Backend Engineer Jobs in Illinois
Backend Engineer jobs in Illinois are in strong demand, with active hiring concentrated in financial technology, enterprise software, healthcare IT, and cloud infrastructure, covering roles from entry-level engineers through principal and staff-level positions. Chicago anchors the market and is home to established employers like Morningstar, Allstate, and United Airlines, while the broader metro and secondary hubs like Champaign-Urbana and Rockford contribute additional openings. The most sought-after specializations in Illinois are distributed systems, API development, and cloud-native backend work on platforms like AWS and Azure. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Date: Sep 25, 2026
Location: CHICAGO, IL, US, 60661-4555
Company: Grainger Businesses
Work Location Type: Hybrid
Req Number 334425
About Grainger
W.W. Grainger, Inc. is a leading broad line distributor with operations primarily in North America and Japan. At Grainger, We Keep the World Working® by serving more than 4.6 million customers worldwide with maintenance, repair and operating (MRO) products and value-added solutions delivered through innovative technology and deep customer expertise. Known for its commitment to service and purpose-driven culture, the Company reported 2025 revenue of $17.9 billion. For more information, visit www.grainger.com.
Compensation
The anticipated base pay compensation range for this position is $112,900.00 - $188,100.00. This role is eligible for an incentive target of up to 10% or $, based on the achievement of individual and company performance objectives in accordance with the current terms of the incentive program which are subject to change.
Rewards and Benefits
With benefits starting on day one, our programs provide choice and flexibility to meet team members' individual needs, including:
- Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans with coverage starting on day one of employment and 6 free sessions each year with a licensed therapist to support your emotional wellbeing.
- 23 paid time off (PTO) days annually for full-time employees (accrual prorated based on employment start date) and 6 company holidays per year.
- 6% company contribution to a 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan each pay period, no employee contribution required.
- Employee discounts, tuition reimbursement, student loan refinancing and free access to financial counseling, education, and tools.
- Maternity support programs, nursing benefits, and up to 14 weeks paid leave for birth parents and up to 4 weeks paid leave for non-birth parents.
For additional information and details regarding Grainger’s benefits, please click on the link below:
https://experience100.ehr.com/grainger/Home/Tools-Resources/Key-Resources/New-Hire
Grainger Benefits
The pay range provided above is not a guarantee of compensation. The range reflects the potential base pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual base pay compensation will depend, in part, on factors such as geographic work location and relevant experience and skills.
The anticipated compensation range described above is subject to change and the compensation ultimately paid may be higher or lower than the range described above.
Grainger reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate its compensation and benefit programs in its sole discretion at any time, consistent with applicable law.
You will work as a Senior Engineer on a Customer Order team. The team is responsible for largely three things:
The cart customers interact with on, eventually, all channels at Grainger. Currently this is limited to our main Grainger.com experience.
Provide internal capabilities to calculate the cost of an Order to a customer. This means resolving interesting Freight, Pricing and Tax considerations for our customers.
Lastly, we manage the payment and invoicing capabilities to ensure people can securely access their payment information.
To give you a picture of our scale, we can see 100,000s orders per day and each one of those has at least one cart, one payment method, and one order calculation. We are a critical component of the customer’s experience and require a team that build solutions that scale.
- Build applications and develop product design solutions in partnership with engineers, architects, and analysts leading to scalable and maintainable software solutions
- Utilize (Frontend/Backend/Full Stack) specialized skills based on specific platform or domain as required
- Implement continuous delivery activities (CICD) and drive engineering best practices
- Support team activities and pair with peers to work on stories
- Coach and mentor junior engineers
- Consistently practice sensible defaults
- Bachelor's Degree or equivalent experience required
- 3+ years experience with modern software engineering; designing, building, and deploying scalable software applications required
- Understanding of distributed system design
- Experience analyzing and interpreting complex problems and processes
- Familiarity with Agile/Scrum methodologies and DevOps practices
- Familiarity with building HTTP API
We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or expression, protected veteran status or any other protected characteristic under federal, state, or local law. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.
We are committed to fostering an inclusive, accessible work environment that includes both providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities during the application and hiring process as well as throughout the course of one’s employment, should you need a reasonable accommodation during the application and selection process, including, but not limited to use of our website, any part of the application, interview or hiring process, please advise us so that we can provide appropriate assistance.
Date: Sep 25, 2026
Location: CHICAGO, IL, US, 60661-4555
Company: Grainger Businesses
Work Location Type: Hybrid
Req Number 334425
About Grainger
W.W. Grainger, Inc. is a leading broad line distributor with operations primarily in North America and Japan. At Grainger, We Keep the World Working® by serving more than 4.6 million customers worldwide with maintenance, repair and operating (MRO) products and value-added solutions delivered through innovative technology and deep customer expertise. Known for its commitment to service and purpose-driven culture, the Company reported 2025 revenue of $17.9 billion. For more information, visit www.grainger.com.
Compensation
The anticipated base pay compensation range for this position is $112,900.00 - $188,100.00. This role is eligible for an incentive target of up to 10% or $, based on the achievement of individual and company performance objectives in accordance with the current terms of the incentive program which are subject to change.
Rewards and Benefits
With benefits starting on day one, our programs provide choice and flexibility to meet team members' individual needs, including:
- Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans with coverage starting on day one of employment and 6 free sessions each year with a licensed therapist to support your emotional wellbeing.
- 23 paid time off (PTO) days annually for full-time employees (accrual prorated based on employment start date) and 6 company holidays per year.
- 6% company contribution to a 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan each pay period, no employee contribution required.
- Employee discounts, tuition reimbursement, student loan refinancing and free access to financial counseling, education, and tools.
