Associate Software Engineer
Morningstar
About the role
About the Team
The AI Accelerator team sits at the center of Morningstar’s Generative AI strategy for the Direct Platform. We build and scale core systems such as the Morningstar MCP Server, MCP Gateway, and Morningstar Agent.
Our team is responsible not only for delivering GenAI capabilities, but also for solving the underlying challenges that make them production-ready—document vectorization, caching strategies, system scalability, security, and reliability. We work closely with the Morningstar Responsible AI Council to ensure our systems meet strict standards around guardrails, PII filtering, moderation, and anonymized evaluation pipelines.
We operate with a strong engineering culture: we question assumptions, prioritize impact over process, and focus on solving meaningful problems rather than executing predefined tasks. Collaboration, shared ownership, and continuous learning are central to how we work.
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)
Responsibilities:
Design, build, and enhance scalable services powering the MCP Server, MCP Gateway, and AI 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.
Qualifications:
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
At Morningstar we believe people are at their best when they are at their healthiest. That’s why we champion your wellness through a wide range of programs that support all stages of your personal and professional life. Here are some examples of the offerings we provide:
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) including 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
Total Cash Compensation Range
$72,950.00-107,000.00
Inclusive of annual base salary and target incentive
Morningstar's hybrid work environment gives you the opportunity to collaborate in-person each week as we've found that we're at our best when we're purposely together on a regular basis. In most of our locations, our hybrid work model is four days in-office each week. A range of other benefits are also 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.
001_MstarInc Morningstar Inc. Legal Entity
Responsibilities
- Build and enhance scalable services for the MCP Server, MCP Gateway, and AI Agent.
- Own features from concept through production deployment and monitoring.
- Collaborate with product and design partners to deliver solutions that address user needs.
- Contribute to architectural decisions and improve system design and engineering practices.
- Write clean, maintainable, well-tested code focused on performance and scalability.
- Use logging, monitoring, and debugging tools to maintain system reliability.
- Evaluate tools and technologies for their practical product value.
- Create and maintain technical documentation and user-facing guides.
Qualifications
- 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.
- Understanding of data structures, algorithms, REST APIs, and design patterns.
- Interest in building production-grade services using GenAI or agent frameworks.
- Preferred experience with Python and PostgreSQL.
- Familiarity with vector databases and MCP-based architectures is preferred.
- Basic knowledge of AWS or Azure is preferred.
Benefits
- 401(k) match up to 6% of salary and stock ownership potential.
- Medical, dental, and vision coverage, HSA contributions, and wellness incentives.
- Company-provided life and disability insurance.
- Trust-based time off and paid sabbatical.
- Paid family caregiving and parental leave, plus adoption assistance.
- Leadership coaching, mentorship, and tuition reimbursement.
- Annual $1,000 flex stipend for education and well-being expenses.
- Charitable matching, volunteer programs, and employee resource groups.
Skills mentioned
About Morningstar
Morningstar, Inc. is a leading provider of independent investment insights in North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. The Company offers an extensive line of products and services for individual investors, financial advisors, asset managers and owners, retirement plan providers and sponsors, institutional investors in the debt and private capital markets, and alliances and redistributors. Morningstar provides data and research insights on a wide range of investment offerings, including managed investment products, publicly listed companies, private capital markets, debt securities, and real-time global market data. Morningstar also offers investment management services through its investment advisory subsidiaries, with approximately $369 billion in AUMA as of Sept. 30, 2025. The Company operates through wholly-owned subsidiaries in 32 countries.
H-1B sponsorship history
Historical employer filing data was found for Morningstar. The employer record includes 289 historical certified applications. This is employer-level history, not a guarantee that this role currently offers sponsorship.