Data Science Director Jobs in Illinois

Data Science Director jobs in Illinois are highly active, concentrated in financial services, healthcare, logistics, and technology, with demand at every level from newly promoted analytics managers through seasoned enterprise leaders. Chicago is the dominant hiring market, with Naperville and Peoria also generating steady openings, and established employers like Discover Financial Services, Walgreens Boots Alliance, and United Airlines routinely seek directors to lead applied analytics and machine learning strategy. The most in-demand specialties are predictive modeling, AI product development, and enterprise data governance. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.

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Overview

Open roles25
Top employerUniversity of Illinois
Top cityChicago, IL
Cities hiring11
Work type70% Hybrid
Top industryEducation

Showing 5 of 25+ Data Science Director jobs

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Data Science(AI/ML)
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Added 1d ago
Data Science(AI/ML)
Paramount Global US Inc
Virginia, Illinois
Compliance & Risk
Project Management
Quality Assurance & Testing (QA Testing)
$27.5 - $33.12/hr
On-Site

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Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
Summer 2027 Intern- PhD Data Science or Computer Science
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Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
Added 1d ago
Summer 2027 Intern- PhD Data Science or Computer Science
Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois
Business Analysis
Data Analytics
Data Science
$20 - $33/hr
1,001-5,000

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Busey Bank
Senior Manager, Applied AI and Data Science
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Busey Bank
Added 1d ago
Senior Manager, Applied AI and Data Science
Busey Bank
Illinois
Data Analytics
Data Science
Healthcare Administration
$120k - $160k/yr
Bachelor's degree in statistics
1,001-5,000

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Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
Summer 2027 Intern-Data Science and Business Analytics
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Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
Added 1d ago
Summer 2027 Intern-Data Science and Business Analytics
Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois
Data Analytics
Data Science
$20 - $33/hr
1,001-5,000

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Illinois State University
Director of Data Engineering and Data Science
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Illinois State University
Added 2d ago
Director of Data Engineering and Data Science
Illinois State University
Normal, Illinois
Compliance & Risk
Project Management
Quality Assurance & Testing (QA Testing)
$125k - $135k/yr
Hybrid
Bachelor's degree
1,001-5,000

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See All 25 Data Science Director Jobs in Illinois

Find roles in Illinois that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.

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Data Science Director Jobs by City in Illinois

Where Illinois roles are concentrated, by current openings.

Oak Brook
2 jobs
Riverwoods
2 jobs
Normal
1 job
Virginia
1 job
Champaign
1 job
Deerfield
1 job
Northbrook
1 job
Westchester
1 job

Data Science Director Job Market in Illinois

A snapshot from current Illinois openings, updated as new roles post.

Who's Hiring

University of Illinois
University of Illinois3 open roles
Chamberlain
Chamberlain2 open roles
Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago2 open roles

Top Industries Hiring

  • Education
  • Manufacturing
  • Media & Entertainment
  • Banking & Financial Services

What Illinois Employers Look For

The qualifications that appear most often in data science director jobs across Illinois.

  • Advanced degree in data science, statistics, computer science, or a closely related quantitative field
  • Demonstrated leadership of cross-functional data science or machine learning teams at scale
  • Proficiency in Python or R plus cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud
  • Experience translating data strategy into measurable business outcomes for senior stakeholders
  • Strong background in machine learning lifecycle management, MLOps, and model governance
  • Familiarity with Illinois-regulated industries including financial services or healthcare data compliance

Data Science Director Jobs in Illinois: Frequently Asked Questions

How do you become a data science director in Illinois?

Becoming a data science director in Illinois typically requires a master's or doctoral degree in data science, statistics, computer science, or a related quantitative discipline, followed by progressive experience leading analytics teams. Illinois does not require a state-issued license for this role. Most Illinois hiring managers expect candidates to have moved through senior data scientist or analytics manager roles before reaching the director level, often within financial services, healthcare, or technology companies headquartered in the Chicago metro area.

How much do data science directors make in Illinois?

Data science directors in Illinois earn a median of about $106,560 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $68,810 for the lowest 10% to over $168,880 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.

Which companies hire data science directors in Illinois?

Employers hiring data science directors in Illinois right now include University of Illinois, Chamberlain, and Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of October 2026. Illinois's concentration of Fortune 500 headquarters and large healthcare systems means director-level openings are distributed across industries rather than clustering in a single sector.

Which Illinois cities have the most data science director jobs?

Chicago, Oak Brook, and Riverwoods account for the most data science director openings in Illinois. Chicago dominates because it hosts the largest concentration of corporate headquarters, financial institutions, and major health systems in the state, while suburban centers like Naperville and Deerfield generate additional openings from companies such as Discover Financial and Baxter International that maintain significant operations outside the city core.

Are there remote data science director jobs in Illinois?

Yes, and more than most fields, because data science director work is fundamentally desk-based and output-driven. About 80% of data science director openings tied to Illinois are remote or hybrid as of October 2026, reflecting broad employer comfort with distributed analytics leadership. Strategic planning, stakeholder reporting, and model review are the functions most commonly performed fully remotely, while cross-functional alignment and team development sessions more often require periodic on-site presence.

How can I get hired as a data science director in Illinois with little or no experience?

The most realistic entry path is moving into a senior data scientist or analytics manager role first, then building toward the director level over time. Large Illinois employers including Allstate, Exelon, and Northwestern Medicine hire data scientists at the associate and senior levels and promote internally. Candidates who lack formal leadership experience can strengthen their profile by completing a portfolio of end-to-end machine learning projects, contributing to open-source tools, or pursuing a graduate certificate in applied data science from an Illinois university such as the University of Illinois or DePaul.

Where can I find and apply to data science director jobs in Illinois?

You can find and apply to data science director jobs in Illinois on Migrate Mate, which lists current Illinois openings updated regularly. Search the available roles, identify the ones that match your background and location preferences, and apply directly to each employer through the listing.

See All 25 Data Science Director Jobs in Illinois

Find roles in Illinois that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.

Find Data Science Director Jobs