Staff Software Engineer

Disney Entertainment; Glendale (CA); On-site; USD 158,000 - 212,000; Full time

Job summary

The Walt Disney Studios is seeking a Staff Software Engineer to design and build AI-powered middleware and agentic workflows that move content from production to audience. You will lead backend systems, ensure secure access, and drive production-ready microservices using Kubernetes and CI/CD pipelines.

This senior role requires hands-on engineering, collaboration with ML teams, and staying ahead of GenAI and orchestration trends to deliver scalable, observable platforms for mastering,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field or equivalent years of related work experience.
• 7+ years of backend or systems engineering experience, with at least 2 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.

Responsibilities

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

Skills

Java

Python

Node.js

Cloud AWS

Observability

LLM tooling

Cross-functional leadership

Education

Bachelor's in Computer Science

Master's degree (preferred)

Tools

Kubernetes

Docker

Terraform

CI/CD

Kafka/EventBridge

Job description

Job Requirements

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

At Disney, storytelling is powered by technology. As a Staff Software Engineer, you will build the 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.

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.

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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.

Work Experience

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor's in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field or equivalent years of related work experience

• 7+ years of backend or systems engineering experience, with at least 2 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:

• Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering or related field.

• 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.

Disclaimer

PAY TRANSPARENCY

The hiring range for this position in Glendale CA is $158,100.00 to $211,900.00 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.

This position is with Walt Disney Pictures, which is part of a business we call The Walt Disney Studios.

To learn more about Disney's guidelines on the use of AI for candidates, click here. (https://join.disneycareers.com/global/en/ai-usage)

Walt Disney Pictures is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or protected veteran status. 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.

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, visit the Disney candidate disability accommodations FAQs (https://support.disneycareers.com/hc/en-us/sections/32131060143380-Candidate-Disability-Accommodations-FAQs) . We will only respond to those requests that are related to the accessibility of the online application system due to a disability.

Having technical issues? View the FAQs for help. (https://support.disneycareers.com/hc/en-us)

The Walt Disney Company is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or protected veteran status. Disney fosters a business culture where ideas and decisions from all people help us grow, innovate, create the best stories and be relevant in a rapidly changing world.