Associate Software Engineer

About The Role

As an Associate Software Engineer on the AI Accelerator team, you will help design, build, and scale the core services powering Morningstar Directs’ GenAI capabilities. You will work across the full development lifecycle—from ideation and design to implementation, deployment, and iteration. You’ll leverage modern AI-assisted development tools (e.g., GitHub Copilot, Claude Code) to accelerate delivery while maintaining high standards for code quality, testing, and documentation. You will collaborate closely with product managers, designers, and engineers to build systems that are both technically robust and highly valuable to users. This role is ideal for someone who is naturally curious, enjoys exploring new technologies, and takes initiative in learning beyond immediate requirements.

Location: Chicago, Illinois (Hybrid policy, 4 days onsite required)

Key Responsibilities

• Design, build, and enhance scalable services powering the Morningstar MCP Server, MCP Gateway, and Morningstar Agent.
• Own features end-to-end, from concept through production deployment and monitoring.
• Collaborate with product and design partners to deeply understand user needs and deliver meaningful solutions.
• Contribute to architectural decisions and continuously improve system design and engineering practices.
• Write clean, maintainable, and well-tested code with a focus on performance and scalability.
• Use logging, monitoring, and debugging tools to maintain high system reliability.
• Evaluate new tools and technologies pragmatically, balancing innovation with real product value.
• Create and maintain clear technical documentation and user-facing guides.
• Contribute to a culture of knowledge sharing and continuous improvement.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent experience.
• Experience with at least one modern object-oriented programming language.
• Strong collaboration and communication skills; direct, thoughtful, and transparent in discussions.
• Solid understanding of computer science fundamentals (data structures, algorithms, REST APIs, design patterns).
• Interest in building production grade services using GenAI/agent frameworks (e.g., LangChain, AWS Bedrock, Copilot Studio).

Preferred Skills

• Experience with Python and the PostgreSQL ecosystem.
• Familiarity with vector databases and MCP-based architectures.
• Basic knowledge of cloud infrastructure like AWS/Azure.
• Interest in financial markets, investing, or fund research.

Compensation And Benefits

• Total Cash Compensation Range: $72,950.00 - $107,000.00 (Inclusive of annual base salary and target incentive)
• Financial Health:
• 100% 401k match up to 6% of salary
• Stock Ownership Potential
• Company provided life insurance - 1x salary + commission
• Physical Health:
• Comprehensive health benefits (medical/dental/vision)
• Potential premium discounts and company-provided HSA contributions (up to $500-$2,000 annually) for specific plans and coverages
• Additional medical Wellness Incentives - up to $300-$600 annual
• Company-provided long- and short-term disability insurance
• Emotional Health:
• Trust-Based Time Off
• 6-week Paid Sabbatical Program
• 6-Week Paid Family Caregiving Leave
• Competitive 8-24 Week Paid Parental Leave
• Adoption Assistance
• Leadership Coaching & Formal Mentorship Opportunities
• Annual Flex Stipend - $1000 annually to cover personal education & well-being expenses
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Social Health:
• Charitable Matching Gifts program
• Dollars for Doers volunteer program
• Paid volunteering days
• 15+ Employee Resource & Affinity Groups