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Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Associate Software Engineer - **Company:** CDK INCORPORATED - **Location:** Austin, TX, United States - **Experience:** Starter - **Salary:** $70,000.0 - $85,000.0 - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** Artificial Intelligence, Automation of Tests, Cloud Computing, Code Review, Databases, Continuous Integration, Customer Data Management, Retail Software, Software Construction, Software Engineering, Systems Architecture, Technical Debt, Information Technology, Production Code, Software Version Control, Web Api, Programming Languages - **Published:** September 2, 2026 - **Apply:** https://www.jofdav.com/jobs/59505977-associate-software-engineer ## About the Role * Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, with 0-2 years of professional experience * Strong command of at least one programming language and core CS fundamentals - the foundation for evaluating and improving AI-generated code * Ability to read and reason about code you didn't write: spotting bugs, edge cases, security issues, and design problems * Learn and understand systems architecture and designs * Excellent written communication - describing problems and designs precisely is a core skill in this role * Genuine curiosity about AI-based development, shown through coursework, projects, hackathons, or independent experimentation * A verification mindset: skepticism of unvalidated output, rigor in testing before trusting, and the instinct that more code is not better code and security cannot be bolted on afterward * Self-motivated fast learner - the tools will change; your adaptability won't * Collaborative problem-solver, effective independently and in teams; able to drive issues to timely resolution, * Substantive personal or academic projects using AI development tools - and the ability to articulate what worked, what failed, and what you learned * Exposure to version control, code review, automated testing, and CI/CD * Experience anywhere in a modern full stack (mobile/web front ends, backend APIs, databases, cloud) * Interest in building software that business operators and consumers depend on, Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States without the need for current or future employment-based visa sponsorship. ## Description We're hiring a early-career engineers to help build the next generation of automotive retail software - the platforms dealerships use to sell, finance, and service vehicles, and consumers use to shop for and buy their cars. You'll develop software the way the industry is heading: partnering with advanced AI systems to design, build, test, and ship production code, with you as the engineer of record. You'll start with AI-accelerated coding and progress toward delegating substantial development tasks to AI under your direction - specifying problems precisely, decomposing work, and rigorously verifying the output. We believe engineers who learn this way from day one will become the strongest AI-era engineers in the industry, and we're investing accordingly: structured mentorship, a defined progression path, and real production ownership early. Because our software runs dealership businesses and consumer purchases, the bar is high: velocity and quality, security designed in, lean code rather than AI-generated bloat, and disciplined AI cost management. This role is for someone with strong fundamentals, high curiosity, and the discipline to verify everything. Responsibilities & Essential Functions * Build and ship production software using modern AI-based development workflows, progressing from AI-accelerated coding to delegating well-scoped tasks to advanced AI systems * Write precise specifications, technical plans, and acceptance criteria that humans and AI systems can execute against * Own the correctness, security, and maintainability of everything you ship - rigorously review, test, and validate all AI-generated code, and never expose credentials, customer data, or proprietary code to unapproved tools * Keep codebases lean: resist AI-generated bloat, unnecessary dependencies, and over-engineering so today's velocity doesn't become tomorrow's technical debt * Use AI development resources cost-effectively, treating compute and tooling spend as an engineering constraint to optimize * Develop deep expertise in automotive retail - how dealerships operate and how consumers buy - the domain context that makes your direction of AI systems effective * Solve problems of moderate scope with increasing independence and sound technical judgment * Experiment with and share new AI development techniques and workflow improvements with your team * Plan and prioritize your own work with decreasing need for day-to-day direction; build strong relationships across engineering, product, and design * Participate in on-call rotations and emergency response to maintain platform reliability * Follow all CDK Global policies and procedures, including responsible AI usage guidelines; complete all mandatory compliance tasks * Meet or exceed all performance expectations ## Related Videos - [Web APIs you might not know about](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/281-web-apis-you-might-not-know-about) - [Kubernetes and Microservices with Multi-Model Databases](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/382-kubernetes-and-microservices-with-multi-model-databases) - [Are Code Reviews Worth It? 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