Lead Software Engineer

The Walt Disney Company; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 166,000 - 224,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a forward-thinking company that is revolutionizing the entertainment industry! As a Lead Software Engineer in Test, you will play a pivotal role in enhancing the quality of mobile applications for popular streaming services. You will collaborate with talented engineers to design robust test automation frameworks and CI/CD pipelines, ensuring seamless user experiences across platforms. This position offers the chance to work on innovative projects that impact millions of viewers globally, while fostering a culture of quality and excellence. If you are passionate about technology and eager to lead a talented team, this is the perfect opportunity for you!

Benefits

Comprehensive Medical Benefits

401(k) Plan

Paid Time Off

Employee Discounts

Flexible Work Hours

Qualifications

• 7+ years in software development with a focus on test automation.
• Experience in leading teams and mentoring junior engineers.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop test automation frameworks for mobile apps.
• Lead and mentor a team of engineers in quality engineering.

Skills

Test Automation

Object-Oriented Design

Collaboration Skills

Problem-Solving Skills

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science

Tools

Jira

Confluence

GitLab

Docker

Kubernetes

Job description

Lead Software Engineer in Test - iOS/Android

Lead Software Engineer in Test - iOS/Android

Apply Now Apply Later Job ID 10098320 Location Glendale, California, United States / Seattle, Washington, United States / San Francisco, California, United States Business Disney Entertainment Date postedApr. 30, 2025

Job Summary:

On any given day at Disney Entertainment & ESPN Technology, we are reimagining ways to create magical viewing experiences for the world’s most beloved stories while also transforming Disney’s media business for the future. Whether that is evolving our streaming and digital products in new and immersive ways, powering worldwide advertising and distribution to maximize flexibility and efficiency, or delivering Disney’s unmatched entertainment and sports content, every day is a moment to make a difference to partners and to hundreds of millions of people around the world.

A few reasons why we think you would love working here:

• Building the future of Disney’s Streaming, Sports, and Entertainment business: DE&E Technologists are designing and building the backend systems, API’s and mobile applications that will power Disney’s media, advertising, and distribution businesses.
• Reach and Scale: The products and platforms this group builds and operates on delight millions of consumers every minute of every day – from Disney+ and Hulu, to ABC News and Entertainment, to ESPN and ESPN+, and much more.
• Innovation: We develop and execute groundbreaking products and techniques that shape industry norms and enhance how audiences experience sports, entertainment & news.

Engineering Services designs, builds, and sustains technology that powers DE&E Technology’s worldwide content production and distribution platforms. In doing so, they contribute to a series of cross-functional services and technologies, including Quality Engineering, Data Analytics, Software Development, Broadcast Infrastructure, and Networking & Security. The Quality Engineering team validates all work before production, including web, mobile, living room applications, media, services, non-consumer-facing products and more.

As a member of our team, you will strive to accomplish the following goals:

• Contributing to the successful implementation of solutions for complex technical problems with DE &ET engineering teams
• Owning the development and maintenance of one or more functional areas of test automation and tooling, execution environments, build systems and tooling used across multiple products
• Contribute to the successful design & implementation of one or more project features with input from senior engineers
• Check-in valuable, clean code daily that adds new features and capabilities
• Becoming a member of our Quality Engineering team, increasing quality through innovation, automated test creation, curiosity, and thoughtful debate.

Responsibilities and Duties of the Role:

• Collaborate with engineering teams to implement a scalable and high-performing full-stack quality solution.
• Design and develop test automation frameworks, CI/CD pipelines, build systems, and reporting tools to support the flagship streaming mobile apps D+ and Hulu. Lead development efforts, either independently or by mentoring and guiding a team of junior engineers.
• Continuously identify and pursue opportunities to enhance systems, products, or services with each iteration.
• Manage and coordinate complex tasks, scheduling, status updates, and communication with internal team members and external stakeholders.
• Lead and mentor a small team of engineers, providing in-depth code reviews and technical analysis.
• Define key performance indicators to assess project status and effectiveness.
• Maintain comprehensive documentation for both end users and project contributors.
• Provide training for end users and developers on automation tools and frameworks.
• Investigate and resolve framework or environmental issues impacting our services.
• Become an integral member of the Platform & Data Engineering team, fostering innovation to increase productivity and championing Disney’s core value of quality.

Required Education, Experience/Skills/Training:

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science or a closely related.
• Minimum 7 years of progressive experience in software development, including test automation for both front-end and back-end services.
• Minimum 4 years of experience in test automation and unit testing frameworks for iOS or Android apps.
• Proficiency in object-oriented design and expertise in one or more programming languages: Swift, Kotlin, Java, or Node.js/TypeScript.
• Experience in deriving and gathering quality KPIs to provide insights into a product’s health and progress.
• Excellent problem-solving skills.
• Strong collaboration skills and familiarity with standard Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) tools such as Jira, Confluence, and version control systems like GitLab or GitHub.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to deliver project tasks on time.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with an elevated level of motivation and a self-starting attitude.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience delivering production iOS/Android apps.
• Minimum 3 years of experience leading a team of 2 or more engineers.
• Experience developing applications in cloud platforms. (e.g., AWS)
• Experience working with cloud-based testing infrastructures. (e.g., SauceLabs)
• Experience working with Agile methodologies.
• Experience working with Docker, Kubernetes, Spinnaker, and continuous integration/delivery systems.
• Experience writing Gherkin syntax to facilitate the development of automated test scenarios.
• Experience developing advanced mocking mechanisms. (e.g., rule-based proxies and dummy-services)
• Experience with test suite/case/run management tools. (e.g., JIRA Xray, etc.)

The hiring range for this position in Glendale, CA is $149,300.00 to $200,200.00 per year, in Seattle, WA is $156,300.00 to $209,600.00 per year, is $166,800.00 to $223,600.00 in San Francisco, CA and is $159,500.00 to $213,900.00 in New York City, NY. 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 Disney Entertainment:

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 Streaming Technology LLC , which is part of a business we call Disney Entertainment .

Disney Streaming Technology LLC 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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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, email [e-mail] with your request. This email address is not for general employment inquiries or correspondence. We will only respond to those requests that are related to the accessibility of the online application system due to a disability.

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