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Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Senior Manager of Software Engineering - **Company:** Morningstar, Inc. - **Location:** Chicago, IL, United States - **Experience:** Expert - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** Java (Programming Language), JavaScript (Programming Language), Artificial Intelligence, Amazon Web Services, Automation of Tests, Cloud Computing, Code Review, Continuous Integration, Distributed Systems, Systems Development Life Cycle, Service-Oriented Architecture, Software Engineering, TypeScript, Cloud Platform System, Spring-boot, Information Technology, Api Design, Restful APIs - **Published:** August 14, 2026 - **Apply:** https://jobs.localjobnetwork.com/apply/add/88037940/1 ## About the Role * 8+ years of software engineering experience, including 5+ years leading engineering teams with direct people management responsibility. * Strong technical depth in distributed systems, including service architecture, API design, data consistency, resiliency, and performance, with the ability to review designs and identify scalability and operational risks. * Hands-on proficiency with Java, Spring Boot, REST APIs, and cloud-native development on AWS, with enough front-end depth in modern component-based JavaScript/TypeScript frameworks to review full-stack designs end to end, and the ability to review architecture, designs, and code and provide technical guidance to engineering teams. * Demonstrated experience delivering complex initiatives spanning multiple engineering teams and applications, driving execution, managing dependencies, and resolving cross-team technical challenges. * Experience adopting AI-assisted engineering practices including coding agents, AI-assisted code reviews, testing, and documentation with the ability to establish appropriate guardrails, verification practices, and engineering standards while maintaining high standards for quality, security, and engineering judgment. * Working knowledge of modern software engineering practices, including CI/CD, automated testing, observability, SLOs, secure SDLC, and cloud-native operational practices. * Experience developing engineers and technical leads with a track record of growing individuals into broader technical and leadership responsibilities. * Demonstrated ability to build collaborative engineering teams and foster a culture of ownership, accountability, continuous improvement, and direct cross-functional communication. * Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to influence technical decisions, navigate ambiguity, and build trusted partnerships across groups. * Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience. ## Description Team Leadership * Lead the North America engineering teams supporting Morningstar Plan Advantage and Fiduciary Services. * Hire, coach, and develop technical leads and engineers while fostering a culture of ownership, accountability, and continuous learning. Technical Leadership * Provide technical leadership by establishing clear ownership, decision-making practices, architecture and design review standards, and consistent engineering expectations while enabling technical leads and teams to operate independently and deliver predictably. * Continuously improve how engineering teams build and operate software by adopting modern development practices, automation, and operational excellence. AI-Native Engineering * Lead teams through the shift from AI-assisted to agentic engineering - engineers set direction, build the context and guardrails agents work within, and verify outcomes rather than producing the implementation themselves. * Own the engineering environment that makes agent-authored work trustworthy: context, standards enforced through automated checks, and feedback that catches defects before human review. Accountability for what ships stays with engineers - AI-generated work doesn't reduce or transfer it. * Measure whether it's working - cycle time across the full delivery lifecycle rather than coding alone, rework rate on agent-authored work, and no compromise in quality, security, compliance, or accessibility. Delivery & Cross-functional Execution * Own successful execution of initiatives that span multiple applications and engineering teams by driving alignment, managing dependencies, removing blockers, and maintaining delivery momentum. * Partner closely with Product Management to shape roadmaps, clarify priorities, and balance near-term needs with platform modernization. * Build strong working relationships across engineering and product organizations, encouraging direct communication, shared ownership, and collaborative problem solving. ## Related Videos - [Engineering/Manager Pendulum: Generating compound interest on your career](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100348-engineering-manager-pendulum-generating-compound-interest-on-your-career) - [API Design - Getting Started](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/33-api-design-getting-started) - [Do TypeScript without TypeScript](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/327-do-typescript-without-typescript) - [Are Code Reviews Worth It? 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