Experienced Lead Data Engineer – Data Platform & Streaming Infrastructure Development

Join arenaflex Entertainment & ESPN Technology

Are you ready to be part of something extraordinary? At arenaflex Entertainment & ESPN Technology, we're not just building technology—we're crafting the future of global entertainment and sports experiences that touch hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Every single day, we reimagine what's possible to create magical viewing experiences that become the world's most cherished memories, all while transforming how media companies operate in the digital age.

Whether we're evolving streaming and digital products in revolutionary new ways, powering global marketing and distribution systems for maximum flexibility and efficiency, or delivering unparalleled entertainment and sports content, each day presents a new opportunity to make a meaningful impact. If you're passionate about working at the intersection of cutting-edge technology and world-class storytelling, you belong at arenaflex.

Why You'll Love Working With Us

At arenaflex Entertainment & ESPN Technology, we believe that great technology starts with great people. Here's why we think you'll love building your career with us:

• Build the Future of Media: Our technologists are designing and constructing the infrastructure that will power arenaflex's media, marketing, and distribution businesses for years to come. You'll be working on systems that haven't been built before, solving problems that no one else has solved.


• Reach and Scale Like Never Before: The products and platforms our team builds and operates delight millions of customers every minute of every day—from streaming services to news platforms, from entertainment to sports content. Your work will be seen by hundreds of millions of people globally.


• Innovation is in Our DNA: We develop and execute groundbreaking products and strategies that shape industry norms and enhance how audiences experience sports, entertainment, and news. You'll have the opportunity to pioneer new approaches and set new standards.


• Collaboration at Its Best: We foster a highly collaborative team environment where diverse perspectives are valued, innovation is encouraged, and every voice matters. You'll work alongside talented professionals who are as passionate about technology as you are.

About This Role

We are seeking an experienced and motivated Lead Data Engineer to join our dynamic data platform team and help us build the next generation of data infrastructure that powers our flagship streaming platforms. In this role, you will be embedded on the Orchestration team, which manages workflow scheduling packages and data ingestion infrastructure that enables analytics, operations, and data science capabilities behind our streaming services.

You'll have the opportunity to tackle the fascinating challenges of facilitating high-quality, seamless media streaming experiences across mobile devices, connected devices, and web platforms—all while leveraging the latest technologies available from AWS and beyond. If you're interested in working in a highly collaborative team environment where you can make a real impact, we want to hear from you!

What You'll Do

As a Lead Data Engineer at arenaflex, you'll play a pivotal role in building and maintaining our enterprise-scale data processing infrastructure. Here's what you can expect:

• Lead Cross-Functional Engineering Teams: Guide and mentor a team of engineers to build software for a large-scale data processing environment that supports both real-time and batch data, underpinning all analytic and operational data flows across our streaming platforms.


• Build Critical Tools and Services: Develop equipment and services that support data discovery, lineage, resiliency, and privacy compliance across the entire data platform. Your work will ensure data quality and governance at scale.


• Design CI/CD Pipeline: Create and implement continuous integration and continuous deployment methods for infrastructure components that ensure high availability, system agility, and rapid iteration capabilities.


• Drive Engineering Excellence: Lead software engineering and architecture best practices within your team and across the broader organization. Foster a culture of quality, innovation, and experimentation.


• Mentor and Grow Talent: Provide guidance and mentorship for team members. Evangelize the platform, best practices, and data-driven decision-making. Identify new use cases and capabilities and drive their adoption across the organization.

What We're Looking For

Basic Qualifications

To be successful in this role, you'll need:

• Professional Experience: A minimum of 3+ years of relevant professional experience in data engineering, software development, or a related technical field.


• Programming Proficiency: Fluent in Python and Scala—these are essential languages for our data processing workflows.


• Cloud Expertise: Deep experience deploying and operating cloud-based data solutions, preferably on AWS. You should be comfortable with cloud-native architectures and services.


• Infrastructure as Code: Strong experience with infrastructure-as-code frameworks, particularly Terraform, to manage and provision our data infrastructure.


• Systems Thinking: The ability to dive deep into any technical issue while also understanding and driving the overall systems architecture. You need to see both the trees and the forest.


• Quality Obsession: You care deeply about craftsmanship in your software and can work backwards from the customer experience to design elegant solutions.


• Communication Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills. You should be able to explain complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications

While not required, these qualifications will help you stand out:

• Advanced Education: Master's degree in Computer Science or a related technical field.


