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
$72,950.00-107,000.00Inclusive 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 EntitySkills Required
- Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent experience
- Experience with at least one modern object-oriented programming language
- Strong collaboration and communication skills
- Understanding of computer science fundamentals, including data structures, algorithms, REST APIs, and design patterns
- Interest in building production-grade services using GenAI or agent frameworks such as LangChain, AWS Bedrock, or Copilot Studio
- Experience with Python and the PostgreSQL ecosystem
- Familiarity with vector databases and MCP-based architectures
- Basic knowledge of cloud infrastructure such as AWS or Azure
- Interest in financial markets, investing, or fund research
What the Team is Saying
Morningstar Compensation & Benefits Highlights
-
Leave & Time Off Breadth — Time-off policies include flexible PTO and a paid sabbatical every four years, often highlighted as a standout perk. Feedback suggests this structure supports strong work–life balance and meaningful breaks.
-
Parental & Family Support — Policies advertise a global minimum of 16 weeks for primary caregivers, up to 8 weeks for secondary caregivers, and at least six weeks of paid caregiving leave. These offerings signal above-average support for family and caregiving needs.
-
Retirement Support — Retirement programs feature employer 401(k) contributions/matching, with some postings citing a 75% match on up to 7% of pay. Feedback suggests these offerings are a strong pillar of the package.
Morningstar Insights
What We Do
We are a global investment research and financial data company with 40-plus offices across North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. Our products and services are used daily by individual investors, financial advisors, asset managers, retirement plan providers, and institutional investors. We provide data, research, and analysis across managed investment products, publicly listed companies, private capital markets, debt securities, and real-time global market data. The financial system can have real barriers—hidden information, friction that can slow decisions, and forces that can limit transparency and access. We work to remove them, bringing independent research, connected data, and investor-first tools to a system that needs more clarity. The people doing this work span research, technology, design, product, sales, and functional areas. We build many of our products in-house, so the work can connect directly to the tools investors use to make real financial decisions.
Why Work With Us
Morningstar’s missing is to empower investor success. We can only do that if our people feel empowered. That means finding people who think independently, bring a wide range of backgrounds with analytical rigor and genuine intellectual curiosity to the work.
Gallery
Morningstar Teams
Morningstar Offices
Hybrid Workspace
Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.
Across most of our offices globally, employees work four days a week in the office and one day from home. We recognize that life doesn't always fit a fixed schedule and offer programs that can help provided increased workplace flexibility.
