QA Engineer

Job Summary:

At Skywalker Sound, we are redefining the frontier of audio post-production through advanced technology. Our enterprise platform spans from core networking infrastructure to intuitive operator GUIs, delivering secure, high-performance tools to elite media organizations worldwide. We're seeking a Software Quality QA Engineer who brings deep technical fluency, hands-on automation skills, and a passion for system reliability across the full stack.

As the QA Engineer you’ll take ownership of designing and maintaining automated testing pipelines that support CI/CD across a large-scale distributed software platform. This includes writing test suites and unit tests, validating complex technical outputs like audio, metadata, and containerized payloads, and ensuring system-wide integrity through continuous integration with GitLab.

This role is considered Hybrid, which means the employee will work 2-3 days onsite at our Nicasio office and occasionally from home.

What you’ll do

• Design, implement, and maintain automated test pipelines integrated into GitLab CI/CD.
• Author and maintain unit, integration, and system-level test suites across microservices and client-facing applications.
• Analyze and validate complex media outputs (e.g., audio renders, session metadata, container integrity) to meet professional audio standards.
• Collaborate closely with DevOps, software engineering, and infrastructure teams to ensure test coverage across backend, frontend, and infrastructure components.
• Build custom tooling and test harnesses to validate performance, concurrency, and edge cases in media and networking workflows.
• Monitor and report on test results, coverage gaps, and regressions through dashboards and automated reporting.
• Participate in code reviews and contribute to quality and testability improvements across the codebase.
• Maintain knowledge of the latest testing strategies, automation frameworks, and media validation tools.

What we’re looking for

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• 3+ years in QA engineering, SDET, or DevOps test automation roles.
• Proficiency with GitLab CI/CD, Docker, and Git workflows.
• Strong scripting and test development skills (Python, Bash, or similar).
• Experience designing and executing automated tests using tools such as PyTest, Golang Test, GTest, or custom scripts.
• Familiarity with containerized and distributed systems, especially in media production environments.
• Ability to validate technical media asset outputs (e.g., WAV/MXF/MOV integrity, metadata conformity, latency thresholds, multichannel routing).
• Deep understanding of the software development lifecycle and Agile methodologies.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with media and post-production workflows, especially Avid Pro Tools, FFMPEG, and audio/video transcoding systems.
• Exposure to test automation in cloud-based or hybrid infrastructures (AWS, GCP, Kubernetes).
• Familiarity with networking protocols, file transport validation, or REST/gRPC testing.
• Prior experience building test infrastructure for enterprise SaaS products.
• Knowledge of industry media standards (MXF, ADM BWAV, TTML, Dolby Atmos, etc.).

The hiring range for this position in Nicasio, CA is $106,800 to $143,200 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.

About Lucasfilm:

Lucasfilm is a global leader in film, television and digital entertainment production. In addition to its motion-picture and television production, the company's activities include visual effects, audio post-production and cutting-edge digital animation, interactive entertainment software, and the management of the global merchandising activities for its entertainment properties including the legendary STAR WARS and INDIANA JONES franchises. Lucasfilm Ltd. is headquartered in northern California.

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 Lucasfilm Ent Co Ltd, LLC Payroll Svc, which is part of a business we call Lucasfilm.

Lucasfilm Ent Co Ltd, LLC Payroll Svc 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.