Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI) is the master planning, creative development, design, engineering, production, project management, and research arm of The Walt Disney Company’s (TWDC) Parks and Resorts business segment. Representing more than 150 disciplines, the talented corps of Imagineers are responsible for the creation of Disney resorts, theme parks and attractions, hotels, water parks, real estate developments, regional entertainment venues, cruise ships and new media technology projects.

The WDI Technology Studio is looking for talented embedded software/firmware technical leaders to create and deploy the next generation of show technologies that will drive our guest experiences in upcoming attractions and venues.

Responsibilities:

• Lead a team to deliver the firmware stack related to motion control, from estimation, scheduling, planning, design, implementation, to closeout activities
• Communicate technical plans, progress, options, and risks internally to the project team and externally to Studio Executives
• Work closely with other technical divisions of work to ensure constructed systems, inclusive of both hardware and software operate cooperatively and reliably over the expected usable life of the product, including in field updates
• Set up requirement structure and feature management system, and define technical requirements necessary to achieve project goals
• Design firmware architecture to support product launch and long-term flexibility and extensibility
• Design and execute tests to verify firmware performance
• Establish standards and processes, including reviews, to drive project progress and quality. Establish coding guidelines at an appropriate level of formality for short-term consistency and long-term extensibility
• Primary reviewer for firmware work products

Base Qualifications

• Expertise in C and C++
• Experience in real-time systems principles and practices
• Experience with firmware architecture and development
• Experience with electric closed-loop motion control systems (e.g., brushless DC motor control, servo feedback control systems, etc.)
• Experience in technical leadership in rapidly paced development process.
• Knowledge and experience with modern software development practices, including version control and workflow management tools such as: JIRA, Github, Gitlab, etc.
• Demonstrable technical writing, documentation, and communication skills.
• Willing to travel on behalf of company to project destinations for the purposes of business trips and installs (between overnight and 3 months stay).

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in setting up software development process and framework

• Familiarity and/or experience with: MS Visual Studio, real-time operating systems (RTOS), microcontrollers, CANopen, EtherCAT, CiA-402 / DS-402, Motion clock synchronization
• Proven ability to learn new programming languages and work within complicated systems.
• Experience with modern PLCs, specifically as related to motion control
• Knowledge of entertainment robotics / animatronics
• Exposure to entertainment technologies – DMX, audio, time code, etc.

Required Education

• Bachelor degree in computer science, computer engineering, or equivalent experience. Advanced degrees preferred.

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Benefits and Perks

The hiring range for this position in California is $190,000 to $198,000 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.

Disney offers a rewards package to help you live your best life. This includes health and savings benefits, educational opportunities, and special extras that only Disney can provide. Learn more at https://jobs.disneycareers.com/benefits.