Embedded Software Engineer Jobs in Illinois

Embedded Software Engineer jobs in Illinois are active and competitive, with strong demand concentrated in defense and aerospace, automotive systems, industrial automation, and medical devices, and openings that run from entry-level firmware roles through principal and staff engineers. Chicago, Rockford, and the Route 128-equivalent corridor stretching through Schaumburg and Hoffman Estates are the primary hiring hubs, where anchor employers like Motorola Solutions, Caterpillar, and Abbott have maintained deep embedded engineering teams for decades. The most in-demand specialties are real-time operating systems, RTOS firmware, CAN and communication protocol stacks, and safety-critical software under IEC 62304 or DO-178C standards. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.

Find Jobs

Overview

Open roles46
Top employerNorthrop Grumman
Top cityRolling Meadows, IL
Cities hiring18
Work type63% On-site
Top industryTechnology

Showing 5 of 46+ Embedded Software Engineer jobs

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies
Embedded Systems Software Engineering Intern at UIUC Research Park (January - August 2027)
We won't show you this job again
Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies
Added 2d ago
Embedded Systems Software Engineering Intern at UIUC Research Park (January - August 2027)
Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies
Champaign, Illinois
Embedded Systems Engineering
Engineering (Non-Software)
Technical Program Management
$35 - $40/hr
Hybrid

Have you applied for this role?

Northrop Grumman
Software/Principal Embedded Software Engineer
We won't show you this job again
Northrop Grumman
Added 2d ago
Software/Principal Embedded Software Engineer
Northrop Grumman
Rolling Meadows, Illinois
Embedded Systems Engineering
Engineering (Non-Software)
Technical Program Management
$88k - $131k/yr
Bachelor's degree in engineering
10,000+

Have you applied for this role?

Gentex
Embedded Software Engineer
We won't show you this job again
Gentex
Added 3d ago
Embedded Software Engineer
Gentex
Ottawa, Illinois
Quality Assurance & Testing (QA Testing)
Software Engineering
Technical Program Management
On-Site
Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering

Have you applied for this role?

Northrop Grumman
Manager Embedded Software Engineering 2 - Active TS/SCI - Rolling Meadows
We won't show you this job again
Northrop Grumman
Added 3d ago
Manager Embedded Software Engineering 2 - Active TS/SCI - Rolling Meadows
Northrop Grumman
Rolling Meadows, Illinois
Program Management
Project Management
Technical Product & Program Management
$154k - $231k/yr
Bachelor of Science
10,000+

Have you applied for this role?

Caterpillar
Embedded Software Engineering Specialist
We won't show you this job again
Caterpillar
Added 5d ago
Embedded Software Engineering Specialist
Caterpillar
Mossville, Illinois
Account Management
Customer Success
Sales
$128k - $193k/yr
10,000+

Have you applied for this role?

See All 46 Embedded Software Engineer Jobs in Illinois

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

Find Jobs

Embedded Software Engineer Jobs by City in Illinois

Where Illinois roles are concentrated, by current openings.

Rolling Meadows
10 jobs
Mossville
6 jobs
Chillicothe
5 jobs
Peoria
4 jobs
Chicago
4 jobs
Niles
2 jobs
McHenry
2 jobs
Oak Brook
2 jobs
Schaumburg
2 jobs

Embedded Software Engineer Job Market in Illinois

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

Who's Hiring

  • Northrop Grumman
    Northrop Grumman10
  • RFA Engineering
    RFA Engineering4
  • Caterpillar
    Caterpillar3
  • Motorola Solutions
    Motorola Solutions2
  • M
    Medela Medizintechnik GmbH & Co. Handels KG2

Top Industries Hiring

  • Technology & Software
  • Consulting & Professional Services
  • Automotive
  • Manufacturing
  • Artificial Intelligence

What Illinois Employers Look For

The qualifications that appear most often in embedded software engineer jobs across Illinois.

  • Bachelor's degree in computer engineering, electrical engineering, or a closely related technical field
  • Proficiency in C and C++ for bare-metal or RTOS-based embedded development
  • Experience with microcontrollers and microprocessors such as ARM Cortex or TI MSP platforms
  • Familiarity with communication protocols including CAN, SPI, I2C, UART, or Ethernet
  • Exposure to debugging tools like JTAG, oscilloscopes, or logic analyzers in a lab setting
  • Experience with version control systems and cross-platform build environments such as Git and CMake

Embedded Software Engineer Jobs in Illinois: Frequently Asked Questions

How do you become a embedded software engineer in Illinois?

Embedded software engineering in Illinois does not require a state-issued license, but most employers expect a bachelor's degree in computer engineering or electrical engineering from an accredited program. Illinois graduates often enter through co-op or internship pipelines at defense contractors, medical device firms, and industrial automation companies. Earning a Certified Embedded Systems Engineer designation through the IEEE Computer Society strengthens a candidate's profile considerably in Illinois's safety-critical and regulated industries.

How much do embedded software engineers make in Illinois?

Embedded 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 embedded software engineers in Illinois?

Employers hiring embedded software engineers in Illinois right now include Northrop Grumman, RFA Engineering, and Caterpillar, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. Illinois's concentration of defense primes, medical device manufacturers, and industrial automation companies means embedded openings tend to cluster around firms with long-standing engineering campuses in the Chicago metro and the Rockford corridor.

Which Illinois cities have the most embedded software engineer jobs?

Rolling Meadows, Mossville, and Chillicothe have the most embedded software engineer openings in Illinois. Chicago anchors demand through its dense cluster of defense contractors and medical device firms, while suburban hubs like Schaumburg and Hoffman Estates reflect large campus footprints from companies like Motorola Solutions, and Rockford draws openings from aerospace and heavy-equipment manufacturers embedded in that region's industrial base.

Are there remote embedded software engineer jobs in Illinois?

Yes, but they're rare. Embedded software engineering is inherently hardware-dependent, so most roles require lab access, hardware bring-up, or on-site debugging at some stage. About 38% of embedded software engineer openings tied to Illinois are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, and those positions tend to concentrate in firmware architecture, BSP development, or software integration work where the hardware phase is already complete.

How can I get hired as a embedded software engineer in Illinois with little or no experience?

The most realistic entry path is a new-graduate or associate engineer role at one of Illinois's large defense or medical device employers, which run structured onboarding programs for candidates without professional experience. Caterpillar and Motorola Solutions both hire new graduates into embedded and firmware teams through campus pipelines. Building a portfolio of personal microcontroller projects, contributing to open-source embedded firmware, or completing an IEEE Certified Embedded Systems Engineer prep course signals readiness to Illinois hiring managers who screen entry-level candidates heavily on demonstrated hands-on initiative.

Where can I find and apply to embedded software engineer jobs in Illinois?

You can find and apply to embedded software engineer jobs in Illinois on Migrate Mate, which lists current Illinois openings across the state's defense, medical device, industrial, and automotive sectors. Find roles that fit your experience and apply directly to the employers posting them.

See All 46 Embedded Software Engineer Jobs in Illinois

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

Find Jobs