Lead Software Engineer, AI Solutions & Development

"We Power the Magic!" That's our motto at Disney Experiences (DX) Tech & Digital. Our team creates world-class immersive digital experiences for the Company's premier vacation brands. We deliver experiences to consumers through our Disney's Parks & Resorts worldwide, Disney Cruise Lines, and Disney Vacation Club. We are responsible for the end-to-end digital and physical Guest experience for all technology & digitally led initiatives across the Attractions & Entertainment, Food & Beverage, Resorts & Transportation and Merchandise lines of business, as well as other initiatives such as Hey, Disney!
We are seeking an experienced Lead Software Engineer with expertise in Large Language Models (LLM) integration to join our team and lead our efforts in integrating LLMs with our existing systems and applications. This role will be crucial in bridging our Generative AI platform with various application layers, configuring API management solutions, and maintaining our suite of LLM APIs.
This role offers an exciting opportunity to work at the forefront of AI integration, combining API management expertise with cutting-edge LLM technologies. The ideal candidate will be passionate about leveraging LLMs to solve real-world business problems and eager to contribute to the evolving landscape of AI-powered applications.
Responsibilities:

• Own the design and implementation of innovative integration solutions for LLMs, focusing on Apigee, Azure, and Google Vertex AI platforms.
• Develop and maintain API connections between our Generative AI platform and application layers.
• Possess an in-depth knowledge of current programming language and technologies, with strong skills in writing code and completing programming tasks.
• Configure and optimize Apigee for LLM endpoints, ensuring efficient and secure API management. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to understand business requirements and provide LLM integration solutions.

API Lifecycle Management:

• Own the end-to-end API delivery process for LLM-related APIs, including design, development, testing and implementation of software components, fixes, improvements, and/or new systems and applications.
• Develop and maintain a set of LLM APIs, ensuring they meet performance, security, and scalability requirements.
• Implement API design standards, patterns, and best practices specific to LLM integrations.

Development and Implementation:

• Create and maintain API proxies, policies, and developer portal products in Apigee for LLM-related services.
• Develop cloud-deployed, DevOps-enabled scalable solutions for LLM integration challenges.
• Implement common APIs for LLM-related functionalities, including logging, authentication, security, and error handling.
• Work with the DevSecOps team to automate the deployment and management of LLM APIs.

Leadership and Collaboration:

• Serve as the subject matter expert for LLM integrations, providing guidance and support to other teams.
• Collaborate with data scientists, ML engineers, and application developers to ensure seamless integration of LLM capabilities.
• Stay up-to-date with the latest developments in LLM technologies and integration best practices.

Requirements:

• 7+ years of experience in software development and API integration.
• 3+ years of experience working with API management platforms, preferably Apigee.
• 2+ years of experience working with cloud-based LLM platforms such as Azure AI or Google Vertex AI.
• Strong proficiency in API design and development, including REST, GraphQL, and gRPC.
• Experience with Apigee API management platform, including proxy development, policy implementation, and analytics.
• Familiarity with Azure AI services and Google Vertex AI, particularly in the context of LLM integration.
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, Java, or JavaScript for API development and integration.
• Experience with OAuth 2.0, JWT, and other API security standards.
• Knowledge of CI/CD tools and practices (e.g., Jenkins, GitLab CI, GitHub Actions).
• Familiarity with containerization technologies such as Docker and Kubernetes.
• Understanding of LLM concepts, architectures, and integration patterns.
• Experience integrating LLM APIs into existing applications and systems.
• Familiarity with prompt engineering and LLM fine-tuning concepts.
• Knowledge of AI/ML model deployment and serving in production environments.
• Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Strong communication skills, able to explain complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, agile environment with cross-functional teams.
• Proactive learner, keeping up with the rapidly evolving field of LLMs and AI integration.

Required Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Software, Electrical or Electronics Engineering, or comparable field of study, and/or equivalent work experience.

Preferred Education:

• Master's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Software, Electrical or Electronics Engineering, or comparable field of study, and/or equivalent work experience.

#DISNEYTECH
The hiring range for this position in Washington is $156,292.00 to $209,660.00 per year and in California is $149,240.00 to $200,200.00 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.