Principal Core Systems Engineer

About the Role & Team

Disney Digital Entertainment, a division of Disney Experiences, is redefining how audiences interact with The Walt Disney Company—creating the ‘digital front door’ that unites all of Disney’s magic into a cohesive, interactive universe.

Disney Digital Entertainment is seeking a Principal Core Systems Engineer to drive innovation and set technical direction for game engine and rendering technology.

As a principal individual contributor, you will develop technical design specifications, create core software for new engine modules, and enhance existing functionality. Your expertise will solve the most complex challenges, influence cross-organizational initiatives, and establish technical standards for engine development.

This role can be based remotely in Sweden, Denmark, Finland or Norway.

What You Will Do

• Technical Leadership: Develop and drive technical designs for game engine software systems, ensuring scalability, performance, and reliability.

• Game Engine Expertise: Build and optimize core systems for Unreal Engine (UE) and Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN), elevating engine capabilities to new heights.

• C++ Mastery: Write and review clean, maintainable, and extensible C++ code, setting standards for quality and best practices.

• Complex Problem Solving: Solve the most challenging software problems in innovative ways, leveraging deep technical expertise.

• Technical Standards: Lead the creation and adoption of technical standards for engine programming across teams.

• Cross-Organizational Initiatives: Contribute to initiatives that impact multiple departments, collaborating with peers and management to deliver cutting-edge solutions.

• Performance Optimization: Architect solutions to improve system performance, including profiling and optimizing for speed and memory across CPU and GPU.

• Mentorship and Evangelism: Guide and mentor engineers of all experience levels, fostering technical growth and advocating for new technologies and solutions.

• Strategic Contribution: Drive leading-edge projects and initiatives, aligning efforts with organizational objectives and setting the technical direction for future development.

Required Qualifications & Skills

• Expertise and Vision: 12+ years of progressively complex experience in software development, with a focus on game engine and rendering systems.

• Technical Mastery: Recognized expertise in C++ programming, technical design, and building scalable, feature-rich engine systems.

• Leadership and Influence: A proven track record of driving technical innovation and setting organizational standards.

• Strategic Problem-Solving: The ability to tackle unique challenges and deliver impactful solutions across teams and departments.

• Collaboration and Communication: Exceptional skills in working with internal and external stakeholders to align on complex technical initiatives.

• Innovation and Mentorship: A passion for mentoring engineers and evangelizing new technologies and methodologies.

• UE and UEFN Expertise: Deep experience with Unreal Engine 5 and the UEFN toolchain, with an understanding of modern rendering pipelines and techniques.

• Education: A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field is preferred.

Why Disney Digital Entertainment?

• Be part of an innovative mission to deliver the next generation of Disney’s digital magic to fans around the globe.

• Collaborate with premier talent to build scalable systems powering Disney’s most iconic franchises, including Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars.

• Shape the backend systems for a groundbreaking new interactive experience and impact millions of players worldwide.

• Work in a collaborative, global environment where innovation, creativity, and technical excellence thrive.

The Walt Disney Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We strive to be a diverse workforce that is representative of our audiences, and where all can thrive and belong. Disney is committed to forming a team that includes and respects a variety of voices, identities, backgrounds, experiences and perspectives.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided the necessary accommodations to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive all benefits of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.