Senior Software Engineer - ESPN Content Enhancements

Disney Cruise Line - The Walt Disney Company; Bristol; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading entertainment company in the UK is looking for a Senior Software Engineer to design and maintain high-performance applications for live broadcast automation. The ideal candidate will have over 5 years of experience, strong proficiency in C# and MySQL, and a genuine passion for sports. The role requires collaboration across teams, mentorship for junior engineers, and a commitment to quality and detail in software development.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years experience in a technical or software development role.
• Strong understanding of object-oriented (OO) software design.
• Demonstrated ability to research and learn new technologies.

Responsibilities

• Design and maintain software systems for live broadcast content automation.
• Collaborate across disciplines to deliver reliable solutions.
• Provide mentorship and technical insight for team members.

Skills

C# programming

VB programming

MySQL databases

RESTful APIs

Collaboration

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or equivalent

Tools

Visual Studio

Cloud technologies

Job description

Senior Software Engineer - ESPN Content Enhancements

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.

The team marries technology with creativity to build world-class products, enhance storytelling, and drive velocity, innovation, and scalability for our businesses. 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 around the world.

Content Platforms & Operations is responsible for the development and ongoing advancement of the technical and operational functions driving the worldwide distribution and monetization of Disney’s linear networks and theatrical content. This includes Disney’s media supply chain and storage, network and theatrical distribution operations, media localization, network transmission and origination, and more. The global team also plays a critical role as the primary collaboration point for Product & Technology with Disney’s EMEA, APAC, and LATAM regional business teams.

The Content Enhancements team designs, develops, and maintains content automation systems that power and elevate broadcasts across a wide range of sporting events. We are looking for a driven and talented engineer who thrives in a fast-paced, collaborative environment and is eager to contribute to high-impact broadcast technology.

As a Senior Software Engineer, you’ll be part of a diverse and innovative organization focused on building and maintaining complex, high-performance applications that support our suite of broadcast automation tools.

We’re looking for someone who takes pride in craftsmanship, values detail, and brings curiosity and enthusiasm for emerging technologies, frameworks, and platforms.

Responsibilities:

• Design, develop, and maintain software systems that support live broadcast content automation
• Collaborate across disciplines (engineering, design, production, and operations) to deliver reliable, efficient solutions
• Contribute to architectural discussions and help define long-term technical strategies
• Balance development speed with maintainability and quality using lean, iterative practices
• Provide mentorship, technical insight, and code reviews for team members
• Continuously learn and share new tools and techniques that enhance the team’s efficiency and creativity

Basic Qualifications:

• Minimum of 5 years experience in a technical or software development role
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Software, Electrical or Electronics Engineering, or comparable field of study, and/or equivalent work experience
• Strong understanding of object-oriented (OO) software design
• Proven ability to design, develop, and manage MySQL databases
• Solid proficiency in C# and/or VB programming languages
• Experience writing code that consumes RESTful APIs and JSON data
• Ability to work collaboratively with technology, engineering, operations, production, and creative services teams
• Excellent communication and organizational skills, with strong attention to detail
• Serves as a high-level technical resource and “go-to” person for less-experienced engineers
• Demonstrated success in building solutions of significant scope and complexity that have been successfully deployed to end users
• Demonstrated ability to research, evaluate, and learn new technologies
• Driven, self-motivated, and capable of working independently
• Ability to travel globally, including nights, weekends, and holidays as required
• Willingness to provide 24/7/365 support for live production environments
• Experience working with league data feeds and other external data providers
• Genuine passion for sports and live event production

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience and understanding of scripting functions and logic, including VizRT scripting, VBScript, and ActionScript
• Working knowledge of Visual Studio technologies, including C#, VB.NET, and WPF (experience with these is a strong plus)
• Hands-on experience with web and cloud-based technologies
• Understanding of the MVVM architectural pattern
• Experience working with VizRT broadcast graphics systems
• Familiarity with Ross XPression real-time graphics platform
• Demonstrated experience or interest in leveraging AI tools and frameworks to enhance software development, automation, or data-driven workflows
• Knowledge of live event and studio production workflows and environments
• Strong sports knowledge and the rules surrounding various sports is preferred

Equal Employment Opportunity: 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.