Principal Software Engineer

Job Summary:

“We Power the Magic!” That’s our motto at Disney Experiences (DX). Our team creates world-class immersive digital experiences for the Company’s premier vacation brands including Disney’s Parks & Resorts worldwide, Disney Cruise Line, Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, and Disney Vacation Club.

We are responsible for the end-to-end digital and physical Guest experience for all technology & digital-led initiatives across the Attractions & Entertainment, Food & Beverage, Resorts & Transportation and Merchandise lines of business as well as other initiatives including MyDisneyExperience and Hey, Disney!

This role sits in the Disney Cruise Line organization within Technology & Digital for Disney Experiences. It works closely with Product Managers, Security, Operations, and Project Management teams from across the company. 

The Principal Software Engineer will report to the Director of Software Engineering.

About The Role & Team:

The Principal Software Engineer for Shipboard Systems will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of technology across our cruise line operations. Reporting directly to the Director, Software Engineering - Fleetwide Shipboard Solutions, this position is crucial for driving engineering excellence, standardization, and strategic innovation in an on-premise, highly integrated environment. This leader will be instrumental in transforming our diverse portfolio of bespoke and aging systems – spanning back-of-house financials, operational logistics, guest-facing interactives, and crew support systems – into a cohesive, modern, and efficient technology ecosystem built for data insights. This role demands a unique blend of deep technical expertise across multiple stacks (Flutter, mobile native, Java, Angular, Node.js) and exceptional soft skills to influence, collaborate, and unite various teams towards a unified engineering strategy, with a significant focus on integrating AI tooling into our SDLC practices to optimize delivery and define future engineering practices.

What You’ll Do:

• Own the analysis, design, program, debugging, and modifications of software improvements and/or new products used in local, networked, cloud-based, or Internet-related computer programs

• Lead projects that may be used in commercial and end-user applications or focus on software and tools supporting infrastructure and technology platforms

• Work typically involves large or highly sophisticated software programs and systems

• Possess expertise in current programming languages and technologies, with strong skills in writing code and programming tasks

• Initiate the testing and debugging of applications, using conceptual and innovative thinking to drive sophisticated, highly scalable solutions throughout the organization

• Contribute to the conception, design, development, testing, and implementation of software components, fixes, improvements, and/or new systems and applications

• Exercise full autonomy to interact with users across diverse teams and levels to define system requirements and/or necessary modifications

• Lead and influence the direction and prioritization of the design and development of highly scalable software systems and applications

• Engage in the estimation and planning of highly sophisticated scalable projects and their budget allocations

• Continuously monitor and evaluate emerging technologies within your area of expertise to drive informed decision-making and recommendations

• Drive the definition and enforcement of reference architecture standards across all shipboard solutions, ensuring consistency, scalability, and maintainability in an on-premise environment.

• Guide the replacement strategy for existing bespoke and aging systems, identifying modernization paths and leading the technical execution across diverse teams with a focus on simplification.

• Cultivate and champion a culture of engineering excellence, standardization, and continuous improvement across multidisciplinary teams, fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing.

• Define and integrate AI tooling into the engineering side of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), establishing best practices, processes, and skill development pathways for its effective adoption across all development teams.

Required Qualifications:

• Minimum 10 years of related work experience

• Excellent communication and leadership abilities, to ensure effective growth and development of team

• A visionary who motivates teams to excel and fosters creativity, consistently driving excellence in all endeavors

• An advocate for a diverse and inclusive culture that encourages innovation and ensures every team member feels a sense of belonging

• Authority in Flutter, Mobile Native Development (iOS/Android), Java, Angular, Node.js, RESTful API design, On-Premise infrastructure management, Data Standardization principles, and Microservices architecture, demonstrating deep expertise and knowledge in the field

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Experience in the cruise, hospitality, or travel industry, particularly with shipboard or remote operational environments.

• Proven track record of successfully migrating legacy systems to modern architectures, including significant experience in large-scale system replacement projects.

• Experience leading and mentoring geographically dispersed or cross-functional engineering teams.

• Familiarity with containerization technologies (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes) and orchestration in an on-premise context.

• Strong understanding of cybersecurity principles and data privacy regulations relevant to shipboard and guest data.

• Experience with real-time data processing, synchronization challenges, and resilient system design in intermittent connectivity environments.

• Demonstrated ability to drive cultural change and adoption of new technologies and methodologies through influence and collaboration.

• Practical experience in applying AI/ML concepts or tooling to optimize software development processes (e.g., code generation, testing, analysis).

Required Education:

• Bachelor's or foreign equivalent Degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Software, Electrical or Electronics Engineering, or comparable field of study, and/or equivalent work experience.

Preferred Education:

• Master's Degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related technical field.

• Certifications in relevant architecture frameworks, cloud platforms (demonstrating modern infrastructure understanding), or AI/ML technologies.

The hiring range for this position in Orlando, FL is $175,500 to $235,400 per year. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also 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.