• Real-Time Data Experience: Experience maintaining real-time data infrastructure including streaming platforms like Amazon Kinesis or Apache Kafka.


• Workflow Scheduling Expertise: Hands-on experience with workflow scheduler tools, particularly Apache Airflow.


• Tech Stack Proficiency: Direct experience with Scala, Python, Terraform, and AWS in production environments.

Education Requirements

Required: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a related area OR equivalent professional experience that demonstrates your technical capabilities.

Skills and Competencies for Success

Beyond technical qualifications, we value these essential skills and attributes:

• Problem-Solving Mindset: You approach challenges with curiosity and creativity, always looking for elegant solutions to complex problems.


• Collaboration and Teamwork: You thrive in team environments and know how to work effectively with cross-functional partners.


• Adaptability: The technology landscape evolves rapidly, and you need to be comfortable learning new tools and adapting to new paradigms.


• Attention to Detail: When it comes to data quality and system reliability, you understand that details matter enormously.


• Leadership Potential: While this is an individual contributor role, we look for people who can influence and mentor others, driving best practices across the organization.

Career Growth and Development

At arenaflex, we believe in investing in our people. When you join our team, you gain access to:

• Cutting-Edge Projects: Work on technically challenging problems at scale that you won't find anywhere else.


• Professional Development: Access to online learning tools and applications designed to foster continuous growth and skill development.


• Career Advancement: As we continue to grow our streaming and technology platforms, there are abundant opportunities to take on increased responsibility and advance your career.


• Industry Exposure: Work with the latest technologies and methodologies, positioning yourself as a leader in the media and technology industry.

Work Environment and Culture

We take pride in creating an environment where our employees can thrive both professionally and personally. Our culture is built on mutual respect, innovation, and a shared commitment to excellence. We believe in flexibility and work-life balance, offering arrangements that allow you to do your best work—whether that's on-site, remote, or a combination that fits your unique situation.

You'll be joining a team of passionate technologists who are dedicated to creating exceptional experiences for our customers. Collaboration isn't just a buzzword here—it's how we solve the hardest problems and deliver the best results.

Compensation and Benefits

We offer a competitive total rewards package that reflects the value you bring to our team:

• Hourly Rate: The hiring range for this role is $35 to $45 per hour, based on experience and qualifications. This rate may vary depending on your geographic location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.


• Performance Bonuses: Eligible for bonus and/or long-term incentive programs based on individual and company performance.


• Comprehensive Health Benefits: Affordable health insurance options including medical, dental, and vision coverage for full-time positions.


• Paid Time Off: Vacation and sick leave are available for full-time positions, with vacation accrual based on tenure, role, and hours worked.


• Financial Wellness: Retirement plans available for full-time and part-time positions.


• Educational Opportunities: We support growth and development through educational compensation programs that pay for coursework and training.


• Employee Discounts: Access to discounts at select hotels, dining, products, and entertainment venues.


• Wellness Programs: On-site and online health resources, fitness programs, and wellness seminars.

Our employees and team members are at the heart of everything we do, which is why we offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your best life, both inside and outside of work.

About arenaflex Entertainment & Technology

At arenaflex Entertainment & Technology, we're transforming how the world experiences entertainment and sports. Our Direct-to-Consumer division oversees streaming services that bring exceptional storytelling to fans and families everywhere. From pioneering streaming technology to delivering live sports experiences, we're at the forefront of digital innovation.

arenaflex is a leading diversified global family entertainment and media organization with business segments spanning entertainment, sports, parks, and experiences. From our humble beginnings as an animation studio in the 1920s to our position as a preeminent name in entertainment today, we proudly maintain our legacy of creating world-class stories and experiences for every member of the family. Our stories, characters, and experiences reach consumers and visitors from every corner of the globe.

With operations in more than 40 countries, our team members work together to create entertainment experiences that are both universally and locally cherished. Join us and be part of a company that's shaping the future of how the world experiences entertainment.

Apply Today

If you're ready to take the next step in your career and work on technology that impacts millions of people worldwide, we want to hear from you! This is your opportunity to join a team of passionate engineers, innovators, and storytellers who are building the future of entertainment technology.

Bring your curiosity, creativity, and technical expertise to arenaflex. Help us build the data infrastructure that powers extraordinary experiences for audiences around the world. Apply now and become part of something truly magical!