Lead Software Engineer-AI Licensing & Publishing Systems Job at The Walt Disney

At Disney Experiences Technology, our team creates world-class immersive digital experiences for the Company’s premier vacation brands including Disney’s Parks & Resorts worldwide, Disney Cruise Line, Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa, and Disney Vacation Club.

The Disney Experiences Technology team is responsible for the end-to-end digital and physical Guest experience for all technology & digital-led initiatives across the Attractions & Entertainment, Food & Beverage, Resorts & Transportation, and Merchandise lines of business as well as other initiatives including the MyDisneyExperience app and Hey, Disney!

“We Power the Magic!” That’s our motto at Disney Experiences (DX) Technology & Digital. Our team creates world-class immersive digital experiences for Disney’s Consumer Products Business.

This role sits within the Technology & Digital organization for Disney Experiences and collaborates closely with cross-functional teams across the company. The Lead Software Engineer will report to the Manager, App Development.

About the Role & Team We are seeking a visionary Lead Software Engineer to drive the development of scalable, intelligent systems that support the operation of the Licensing & Publishing business using AI-driven decision making. This role will be instrumental in shaping the architecture and delivery of next-generation platforms that power licensing and book publishing workflows and predictive analytics.

What You’ll Do Lead the design, development, and deployment of software solutions for Licensing & Publishing systems and AI-powered applications.

Architect and implement scalable services that integrate with internal and third-party platforms.

Collaborate with product, finance, and data science teams to define system requirements and deliver intelligent automation.

Apply machine learning and AI techniques to optimize product approval workflows, forecasting, and compliance monitoring.

Own the full software development lifecycle, including analysis, design, coding, testing, debugging, and documentation.

Mentor junior engineers and foster a culture of innovation, inclusion, and technical excellence.

Stay current with emerging technologies in AI, financial systems, and cloud-native development to inform strategic decisions.

Required Qualifications & Skills 7+ years of software engineering experience, including leadership of complex projects.

Proven experience with financial systems, licensing workflows, or royalty management platforms.

Hands-on expertise in AI / ML frameworks (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch, Scikit-learn) and data pipelines.

Strong background in computer vision, particularly in color science and image object localization; familiarity with photography principles a plus.

Excellent programming skills in languages such as Java, Python, Go, Rust, C#.

Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, or Azure) and container orchestration (e.g., Kubernetes).

Agile development experience and familiarity with CI / CD pipelines.

Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.

Preferred Qualifications Experience with licensing systems in media, entertainment, or digital content industries.

Experience with product lifecycle management systems.

Familiarity with financial compliance standards and audit processes.

Background in data engineering or applied AI in enterprise environments.

Education Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent experience).

Master’s degree or certifications in AI, Data Science, or Financial Technology is a plus.

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The hiring range for this position in Glendale California is $150,000-$180,000 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.

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