Lead Software Engineer - AI Assisted Engineering Practices

Overview In this role you will lead the development and strategic direction of custom and commercial software powering cast and guest experiences across Disney’s premier brands. You will drive AI-assisted development and SDLC automation to boost delivery speed, code quality, and operational efficiency. You’ll balance hands-on coding with technical leadership, shaping front-end architecture and full-stack platforms. You’ll work closely with Product, UX, Content, and Business stakeholders to scale a high-traffic, revenue-generating digital platform. This is a mission-driven opportunity to influence core experiences and platform health at scale. Compensation / Benefitsbonus and/or long-term incentive unitsmedical benefitscompetitive compensationrelocation supportprofessional growth opportunities ResponsibilitiesOwn the technical strategy and operational health of the AEM platform and guest-facing front-end ecosystemSet front-end architecture direction for web experiences and ensure consistency across productsLead platform upgrades, security posture, performance optimization, reliability, and scalabilityEstablish and evolve engineering standards for front-end development (patterns, guardrails, CI/CD)Build and govern reusable components/templates/workflows and design-system adoptionContribute hands-on code in JavaScript/TypeScript; lead React and Angular implementationsChampion web fundamentals (performance, accessibility, SEO, responsive design)Partner with cross-functional teams to translate designs and enable AI-assisted content workflowsIntroduce AI-enhanced capabilities (search, recommendations, personalization) with governance and risk controlsDesign, implement, and review APIs, microservices, and backend integrationsDefine integration strategies with internal and third-party servicesContribute across stack to unblock teams and resolve challengesEnsure end-to-end alignment between frontend, services, and infrastructureDrive adoption of AI-assisted engineering practices with guardrails and measurable outcomesSet standards for safe use of AI-generated code and maintainabilityExpand SDLC automation with AI (test/documentation/code review/pipeline improvements)Lead code reviews, identify technical debt, and translate requirements into plansGuide estimation, planning, and delivery of complex initiativesEnsure CI/CD, monitoring, and observability are built into solutionsReview and approve designs and documentationStay current with emerging tech to inform recommendationsMentor and coach engineers across onshore/offshore teamsFoster collaborative, inclusive, high-performing culturePromote AI-assisted tooling to improve quality and velocity Key requirements7+ years of professional software engineering experienceProven ability to lead technical decisions and align solutions with business outcomesExperience using AI coding assistants to improve delivery speed and qualityExperience implementing AI-enabled automation across SDLC with measurable outcomesStrong trust-but-verify discipline for AI-generated output (validation, security, refactoring)Ability to establish team guardrails and educate on responsible AI usageExpertise in modern front-end development with JavaScript/TypeScriptHands-on experience with Node.js, React and Angular in large-scale appsStrong full-stack experience with Java, Spring, Spring Boot, REST APIs, and microservicesExperience designing and operating CI/CD pipelinesExperience with monitoring/observability tools (e.g., Splunk, AppDynamics)Solid understanding of OO design and software architectureExperience working in agile environmentsleadershipmentorshipcross-functional collaborationJavaScriptTypeScriptReact