Ride Project Engineer Princ

About the Role & Team

Walt Disney Imagineering is the creative force that imagines, designs, and brings to life all Disney theme parks, resorts, attractions, and cruise ships worldwide. Working across a spectrum of disciplines that range from creative and conceptual to scientific and technical, Imagineers blend an innovative mixture of storytelling, art, science, and technology to create immersive experiences, memorable destinations, and innovative entertainment for families around the globe.

Nearly every project at Walt Disney Imagineering includes a first-of-its-kind. Innovation is in our DNA, and Imagineers constantly push the boundaries of technology and invent new goals as well as the solutions to achieve them. As Imagineers, one of our greatest rewards is knowing that the experiences and environments we create inspire others. The diversity of expertise at Imagineering makes us uniquely capable of influencing positive change in our communities and around the world. And knowing that we have helped make a difference is incredibly fulfilling and inspiring for all of us.

The Ride Project Engineer is the leader of a multi-discipline Ride Engineering team for a project, and is responsible for delivering ride systems on time and on budget. 

They are responsible for every aspect of ride system design & development from concept through testing and handover for a wide variety of innovative ride platforms that include unique requirements for extreme duty cycles, high reliability, and inherent life safety. 

They must collaborate on diverse teams that include both technical and creative members, and be able to adapt in an environment where scope and requirements change frequently.

You will report to Executive Ride Project Engineering.

This is a full time role.

What You Will Do:

• Lead “clean sheet” concept design of innovative new Ride systems that meet Creative intent and requirements.

• Serve as the Ride Studio representative on the project core team; provide knowledgeable, accurate and timely information to the team

• Work directly with Creative directors to develop requirements from high level experience/story descriptions and artwork; responsible for meeting Creative intent and expectations.

• Work directly with operating and maintenance partners to develop requirements; responsible for meeting their intent and expectations.

• Work directly with other technical disciplines to develop integration requirements and define interfaces.

• Proactively identify and obtain resources required to complete scope, proactively identify and creatively mitigate risks

• Define scope and requirements for Ride team work assignments, provide direction and manage team performance to meet project needs

• Negotiate Stakeholder needs when in conflict with other requirements, facilitate balanced decision making

• Execute the Ride Engineering Standard of Practice; recommend changes in existing procedures to improve value/efficiency

• Manage the Ride team’s business interests; author design & implementation strategies, cost estimates, resource plans, cost controls and schedule milestones

• Ensure engineering deliverables are comprehensive and high quality; author system deliverables such as ride strategy, risk list, scopes of work; author as needed system deliverables such as requirements specifications, hazard analysis, installation plans, test safety plans, test plans and test reports

• Ensure ride systems meet Disney standards, amusement industry standards and local regulations for safety, quality, durability and reliability.

• Lead technical design reviews, lead the hazard analysis and system safety design process

• Compile bid packages and provide input to contract documents, collaborate with the project procurement team to bid and award vendor contracts

• Serve as Responsible Individual (RI) for vendor and consultant contracts

• Identify and protect Disney and vendor intellectual property, consult with Disney Legal as needed

• Manage vendor design, fabrication and commissioning activities

• Lead site installation and testing work, facilitate turnover of the ride system to operations and maintenance

• Perform installation validation, confirm condition surveys, and conduct field testing for attraction systems, which may require use of active fall protection equipment, navigating construction sites with catwalks, ladders, scaffolding, lifts, and confined spaces

• Collaborate on complex "Blue Sky" initiatives & represent Ride Studio interests

• Lead large scale scope and associated resources in multiple engineering disciplines

• Create and write project delivery strategies, technical specifications, scope documents, budgets, schedules, and staffing plans.

Required Qualifications & Skills

• Seven or more years of engineering professional experience, including responsibility for engineering design, analysis, production, installation and test; developing engineering scopes of work, budgets, schedules and resource plans; leading field installation and testing

• Experience as the leader of a technical team through the design and delivery process

• Demonstrated experience and skills in project management and vendor management

• Ability to delegate work and direct the work of engineers.

• Ability to effectively communicate with all levels of individuals within a project team, the Ride Studio, and the company

• Ability to work collaboratively within a large and diverse team environment

• Ability to form a team and work with a variety of disciplines, seniority levels, and personality types

• Hands-on experience with equipment mockups, prototypes, fabrication, assembly, installation and test

• Experience with life safety design/requirements of engineered systems

• Experience negotiating with stakeholders and team members

• Experience with vendor management and contract management

• Experience with technical engineering issue resolution

• Experience leading the hazard analysis and system safety design process

• Engineering skill and experience related to complex machinery

• Working knowledge in each of the following engineering disciplines:

• Systems Engineering

• Mechanical Engineering

• Electronic Control Systems

• Control Systems Software

Preferred Qualifications & Skills

• Previous amusement industry experience, with an emphasis on safety-related ride systems

• Knowledge of relevant Ride Engineering and industry standards

• Familiar with new/emerging technology and applications within the Entertainment industry

• Working knowledge of manufacturing and quality control processes

• Hardware knowledge and hands-on field installation and test experience

• Ability to travel domestically and internationally

• Willingness to work variable shifts and weekends as required.

Education

Bachelor of Science Degree in an applicable engineering field from an accredited university

Professional Engineering License in the state of California or the ability to secure a California license through endorsement.

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. 

The hiring range for this position in California is $151,000 to $202,500 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.