Software Engineer, Full-Stack Applications, Associate Director

Software Engineer, Full-Stack Applications, Associate Director (Python & React)

Fitch Ratings is seeking a solid Software Engineer to join our global Ratings Technology team in Chicago. This is an opportunity to build and enhance mission-critical applications that power the workflows, analytics, and decision-making processes used by analysts across a world-leading credit ratings organization.

As a member of our Ratings Technology team, you will work on modern full-stack applications that support core business capabilities, partnering closely with engineers, product managers, and business stakeholders. We are looking for a highly experienced software engineer with deep expertise in Python and React, strong software engineering fundamentals, and a passion for building scalable, reliable, and user-focused solutions.

We are particularly interested in engineers who are excited about the next generation of software development, including the use of AI-powered technologies and large language models (LLMs) to improve applications, automate workflows, and create better user experiences.

What We Offer:

• Meaningful technical impact – Build applications and services that directly support Fitch Ratings' analytical and operational workflows, used by teams across the organization.
• Innovation-first culture and experimentation – Permission to challenge established patterns, explore emerging technologies including AI, and drive proof-of-concepts with access to cutting-edge tools and a community that celebrates curiosity and bold thinking
• Continuous learning and career growth – Training, certifications, conferences, mentorship opportunities, and clear paths to principal/architect/leadership tracks as you establish yourself as a thought leader
• Flexibility and world-class environment – Work from premier offices in Chicago with hybrid flexibility, competitive compensation reflecting your seniority, comprehensive benefits, and a culture that values both innovation and work-life harmony

We'll Count on You To:

· Design, develop, and maintain full-stack applications using Python, React, and modern software development practices.

· Build scalable backend services and APIs that support business-critical workflows and data-driven applications.

· Develop intuitive frontend experiences using React, TypeScript, and modern web technologies.

· Collaborate with cross-functional teams to understand requirements, define technical solutions, and deliver high-quality software.

· Contribute to application architecture and technical design, ensuring scalability, maintainability, security, and performance.

· Promote engineering excellence through code reviews, testing, documentation, CI/CD automation, and software development best practices.

· Explore and implement AI-powered capabilities where they can create business value, improve user experiences, or enhance operational efficiency.

What You Need to Have:

· 12+ years of professional software engineering experience building and supporting enterprise-grade applications.

· 12+ years of hands-on Python development experience, building scalable backend services, APIs, and data-driven applications using frameworks such as FastAPI, Flask, Django, or similar.

· 5+ years of hands-on React experience developing modern, responsive, and scalable web applications in production environments.

· Strong experience with TypeScript/JavaScript, HTML, CSS, and modern frontend development practices.

· Experience designing and developing RESTful APIs and integrating with third-party services.

· Solid understanding of software design principles, design patterns, object-oriented programming, data structures, algorithms, and scalable system architecture.

· Experience working with relational and NoSQL databases.

· Familiarity with Agile development methodologies and modern software delivery practices

· AI Fluency – Experience or familiarity with integrating AI-powered capabilities into software applications, including LLM APIs such as OpenAI, AWS Bedrock, Anthropic, or similar platforms. Understanding of concepts such as prompt engineering, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), AI agents, and responsible AI practices, with the ability to evaluate and apply AI technologies to solve real business problems.

· Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software