Lead Data Engineer

The Walt Disney Company (France); Orlando (FL); On-site; USD 148,000 - 199,000; Full time

Job summary

The Walt Disney Company is seeking a senior data architecture leader to design enterprise data architecture, models, and integrations across Disney Experiences. You will define standards, mentor teams, and drive scalable data projects in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

Join the Data Products & Platforms team within Technology & Digital, shaping data-driven decisions for parks, resorts, and experiences.

Qualifications

• Minimum 7 years of experience in data architecture, data modeling, or senior data engineering roles.
• Deep expertise in dimensional modeling, data vault, lakehouse architectures, and enterprise data modeling at scale.
• Advanced SQL skills and proficiency with data transformation tools (e.g., dbt, Spark).
• Extensive experience with cloud data warehouses and data lake architectures (e.g., Snowflake, Databricks, AWS).
• Proven ability to define and enforce data modeling standards across teams and domains.
• Comfortable working in an agile environment, collaborating with cross-functional teams.
• Advocate for diverse and inclusive culture that encourages innovation and belonging.
• Familiarity with required technologies and a drive to expand data architecture toolsets.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design of enterprise data architecture, including logical models, physical schemas, and integration patterns.
• Define data modeling standards, naming conventions, and architectural patterns across domains.
• Design cross-domain data integrations that connect disparate source systems into well-modeled datasets.
• Establish and maintain data dictionaries, lineage documentation, and metadata standards.
• Lead data modeling reviews and guide complex schema design decisions.
• Assist in estimation and planning for highly scalable data architecture projects, including budgeting.
• Stay current with emerging data modeling and architecture technologies to inform recommendations.
• Provide escalation support and guide ongoing enhancement of data models and architecture

Skills

Data architecture

Data modeling

SQL

Cloud data warehouses

Agile

Leadership

Diversity & inclusion

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/IS/Engineering

Master's degree (preferred)

Tools

erwin

dbt

SqlDBM

Alation

Snowflake

Databricks

Redshift

EMR

Spark

Job description

About the Role & Team

“We Power the Magic!” That’s our motto at Disney Experiences (DX). Our team creates world-class immersive digital experiences for the Company’s premier vacation brands, including Disney’s Parks & Resorts worldwide, Disney Cruise Line, Aulany, a Disney Resort & Spa, and Disney Vacation Club. We are responsible for the end-to-end digital and physical Guest experience across Attractions & Entertainment, Food & Beverage, Resorts & Transportation, and Merchandise, as well as initiatives including My Disney Experience and Hey, Disney!

This role sits within the Data Products & Platforms organization within Technology & Digital for Disney Experiences, working closely with various partners across the company.

What You’ll Do

• Lead the design of enterprise data architecture, including logical models, physical schemas, and integration patterns
• Define data modeling standards, naming conventions, and architectural patterns across domains
• Design cross-domain data integrations that connect disparate source systems into coherent, well-modeled datasets
• Establish and maintain data dictionaries, lineage documentation, and metadata standards
• Lead data modeling reviews and provide guidance on complex schema design decisions
• Help drive estimation and planning for highly sophisticated, scalable data architecture projects, including budget allocation
• Stay current with emerging data modeling and architecture technologies to inform recommendations
• Provide escalation support as needed and guide the ongoing enhancement of existing data models and architecture

Required Qualifications

• Minimum 7 years of related work experience in data architecture, data modeling, or senior data engineering roles
• Deep expertise in dimensional modeling, data vault, lakehouse architectures, and enterprise data modeling at scale
• Advanced SQL skills and proficiency with data transformation tools (e.g., dbt, Spark)
• Extensive experience with cloud data warehouses and data lake architectures (e.g., Snowflake, Databricks, AWS)
• Proven ability to define and enforce data modeling standards across teams and domains
• Comfortable working in an agile environment, collaborating with cross-functional teams
• A visionary who motivates teams to excel and fosters creativity, consistently driving excellence
• An advocate for a diverse and inclusive culture that encourages innovation and ensures every team member feels a sense of belonging
• Familiarity with [add required technologies here], with a desire to further develop technical expertise in data architecture tools and methodologies

Preferred Qualifications

• Data Modeling Tools – erwin, dbt, SqlDBM, Alation
• Cloud Data Warehouses – Snowflake, Databricks, Redshift
• Data Processing – EMR, Spark, Glue, Spark Streaming/Flink
• Data Quality – Elementary, Anomalo, Great Expectations
• Metadata & Governance – Alation, Unity Catalog, Apache Atlas
• Infrastructure as Code – Terraform, CloudFormation, CDK

Required Education

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Software, Electrical or Electronics Engineering, or a comparable field of study, and/or equivalent work experience.

Preferred Education

• Master's degree in a related field

The hiring range for this position in FL is $148,300.00-$198,800.00 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.