Software Engineering Intern, Summer 2026

The Disney Entertainment & ESPN Technology (DE&ET) organization is seeking a Software Engineering Intern for Summer 2026. This role is within the Core Media Technology (CMT) team, focusing on video and audio processing for live and on-demand streaming. Interns will contribute to advanced media ML/AI projects, develop Python scripts for media analysis, create web-apps for data visualization, evaluate video quality, and test new video codecs. This is an opportunity to innovate and enhance Disney's media processing platform.

Must Have

• Knowledge and experience in Python
• Understanding or experience with Linux
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written
• Proficiency in data analysis and analytical thinking
• Strong ability to multi-task and context-switch with ease in a fast-paced, and ever-evolving organization

Good to Have

• Experience developing and optimizing AI/ML models and frameworks
• Knowledge and experience with Python libraries such as pandas/NumPy for data analysis and matplotlib/plotly for visualization
• Video encoding and codec (e.g. H264, H265, AV1) experience
• Experience with data visualization and analysis
• Experience with building web-apps/dashboards for data visualization
• Experience with working with Dockers

Perks & Benefits

• Medical benefits
• Financial benefits
• Other benefits

Job Summary:

About the Role & Program:

The Disney Entertainment & ESPN Technology (DE&ET) organization plays a central role in the future growth of The Walt Disney Company. Our team is responsible for worldwide linear and digital media distribution, design and development of all consumer-facing digital products, advertising technology, consumer data, and international broadcast operations. Our employees are leading, creating, and innovating, making bold moves in unexpected directions that redefine not just what a media company does, but what it can do. With The Walt Disney Company, you can be part of media's evolution, helping us create what's next.

Be a part of an innovative team and culture…

This role falls within the Core Media Technology (CMT) team in DE&ET’s Media Engineering organization. CMT is one of our Research and Advanced Development teams whose focus is in the domain of video and audio processing that drives enhancements into our video processing platform for live and on-demand video streaming delivery. Our work involves optimizing media encoding, introducing new media codecs, developing video quality and performance assessment frameworks and conducting innovative media research towards the development of future platform capabilities.

What You Will Do:

Throughout this internship, you will have the opportunity to work collaboratively within the CMT team contributing to one or more of our active research and advanced development projects. At any given time, you may find yourself:

• Contributing to one of our advanced media ML/AI processing projects
• Developing python-based scripts to drive media analysis
• Developing web-apps/dashboards for data visualization
• Contributing to subjective experiments evaluating video quality
• Testing and evaluating new video codecs

Required Qualifications & Skills:

• Knowledge and experience in Python
• Understanding or experience with Linux
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written
• Proficiency in data analysis and analytical thinking
• Strong ability to multi-task and context-switch with ease in a fast-paced, and ever-evolving organization

Preferred Qualifications & Skills:

• Experience developing and optimizing AI/ML models and frameworks
• Knowledge and experience with Python libraries such as pandas/NumPy for data analysis and matplotlib/plotly for visualization
• Video encoding and codec (e.g. H264, H265, AV1) experience
• Experience with data visualization and analysis
• Experience with building web-apps/dashboards for data visualization
• Experience with working with Dockers

Education:

• Junior or Senior year preferred
• Currently enrolled undergraduate student in an accredited college/university, pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Computer Graphics Technology/Visualization or related field.

Eligibility Requirements & Program Information

Candidates for this opportunity MUST meet all of the below requirements:

• Be enrolled in an accredited college/university pursuing a degree taking at least one class in the semester/quarter (spring/fall) prior to participation in the internship program AND returning to school the semester/quarter following the internship OR currently participating in a Disney College Program or Disney Internship.
• Current Disney Interns, College, International, or Culinary Program Participants: You may only work for ONE consecutive year (12 months) in any combination of an internship and/or program.
• Be at least 18 years of age
• Possess unrestricted work authorization

Additional Information

• Fully available from M-F, 40 hours each week for the entire program duration: May/June - August/September 2026 (12 weeks)
• Available for one evening meeting weekly with our extended Beijing team (typically 8-9pm ET Mondays)
• Able to provide own housing for the duration internship program in San Francisco, CA or Morrisville, NC
• Able to provide/have reliable transportation to/from work

The pay rate for this role in San Francisco, CA or Morrisville, NC is $42.00 per hour. 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.

About Disney Entertainment and ESPN Product & Technology:

At Disney Entertainment and ESPN Product & Technology, we’re blending imagination and innovation to reimagine the ways people experience and engage with the world’s most beloved stories and products. Our work is wide-ranging and deeply sophisticated. We create amazing experiences, transform the future of media, and build products and platforms that enable the connection between people everywhere and the stories and sports they love.

Disney’s ability to marry world-class technology with one-of-a-kind creativity makes us unique. It is at the heart of our past, present, and future. We are Storytellers and Innovators. Creators and Builders. Entertainers and Engineers.

About The Walt Disney Company:

The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise that includes three core business segments: Disney Entertainment, ESPN, and Disney Experiences. From humble beginnings as a cartoon studio in the 1920s to its preeminent name in the entertainment industry today, Disney proudly continues its legacy of creating world-class stories and experiences for every member of the family. Disney’s stories, characters and experiences reach consumers and guests from every corner of the globe. With operations in more than 40 countries, our employees and cast members work together to create entertainment experiences that are both universally and locally cherished.

This position is with Disney Streaming Technology LLC, which is part of a business we call Disney Entertainment and ESPN Product & Technology.

Disney Streaming Technology LLC is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, military or veteran status, medical condition, genetic information or disability, or any other basis prohibited by federal, state or local law. Disney champions a business environment where ideas and decisions from all people help us grow, innovate, create the best stories and be relevant in a constantly evolving world.