Software Engineer

Morningstar; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 89,625 - 131,441; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) match up to 6%

Stock ownership potential

Company-provided life insurance – 1x/2

Comprehensive health benefits with HSA

Sabbatical program

Paid parental leave

Mentorship opportunities

Tuition reimbursement

Volunteer days

Job summary

Morningstar is seeking software engineers for backend/platform development focusing on .NET, Python, and AWS. You will help evolve an AI-enabled content management system, build scalable services, and contribute to semantic search and automation features.

You will collaborate with product managers and stakeholders to translate business needs into technical solutions while maintaining code quality and learning from a vibrant engineering community in a hybrid Chicago setting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in CS or related field.
• 2+ years of experience building commercial-quality applications.
• Strong C# and Python programming skills.
• Experience with messaging tech (Kafka, AWS SQS/Kinesis) and SQL databases (SQL Server, PostgreSQL).
• Experience with CI/CD, TDD, and automated testing.
• Knowledge of SOLID design principles.
• Team player capable of managing multiple deliverables.
• Knowledge of front-end tech (Vue, React, Angular, Web Components).
• Experience with AWS compute (Lambda, ECS/ECR, EC2, API Gateway, IAM, S3).
• Experience with graph databases (Neptune) and Gremlin.
• Experience with search (Elasticsearch/OpenSearch).

Responsibilities

• Build well‑designed, stable, secure, and scalable content platform services and applications.
• Develop and enhance content management, ingestion, workflows, search, and distribution capabilities.
• Design and implement RESTful APIs and backend services using .NET, Python, and AWS.
• Contribute to AI‑enabled features such as tagging, metadata extraction, summarization, semantic search, and workflow automation.
• Integrate external AI/LLM services (OpenAI, AWS Bedrock, etc.) into platform capabilities.
• Use AI‑assisted development tools to improve code quality and accelerate delivery.
• Collaborate with product managers and stakeholders to translate business needs into technical solutions.
• Partner with teams to deliver high‑quality outcomes and stay current with new technologies.

Skills

C#

Python

Vue

React

Angular

Web Components

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Kafka

AWS SQS

AWS Kinesis

SQL Server

PostgreSQL

Elasticsearch

OpenSearch

AWS Lambda

ECS/ECR

EC2

API Gateway

IAM

S3

Neptune

Gremlin

Job description

Role Overview

At Morningstar, helping investors is what brings us together and drives our work. We are looking for software engineers who specialize in .NET, Python, AWS, and modern platform development to join our team, grow with us, introduce new ideas and develop products that empower our users.

We are evolving our content management system with AI‑enabled capabilities to improve content workflows, discovery, and automation. We’re looking for engineers who are excited to learn, experiment, and apply emerging technologies alongside strong engineering fundamentals.

This role is ideal for a backend or platform‑focused software engineer who enjoys building production systems and is curious about applying AI in practical ways. Every day, you’ll partner with team members across disciplines to develop products for investors, interact with product managers and business stakeholders to understand our domain, and create technical solutions that push us forward. You will be a member of a vibrant technical community, sharing your knowledge while also learning from fellow technologists.

Location: Chicago, IL (Hybrid - 4 days onsite)

Responsibilities

• Build well‑designed, stable, secure, and scalable content platform services and applications.
• Develop and enhance capabilities for content management, ingestion, workflows, search, and distribution.
• Design and implement RESTful APIs and backend services using .NET, Python, and AWS.
• Contribute to AI‑enabled features such as content tagging, metadata extraction, summarization, semantic search, and workflow automation.
• Integrate external AI/LLM services (e.g., OpenAI, AWS Bedrock, or similar) into platform capabilities.
• Use AI‑assisted development tools to improve code quality, automate repetitive tasks, and accelerate delivery.
• Partner with product managers and stakeholders to shape product vision and translate business needs into technical solutions.
• Collaborate with teams and take ownership for delivering high‑quality outcomes.
• Stay current with emerging technologies and advocate for improvements where appropriate.

Requirements

• A bachelor's degree in computer science or related field.
• Two or more years of experience developing commercial‑quality applications.
• Strong programming skills in C# and Python.
• Working knowledge of messaging technologies (Kafka, AWS SQS/Kinesis) and relational databases (SQL Server, PostgreSQL).
• Experience with software engineering best practices, including test‑driven development, automated unit testing, functional testing, and DevOps practices such as CI/CD.
• Knowledge and practical experience with domain modeling and object‑oriented design principles, such as the SOLID principles.
• Flexible team player who remains organized and productive while managing multiple deliverables.
• Knowledge of modern front‑end technologies is a plus (Vue, React, Angular, Web Components).
• Experience with AWS compute technologies (Lambda, ECS/ECR, EC2, API Gateway, IAM, S3).
• Experience with Amazon Neptune, graph databases, and Gremlin for modeling and querying taxonomy hierarchies.
• Experience with search technologies such as Elasticsearch or OpenSearch.

We’re not considering candidates who require sponsorship now or in the future.

Compensation and Benefits

Total Cash Compensation Range: $89,625.00 – $131,441.66 (inclusive of annual base salary and target incentive)

At Morningstar we believe people are at their best when they are at their healthiest. Our wellness programs support all stages of your personal and professional life. Highlights include:

• Financial Health
  • 100% 401(k) match up to 6% of salary
  • Stock Ownership Potential
  • Company‑provided life insurance – 1x salary + commission
• Physical Health
  • Comprehensive health benefits (medical/dental/vision) with potential premium discounts and company‑provided HSA contributions (up to $500‑$2,000 annually)
  • Additional medical wellness incentives – up to $300‑$600 annually
  • 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 – $1,000 annually for 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

Morningstar’s hybrid work environment allows you to collaborate in‑person each week while also enjoying flexibility. In most locations, the hybrid model requires four days in‑office each week. A range of additional benefits is available to enhance flexibility as needs change. No matter where you are, you’ll have tools and resources to engage meaningfully with your global colleagues.