Software Engineer

AboutRoleStackWhyPath Apply → Now Hiring/ENG-2026-03/Chicago In-person ( Software Engineer ( Own products, not tickets. Ship to real dealerships in week one. Apply now →Read the role Location Chicago Union Station Schedule In-person 5 days/week Type Full-time Team Product Eng Early-stage MOTO(build) A vehicle valuation and dealership platform, built for the speed dealers move at. MotoAcquire is an early-stage startup building technology that powers trade-in flows, lead management, and automotive insights for dealers and content creators. Our multi-tenant SaaS platform integrates with industry data providers — Kelley Blue Book, Black Book, EVOX, Bumper — plus CRMs and communication channels to streamline how dealerships acquire vehicles and engage customers. We build several products in parallel: a core valuation engine and API platform, a dealer portal, an internal admin tool, and an automotive SEO content site — all running on modern cloud infrastructure. This is a fast-paced startup environment. We move quickly, handle various responsibilities, and care deeply about our work. You will have real ownership over products and the autonomy to shape their evolution. If you want to make a significant impact early in your career at a place where your work truly matters, this is the right team for you. Stage Early-stage Segment B2B Auto SaaS Model Multi-tenant Users Dealers + creators HQ Chicago, IL MOTO(ship) Own a product. Ship to production. Week one. You'll work across our entire platform — from consumer valuation flows to API integrations with automotive data providers. At a team this size, you own entire products, make architectural decisions, and see your work used by real dealerships within days. 01What you'll do 01Build and ship features across a Next.js App Router platform serving multiple dealerships — server and client components.02Design REST API routes and server actions that integrate with third-party automotive data providers.03Evolve a PostgreSQL schema for multi-tenant dealership configs, valuations, CRM data, and leads.04Build dealer-facing UI — lead management, valuations, buying-center tools, analytics, SMS/email — in React + MUI.05Implement background jobs with Inngest for email tracking, value monitoring, and async processing.06Write tests with Jest + RTL; maintain CI that gates deployments on Vercel.07Monitor production via Sentry; drive reliability improvements.08Participate in code reviews, architecture discussions, and sprint workflows. 02What we're looking for ◆2+ years building web apps — or equivalent project depth. Quality over quantity; one good project beats ten to-do apps.◆Strong proficiency in TypeScript and React.◆Production Next.js (App Router preferred) — server components, API routes, middleware, server actions.◆Hands-on with PostgreSQL + Prisma.◆Comfortable consuming and building REST APIs.◆Experience with component libraries — MUI, Radix, or similar.◆Familiar with Zod or similar schema validation.◆Understanding of auth patterns — sessions, cookies, Supabase/Auth0.◆Solid Git workflow — branches, PRs, conventional commits. Nice to have Prisma migrationsMulti-tenant data modelingInngest / BullMQResend + React EmailTailwindAutomotive APIsAWS S3 / CloudFrontSentry / DatadogVercel edge / serverlessOpenAI APIAI agents / worktrees MOTO(stack) The tools you'll actually use. Modern, opinionated, and chosen because they work — not because they're trendy. You don't need all of it on day one, but you'll touch most of it within your first quarter. Languages TypeScriptJavaScript Frontend ReactNext.jsTailwindComponent libraries Backend Node.jsREST APIsServer ActionsBackground jobs Database PostgreSQLPrismaMigrations Infra VercelAWSDockerCI/CD Integrations Third-party APIsCRMsEmail / SMSAI / LLMs Testing JestVitestReact Testing Library Tooling GitESLintPrettierSentry MOTO(why) The early-engineer line on a resume — earned. What you get here that you won't get at a 500-person org. 01 Ownership Engineers don't close tickets — they own entire products. You'll have a direct say in what gets built and how, from architecture to shipping. 02 Outsized impact Your individual contribution moves the company's trajectory in a way it literally cannot at a 500-person org. What you ship this quarter shapes what MotoAcquire becomes. 03 Real customers Your work goes to actual dealerships running real businesses. Not internal tools or staging. You'll watch dealers use what you built — and hear when it needs to be better. 04 Domain depth Automotive is a large, underbuilt industry, and we're building at the center of it. Real expertise in a vertical that compounds — not generic CRUD. 05 Resume weight "Early engineer at a startup that got acquired" is one of the strongest lines a young engineer can earn. We're building toward that in 3–5 years. Every engineer shares in it via meaningful options. MOTO(grow) Advance by the work — not the years. Level progression is tied to scope and impact: what you own, how independently you ship it, and how much you support the team. Strong engineers move quickly. L1This role Software Engineer I Open You ship features with guidance from senior engineers and the founders. You own components within larger products — a specific valuation flow, an API integration. You ramp up on TypeScript, Next.js, and the automotive domain, aiming to ship to production regularly within your first 90 days. L2 Software Engineer II You own features end-to-end — from spec conversation to production monitoring. You navigate the codebase independently, unblock yourself on most problems, and contribute meaningfully to architecture discussions. Your PRs require less back-and-forth, and you've started developing real opinions about how things should work. L3 Senior Software Engineer You own entire products — the dealer portal, valuation engine, or content site. You drive technical decisions, balance shipping speed with maintainability, and represent engineering with sales, operations, and customers. You mentor other engineers and help improve the whole team. L4 Staff Engineer You're a force multiplier. Your impact is measured less by what you ship personally and more by what the team ships because of how you've shaped systems, standards, and people. You set technical direction across products and partner with the head of engineering on hiring and planning. You can stay deeply technical or move toward engineering management — both paths are real. How advancement actually worksLightweight feedback check-ins quarterly, formal reviews every 6 months covering scope, growth, and compensation. Advancement is tied to the work you're already doing at the next level — not years on the job. We'd rather promote early and stretch you into the role than make you wait. We're a small, fast-moving company, and level progression depends on real opportunity, not just performance. We'll always be honest with you about where you are and what the next level looks like. MOTO(apply) Ready to own something? Attach your resume and send us your best work — a repo, a site, a side project. One good thing tells us more than a polished resume. Rolling basis Chicago In-person 5 days/week MOTO(acquire) © 2026