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Now Hiring/ENG-2026-03/Chicago
(
Software
Engineer
(
Own products, not tickets.
Ship to
real dealerships
in week one.
Apply now →Read the role
Location
Chicago
Schedule
In-person
Type
Full-time
Team
Product Eng
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
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
02What we're looking for
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.
L1
This 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 works
Lightweight 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
MOTO(acquire)
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