Lead Software Engineer

Technology is at the heart of Disney’s past, present, and future. Disney Entertainment and ESPN Product & Technology is a global organization of engineers, product developers, designers, technologists, data scientists, and more – all working to build and advance the technological backbone for Disney’s media business globally.

The team marries technology with creativity to build world-class products, enhance storytelling, and drive velocity, innovation, and scalability for our businesses. We are Storytellers and Innovators. Creators and Builders. Entertainers and Engineers. We work with every part of The Walt Disney Company’s media portfolio to advance the technological foundation and consumer media touch points serving millions of people around the world. 

Here are a few reasons why we think you’d love working here:

Building the future of Disney’s media: Our Technologists are designing and building the products and platforms that will power our media, advertising, and distribution businesses for years to come. Reach, Scale & Impact: More than ever, Disney’s technology and products serve as a signature doorway for fans' connections with the company’s brands and stories. Disney+. Hulu. ESPN. ABC. ABC News…and many more. These products and brands – and the unmatched stories, storytellers, and events they carry – matter to millions of people globally.  Innovation: We develop and implement groundbreaking products and techniques that shape industry norms, and solve complex and distinctive technical problems.

• Content Platforms & Operations is responsible for the development and ongoing advancement of the technical and operational functions driving the worldwide distribution and monetization of Disney’s linear networks and theatrical content. This includes Disney’s media supply chain and storage, network and theatrical distribution operations, media localization, network transmission and origination, and more. The global team also plays a critical role as the primary collaboration point for Product & Technology with Disney’s EMEA, APAC, and LATAM regional business teams.

The Lead Software Engineer will drive the development of world-class user experiences across our digital platforms. In this role, you will lead the design and implementation of React-based applications, ensuring seamless, high-performance interfaces that will be used to bring Disney’s unparalleled entertainment and sports content to audiences worldwide.

As a key technical leader, you will architect scalable front-end solutions, optimize state management with Redux, and collaborate closely with management, business partners, other frontend engineers, product, design, and backend teams to deliver innovative and immersive viewing experiences. Your work will directly impact streaming, digital products, advertising, and content distribution, playing a critical role in transforming the future of Disney’s media business.

In addition to hands-on development, you will regularly lead, mentor and direct other React developers, both full time and contractors, fostering best practices in front-end architecture, performance optimization, and maintainable code. You will set technical direction, conduct code reviews, and help elevate the overall expertise of the team.

This position requires deep expertise in modern JavaScript, TypeScript, React, Redux, and front-end performance optimization, along with a passion for building engaging, high-quality digital experiences at scale.

Responsibilities and Duties of the Role:

• Lead the design, development, and optimization of React-based user interfaces for Disney’s digital platforms. 
• Architect scalable, reusable, and high-performance front-end solutions to support complex business needs. 
• Ensure efficient state management using Redux and other relevant technologies. 
• Implement best practices in front-end performance, accessibility, and security. 
• Mentor and guide React developers and contractors, ensuring adherence to best practices and coding standards. 
• Conduct code reviews, provide feedback, and facilitate knowledge sharing across teams. 
• Set technical direction for front-end development, ensuring alignment with architectural goals. 
• Work closely with product managers, designers, and backend engineers to define requirements and deliver seamless user experiences. 
• Collaborate with DevOps and QA teams to optimize deployment, testing, and performance monitoring. 
• Partner with stakeholders across Disney Entertainment & ESPN to drive innovation and continuous improvement. 
• Advocate for intuitive, user-friendly interfaces by working closely with UX/UI designers. 
• Ensure adherence to Disney’s design systems and maintain consistency across products. 
• Experiment with new front-end technologies and frameworks to enhance the user experience. 
• Identify and resolve front-end bottlenecks, optimizing rendering and load times. 
• Implement best practices for lazy loading, code splitting, and caching. 
• Stay up-to-date with the latest React, JavaScript, and front-end ecosystem advancements. 
• Introduce new tools, frameworks, and methodologies to enhance the development lifecycle. 
• Provide technical support and troubleshooting for React applications in production. 
• Monitor and address bugs, errors, and performance issues proactively. 
• Work with DevOps teams to ensure smooth CI/CD pipelines for front-end deployments. 

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• 7+ years of front-end development experience, with a strong focus on React and modern JavaScript frameworks.
• 3+ years of experience leading UI development efforts, including mentoring and guiding other developers.
• Proven track record of architecting scalable front-end solutions for large-scale, high-traffic applications.
• Experience working in agile development environments with cross-functional teams.
• Experience integrating UI components with RESTful APIs.
• Proficient in React, Redux, TypeScript, and modern JavaScript (ES6+).
• Strong understanding of state management patterns, component lifecycle, and hooks.
• Experience with frontend performance optimization techniques (lazy loading, code splitting, caching, etc.).
• Familiarity with design systems, component libraries, and UI frameworks.
• Expertise in CSS (SASS, LESS, Tailwind, or styled-components) and responsive design principles.
• Hands-on experience with CI/CD pipelines, containerization (Docker), and cloud-based deployment (AWS, Azure, or GCP).
• Strong ability to mentor and guide junior and mid-level React developers.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with experience working across teams.
• Ability to translate business requirements into technical solutions.
• Strong problem-solving skills with a proactive approach to identifying and resolving issues.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with Next.js or other SSR frameworks.
• Familiarity with WebAssembly, Three.js, or other advanced web technologies.
• Knowledge of streaming technologies, media players, or video processing.
• Experience working in a media, entertainment, or sports industry environment.