C Software Engineer Jobs in Illinois
C Software Engineer jobs in Illinois are actively posted across defense, financial technology, manufacturing automation, and embedded systems sectors, with demand running from entry-level to senior principal engineers. Chicago leads hiring volume, followed by Schaumburg and Lisle, where anchors like Motorola Solutions, Caterpillar, and Raytheon Technologies maintain significant engineering headcount. The most sought-after specialties in Illinois are embedded systems programming, real-time operating systems, and low-level driver development. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Belvedere Trading is a leading proprietary trading firm proudly headquartered in downtown Chicago. Our traders work hard to provide liquidity to the market through their market-making activities and are the masters of a diverse set of commodities, interest rates, exchange-traded funds (ETF), and equity index options. From the beginning, we began iteratively investing in our proprietary technology and committing to building our systems from the ground up. Our trading models and software systems are continually re-engineered, optimized, and maintained to stay on top of the industry. This wouldn’t be possible without the dedicated efforts of our technology teams who utilize and perfect our innovative technology solutions.
High-performance proprietary development is the source of our success and competitive advantage at Belvedere, further fueling our passion for performance. We are a team driven by intellectual curiosity, seeking answers that will change not only how we trade in this technological age, but also the future landscape of the trading industry. We place a high premium on defining, developing, and deploying high-performance trading software using a team-based, holistic development approach. We look for passionate team members that excel and their contribution is critical to our continued success.
Belvedere Trading is seeking a Senior Software Engineer to design and build high-performance market data systems. This role focuses on ingesting and processing raw market data feeds, implementing exchange protocols such as CME and Cboe, and optimizing systems for concurrency, throughput, and ultra-low latency performance.
You'll collaborate closely with traders, quantitative researchers, analysts, and engineers to solve complex challenges across technology, mathematics, and finance. The ideal candidate has experience building automated trading systems and a proven track record of developing scalable, architecturally sound solutions that directly support business objectives.
What You'll Do
- Design, develop, and optimize scalable, extensible trading applications, and deploy successful enterprise-level applications that can be leveraged across a variety of asset classes
- Work alongside traders to develop and deliver scalable and highly available software systems
- Improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our development process and reduce operational risk
- Maintain, support, and troubleshoot critical trading applications
- Deliver quality systems through automated testing and peer code review
- Apply industry knowledge and technical skills in new and innovative ways
- Encourage the use of best practices throughout the development process
What You'll Need
- 7+ years of Experience with C++ programming and Python scripting languages
- A strong understanding of object-oriented design, data structures, and algorithms
- Experience in high performance, multi-threaded, network-programming
- Demonstrated success in delivering automated trading systems is a plus
- Ability to take full ownership (design, implement, test, deploy, maintain) of projects
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Possess an entrepreneurial spirit
- Willingness to coach junior engineers in addition to teaching and learning from peers
- A degree in computer science or any related engineering discipline Experience with financial market concepts, including options trading and engineering
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We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.
See All 12 C Software Engineer Jobs in Illinois
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Find C Software Engineer JobsC Software Engineer Jobs by City in Illinois
Where Illinois roles are concentrated, by current openings.
C Software Engineer Job Market in Illinois
A snapshot from current Illinois openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring



Top Industries Hiring
- Investment & Asset Management
What Illinois Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in C software engineer jobs across Illinois.
- Proficiency in C programming with demonstrated experience in embedded or systems-level development
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, electrical engineering, or a related technical field
- Experience with real-time operating systems such as FreeRTOS, VxWorks, or similar platforms
- Familiarity with hardware interfaces including UART, SPI, I2C, and low-level peripheral drivers
- Strong debugging skills using tools such as JTAG, oscilloscopes, or logic analyzers
- Experience working within version control systems such as Git in a collaborative team environment
C Software Engineer Jobs in Illinois: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a c software engineer in Illinois?
C software engineering in Illinois does not require a state-issued license, so the path runs through education and demonstrated technical skill. Most Illinois employers expect a bachelor's degree in computer science, electrical engineering, or computer engineering, though some accept equivalent applied experience. Building a portfolio of embedded or systems projects, contributing to open-source C work, and earning vendor-neutral certifications in embedded systems strengthens a candidacy considerably in Illinois's defense and manufacturing-heavy market.
How much do C software engineers make in Illinois?
C software 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 c software engineers in Illinois?
Employers hiring c software engineers in Illinois right now include Comcast, ARI, and REPLY, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. Illinois's concentration of defense contractors, industrial automation firms, and financial technology companies means demand for C engineers is spread across a wider range of industries than in most states.
Which Illinois cities have the most c software engineer jobs?
Chicago, Peoria, and Mossville account for the largest share of c software engineer openings in Illinois. Chicago drives the highest volume through its density of fintech, defense, and enterprise technology employers, while Schaumburg and Lisle concentrate demand around the suburban corridor where Motorola Solutions and several aerospace and industrial automation companies have long-established engineering centers.
Are there remote c software engineer jobs in Illinois?
Yes, though they are less common than in purely application-layer software roles. About 57% of c software engineer openings tied to Illinois are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, reflecting the hands-on hardware and embedded nature of much of the work. The portions of the role most likely to be performed remotely are firmware logic development and code review, while hardware bring-up and lab testing almost always require an on-site presence.
How can I get hired as a c software engineer in Illinois with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is through embedded systems internships or new-graduate programs at Illinois's large defense and industrial employers, including Motorola Solutions, Caterpillar, and Illinois Tool Works, all of which run structured new-grad engineering rotations. Candidates moving laterally from electrical engineering technician or FPGA design roles find their hardware familiarity transfers well. A portfolio of personal or academic projects written in C, especially anything involving microcontrollers, gives an Illinois candidate a concrete edge over applicants with only coursework to show.
Where can I find and apply to c software engineer jobs in Illinois?
You can find and apply to c software engineer jobs in Illinois on Migrate Mate, which lists current Illinois openings updated regularly. Find roles that fit your experience and location, then apply directly to each one.
See All 12 C Software Engineer Jobs in Illinois
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