Walt Disney Company stands at the forefront of industry innovation, constantly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in entertainment and beyond. Lead with us from a unique position in the marketplace, where your skills in technology, creativity, and management converge to create extraordinary experiences. Collaborate with a diverse group of talented professionals, united in their passion for delivering magical experiences. Our team at The Walt Disney Company is composed of over 200,000 dedicated individuals who thrive in an environment that fosters growth, mentorship, and innovation. Introducing The Walt Disney Company Leadership and Professional Growth Programs We are committed to developing leaders who can navigate the challenges of the digital era and drive success across our various business segments. Our leadership programs are designed to hone your skills and prepare you for executive roles within the company. Do Innovative Work Join our team and contribute to projects that redefine the entertainment landscape. From groundbreaking films and television series to pioneering technological advancements, your work at The Walt Disney Company will set new standards in the creative and business worlds. Be Part of a Great Team Experience a culture that is inclusive, collaborative, and forward-thinking. Work alongside the best in the business and see how diversity and inclusion fuel our creativity and success. The Walt Disney Company’s commitment to a diverse workforce is evident in our hiring practices, training programs, and our everyday operations. Future-Proof Your Career With a wide array of benefits, continuous learning opportunities, and a network of supportive colleagues, your career at The Walt Disney Company is equipped for longevity and success. Our benefits package includes comprehensive health care, employee discounts, and access to exclusive company events and previews. Explore Job Opportunities and Internships Whether you’re a seasoned professional looking for your next challenge or a student seeking a transformative internship, The Walt Disney Company offers positions across a spectrum of fields and disciplines. Explore our career portal to find job opportunities that match your skills and passions. Stay Connected Join Our Team Search open positions, apply through our streamlined application process, and take the first step towards a magical career. We look for individuals who are passionate, curious, and eager to contribute to our legacy of storytelling and innovation. Keep Up to Date Stay informed with the latest company news, career tips, and insider perspectives—all from the people who make The Walt Disney Company a place of inspiration and excitement. Job Alert Emails Customize your subscription to receive job alerts and updates that align with your career interests. Discover the exciting and rewarding opportunities that await at The Walt Disney Company. Join us, and be part of the magic that only happens here at The Walt Disney Company!
Learn more about The Walt Disney Company
Size
190,000 employees
Market Cap
$155.1 billion
Industry
Net Income
-$4.9 billion
Founded
1923
5 Year Trend
+3.9%
Revenue
$60.7 billion
NASDAQ

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