Disney Experiences is seeking a Lead Software Engineer for the Retail, Restaurant & Supply Chain Technology organization. This onsite role in Lake Buena Vista, FL focuses on hands-on engineering delivery and software architecture for reservation and scalable, production-reliable systems using AWS and modern engineering practices.
Responsibilities
- Lead and personally build scalable, well-documented software systems, applications, APIs, and RESTful services, taking work from technical specifications through delivery using Java and cloud-native patterns, including relational and NoSQL databases, messaging, and orchestration technologies.
- Drive AI-driven development and architecture by embedding AI-powered tools across the software lifecycle, including design and coding, testing, and troubleshooting, while shaping how the team adopts AI in engineering practices using tools such as GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Amazon Q, Claude, and Kiro.
- Set architectural direction by translating complex functional, technical, and business requirements into solution architecture, coordinating with Architecture and IT stakeholders, evaluating technology options (software, hardware, and SaaS/PaaS), and developing proof-of-concepts and roadmaps aligned to reference architecture.
- Own dining and bookable experience reservation systems, maintaining expertise in inventory, availability, offers, and reservations, with proactive focus on preventing overbooking issues that could affect guests.
- Integrate and support complex system interactions across databases, messaging, and orchestration platforms, while managing AWS infrastructure to keep both production and lower environments reliable.
- Maintain engineering quality through code and design reviews, automated testing, end-to-end troubleshooting, and root-cause analysis, and provide proactive recommendations on processes, technologies, and coding practices in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment.
- Collaborate with product owners, engineering partners, delivery managers, business analysts, and other architecture teams to align solutions with current and future business needs, estimate delivery, and communicate the team’s value.
Requirements
- 7+ years of experience building large-scale software systems and web applications, including leading engineering teams and projects, with hands-on experience in solution and application architecture.
- Expertise with enterprise architecture repository tooling (for example, tools similar to BlueDolphin or LeanIX).
- Demonstrated ability to lead cross-domain architectural initiatives and guide decision-making processes.
- Experience developing and managing architecture taxonomies, patterns, and standards.
- Proven ability to align architecture with strategic objectives, OKRs, and scorecards.
- Hands-on familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP), API-led integration, security-by-design, and data architecture principles.
- Strong hands-on skills with Java 21+, Spring, microservices, and RESTful APIs.
- Deep experience with AWS, databases (DynamoDB, Aurora, MongoDB), Kafka, Docker, and CI/CD pipelines.
- Solid understanding of object-oriented design, coding best practices, and Agile/Test-Driven Development.
- Experience running and monitoring distributed production systems, including tools such as Splunk, Grafana, or AppDynamics.
- Knowledge of inventory optimization and preventing overbooking-type issues.
- Hands-on experience using AI-powered coding tools (such as Copilot, Cursor, Amazon Q, Claude, etc.) to accelerate development.
- Ability to lead complex projects independently, including setting direction, solving hard problems, and guiding testing and debugging.
- Comfort managing multiple projects at once and making fast decisions under pressure.
- Experience working with distributed or remote teams.
- Strong mentoring skills, including training, guiding, and reviewing junior engineers’ work.
- Good communication skills across product owners, UI/UX teams, and technical and business stakeholders.
- Adaptability in fast-changing, sometimes ambiguous environments.
Technologies
Java, Java 21+, AWS, Azure, GCP, Spring, microservices, RESTful APIs, relational databases, NoSQL databases, messaging, orchestration technologies, GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Amazon Q, Claude, Kiro, DynamoDB, Aurora, MongoDB, Kafka, Docker, CI/CD pipelines, Splunk, Grafana, AppDynamics
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in Disney, Food & Beverage, Attractions & Entertainment domain.
Location and Salary
Location: Lake Buena Vista, FL (onsite)
Salary: USD 148,300 - 198,800 per year
Education: Bachelor’s or foreign equivalent Degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Software, Electrical or Electronics En