- Maternity support programs, nursing benefits, and up to 14 weeks paid leave for birth parents and up to 4 weeks paid leave for non-birth parents.
For additional information and details regarding Grainger’s benefits, please click on the link below:
https://experience100.ehr.com/grainger/Home/Tools-Resources/Key-Resources/New-Hire
Grainger Benefits
The pay range provided above is not a guarantee of compensation. The range reflects the potential base pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual base pay compensation will depend, in part, on factors such as geographic work location and relevant experience and skills.
The anticipated compensation range described above is subject to change and the compensation ultimately paid may be higher or lower than the range described above.
Grainger reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate its compensation and benefit programs in its sole discretion at any time, consistent with applicable law.
You will work as a Senior Engineer on a Customer Order team. The team is responsible for largely three things:
The cart customers interact with on, eventually, all channels at Grainger. Currently this is limited to our main Grainger.com experience.
Provide internal capabilities to calculate the cost of an Order to a customer. This means resolving interesting Freight, Pricing and Tax considerations for our customers.
Lastly, we manage the payment and invoicing capabilities to ensure people can securely access their payment information.
To give you a picture of our scale, we can see 100,000s orders per day and each one of those has at least one cart, one payment method, and one order calculation. We are a critical component of the customer’s experience and require a team that build solutions that scale.
- Build applications and develop product design solutions in partnership with engineers, architects, and analysts leading to scalable and maintainable software solutions
- Utilize (Frontend/Backend/Full Stack) specialized skills based on specific platform or domain as required
- Implement continuous delivery activities (CICD) and drive engineering best practices
- Support team activities and pair with peers to work on stories
- Coach and mentor junior engineers
- Consistently practice sensible defaults
- Bachelor's Degree or equivalent experience required
- 3+ years experience with modern software engineering; designing, building, and deploying scalable software applications required
- Understanding of distributed system design
- Experience analyzing and interpreting complex problems and processes
- Familiarity with Agile/Scrum methodologies and DevOps practices
- Familiarity with building HTTP API
We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or expression, protected veteran status or any other protected characteristic under federal, state, or local law. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.
We are committed to fostering an inclusive, accessible work environment that includes both providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities during the application and hiring process as well as throughout the course of one’s employment, should you need a reasonable accommodation during the application and selection process, including, but not limited to use of our website, any part of the application, interview or hiring process, please advise us so that we can provide appropriate assistance.
See All 12 Backend Engineer Jobs in Illinois
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Find Backend Engineer JobsBackend Engineer Jobs by City in Illinois
Where Illinois roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Backend Engineer Job Market in Illinois
A snapshot from current Illinois openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software
What Illinois Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in backend engineer jobs across Illinois.
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related technical field
- Proficiency in one or more backend languages such as Java, Python, Go, or Node.js
- Experience designing and building RESTful APIs and microservices architectures
- Familiarity with relational and NoSQL databases including PostgreSQL, MySQL, or MongoDB
- Working knowledge of cloud platforms, particularly AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud
- Demonstrated experience with version control, CI/CD pipelines, and Agile development workflows
Backend Engineer Jobs in Illinois: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a backend engineer in Illinois?
Backend engineering is not state-licensed in Illinois, so the path runs through education and demonstrated technical skill rather than a credential board. Most Illinois employers expect a bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a closely related field, though strong candidates from bootcamps or self-taught backgrounds are regularly hired when they can show substantial project work. Building a portfolio of backend projects, contributing to open-source work, and earning vendor certifications in AWS or Azure meaningfully strengthens applications to Illinois employers.
How much do backend engineers make in Illinois?
Backend engineers in Illinois earn a median of about $132,110 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $80,980 for the lowest 10% to over $194,740 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire backend engineers in Illinois?
Employers hiring backend engineers in Illinois right now include FIS, Comcast, and Cwill, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. Illinois's deep concentration of financial services firms, insurance companies, and healthcare technology organizations means backend engineers here frequently work on high-throughput transaction systems, data pipelines, and enterprise integrations.
Which Illinois cities have the most backend engineer jobs?
Chicago, Illinois, and Vernon Hills have the most backend engineer openings in Illinois. Chicago dominates the distribution because it hosts the headquarters and major offices of the state's largest financial services, insurance, and technology employers, while any suburban or secondary cities on the list reflect the presence of large corporate campuses, university research institutions, or regional technology hubs that maintain their own engineering teams.
Are there remote backend engineer jobs in Illinois?
Yes, and more than most fields. About 80% of backend engineer openings tied to Illinois are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, which reflects how naturally suited the role is to distributed work. The positions most commonly offered as fully remote tend to be mid-to-senior individual contributor roles in API development, cloud infrastructure, and platform engineering, where deliverables are measured in code and systems rather than physical presence.
How can I get hired as a backend engineer in Illinois with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is landing an associate software engineer or junior developer role, which large Illinois employers in financial services and enterprise software regularly post as graduate-level or new-hire positions. Companies like Morningstar, Allstate, and major Chicago-area technology consultancies run structured new-grad and rotational programs that onboard engineers without professional experience. Building two or three backend projects with a public repository, earning an AWS Cloud Practitioner or similar entry certification, and applying through internship-to-hire pipelines at Illinois universities are the moves that most consistently open doors.
Where can I find and apply to backend engineer jobs in Illinois?
You can find and apply to backend engineer jobs in Illinois on Migrate Mate, which lists current Illinois openings updated in real time. Find the roles that fit your experience and preferred location, then apply directly to the employer through the listing without any intermediary step required.
See All 12 Backend Engineer Jobs in Illinois
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