Principal Software Development Engineer in Test - Disney Media Player

Responsibilities

• Define and drive the vision, strategy, and roadmap for test automation and quality engineering for the Disney Media Player across web, mobile, connected TV, and gaming console platforms.
• Influence organizational decisions regarding test architecture, process improvements, and adoption of modern testing paradigms (shift-left, CI/CD, observability, etc.).
• Establish and maintain enterprise-wide standards for quality, automation, and operational excellence in collaboration with executive stakeholders.
• Own the end-to-end quality strategy for large-scale, business-critical projects, including test metrics, release criteria, and automation objectives.
• Lead the architecture of scalable, resilient, and cross-device test automation solutions that empower teams and improve defect prevention.
• Make high-impact technical decisions on frameworks, toolsets, and integrations to enable richer and more effective testing.
• Oversee technical reviews, mentorship, and hands-on guidance in complex areas such as media player internals, cross-platform device testing, and streaming playback verification.
• Partner with client engineering, media platform, and device certification teams to ensure seamless integration of quality gates and automated validation throughout deployment pipelines.
• Serve as a coaching resource to SDETs, engineers, and leadership, regularly conducting technical deep-dives, training, and knowledge-sharing sessions.
• Build consensus across client and media platform teams for standardization of test tools, frameworks, and reusable components.
• Facilitate root cause analysis for high-severity incidents, drive preventative and corrective actions, and communicate technical findings to senior leadership.
• Represent DEEP & Technology quality interests within company-wide engineering and business forums.
• Lead delivery of multiple concurrent, cross-team testing initiatives in fast-paced Agile environments.
• Manage test budgets, resource allocation, roadmap goals, and risk mitigation strategies across multiple teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field.
• Minimum 8 years of experience in software development and testing, with a strong focus on quality assurance.
• Proven track record of leading and mentoring teams in test automation and quality engineering.
• Experience with various testing methodologies, including manual and automated testing.
• Knowledge of cloud-based testing platforms and tools, such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud.
• Strong understanding of software development life cycles (SDLC) and agile methodologies.
• Experience with continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipelines.
• Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills, with the ability to identify and resolve complex issues.
• Ability to communicate effectively with cross-functional teams and stakeholders.
• Experience with media player technologies and streaming protocols is a plus.