R&D Imagineer Principal - Electrical Engineer

Job ID 10137137 Location San Francisco, California, United States Business Walt Disney Imagineering Date posted Dec. 08, 2025

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Job Summary:

About the Role & Team:

Walt Disney Imagineering makes the impossible possible by combining innovation and storytelling to bring Disney stories, characters, and worlds to life. Imagineering is the master planning, creative development, design, engineering, production, project management, and research and development arm of The Walt Disney Company. Its talented Imagineers are responsible for the creation - from concept initiation through installation - of all Disney Resorts, theme parks and attractions, real estate developments, regional entertainment venues, and new media projects. Disney Imagineers are uniquely talented individuals who bring together the best aspects of creativity, innovation, and passion.

At Imagineering Research and Development, our mission is to use technology to build new experiences for our Guests and new tools for Imagineers and the Cast Members who power our parks. R&D is a team of engineers, designers, artists, and scientists who share a passion for solving hard problems and building ground-breaking experiences. The Productization Team within R&D transforms imaginative concepts into scalable, manufacturable, and operationally viable products. We are seeking a Principal R&D Imagineer - Electrical Engineer to contribute to the development and delivery of innovative hardware solutions across a diverse portfolio of technologies, including robotics, consumer electronics, ride systems, audio-visual systems, and other themed entertainment products. This role emphasizes technical leadership, cross-functional collaboration, and documentation excellence to support successful product handoff to operations and manufacturing.

You will report to the Executive, Productization and Commercialization.

This is a Full-Time role.

What You Will Do:

Lead electrical system design from concept through production, including schematic capture, PCB layout, component selection, and system integration.
Architect and implement analog and digital circuits, battery-operated systems, and wireless communication modules.
Collaborate with mechanical, firmware, and software teams to ensure seamless integration and system-level performance.
Develop and maintain functional specifications, design verification plans, and test procedures.
Support product validation and troubleshooting during prototype and production phases.
Establish and maintain relationships with sub-vendors to ensure access to current, upcoming, and pre-release hardware. Ensure they provide appropriate documentation, support, and compliance information for integration and manufacturing readiness.
Design and build prototypes for rapid iteration and concept validation.
Review and manage PCB layouts for manufacturability, signal integrity, and power integrity.
Provide technical documentation and release packages to the Operations Program Manager (OPM) for tracking and sign-off before handoff to contract manufacturers (CMs).
Ensure electrical documentation is complete, version-controlled, and compliant with internal standards. Maintain engineering documentation, including schematics, BOMs, test plans, and compliance reports.
Work closely with Technical Program Managers, Sustaining Teams, and R&D partners to align technical deliverables with program goals. Collaborate with legal, compliance, logistics, and packaging teams to ensure electrical designs meet all operational and regulatory requirements.
Travel up to 35% as required to support builds, vendor audits, park and deployment site visits, and program milestones.

Required Qualifications & Skills:

10+ years of experience in electrical, firmware, and/or system-level design.
Strong understanding of compliance standards, manufacturing processes, and product lifecycle management.
Experience with robotics, consumer electronics, ride systems, or audio-visual hardware.
Proficient in Altium Designer; basic proficiency in SolidWorks.
Excellent organizational, communication, and documentation skills.

Preferred Qualifications & Skills:

Experience with SOCs, microcontrollers, microprocessors (ARM), and FPGAs.
Familiarity with power supply design, analog circuits, and rapid prototyping.
Strong working knowledge of PCB layout best practices, signal integrity, and power integrity.
Experience with lab equipment, including oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and multi-meters.
Understanding of optics, sensors, and image pipelines.
Demonstrated ability to move seamlessly between system-level architecture and detailed implementation.

Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related field is required.
Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related discipline is preferred.

Additional Information:

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 about our benefits and perks at https://jobs.disneycareers.com/benefits.

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The hiring range for this position in San Francisco, CA is $206,400 to $276,700 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.

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About Walt Disney Imagineering:

Founded in 1952 as WED Enterprises to design and build the world’s first theme park — Disneyland — Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI) is where imagination and creativity combine with cutting-edge technology to create unforgettable experiences. WDI is the creative force that imagines, designs and builds all Disney theme parks, resorts, attractions and cruise ships worldwide. Imagineering’s unique strength comes from its diverse global team of creative and technical professionals, who build on Disney’s legacy of storytelling to pioneer new forms of entertainment. The Imagineers who practice this unique blend of art and science work in more than 100 disciplines to shepherd an idea all the way from “blue sky” concept phase to opening day.

About The Walt Disney Company:

The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise that includes three core business segments: Disney Entertainment, ESPN, and Disney Experiences. From humble beginnings as a cartoon studio in the 1920s to its preeminent name in the entertainment industry today, Disney proudly continues its legacy of creating world-class stories and experiences for every member of the family. Disney’s stories, characters and experiences reach consumers and guests from every corner of the globe. With operations in more than 40 countries, our employees and cast members work together to create entertainment experiences that are both universally and locally cherished.

This position is with Walt Disney Parks and Resorts U.S., Inc., which is part of a business we call Walt Disney Imagineering.

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts U.S., Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, military or veteran status, medical condition, genetic information or disability, or any other basis prohibited by federal, state or local law. Disney champions a business environment where ideas and decisions from all people help us grow, innovate, create the best stories and be relevant in a constantly evolving world.

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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.

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Explore this Location San Francisco, CA

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