DIRECTOR, CONTENT SECURITY ENGINEERING

JOB SUMMARY

The Walt Disney Studios Content Security organization is chartered with the securing and protection of all creative content throughout the production lifecycle.  We do this by relying on deep technical expertise, strong and authentic partnerships and leveraging knowledge and best practices of the world of cybersecurity, technology and production.  The Content Security organization is a part of the broader Studio Technology organization, reporting into the Studio’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO). 

The Director, Content Security Engineering reports into the Vice President of Content Security and is a Monday to Thursday in the office in-person role based in Glendale, CA. Fridays are remote.  The Director, Content Security Engineering will oversee all aspects of the strategy and tactical execution of a robust internal technical consulting function overseeing a team of seasoned Engineers. 

This role requires a strategic and operational leader who combines deep technical expertise with a proven track record of building, mentoring, and leading high-performing teams. This executive is accountable for driving results, resolving escalations, and fostering a culture of ownership and innovation. The Director is both a technical authority and a decisive manager, able to influence at all levels and deliver on the mission of securing Disney Studios’ creative content.

Key Responsibilities (must have demonstrated experience in these area):

• Develop the strategy and manage key program execution including, but not limited to:
  • Application Security - Support internal and 3rd party development teams who build and engineer mission critical systems
  • Cloud Platforms Security – We have a heavy dependency on AWS.  Partner with our infrastructure teams and provide consulting and support a robust proactive monitoring and secure configuration program to ensure cloud usage remains secure
  • Influence Engineering Roadmaps – We work with many engineering teams.  Becoming a trusted advisor in their security efforts through the building of effective partnerships is essential. 
  • Content Security requires a deep appreciation for the complex workflows in the world of filmmaking and how content is produced.  Many of the technical controls we employe to protect content are niche to our industry, such as forensic watermarking, content handling and DRM as examples.  Working with development teams (both 1st and 3rd party) to influence their engineering roadmaps to prioritize content protection features and harden and mature existing features that would benefit Disney Studios' mission of securing our content
  • Anticipate and Plan for the adoption of AI: Stay ahead of key trends, topics, and lead engineers to create guidance on securing AI workloads, applications and tools. 
• Drive the continued improvement of existing program-based documentation (e.g. standards, process, and communications)
• Socialize security programs and initiatives internally and externally, including the development and delivery of executive-level presentations
• Oversee day-to-day teams' operation and performance
• Evaluate and recommend new and emerging security products and technologies

Required Qualifications

• 12+ years of progressive people management experience of technical and / or engineering staff
• 7+ years in a technical cybersecurity / information security or security engineering role, with expertise in three of the following:
  • Security architecture / Engineering
  • System/ OS / Network security
  • Identity and Access Management / authentication  
  • Cryptography / DRM
  • Application Security
  • Forensic watermarking and other media protection technologies
• 4+ years of hands-on cloud security experience (Any or all of: AWS, GCP, Azure).

Desired Qualifications

• Entertainment/media industry experience preferred
• CISSP, CISM, or equivalent security certifications preferred
• Demonstrate thorough knowledge of feature film production and post-production industries, services, and workflows (e.g., DI, editing, visual/audio effects, encoding, on-set support)
• Understand the security considerations of systems that leverage AI/ML, including generative AI
• Experience working with or assessing media specific systems and content protection solutions (DRM, watermarking, encryption, streaming protocols, etc.)
• Experience in technical project management/leading large scale technology initiatives

Job Related Education

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, Information Systems, IT Engineering, or equivalent work experience
• Certifications are not required, but any of the following would be considered a plus: AWS, CCNP, CISSP, CISM, CISA, GIAC, CEH, ITIL, VCP, VCAP

#DISNEYTECH

The hiring range for this position in Glendale is $188,400.00 - $252,600.00per 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.