Manager, Software Engineering - AI Core Engineering

Manager, Software Engineering – AI Core Engineering

Disney Entertainment and ESPN Product & Technology

Technology is at the heart of Disney’s past, present, and future. 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.

We are storytellers and innovators, creators and builders, entertainers and engineers. We work with every part of The Walt Disney Company’s media portfolio to advance the technological foundation and consumer media touch points serving millions of people worldwide.

Here are a few reasons why we think you’d love working here :

Building the future of Disney’s media : Our technologists are designing and building the products and platforms that will power our media, advertising, and distribution businesses for years to come.

Reach, Scale & Impact : Our technology and products serve as a signature doorway for fans’ connections with the company’s brands and stories. Disney+, Hulu, ESPN, ABC, ABC News, and many more.

Innovation : We develop and implement groundbreaking products and techniques that shape industry norms and solve complex and distinctive technical problems.

Job Summary

We are hiring a Manager, AI Core Engineering to lead a growing team of engineers building the core AI capabilities, shared services, and developer‑facing web applications that accelerate AI adoption across Ad Technology. You will oversee a diverse team of backend and UI engineers at varying levels of seniority—ranging from those designing reusable agents, orchestration layers, and shared services, to those creating intuitive web interfaces for video analysis, enablement dashboards, and AI developer tooling.

As a people manager, you will coach engineers across disciplines, drive technical delivery, and partner with product, infrastructure, and governance teams to ensure solutions are safe, scalable, and aligned with enterprise standards. This role blends organizational leadership with technical depth; you will be accountable for outcomes, roadmaps, and enabling engineers to deliver their best work.

Responsibilities and Duties of the Role

Team Leadership & People Management

• Lead, mentor, and grow a team of full‑stack engineers (backend‑heavy) and UI‑focused developers.
• Drive career development, performance management, and team culture.
• Foster an inclusive, high‑performing environment.

Program & Delivery Management

Cross‑Team Collaboration

Technical and Project Deliverable Oversight

Basic Qualifications

Preferred Qualifications

The hiring range for this position in Los Angeles, CA is between $171,600 – $230,100, San Francisco, CA between $187,900 – $252,200 and Seattle, WA between $179,700 – $241,000. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and 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.

Disability Accommodation for Employment Applications

The Walt Disney Company and its Affiliated Companies are Equal Employment Opportunity employers and welcome all job seekers, including individuals with disabilities and veterans with disabilities. If you have a disability and believe you need a reasonable accommodation in order to search for a job opening or apply for a position, visit the Disney candidate disability accommodations FAQs. We will only respond to those requests that are related to the accessibility of the online application system due to a disability.

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