Senior Software Engineer - ESPN Content Enhancements

Disney Entertainment and ESPN Product & Technology

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 execute groundbreaking products and techniques that shape industry norms and enhance how audiences experience sports, entertainment & news.

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 Content Enhancements team designs, develops, and maintains content automation systems that power and elevate broadcasts across a wide range of sporting events. We are looking for a driven and talented engineer who thrives in a fast-paced, collaborative environment and is eager to contribute to high-impact broadcast technology. 

Responsibilities:

• Design, develop, and maintain software systems that support live broadcast content automation
• Collaborate across disciplines (engineering, design, production, and operations) to deliver reliable, efficient solutions
• Contribute to architectural discussions and help define long-term technical strategies
• Balance development speed with maintainability and quality using lean, iterative practices
• Provide mentorship, technical insight, and code reviews for team members
• Continuously learn and share new tools and techniques that enhance the team’s efficiency and creativity

Basic Qualifications:

• Minimum of 5 years experience in a technical or software development role 
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Software, Electrical or Electronics Engineering, or comparable field of study, and/or equivalent work experience
• Strong understanding of object-oriented (OO) software design 
• Proven ability to design, develop, and manage MySQL databases 
• Solid proficiency in C# and/or VB programming languages 
• Experience writing code that consumes RESTful APIs and JSON data 
• Ability to work collaboratively with technology, engineering, operations, production, and creative services teams 
• Excellent communication and organizational skills, with strong attention to detail 
• Serves as a high-level technical resource and “go-to” person for less-experienced engineers 
• Demonstrated success in building solutions of significant scope and complexity that have been successfully deployed to end users 
• Demonstrated ability to research, evaluate, and learn new technologies 
• Driven, self-motivated, and capable of working independently 
• Ability to travel globally, including nights, weekends, and holidays as required 
• Willingness to provide 24/7/365 support for live production environments 
• Experience working with league data feeds and other external data providers 
• Genuine passion for sports and live event production 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience and understanding of scripting functions and logic, including VizRT scripting, VBScript, and ActionScript 
• Working knowledge of Visual Studio technologies, including C#, VB.NET, and WPF (experience with these is a strong plus) 
• Hands-on experience with web and cloud-based technologies 
• Understanding of the MVVM architectural pattern 
• Experience working with VizRT broadcast graphics systems 
• Familiarity with Ross XPression real-time graphics platform 
• Demonstrated experience or interest in leveraging AI tools and frameworks to enhance software development, automation, or data-driven workflows 
• Knowledge of live event and studio production workflows and environments 
• Strong sports knowledge and the rules surrounding various sports is preferred  

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