Senior Software Engineer

About

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. Media Engineering builds the software and systems that prepare media content and metadata for the Disney Streaming platform, providing the best possible playback experience to viewers. The team handles audio, video, and metadata content from ingest through publish for normalization, processing, and packaging, supporting operator tools and automation for a scalable workflow. We build logic across players and back‑end services to measure, control, and optimize playback across our stack.

We are seeking a Senior Software Engineer to help deliver excellent streaming experiences for Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+ as a developer of our web‑based JavaScript player. The role involves leading the design and implementation of our cross‑platform JavaScript player that runs on browsers, televisions, gaming consoles, and set‑top boxes.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain the JavaScript player that drives our streaming experience.
• Optimize the player to perform well on resource‑constrained platforms.
• Create and review architecture and technical designs.
• Maintain a strong understanding of the codebase to identify, research, and address issues.
• Collaborate with application development teams, services engineering teams, and product management to understand and explain device limitations and requirements.
• Lead strategies to ensure quality and stability of deployments, including testing strategies and telemetry approaches.
• Develop the project’s build system and continuous integration system as needed.
• Provide technical expertise or mentoring to developers on the team.
• Drive high development standards.

Basic Qualifications

• 5+ years of full software development lifecycle experience.
• Highly fluent in JavaScript and web technologies.
• Experience developing for web browsers and other web‑based client devices.
• Experience with streaming technologies such as HLS (preferred) or DASH.
• Experience with DRM technologies like PlayReady or Widevine.
• Knowledge of adaptive bitrate streaming algorithms.
• Familiarity with caption and subtitle formats such as CEA‑608 / 708.
• Understanding of codecs AVC, HEVC, AAC, EAC3.
• Experience developing and optimizing high‑performance client‑side media applications.
• Experience using build runners/compilation tools for multi‑platform projects.
• Strong individual contributor with a drive to learn and patience to teach others.
• Great communication and collaboration skills and a strong teamwork ethic.
• Experience using AI‑assisted development tools effectively.
• BS or BA in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field, or equivalent experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience developing for living‑room devices (e.g., Samsung, LG, Hisense, Vizio).
• Experience developing for gaming consoles (e.g., PlayStation, Switch), Android devices (e.g., Fire TV), or similar devices.

Compensation

• Hiring range for Seattle, WA: $148,700 to $199,400 per year (base pay may vary based on internal equity, geographic region, knowledge, skills, and experience).
• Potential bonus and/or long‑term incentive units.
• Full range of medical, financial, and other benefits, dependent on level and position offered.