Lead Software Engineer

Job ID 10121881 Location Bristol, Connecticut, United States / The Woodlands, Texas, United States Business Disney Entertainment and ESPN Product & Technology Date posted Jul. 14, 2025

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Job Summary:

Technology is at the heart of Disney’s past, present, and future. Disney Entertainment and ESPN Product & Technology is a global organization of engineers, product developers, designers, technologists, data scientists, and more – all working to build and advance the technological backbone for Disney’s media business globally.

The team marries technology with creativity to build world-class products, enhance storytelling, and drive velocity, innovation, and scalability for our businesses. We are Storytellers and Innovators. Creators and Builders. Entertainers and Engineers. We work with every part of The Walt Disney Company’s media portfolio to advance the technological foundation and consumer media touch points serving millions of people around the world.

Here are a few reasons why we think you’d love working here:

Building the future of Disney’s media: Our Technologists are designing and building the products and platforms that will power our media, advertising, and distribution businesses for years to come. Reach, Scale & Impact: More than ever, Disney’s technology and products serve as a signature doorway for fans' connections with the company’s brands and stories. Disney+. Hulu. ESPN. ABC. ABC News…and many more. These products and brands – and the unmatched stories, storytellers, and events they carry – matter to millions of people globally. Innovation: We develop and implement groundbreaking products and techniques that shape industry norms, and solve complex and distinctive technical problems.

Content Platforms & Operations is responsible for the development and ongoing advancement of the technical and operational functions driving the worldwide distribution and monetization of Disney’s linear networks and theatrical content. This includes Disney’s media supply chain and storage, network and theatrical distribution operations, media localization, network transmission and origination, and more. The global team also plays a critical role as the primary collaboration point for Product & Technology with Disney’s EMEA, APAC, and LATAM regional business teams.

The Lead Software Engineer will drive the development of world-class user experiences across our digital platforms. In this role, you will lead the design and implementation of React-based applications, ensuring seamless, high-performance interfaces that will be used to bring Disney’s unparalleled entertainment and sports content to audiences worldwide.

As a key technical leader, you will architect scalable front-end solutions, optimize state management with Redux, and collaborate closely with management, business partners, other frontend engineers, product, design, and backend teams to deliver innovative and immersive viewing experiences. Your work will directly impact streaming, digital products, advertising, and content distribution, playing a critical role in transforming the future of Disney’s media business.

In addition to hands-on development, you will regularly lead, mentor and direct other React developers, both full time and contractors, fostering best practices in front-end architecture, performance optimization, and maintainable code. You will set technical direction, conduct code reviews, and help elevate the overall expertise of the team.

This position requires deep expertise in modern JavaScript, TypeScript, React, Redux, and front-end performance optimization, along with a passion for building engaging, high-quality digital experiences at scale.

Responsibilities and Duties of the Role:

Lead the design, development, and optimization of React-based user interfaces for Disney’s digital platforms.
Architect scalable, reusable, and high-performance front-end solutions to support complex business needs.
Ensure efficient state management using Redux and other relevant technologies.
Implement best practices in front-end performance, accessibility, and security.
Mentor and guide React developers and contractors, ensuring adherence to best practices and coding standards.
Conduct code reviews, provide feedback, and facilitate knowledge sharing across teams.
Set technical direction for front-end development, ensuring alignment with architectural goals.
Work closely with product managers, designers, and backend engineers to define requirements and deliver seamless user experiences.
Collaborate with DevOps and QA teams to optimize deployment, testing, and performance monitoring.
Partner with stakeholders across Disney Entertainment & ESPN to drive innovation and continuous improvement.
Advocate for intuitive, user-friendly interfaces by working closely with UX/UI designers.
Ensure adherence to Disney’s design systems and maintain consistency across products.
Experiment with new front-end technologies and frameworks to enhance the user experience.
Identify and resolve front-end bottlenecks, optimizing rendering and load times.
Implement best practices for lazy loading, code splitting, and caching.
Stay up-to-date with the latest React, JavaScript, and front-end ecosystem advancements.
Introduce new tools, frameworks, and methodologies to enhance the development lifecycle.
Provide technical support and troubleshooting for React applications in production.
Monitor and address bugs, errors, and performance issues proactively.
Work with DevOps teams to ensure smooth CI/CD pipelines for front-end deployments.

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
7+ years of front-end development experience, with a strong focus on React and modern JavaScript frameworks.
3+ years of experience leading UI development efforts, including mentoring and guiding other developers.
Proven track record of architecting scalable front-end solutions for large-scale, high-traffic applications.
Experience working in agile development environments with cross-functional teams.
Experience integrating UI components with RESTful APIs.
Proficient in React, Redux, TypeScript, and modern JavaScript (ES6+).
Strong understanding of state management patterns, component lifecycle, and hooks.
Experience with frontend performance optimization techniques (lazy loading, code splitting, caching, etc.).
Familiarity with design systems, component libraries, and UI frameworks.
Expertise in CSS (SASS, LESS, Tailwind, or styled-components) and responsive design principles.
Hands-on experience with CI/CD pipelines, containerization (Docker), and cloud-based deployment (AWS, Azure, or GCP).
Strong ability to mentor and guide junior and mid-level React developers.
Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with experience working across teams.
Ability to translate business requirements into technical solutions.
Strong problem-solving skills with a proactive approach to identifying and resolving issues.

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience with Next.js or other SSR frameworks.
Familiarity with WebAssembly, Three.js, or other advanced web technologies.
Knowledge of streaming technologies, media players, or video processing.
Experience working in a media, entertainment, or sports industry environment.

#DISNEYTECH

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About Disney Entertainment and ESPN Product & Technology:

At Disney Entertainment and ESPN Product & Technology, we’re blending imagination and innovation to reimagine the ways people experience and engage with the world’s most beloved stories and products. Our work is wide-ranging and deeply sophisticated. We create amazing experiences, transform the future of media, and build products and platforms that enable the connection between people everywhere and the stories and sports they love.

Disney’s ability to marry world-class technology with one-of-a-kind creativity makes us unique. It is at the heart of our past, present, and future. We are Storytellers and Innovators. Creators and Builders. Entertainers and Engineers.

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 Disney Streaming Technology LLC, which is part of a business we call Disney Entertainment and ESPN Product & Technology.

Disney Streaming Technology LLC 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.

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Explore this Location Bristol, CT

The Heart of Connecticut Bristol, Connecticut is just two hours from Boston and New York and just an hour from the shoreline. From the natural beauty of picturesque hills and fall foliage, to the high tech satellite dishes of ESPN, Bristol’s “City sized” with a small town vibe, offering wonderful memories no matter your pace.