WDI Robotics Software Engineering Intern, Summer 2026

About our Program: Magic is Within You

Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI) is the master planning, creative development, design, engineering, production, project management, and research arm of The Walt Disney Company’s (TWDC) Parks and Resorts business segment. Representing more than 150 disciplines, the talented corps of Imagineers are responsible for the creation of Disney resorts, theme parks and attractions, hotels, water parks, real estate developments, regional entertainment venues, cruise ships and new media technology projects.

What we're looking for…

We’re looking for a robotics software engineering intern to support development of free-walking robotic characters within our R&D department. The ideal candidate will work at the intersection of live entertainment and robotics to help design new tools and capabilities to enable autonomous experiences and dynamic shows featuring our characters. You will work with artists and engineers to develop software tools to author robotic performances that integrate on-board and off-board perception to support autonomous interactions. We are looking for proactive problem solvers with a strong foundation in robotics and a passion for innovation.

What you will do

You will…

• Develop custom software tools to aid in the design of dynamic shows featuring multiple robotic characters
• Integrate and test localization and perception modules that enable autonomous capabilities
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to refine software requirements
• Document design iterations, perform end-to-end tests, and analyze results

Required Skills & Qualifications.

• Experience developing planning, perception, and/or control software for robotic systems or game engines
• Proficiency in Python
• Ability to work independently and in a team environment

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with character animation and/or animation tooling including Unreal or Maya
• Familiarity with robot orchestration and/or behavior authoring for autonomous multi-agent systems
• Experience developing and deploying custom models for perception, localization, or navigation
• Familiarity developing and debugging complex systems using logging and introspection tools

Education

Currently enrolled as a Junior or higher at an accredited college/university, earning a degree in Robotics, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.

Eligibility Requirements & Program Information

• Be enrolled in an accredited college/university pursuing a degree taking at least one class at time of application posting OR currently participating in a Disney College Program or Disney Internship​

• Be at least 18 years of age​

• Possess unrestricted work authorization​

• Have not completed one year of continual employment on a Disney internship or Disney College Program

Additional Information

• Able to have a consistent, reliable work schedule throughout the internship

• Fully available from Monday through Friday for the duration of the internship, 40 hours each week

• Able to provide own housing for the duration internship program​ in the Glendale, CA area

• Able to provide/have reliable transportation to/from work​

The pay rate for this role in Glendale, CA is $42 per hour for undergraduate and $47 per hour for graduate. Select benefits may be provided as part of the compensation package, such as medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered. To learn more about our benefits visit: https://jobs.disneycareers.com/benefits.