Lead Machine Learning Engineer - Full-time

Position Overview

Disney Entertainment and ESPN Product & Technology is a global organization of engineers, product developers, designers, technologists, and data scientists dedicated to building and advancing the technological backbone for Disney’s media business worldwide. We are seeking a passionate Lead Machine Learning Engineer to drive security and operational anomaly detection initiatives within the Commerce, Data, and Identity Alliance. This role plays a critical part in designing, building, and optimizing machine learning models to enhance the security posture of our services, while collaborating with cross-functional teams across commerce, growth, and identity. Based in New York and Santa Monica, you will also have the opportunity to work closely with diverse teams and address security challenges in a dynamic streaming environment.

Job ID: 10117829 | Location: Glendale, California

Key Responsibilities

• Design, build, and optimize machine learning models that improve our security posture.
• Manage the full lifecycle of ML development including data collection, feature engineering, model selection, evaluation, and production.
• Collaborate with engineers to deploy models at scale and implement robust A/B testing frameworks.
• Lead exploratory analyses and advanced statistical modeling to deliver actionable insights for high-stakes business decisions.
• Translate complex data into clear insights through visualizations, reports, and presentations to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Mentor and grow a high-performing team of data scientists, fostering an environment of continuous learning and innovation.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Data Science, Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, or a related field (Master’s/PhD is a plus).
• 7+ years of experience in building, deploying, and evaluating real-world machine learning solutions.
• Proficiency in Python, R, SQL, and familiarity with data wrangling tools (e.g., Pandas, NumPy) and databases (e.g., MySQL, PostgreSQL).
• Experience with big data platforms (e.g., Spark, Databricks, Jupyter, Snowflake, Airflow) and ML libraries such as scikit-learn and SciPy.
• Strong foundation in statistics, probability, and data modeling techniques along with excellent problem-solving and communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with Amazon Web Services.
• Familiarity with BI platforms like Tableau or Power BI.
• Experience in building anomaly detection models and knowledge of software security best practices.

Benefits & Perks

• Competitive Compensation: The hiring range is $202,900 to $272,100 per year in Los Angeles, $222,200 to $297,900 per year in San Francisco, and $212,600 to $285,100 per year in New York or Seattle. The final base pay will reflect internal equity and other factors.
• Bonus and Long-Term Incentives: In addition to the base pay, a bonus and/or incentive units may be provided.
• Comprehensive Benefits: Full range of medical, financial, and additional benefits are offered, subject to the level and position.