Principal Machine Learning Engineer

Disney Entertainment & ESPN Technology

On any given day at Disney Entertainment & ESPN Technology, we’re reimagining ways to create magical viewing experiences for the world’s most beloved stories while also transforming Disney’s media business for the future. Whether that’s evolving our streaming and digital products in new and immersive ways, powering worldwide advertising and distribution to maximize flexibility and efficiency, or delivering Disney’s unmatched entertainment and sports content, every day is a moment to make a difference to partners and to hundreds of millions of people around the world.

A few reasons why we think you’d love working for Disney Entertainment & ESPN Technology

• Building the future of Disney’s media business: DE&E Technologists are designing and building the infrastructure that will power Disney’s media, advertising, and distribution businesses for years to come.

• Reach & Scale: The products and platforms this group builds and operates delight millions of consumers every minute of every day – from Disney+ and Hulu, to ABC News and Entertainment, to ESPN and ESPN+, and much more.

• Innovation: We develop and execute groundbreaking products and techniques that shape industry norms and enhance how audiences experience sports, entertainment & news.

The Engineering Services team designs, builds, and sustains technology that powers DE&E Technology’s worldwide content production and distribution platforms. In doing so, they contribute to a series of cross-functional services and technologies, including Quality Assurance, Data Analytics, Software Development, Broadcast Infrastructure, and Networking & Security.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop scalable, high-performance data architecture that supports both operational and analytical use cases.

• Lead the integration of new data management technologies and software engineering tools into existing structures.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including product management, software engineers, data scientists, and other stakeholders to align architecture with business requirements.

• Ensure data security, compliance, and privacy standards are met in accordance with company policies and regulations.

• Drive innovation in data processing and analytics, exploring emerging technologies and methodologies.

• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to the data architecture platform team.

• Oversee the documentation and communication of architectural designs and standards.

Basic Qualifications

• Minimum of 10 years’ experience in machine learning, data architecture, engineering, or related field.

• Expertise in cloud-based data platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure) and big data technologies (Hadoop, Spark, Kafka).

• Expertise in MPP and SaaS Data Products like Snowflake, Redshift etc.

• Strong knowledge of database design, SQL, and data warehousing principles.

• Proven ability to lead complex projects and cross-functional teams.

• Excellent problem-solving, communication, and leadership skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• 15 years’ experience in data architecture, engineering, or related field.

• Experience in the media/entertainment industry.

• Knowledge of streaming data platforms and real-time analytics.

• Familiarity with GDPR, CCPA, and other data privacy regulations.

• Experience with data modeling, ETL processes, and data integration tools.

• Experience with building SDLC for developing and implementing cost-effective large-scale data platforms from real-time/batch ingestion to delivering analytics feedback and reporting to consumers.

Required Education  

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in computer science, Information Technology, or related field.

Additional Information

#DISNEYTECH

The hiring range for this position in Santa Monica, California is $199,000.00 to $266,800.00 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.