R&D Imagineer Principal - Electrical Engineer

About the Role & Team:

Walt Disney Imagineering makes the impossible possible by combining innovation and storytelling to bring Disney stories, characters, and worlds to life. Imagineering is the master planning, creative development, design, engineering, production, project management, and research and development arm of The Walt Disney Company. Its talented Imagineers are responsible for the creation - from concept initiation through installation - of all Disney Resorts, theme parks and attractions, real estate developments, regional entertainment venues, and new media projects. Disney Imagineers are uniquely talented individuals who bring together the best aspects of creativity, innovation, and passion.

At Imagineering Research and Development, our mission is to use technology to build new experiences for our Guests and new tools for Imagineers and the Cast Members who power our parks. R&D is a team of engineers, designers, artists, and scientists who share a passion for solving hard problems and building ground-breaking experiences. The Productization Team within R&D transforms imaginative concepts into scalable, manufacturable, and operationally viable products. We are seeking a Principal R&D Imagineer - Electrical Engineer to contribute to the development and delivery of innovative hardware solutions across a diverse portfolio of technologies, including robotics, consumer electronics, ride systems, audio-visual systems, and other themed entertainment products. This role emphasizes technical leadership, cross-functional collaboration, and documentation excellence to support successful product handoff to operations and manufacturing.

You will report to the Executive, Productization and Commercialization. 

This is a Full-Time role. 

What You Will Do:

• Lead electrical system design from concept through production, including schematic capture, PCB layout, component selection, and system integration.

• Architect and implement analog and digital circuits, battery-operated systems, and wireless communication modules.

• Collaborate with mechanical, firmware, and software teams to ensure seamless integration and system-level performance.

• Develop and maintain functional specifications, design verification plans, and test procedures.

• Support product validation and troubleshooting during prototype and production phases.

• Establish and maintain relationships with sub-vendors to ensure access to current, upcoming, and pre-release hardware. Ensure they provide appropriate documentation, support, and compliance information for integration and manufacturing readiness.

• Design and build prototypes for rapid iteration and concept validation.

• Review and manage PCB layouts for manufacturability, signal integrity, and power integrity.

• Provide technical documentation and release packages to the Operations Program Manager (OPM) for tracking and sign-off before handoff to contract manufacturers (CMs).

• Ensure electrical documentation is complete, version-controlled, and compliant with internal standards. Maintain engineering documentation, including schematics, BOMs, test plans, and compliance reports.

• Work closely with Technical Program Managers, Sustaining Teams, and R&D partners to align technical deliverables with program goals. Collaborate with legal, compliance, logistics, and packaging teams to ensure electrical designs meet all operational and regulatory requirements.

• Travel up to 35% as required to support builds, vendor audits, park and deployment site visits, and program milestones.

Required Qualifications & Skills:

• 10+ years of experience in electrical, firmware, and/or system-level design.

• Strong understanding of compliance standards, manufacturing processes, and product lifecycle management.

• Experience with robotics, consumer electronics, ride systems, or audio-visual hardware.

• Proficient in Altium Designer; basic proficiency in SolidWorks.

• Excellent organizational, communication, and documentation skills.

Preferred Qualifications & Skills:

• Experience with SOCs, microcontrollers, microprocessors (ARM), and FPGAs.

• Familiarity with power supply design, analog circuits, and rapid prototyping.

• Strong working knowledge of PCB layout best practices, signal integrity, and power integrity.

• Experience with lab equipment, including oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and multi-meters.

• Understanding of optics, sensors, and image pipelines.

• Demonstrated ability to move seamlessly between system-level architecture and detailed implementation.

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related field is required. 

• Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related discipline is preferred.

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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The hiring range for this position in San Francisco, CA is $206,400 to $276,700 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.