Senior Gameplay Engineer

Job Summary

This is not a remote role. You must be in the local area or be willing to relocate.

The Office of Technology Enablement (OTE), a division of The Walt Disney Company, is embarking on a mission to build the future of XR experiences across all Disney segments.

Working with top‑class industry talent, this role is perfect for an accomplished game engineer looking to create something magical – from focused R&D projects to working with different business units on new ways to experience the characters and stories you love.

OTE is looking for a uniquely talented Senior Gameplay Engineer to join us on this ambitious and exciting initiative. This role will report to the Director of Development.

• Leverage your knowledge to help implement a collection of interactive experiences based on Disney’s robust portfolio of characters and worlds.
• Be an active, hands‑on participant in the process, directly writing code and working daily with design/production/art to establish and achieve goals for each interactive experience.
• Implement using Unreal Engine 4/5+; operate within the limitations of that ecosystem and grow with it as functionality matures.
• Empower designers by serving as their main support avenue during the development process.
• Find creative ways to overcome hardware limitations, maintaining a positive outlook along the way.
• Work closely with other members of the engineering and creative teams to ensure implementation quality is maintained; be an advocate of stability and flexibility.
• Champion Disney and team values, maintaining a ‘guest‑first’ mentality by advocating for the audience experience.
• Serve as a key team member of a growing XR development team at Disney.

• 5 years of experience developing console/PC/mobile games or other digital interactive entertainment.
• Experience with Unreal Engine 4/5+ at the native (C++) level.
• Participated in the creation and release of a commercial product, in a hands‑on programming role. Was one of the main authors of a major gameplay system.
• Served as a programmer during the prototype phase of a project and understands the difference in requirements/goals between prototyping and production.
• Understands and implements the following concepts at a production‑quality level:
• C++ code (performance impact, memory management, inheritance, etc.)
• Client/Server architecture (replication, client‑side prediction, movement syncing, etc.)
• Game mathematics (linear algebra, vector math, kinematic physics, collision, etc.)
• Ability to guide engineers.
• A Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Shipped products for Apple Vision Pro, Meta Quest or other VR Platforms.
• Graphics programming, mobile experience, and familiarity with online services are all bonuses.
• Experience with developing and publishing Unreal content.
• Broad understanding of XR experiences and the various devices that are available on the market.

The hiring range for this position in Burbank, CA is $–$ per year. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and 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 other benefits, depending on the level and position offered.

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.