Staff (Lead) Software Engineer
Apply Now Apply Later Job ID 10130965 Location Glendale, California, United States Business The Walt Disney Studios Date posted Oct. 27, 2025Job Summary:
This is not a remote role. You must be local or open to relocation.
Why The Walt Disney Studios?
The Walt Disney Studios is where unforgettable stories come to life. From theatrical releases to global streaming platforms, our technology enables the creation and delivery of content enjoyed by millions. Behind every frame is a complex, distributed supply chain and a team of engineers building the systems that make it all possible.
Job Description
We are in search of a Staff (Lead) Software Engineer to help build the next generation of
intelligent infrastructure for the Studio Digital Supply Chain. This role blends expertise in
backend software engineering, workflow and AI to design and deliver agentic platforms that
support workflows like mastering, localization, and delivery.
This is a hands-on senior engineering role that demands strong execution, adaptability, and
comfort working at the pace of evolving AI technologies.
Key Responsibilities
Design & Build AI Middleware:
• Design and build API gateways, wrappers, and middleware services that expose studio systems and data to AI agents.
• Manage secure access to tools, metadata, and content systems through model context protocol (MCP).
• Standardize how agents’ interface with internal services across the supply chain.
Build Agentic Workflows:
• Deploy agentic platforms such as LangGraph or LangChain to manage tool execution, context routing, and decision logic.
• Implement tracing, audit logging, and governance checkpoints including human approval and fallback paths.
• Integrate orchestration into media workflows such as mastering, localization, and delivery.
Productize and Optimize AI Services:
• Translate prototypes into production-ready microservices using Java, TypeScript, or Python, deployed via Kubernetes and managed through CI/CD pipelines.
• Implement event-driven services using Kafka, EventBridge, or SNS/SQS to support loosely coupled, fault-tolerant communication across services.
• Build and maintain APIs with clear contracts, emphasizing reliability, observability, and long-term maintainability.
Lead, Collaborate, and Mentor:
• Work directly with ML engineers, platform teams, and product managers to deliver business-ready AI capabilities.
• Contribute to technical planning, system design, and delivery reviews across
engineering and product.
• Mentor team members and stay current on emerging trends in LLM tooling,
orchestration, and agent frameworks.
Required Qualifications
• Bachelor's or master's degree in a Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field.
• 8+ years of backend or systems engineering experience, with at least 3 years building AI-powered or workflow-centric platforms.
• Proficient in Java, Python, or Node.js, with deep understanding of testing, observability, and systems at scale.
• Production experience with cloud platforms such as AWS, and container orchestration with Docker and Kubernetes.
• Hands-on experience deploying infrastructure via Terraform, CDK, or similar
infrastructure-as-code frameworks.
• Experience building or integrating workflow engines, ideally in LLM or GenAI contexts.
• Clear, structured communication skills and a track record of technical leadership in cross-functional teams.
Preferred Qualifications
• Experience with LLM frameworks and APIs such as LangGraph, LangChain, OpenAI, or Anthropic.
• Background in media, entertainment, or content operations, including localization or post-production workflows.
• Experience building multi-tenant or shared platform services.
• Exposure to Agile delivery practices and DevOps automation at scale.
• Contributions to GenAI open-source projects or internal AI/ML infrastructure tooling.
At Disney, storytelling is powered by technology. As a Staff Software Engineer, you will build platforms that move our content from production to audience. Join us and contribute to the systems behind some of the most iconic storytelling in the world.
#DISNEYTECH
The hiring range for this position in Glendale, CA is $155,700 to $208,700 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.
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.
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