Manager, Application Engineering

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Job Description:

The Disney Decision Science and Integration (DDSI) team leverages advanced technologies, data analytics, and scientific approaches such as optimization and statistical modeling to build innovative tools that shape business decisions across The Walt Disney Company. We support Disney Entertainment (ABC, The Walt Disney Studios, Disney+, Hulu), ESPN, Disney Experiences (Theme Parks, Cruise Line, Consumer Products, DVC), and Corporate Finance with strategic applications that enable data-driven decision-making. 

This is an in office role.

As Manager, Application Engineering, you will lead application engineers, UX/UI engineers, and QA engineers that define, design, develop and deploy software solutions. You will use your experience to manage the entire software development lifecycle by setting goals for your team, managing risks, collaborating with other teams, and releasing internal applications that serve strategic needs for multiple TWDC business units. This role requires a results-oriented technical team leader, excellent analytical and quantitative skills, and flexibility to adapt in a dynamic business environment.

What You’ll Do:

• Lead application engineering for multiple complex projects and initiatives to drive the implementation of internal cloud-based analytical systems
• Manage the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) using waterfall and agile techniques, including technical requirements definition, task prioritization, estimates, assignments, UX/UI designs, risks, environments, quality assurance, and releases for multiple ongoing projects
• Champion the integration of AI and machine learning capabilities into internal applications to enhance decision-making tools and drive additional business value
• Coordinate with infrastructure teams
• Lead direct reports and manage other team members in a matrixed organization
• Collaborate with Product Owners to clarify, refine, and prioritize scope to align with business needs
• Partner with Decision Science teams to integrate data science advancements into end-to-end solutions
• Represent the application engineering team and respective projects with senior leaders and partners
• Work with leadership and peers to advocate for software development best practices
• Drive evaluation and adoption of emerging software tools, technologies, and platforms

Required Qualifications & Skills:

• 8+ years of technology experience required
• 5+ years of software development experience building web-based applications
• 2+ years leading technical teams specializing in cloud-based web application development

• Proven influential technical leadership experience in software development and project execution
• Demonstrated ability to champion team processes, balance priorities, manage risks, and ship products on-time
• Demonstrated ability to champion AI adoption within an engineering team, setting direction on where AI tools can accelerate delivery and mentoring others in using them effectively.
• Demonstrated success in technical roles including hands-on coding, system design, and code/merge reviews
• Excellent problem-solving skills, including ability to assess, prototype, and communicate solutions
• Experience with serverless architectural patterns in AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, or similar
• Experience working with complex and large datasets; understanding of data storage patterns
• Experience leading other team members through mentoring and career planning
• Experience collaborating with product owners to define application requirements and priorities
• Ability to adapt to rapidly changing business environments and manage multiple priorities
• Demonstrated strong written and verbal skills with the ability to communicate with both technical and non-technical teams

Preferred Qualification:

• Proficiency in software development processes and project management
• Experience integrating AI/ML or generative AI capabilities into analytic or web-based applications
• Hands-on development experience with React, Python, Django, PostgreSQL, Snowflake, and Next.js
• Familiarity with AI/ML-assisted software development tools and practices, and an interest in applying AI capabilities to improve product and team efficiency
• Experience automating software deliverables in a CI/CD environment
• Experience leading UX/UI design
• Statistical and data science knowledge, and experience with analytic applications
• Relevant industry knowledge (media, entertainment, theme parks, resorts, etc.)
• Experience managing user scenarios and business requirements
• Experience leading quality assurance efforts such as testing frameworks, test plans, and test cases
• Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, a quantitative field, or equivalent

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Systems, Software, Electrical or Electronics Engineering, or comparable field of study and/or equivalent work experience

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