This position will report to theSVP,Products& Experiences and based in Orlando, Florida.
Emerging Tech & Product is where Disney Experiences (DX)identifies, prioritizes, explores, tests, and productizes thecutting edgetechnologies shaping our future.Weleveragedeep technicalexpertiseand strategic rigor toidentifyhighimpact opportunities and turn them into scalable, value-driving solutions.The Director,Software Engineeringis responsible forourearly stageinnovation pipeline,in close partnership withEmerging Productas well asbusinessand technologyleadersthroughoutthe Parks, Experiences, and Products segment.
As Director,Software Engineering, you will lead the management of theEmerging TechLabs, with a focusondriving business value through three primary areas: 1) managing relationships with external partners to foster innovation and collaboration; 2) overseeing stakeholder testing to validate concepts, user experience, and business value; and 3) directing engineering efforts to evaluate both vendor and internal solutions through proof-of-concept development and testing.
This role provides managerial oversight to engineers on the Emerging Technology team and serves as a technical thought leader across the organization.As the steward of ourearly stageinnovation pipeline, your focus will be on producing well-documented insights, validated prototypes, technical evaluations, and architectural guidance that can be directly applied by delivery teams and theEmerging TechInitial Tech Implementation team to accelerate implementation and reduce risk. You will ensure that all work is rigorouslyprioritized andaligned with the approved quarterly Emerging Product opportunity map,and that sound engineering and architectural practices are consistently followed.
You will be accountable for ensuring that the Emerging Technologyportfolio generates actionable outcomes that inform strategic decision-making and enable downstream teams. Success in this role is measured by the clarity and quality of technology evaluations, the effectiveness of knowledge transfer, and the ability to clearly articulate and quantify the business value derived from early-stage innovation efforts. A strong blend of technical fluency, business acumen, and design thinking is essential.
Additionally, you willrepresentEmTechLabsin cross-functional and executive forumspartneringclosely with office of technology enablementand WDI R&D.You must be able to clearly communicate the team?s insights, vision, and progress, and translate complex technical concepts into accessible narratives for senior technology leadership, including C-level executives. Your ability to connect emergingtechnologyworkto tangible business outcomes will be critical in driving alignment and support across the enterprise.
Responsibilities
- Guide the exploration and evaluation of emerging technologies in alignment with the quarterly Emerging Product prioritized opportunity map.
- Oversee the development of proofs of concept and stakeholder testing tovalidatetechnical feasibility, user experience, and business value.
- Facilitate the transfer of validated insights, prototypes, and technical guidance to delivery teams and the Initial Tech Implementation team.
- Engage with key stakeholders, users, and partners to ensure alignment, gather feedback, and support early-stage validation efforts.
- Communicate emerging technology strategies, findings, and recommendations to senior executives, translating complex concepts into actionable insights.
- Manage sponsor and stakeholder expectations, ensuring transparency around scope, outcomes, and value realization.
- Provide technical leadership to the Emerging Technology team, ensuring adherence to sound engineering and architectural practices.
Basic Qualifications
- Proven innovation leader with experience managing specialized, diverse teams pursuing challenging and ambiguous goals
- 12+ years of software development experiencewith at least8years managing medium to largetechnologyprojects.
- 5years experiencein delivering projects involvingemerging tech such asMobile/Wearables, IoT, Game Engines,CV, NLP, and Advanced ML
- Track recordof leading and driving initiatives to the next level, with a focus on delivering business value, being on time and within budget
- Deconstruct complex problems and help teams create clarity out of ambiguous or conflicting requirements
- Ability to simultaneously manage teams on multiple engineering projects of significant complexity
- Ability to navigate a large, complex stakeholder environment
Preferred Qualifications
- Recent experience delivering Next Gen projects using emerging technologies such asCV, NLP, ML, IoT, Recommendations and Predictions,Robotics and Automation, Game Engines, Mixed Reality, Mobile and Wearables, advanced Security and Privacy, Wireless Networks (5G)
- Proven professional networking among technology companies across the Silicon Valley
Required Education
- BS or MS in Computer Science or equivalent quantitative field OR equivalent experience
Preferred Education
- MSCS/Engineeringor related work experience
#DISNEYTECH
The hiring range for this position in Orlando, FL is $217,800 to $292,100 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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