Lead Data Engineer

The Walt Disney Company; Orlando (FL); On-site; USD 151,000 - 202,000; Full time

Job summary

The Walt Disney Company (DDSI) seeks an experienced data engineer to lead R&D on advanced analytic data solutions leveraging GenAI. You will collaborate with business and technology leaders across Disney Entertainment, ESPN, and Parks to design data pipelines and data sharing architectures that power critical decisions.

This role emphasizes hands-on development, design reviews, and sustained delivery. Responsibilities include planning, estimating, and delivering scalable data engineering

Qualifications

• 7+ years in data engineering with multiple environments
• Translating scope into technical tasks for data engineering
• Experience with GenAI models and data sharing platforms
• Proficient in SQL and Python for data processing
• Experience with ELT/ETL pipelines and data structures
• Ability to plan, estimate, design, test, and deploy data solutions

Responsibilities

• Plan and lead R&D for advanced analytic data solutions using GenAI
• Collaborate with business/tech leaders to understand needs and data sources
• Design and deliver data pipelines across Disney entities
• Lead design reviews and hands-on development
• Estimate level-of-effort and manage sprint planning
• Communicate technical concepts to non-technical audiences
• Coordinate with multiple project teams in fast-paced environment
• Sustain and rollout solutions post-production

Skills

GenAI models

Data engineering

Communication

SQL

Python

ELT/ETL

Containerization

Cross-team collaboration

Requirements translation

Data pipelines

Education

Bachelor’s degree in CS/IS/Engineering

Tools

Snowflake

PostgreSQL

GitLab/GitHub

Airflow/MWAA/UC4

Docker/Kubernetes

Job description

Job ID 10160738 Location Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States Business The Walt Disney Company (Corporate) Date posted Oct. 09, 2026

The Disney Decision Science and Integration (DDSI) team leverages advanced technologies, data analytics, and scientific approaches such as optimization, and statistical modeling to build innovative tools that shape business decisions across The Walt Disney Company. We support Disney Entertainment (ABC, The Walt Disney Studios, Disney+, Hulu), ESPN, Disney Experiences (Theme Parks, Cruise Line, Consumer Products, DVC), and Corporate Finance with strategic applications that enable data-driven decision-making.

This is not a remote role. This team works in office.

What You Will Do

You will be responsible for planning and leading research and development related to advanced analytic data solutions, leveraging GenAI. You will work with business and technology leaders to understand scope and requirements, business needs, and data from across the Disney company in order to design and deliver the data pipelines necessary for our solutions. You will partner with the Decision Science Products, Decision Science, and client teams on critical projects. Other activities include planning, estimating, design, development, testing, production rollout and sustainment activities. You will also need to consult and collaborate with project team members, lead design reviews, do hands‑on development, and communicate with colleagues and leaders.

Required Qualifications & Skills

• 7+ years overall experience in a data engineering development capacity using multiple environments (Dev, QA, Prod, etc.) and DevOps procedures for code deployment/promotion
• Experience translating project scope and high-level requirements into technical data engineering tasks
• Experience defining solutions to sophisticated data engineering problems in support of advanced analytic processes
• Experience with a variety of GenAI models, tools, and concepts
• Understanding of Knowledge Graphs, Data Mesh, and other data sharing platforms
• 3+ years using, designing and building relational databases (preferably Snowflake or PostgreSQL)
• 3+ years of experience leading and deploying code using a source control product such as GitLab/GitHub
• 2+ years of experience with job scheduling software like Apache Airflow, Amazon MWAA, GitLab Runners or UC4
• Experience collaborating with multiple project teams in a fast‑paced environment
• Experience with defining and estimating level-of-effort data engineering activities
• Experience with project and sprint planning
• Ability to communicate technical concepts and solutions to non-technical team members
• Experience designing and building data structures to support requirements
• Multiple years of experience with ELT/ETL data pipeline development and maintenance
• Multiple years of shown experience and expertise using SQL and Python
• Experience using containerization technologies such as Docker or Kubernetes
• Proven ability to work collaboratively in a multi‑team environment

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading development of GenAI based systems including model selection, pipeline orchestration and deployment strategies
• Knowledgeable with Disney Parks attendance, reservations and/or products
• Experience with cloud based technologies, preferably AWS EMR, EC2, and S3
• Experience with advanced Snowflake offerings such as Snowpark, Data Exchange, Data Marketplace and Snowpipe

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Systems, Software, Electrical or Electronics Engineering, or comparable field of study and/or equivalent work experience

The hiring range for this position in Orlando, FL $150,500 to $201,800 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 Company (Corporate):

At Disney Corporate you can see how the businesses behind the Company’s powerful brands come together to create the most innovative, far-reaching and admired entertainment company in the world. As a member of a corporate team, you’ll work with world‑class leaders driving the strategies that keep The Walt Disney Company at the leading edge of entertainment. See and be seen by other innovative thinkers as you enable the greatest storytellers in the world to create memories for millions of families around the globe.

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 Worldwide Services, Inc., which is part of a business we call The Walt Disney Company (Corporate).

Disney Worldwide Services, Inc. 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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