Data Science Lead Jobs in Illinois
Data Science Lead jobs in Illinois are in strong demand, concentrated in financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, and technology, with openings at every level from senior individual contributor through director-track leadership. Chicago anchors the market, with additional hiring activity in Naperville and Peoria, where major employers such as Allstate, Abbott, and Discover Financial maintain established analytics teams. The most sought-after specialties in Illinois listings include machine learning engineering, NLP, and applied analytics for risk and clinical decision-making. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Pay Rate/Hourly Range:
The hourly range is $20.00 - $43.00 per hour.
Pay is based on factors including school year, program of study, role responsibilities, etc.
CCC Intelligent Solutions Inc. (CCC) is a leading cloud platform for the multi-trillion-dollar insurance economy, creating intelligent experiences for insurers, repairers, automakers, part suppliers, and more. At CCC, we’re making life just work by empowering more than 35,000 businesses with industry-leading technology to get drivers back on the road and to health quickly and seamlessly. We’re pushing boundaries with innovative AI solutions that simplify and enhance the claims and repair journey. Through purposeful innovation and the strength of its connections, CCC technologies empower the people and industry relied upon to keep lives moving forward when it matters most. Learn more about CCC at www.cccis.com.
The Role
Our program is designed to #CCCJumpstart your career! At CCC, you will work and learn alongside innovative and inspiring leaders and gain valuable technical experience while working on real business solutions in a corporate setting.
Key Responsibilities:
You'll join the Data Engineering team that builds the data and AI foundation for the company: the curated, governed, well-modeled data that powers analytics, machine learning, and generative AI across CCC. Interns work on real pipelines and real datasets serving the auto-insurance industry and internal teams.
Technology:
- Databricks (Delta Lake, Unity Catalog, workflows)
- PySpark / Spark
- AWS (S3, EMR, Glue, Athena, Lambda)
- Python and SQL
- Apache Airflow
- Data governance and data quality
What you'll do:
- Build end-to-end pipelines that turn raw data into fully curated, enhanced datasets ready for analytics and model training.
- Work with data across all three shapes: structured (relational databases, transactional tables), semi-structured(JSON, XML, compressed/zipped files), and unstructured (claim photos, estimate PDFs, repair notes, audio, and video).
- Produce reusable data building blocks, data models, and data flows for varying client demands — dimensional models, data feeds, dashboard reporting, and data science research and exploration.
- Develop and optimize Spark jobs on Databricks, including Delta Lake tables and incremental and batch processing patterns.
- Apply data governance practices using Unity Catalog and AWS Glue Data Catalog: cataloging and lineage, access controls, PII handling, schema management, and data quality validation.
- Use Apache Airflow to build DAGs that handle cross-DAG dependencies, orchestrate concurrent pipelines, monitor tasks, and alert when SLAs are not met.
- Partner with data scientists and ML engineers to make datasets model-ready, including preparing multimodal data for AI and computer vision use cases.
Technical environment: Python and Spark; Databricks, Delta Lake, and Unity Catalog; AWS ecosystem (S3, EMR, Glue, Athena); Airflow for scheduling and monitoring of big data ETL pipelines; SQL for data profiling and validation; Unix commands and scripting; distributed computing and lakehouse fundamentals; Generative AI, and Agentic AI fundamentals.
Requirements:
In order to be considered for this role you are required to be in pursuit of an Associate, Bachelor's or Master's throughout your internship.
We are looking for candidates who offer strong collaborative skills and work well with a team. A strong interest in computer science and/or related fields is essential to the success of each intern.
If you have knowledge, through coursework or project work, of Python, Machine Learning, or Statistics/ Modeling, this opportunity is right for you.
Interview Policy & Privacy Notice:
A video interview is required for this position. Video interviews are transcribed. Transcriptions are retained and may be reviewed by CCC and our recruiters. Candidates are not permitted to use generative AI or automated assistance during the interviews unless explicitly allowed by the interview team for a specific exercise. Our Job Applicant Privacy Notice is available HERE.
About CCC's Commitment to Employees:
CCC Intelligent Solutions understands that our employees play an integral role in our vision to shape a world where life just works. Our team is defined by our values of Integrity, Customer-Focus, Innovation, Inclusion & Diversity, Tenacity, and Connection. Through diverse perspectives, purposeful innovation, and the strength of connections, our technologies empower the people and industry relied upon to keep lives moving forward when it matters most.
