Staff Software Engineer

Job ID 10130965 Location Glendale, California, United States Business The Walt Disney Studios Date posted Sep. 11, 2025

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Job Summary:

This is not a remote role. You must be local or open to relocation.

About Us

Disney has created one of the most powerful brands by bringing memorable, life-changing storytelling to the world. The foundation of this creativity starts with The Walt Disney Studios. As a member of the Studio Technology Team, you will be responsible for the successful delivery of products and software solutions supporting our production, content operations and marketing teams.

Job Description

We are seeking a Staff Software Engineer to lead the development of intelligent, scalable systems within the Studio Digital Supply Chain. This role is central to building the next generation of media workflows that combine deterministic orchestration with AI/ML-driven, agentic behaviors.

You will architect cloud-native, event-driven services that enable dynamic decision-making, automation, and human-in-the-loop processes. Ideal candidates bring deep experience in distributed systems and cloud platforms, along with a strong interest or background in building systems that integrate machine learning, large language models, or rules-based engines for adaptive workflows.

Responsibilities

Design AI-Augmented Workflows:

Lead the development of systems that exhibit agentic behavior using AI/ML technologies.
Integrate tools such as large language models (LLMs), decision engines, and semantic search.
Enable intelligent, adaptive processing within complex workflow environments.

Workflow Orchestration & Automation:

Create deterministic workflows using state machines or rules engines.
Design hybrid patterns that blend structured logic with adaptive capabilities.
Enable flexible execution of both predictable and dynamic processes.

Architecture & Scalability:

Build modular, distributed system architectures.
Optimize for high-throughput, long-running, and stateful tasks.
Support human-in-the-loop processing in complex studio workflows.

Event-Driven Development:

Develop services that use event-driven communication patterns.
Leverage Kafka, EventBridge, or SNS/SQS for messaging and orchestration.
Ensure resilience and loose coupling between distributed components.

API & Microservices Engineering:

Build performant APIs and microservices in Java, Python, or Node.js.
Design for cloud-native environments and deployment flexibility.
Emphasize reliability, maintainability, and clear service boundaries.

Cross-Functional Collaboration:

Collaborate with product, program, and ML stakeholders.
Translate business and creative requirements into scalable systems.
Align diverse teams around shared architecture and delivery goals.

Mentorship & Best Practices:

Guide engineers through architecture and code reviews.
Provide mentorship on system design and software quality.
Foster innovation and technical excellence across the team.

Requirements

Bachelor's or master's degree in a Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field.
Must have7+ years of experience building distributed, cloud-native backend systems
Must have hands-on experience integrating AI/ML tools, LLMs, or decision engines into workflow-driven systems
Strong foundation in cloud platforms (especially AWS), event-driven architecture, and infrastructure automation
Must have strong proficiency in Java, Python, or Node.js
Must have deep knowledge of containerization (Docker, Kubernetes), CI/CD pipelines, and system observability
Exceptional communication and technical leadership skills

Preferred

Prior experience in Media or Entertainment, particularly studio/post-production workflows
Experience building shared platforms or multi-tenant environments
Hands-on experience with machine learning systems, pipelines, or model integration in production environments
Familiarity with Agile and DevOps methodologies

At Disney, storytelling is powered with technology. As a key contributor in Studio Technology, you’ll help revolutionize the way our stories are delivered by building the backbone of our digital content operations. Join us to shape the systems and workflows that enable storytelling at global scale.

#DISNEYTECH

The hiring range for this position in Glendale is $152,200.00 to $185,000.00 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 The Walt Disney Studios:

For over 95 years, The Walt Disney Studios has been the foundation on which The Walt Disney Company was built. Today it brings quality movies, episodic storytelling, music, and stage plays to consumers throughout the world. The Walt Disney Studios encompasses a collection of respected film studios, including Disney, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, 20th Century Studios, and Searchlight Pictures. It is also home to Disney Theatrical Productions, producer of world-class stage shows.

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 Pictures, which is part of a business we call The Walt Disney Studios.

Walt Disney Pictures 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.
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The Next Chapter

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