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Senior Controls Engineer

Job ID 10122248 Location Anaheim, California, United States Business Disneyland Resort Date posted Sep. 17, 2025
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Job Summary:

About the Role & Team

We create happiness.” That’s our motto at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, and it permeates everything we do. At Disney, you’ll help encourage that magic by enabling our company to push the limits and build the never-before-seen! Are you ready to join this team and make an impact?

As a Sustaining Controls Engineer, you will have the opportunity to work on the Ride Control aspect of Registered Attractions for Walt Disney Parks & Resorts.  You will be hands-on, designing, developing, editing, and troubleshooting PLC software code, as well as some hardware troubleshooting of PLC hardware/modules.  This is a highly dynamic work environment with rapidly changing priorities where you will be providing technical direction, delivering troubleshooting resolution, analyzing control system/software hazards, and leading technical projects.  In this senior engineer capacity, you will have minimal oversight from leadership, manage tasks independently, and mentor early career Cast.  The ideal candidate is passionate about technology, service provider work environments, machine learning, and safety. 

Accountable for field engineering support to the Disneyland Resort and supporting departments, including control systems engineering services for ride, show, and other ride-related control systems.  These services include planning, organizing, and leading teams in troubleshooting, resolving problems, enhancing system operations, improving system reliability, and creating documentation.  Must have sufficient technical knowledge and awareness of details to be able to recognize when technical problems are developing in various disciplines, and to initiate appropriate corrective actions.  Respond to mechanical and control emergencies resulting from Attraction downtimes at the Resort.

This is a 24-month project hire role, fully on-site, based in Anaheim, CA, and will report to the Senior Manager, Sustaining Engineering.

What You Will Do

  • Respond to Attraction down times supporting Engineering Services and Operations' urgent needs.

  • Develop scope for attraction reliability improvement efforts – design, install, testing, documentation, and closeout.

  • Select systems and equipment that will satisfy design requirements and applicable codes and standards.

  • Monitor downtime trends, looking for targeted areas of improvement for reliability efforts.

  • Monitor control system performance to ensure systems operate within established performance criteria.

  • Ability to investigate, troubleshoot, and communicate at the system level and be able to dive into the details when needed.

  • Responsible for planning, scheduling, conducting, and coordinating the technical and management aspects of Sustaining Engineering tasks.

  • Proficient in troubleshooting PLC software and hardware on complex ride systems.

  • Understand ride system interfaces and how they relate to the overall operation of the Attraction.

  • Partner with other Engineering teams on design efforts.

  • Interact with maintenance teams and operations partners – gathering intel during downtime response and working cohesively on reliability improvement efforts.

  • Perform ride system hazard analyses, including fault tree analysis and FMEA.

  • Ensure compliance with standards and codes: IEEE, NFPA, ASTM, DOSH, NEC/CEC, etc.

  • Adhere to the Department change process documents and procedures.

  • Stay apprised of the latest developments in ride control system technology, equipment, and materials so that designs specify cost-effective, energy-efficient, and reliable systems.

  • Ability to work during off-hours/3rd shift hours as needed to support projects/attractions.

Required Qualifications & Skills

  • Controls Systems experience with 5+ years in the amusement park industry or industrial/manufacturing environment.

  • Ride element performance analysis: dynamic, kinematic, hydraulic, and pneumatic analysis and calculations.

  • Knowledge gained by experience in the following:

a. Electronic control systems and signal processing, including familiarity with relays and programmable logic controllers.

b. Electrical motor controls, including variable frequency drives and soft starts c. Variety of industrial automation PLCs including Rockwell, Allen Bradley, Siemens, Mitsubishi, etc...

d. National and California Electrical Code.

e. Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory certifications such as UL, TUV, ETL, etc.

f. AutoCAD

g. Object-oriented programming, i.e., C/C++

h. Ladder logic

i. wiring and interconnect diagrams

j. ANSI, ASTM, and IEEE standards

  • Oral and written communication skills leveraging a variety of technologies, including email, text, and web applications (SharePoint, Teams) to update stakeholders on task status and schedule.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • California Professional Registration

  • Knowledge gained by experience in the following:

a. Controls circuit design and/or troubleshooting

b. PDL - program design language

c. ICL - Imagineer's control language

d. Safety PLCs and safety industrial controls

e. Audio/Visual systems

f. system's reliability

g. scripting in C, VB, JS, etc.

Education:

  • Bachelor of Science from an ABET-accredited engineering program in Electrical Engineering or equivalent with a competitive GPA.

  • Preferred: Master of Science in a technical discipline.

  • Preferred: MBA

Additional Information:

Disney offers a rewards package to help you live your best life. This includes health and savings benefits, educational opportunities, and special extras that only Disney can provide. Learn more about our benefits and perks at https://jobs.disneycareers.com/benefits.

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#DXMedia

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The hiring range for this position in Anaheim, CA is $126,100.00 to $154,100.00 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.

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About Disneyland Resort:

When Walt Disney opened Disneyland on July 17, 1955, he said he hoped it would be “a source of joy and inspiration to all the world.” Since then, the Disneyland Resort has welcomed more than 800 million guests, expanding to become an approximately 500-acre, multifaceted, world-class family resort destination, complete with two renowned Disney theme parks, three hotels and the exciting shopping, dining and entertainment area known as Downtown Disney District. Through a combination of creativity, technology and innovation, the resort brings storytelling to new heights, and Disneyland Resort cast members play an integral part in bringing that Disney magic to life for thousands of guests every day.

About The Walt Disney Company:

The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise that includes three core business segments: Disney Entertainment, ESPN, and Disney Experiences. From humble beginnings as a cartoon studio in the 1920s to its preeminent name in the entertainment industry today, Disney proudly continues its legacy of creating world-class stories and experiences for every member of the family. Disney’s stories, characters and experiences reach consumers and guests from every corner of the globe. With operations in more than 40 countries, our employees and cast members work together to create entertainment experiences that are both universally and locally cherished.

This position is with Walt Disney Parks and Resorts U.S., Inc., which is part of a business we call Disneyland Resort.

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts U.S., Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, military or veteran status, medical condition, genetic information or disability, or any other basis prohibited by federal, state or local law. Disney champions a business environment where ideas and decisions from all people help us grow, innovate, create the best stories and be relevant in a constantly evolving world.

DISABILITY ACCOMMODATION FOR EMPLOYMENT APPLICATIONS

The Walt Disney Company and its Affiliated Companies are Equal Employment Opportunity employers and welcome all job seekers including individuals with disabilities and veterans with disabilities. If you have a disability and believe you need a reasonable accommodation in order to search for a job opening or apply for a position, visit the Disney candidate disability accommodations FAQs. We will only respond to those requests that are related to the accessibility of the online application system due to a disability.

Having technical issues? View the FAQs for help.

Hiring Process

  • Where Does Your Story Begin?

    Explore Disney Careers and the Life at Disney blog to learn about all the amazing opportunities waiting to be discovered at The Walt Disney Company.

  • Be Part of the Story

    There are many different brands and businesses to explore. Once you've found the opportunity that is right for you, take the next step by completing your application.

  • The Next Chapter

    Once you've applied, you will receive an email allowing you to access your candidate dashboard. Create your login and make sure to check your dashboard often to see your application progress.

Explore this Location Anaheim, CA

Anaheim, the home of Disneyland Resort and is at the center of family fun between Southern California theme parks and Orange County beaches, a place people go for year-round excitement and then are pleasantly surprised by the local culture and hidden gems.

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