Lead Software Engineer (JavaScript)

About Morningstar

Morningstar unites problem solvers with a clear goal: helping investors achieve their financial objectives. As a leading investment research and data company, we stand out by how we apply our insights to serve a broad range of users. Our independent investment research, powered by cutting-edge technology and design, provides tailored solutions that meet users' needs. With a strong foundation in data and innovation, we deliver comprehensive services to investors worldwide-empowering better decisions for individuals and those managing money for millions.

The Role

We are seeking a Lead Software Engineer with full-stack JavaScript experience to join the Central Technology Web Development team in support of Morningstar's Corporate Marketing. This position is based out of our Chicago office. This position will be part of an engineering team focused on updating Morningstar's web-based product suites. The position includes the development of new systems, maintenance, and improvement of existing applications. Candidates should have solid software engineering experience in building commercial-grade Web-based applications using both modern SPA and server-side rendering technology.

Job Responsibilities

• Create web experiences that are consistent across all browsers and operating systems.
• Develop and maintain component libraries and full-stack web applications written in Vue.js and Nuxt.js (3), backed by a headless content management system.
• Design, implement, and maintain Node.js-based APIs using TypeScript.
• Ensure high performance and responsiveness of both front-end and back-end modules.
• Write clean, maintainable, and efficient code, adhering to best practices and coding standards.
• Lead technical discussions and contribute to architectural decisions for new features and services.
• Troubleshoot and resolve technical issues in both the front-end and back-end.
• Participate in code reviews and contribute to improving the codebase's overall quality.
• Maintain documentation for code, APIs, and processes to ensure consistency and transparency.
• Implement unit and integration tests to ensure code quality and functionality.
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to the team's technical growth.
• Consider nonfunctional requirements such as accessibility, performance, privacy and security when building solutions.
• Understand and leverage emerging technologies.
• Take ownership of the success of the team with a "get things done" attitude.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree and 7+ years of professional software engineering experience, focusing on front-end and back-end JavaScript development.
• Proficiency in Nuxt.js for developing universally rendered Vue.js applications.
• Experience integrating APIs into front-end applications, including fetching, transforming, and displaying data effectively.
• Experience with state management libraries like Vuex or Pinia.
• Experience with Server-Side Rendering (SSR), and building scalable and performant SSR components.
• Strong knowledge of Node.js for building server-side applications, APIs, and packaging and distributing components.
• Familiarity with front-end build tools (e.g., Webpack, Vite, Rsbuild, Rollup).
• Knowledge of cloud platforms and SSR application deployment tools - particularly Serverless Framework and AWS.
• Experience with testing frameworks (e.g., Vitest, Jest) for both front-end and back-end code.
• Comfortable working with CI/CD pipelines to automate build, test, and deployment processes.
• Experience with performance optimization for both front-end and back-end code.
• Experience with headless content management systems like ContentStack is a plus.
• Experience in financial services is a plus.

Morningstar's hybrid work environment gives you the opportunity to work remotely and collaborate in-person each week. We've found that we're at our best when we're purposely together on a regular basis, at least three days 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.