> Markdown version of [/jobs/ext/3572138-lead-software-engineer](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/jobs/ext/3572138-lead-software-engineer). Every page supports `.md` or `Accept: text/markdown`. Links point to the HTML versions so they work for humans too. Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Lead Software Engineer - **Company:** Morningstar, Inc. - **Location:** Chicago, IL, United States - **Experience:** Expert - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** JavaScript (Programming Language), .NET Framework, Artificial Intelligence, Amazon Web Services, C Sharp (Programming Language), Software Debugging, Distributed Systems, Log Analysis, Software Engineering, Web Applications, Cloud Platform System, .NET Core, BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM), Splunk, New Relic (SaaS) - **Published:** October 3, 2026 - **Apply:** https://jobs.localjobnetwork.com/apply/add/87717707/1 ## About the Role * 8+yearsexperiencein software engineering, production support, reliability, or tech-lead roles * Hands-on experience withC#, .NET / .NET Core * Practical familiarity withJavaScript / web application behavior * Experience working with distributed systems in production * Familiarity with AWS-hosted systems and cloud-based architectures * Proven ability to lead incidents and cross-team technical problem solving * Strong communicationskills across technical and non-technical audiences, * Customer-First Mindset- Every technical decision is evaluated through the lens of advisor impact and experience quality. * Calm Under Pressure- You lead incidents with composure, clear communication, and structured decision-making. * Continuous Improvement- Youidentifypatterns, advocate for systemic fixes, and raise the bar on operational readiness across teams. ## Description As a Lead Software Engineer for Customer Experience & Reliability, you are a technical leader and customer advocate responsible for driving the resolution of complex, cross-system production issues. This role offers a unique mix of technical leadership and hands-on engagement, allowing you to influence outcomes while staying close tothe technology.You'llpartner closely with a Senior Engineering Manager to ensure: * The right problems are prioritized and addressed * Engagement within the team * Root causes are clearlyidentified * Follow-up actions are effectively executed You will remain technically engaged in reading code, analyzing logs, and troubleshooting issues, but your primary impact will come through ownership, coordination, and sound technical judgement., * Lead cross-functional debugging sessions across Engineering, Customer Success Managers, Operations, and Support. * Help teams converge on root causes by asking the right technical questions. * Support during incidents by tracking decisions, risks, and next steps. * Translate between customer impact and system behavior. Technical Troubleshooting & Guidance Maintain deep technical fluency to: * Read and reason about C#, .NET / .NET Core, and JavaScript code * Analyze logs, metrics, and traces (e.g., Splunk, New Relic, APM tools) * Reproduce issues at a conceptual or functional level * Review proposed fixes and designs with a focus onreliability, operability, and customer impact. Proactive Customer Experience & Reliability Improvements * Manually reproduce customer issues, isolate root causes, and deploy fixes under time pressure while partnering with L1/L2 support teams to resolve high-priority advisor tickets. * Recognize recurring issue patterns and provide feedback to feature development teams to drive systemic improvements. * Identifysystemic weaknesses and partner with engineering teams to improve observability, diagnostics, and operational readiness. * Support and influence emerging automation or AI-assisted diagnostic workflows. Mentorship & Leadership * Model strong ownership, calm decision-making, and accountability during production incidents. * Mentor engineers and support teams on effective incident handling and production readiness. * Reinforce a culture wherecustomer experience is an engineering responsibility., 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. ## Related Videos - [ The attacker's footprint](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/375-the-attacker-s-footprint) - [Functions Triggers using Azure Event Grids in Azure Blob Storage](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/47-functions-triggers-using-azure-event-grids-in-azure-blob-storage) - [Our journey with Spring Boot in a microservice architecture](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/511-our-journey-with-spring-boot-in-a-microservice-architecture) - [Coffee with developers - Brian Morrison](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/902-coffee-with-developers-brian-morrison) - [Progressive Delivery in Kubernetes](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/949-progressive-delivery-in-kubernetes) - [This Is Not Your Father's .NET](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/967-this-is-not-your-father-s-net) ## Related Articles - [The Best Software Developer Blogs to Read](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/156-the-best-software-developer-blogs-to-read) - [How We Built a Worry-Free System That Runs for 10+ Years – And What We’d Do Again](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/751-how-we-built-a-worry-free-system-that-runs-for-10-years-and-what-we-d-do-again) - [The Best X (Twitter) Accounts for Developers](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/294-the-best-x-twitter-accounts-for-developers) - [What’s the Difference between a Junior, Mid, and Senior Developer?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/238-what-s-the-difference-between-a-junior-mid-and-senior-developer) - [Navigating the AI Shift](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/629-navigating-the-ai-shift) - [Dev Digest 120 - Apple and peers](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/455-dev-digest-120-apple-and-peers)