Senior Ride Project Engineer

Sr. Ride Project Engineer (Expression of Interest)

Job Description

Walt Disney Imagineering is the master planning, creative development, design, engineering, production, project management, and research & development arm of The Walt Disney Company. Its talented corps of Imagineers is responsible for the creation - from concept through installation - of all Disney Resorts, theme parks, and attractions. Disney Imagineers are uniquely talented individuals that bring together the best aspects of creativity, innovation, and passion. At Ride Engineering, it is our responsibility to move people through our stories in magical ways that bring these experiences to life! Ride Engineers bring optimism and solutions to design challenges that often seem impossible, and partner with diverse creative talent to define and build one of a kind experiences that bring fun and joy to millions of people all around the world. We Create To Inspire!

**This posting is an opportunity to submit your resume for future consideration; this is not a role that is open at this time. We anticipate this role may be open in the future, but we are not actively hiring for the position. If you would like to be considered for this potential role, please submit your resume. If the role becomes available, you may receive an email or call from a recruiter**

The Sr. Ride Project Engineer is the leader of a 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 comfortable in environments where scope and requirements change frequently.

Responsibilities/ You Will

• 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 Show and Facility partners to develop integration requirements and define interfaces; responsible for meeting their intent and expectations
• Proactively identify and obtain resources required to complete scope, proactively identify and creatively mitigate risks
• Lead “clean sheet” concept design of innovative new Ride systems that meet Creative intent and requirements
• Define scope and requirements for Ride collaboration assignments, provide direction and lead team performance to meet project needs
• Negotiate Stakeholder needs when in conflict with other requirements, facilitate balanced decision making
• Make informed, well-reasoned and timely decisions
• Execute the Ride Engineering Standard of Practice; recommend changes in existing procedures to improve value/efficiency
• Lead the Ride team’s business interests; author design & implementation strategies, cost estimates, resource plans, cost controls and schedule milestones
• Ensure engineering results are comprehensive and high quality; author system results 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 guidance 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
• Run 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 sophisticated "Blue Sky" initiatives & represent Ride Studio interests
• Lead moderate scale scope and associated resources in multiple engineering subject areas

Basic Qualifications / You Will Have

• Five 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 handle high pressure scope and situations
• Ability to delegate work and supervise the work of others
• 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
• Demonstrated team player with a variety of subject areas, seniority levels, and personality types
• Extremely proactive, requires very little direction to move scope forward towards milestones
• Hands-on experience with equipment mockups, prototypes, fabrication, assembly, installation and test
• Experience with life safety design/requirements of engineered systems
• Experience negotiating scope with stakeholders
• Experience with outside vendor management
• Experience with technical issue resolution
• Experience with Capitalized Project Delivery
• Experience leading the hazard analysis and system safety design process

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous Disney or other amusement industry experience, with an emphasis on safety-related ride systems
• Broad and sophisticated technical skills with ride systems, and working knowledge in each of the following engineering disciplines:
  • Systems Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Electronic Control Systems
  • Control Systems Software
• Strong contract management skills
• Strong 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
• Strong hardware knowledge and hands-on field installation and test experience
• Proven track record in successfully leading high value scope
• Ability to travel and work both domestically and internationally; ability to relocate domestically or internationally for up to 2 years
• Willingness to work different shifts and weekends as required
• Professional Engineering license

Required Education

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

Disability accommodation for employment applications

The Walt Disney Company and its Affiliated Companies are Equal Employment Opportunity employers and welcome all job seekers including individuals with disabilities and veterans with disabilities. If you have a disability and believe you need a reasonable accommodation in order to search for a job opening or apply for a position, email Candidate.Accommodations@Disney.com with your request. This email address is not for general employment inquiries or correspondence. We will only respond to those requests that are related to the accessibility of the online application system due to a disability.

The Walt Disney Company is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or protected veteran status. Disney fosters a business culture where ideas and decisions from all people help us grow, innovate, create the best stories and be relevant in a rapidly changing world.

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