At CCC, together everyone can thrive as we innovate and collaborate, creating employee experiences that just work. We are committed to providing opportunities for our people to make real-life impacts, advance in their careers, and contribute to CCC’s success.
CCC offers competitive compensation and benefits to support you and your families, including:
401K Match
Paid time off
Annual Incentive Plan Performance Bonus
Comprehensive health insurance
Adoption Assistance
Tuition Reimbursement
Wellness Programs
Stock Purchase Plan options
Employee Resource Groups
For more information about our benefits, please check out our careers site.
Here, you belong. You are seen, valued, and respected. We celebrate you for who you are and all you bring. Every voice is heard and is important to our success. You can hear what employees have to say about our culture here
If you require reasonable accommodation to complete a job application, please contact (800) 621-8070.
See All 21 Data Science Lead Jobs in Illinois
Find roles in Illinois that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Data Science Lead JobsData Science Lead Jobs by City in Illinois
Where Illinois roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Data Science Lead Job Market in Illinois
A snapshot from current Illinois openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring



Top Industries Hiring
- Education
- Manufacturing
- Banking & Financial Services
- Consulting & Professional Services
- Media & Entertainment
What Illinois Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in data science lead jobs across Illinois.
- Bachelor's or master's degree in statistics, computer science, mathematics, or a related quantitative field
- Proven experience leading cross-functional data science teams through full project lifecycles
- Advanced proficiency in Python or R with production-level machine learning model deployment experience
- Demonstrated expertise with cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud in analytical workflows
- Strong communication skills translating complex model outputs into business decisions for executive stakeholders
- Experience with Illinois-relevant industry domains such as financial risk modeling, healthcare analytics, or industrial IoT
Data Science Lead Jobs in Illinois: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a data science lead in Illinois?
Becoming a data science lead in Illinois does not require a state-issued license, but Illinois employers consistently expect a graduate degree in a quantitative field alongside several years of hands-on modeling experience before promoting into a lead role. Building a portfolio of end-to-end projects, contributing to open-source work, and gaining familiarity with the industries dominant in Illinois, such as finance, insurance, and healthcare, meaningfully shortens the path to a leadership position.
How much do data science leads make in Illinois?
Data science leads 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 leads in Illinois?
Employers hiring data science leads in Illinois right now include Ritchie Bros., Chamberlain, and University of Chicago, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Illinois's concentration of insurance carriers, regional banks, and large hospital systems means demand for data science leads extends well beyond the Chicago tech sector into suburban and mid-state employers with mature analytics functions.
Which Illinois cities have the most data science lead jobs?
Chicago, Oak Brook, and Deerfield account for the largest share of data science lead openings in Illinois. Chicago dominates because of its dense concentration of financial institutions, health systems, and technology firms, while Naperville and Downers Grove attract openings from suburban corporate headquarters in the corridor along I-88, where companies like Navistar and Advocate Health maintain significant analytics operations.
Are there remote data science lead jobs in Illinois?
Yes, and more than most fields. About 67% of data science lead openings tied to Illinois are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, reflecting the desk-based and collaborative nature of the role. The modeling, code review, and stakeholder presentation responsibilities that make up most of the work transfer well to distributed teams, though roles embedded within hospital systems or manufacturing operations tend to require more on-site presence.
How can I get hired as a data science lead in Illinois with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is moving into a data scientist or senior analyst role first, then pursuing the lead track from within. Large Illinois employers such as Allstate, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, and Caterpillar run graduate rotational and associate analytics programs that place early-career candidates on teams alongside senior leads. Building a portfolio of applied ML projects relevant to financial risk or clinical outcomes, areas central to Illinois hiring, gives candidates without formal experience a concrete way to demonstrate readiness for the role.
Where can I find and apply to data science lead jobs in Illinois?
You can find and apply to data science lead jobs in Illinois on Migrate Mate, which lists current Illinois openings updated in real time. Search the listings, find roles that match your background and preferred location, and apply directly to the employers posting them.
See All 21 Data Science Lead Jobs in Illinois
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