Principal Software Engineer Jobs in Chicago, IL
Principal Software Engineer jobs in Chicago are concentrated in the Loop, River North, and the Fulton Market tech corridor, with strong demand across fintech, enterprise software, and healthcare technology. Employers hiring right now include Northern Trust, Options Clearing Corporation, and Comcast. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
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We offer a flexible working policy that supports a healthy balance between personal and professional well-being. This role requires in-office presence on Tuesdays & Thursdays to collaborate, connect, and learn from peers - while also maintaining the flexibility for meaningful work-life balance.
Being a Principal Software Engineer at iManage Means…
You will play a critical role in driving complex technical initiatives, spanning requirements, design, build, and delivery, on a team responsible for iManage's core platform. This role is tailor-made for someone who wants real ownership of the entire SDLC. You will partner directly with product management, design, and research to help shape not just how we build software, but what we build. You will bring a broad ownership mindset to this role, enhancing a platform used by knowledge workers across the world.
iM Responsible For…
- Owning technical initiatives end to end, from understanding the problem and requirements through design, architecture, implementation, and delivery, with minimal day-to-day oversight
- Operating with a product mindset: understanding why something matters to the customer and the business, not just executing a ticket
- Designing and implementing modern, cloud-native systems that help iManage Work scale to meet current and future demand
- Collaborating within cross-functional engineering teams as well as peer teams to build an integrated solution
- Staying hands-on enough to remain technically credible, including applying AI tools thoughtfully as part of daily engineering work
- Communicating, documenting, and presenting to technical and business audiences
- Guiding and mentoring engineers, influencing technical direction across the team and peer teams, and helping establish patterns and practices that enable the organization to take on more ambitious work
iM Qualified Because I Have…
- A demonstrated record of owning complex technical initiatives from problem definition through delivery, including work driven independently with minimal oversight
- Hands-on experience in Java, microservices, and event-driven architectures, built through delivering real production systems
- Experience designing and delivering cloud-native systems at scale, with Azure preferred
- The ability to think critically about how architectural patterns apply to a scenario, and the skills to articulate the benefits of applying those patterns
- A practical, applied understanding of AI in the engineering workflow: comfortable using AI coding tools effectively, and able to explain and stand behind whatever you ship
- Comfort operating with ambiguity, taking ownership across multiple areas, and adapting to changing priorities; experience in consulting or startup environments is a plus
- A bachelor's or master's degree in computer science or a related field
- Proficiency with relational and NoSQL database systems
- Experience with the Linux platform as a development and runtime environment
- Knowledge of secure coding and design practices, including threat modeling, is a plus
- Exposure to CI/CD pipelines and build management; use of Docker and Kubernetes is a plus
Don't meet every qualification listed above? Studies show that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet all qualifications. At iManage, we are committed to building a diverse and inclusive environment, and encourage everyone to show up as their full authentic selves. We welcome those that come with a growth mindset and a hunger for learning; so, if you are excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with every qualification we encourage you to apply anyways!
iM Getting To…
- Join a supportive, experienced team with an inclusive, encouraging, and vibrant culture.
- Have flexible work hours that allow me to balance my ‘me time’ with my work commitments.
- Collaborate in a modern open plan workspace, with a gaming area, free snacks, drinks and regular social events.
- Focus on impactful work, solving complex, real challenges utilizing the latest technologies and protocols.
- Own my career path with our internal development framework. Ask us more about this!
- Learn new skills and earn certifications with access to unlimited courses in LinkedIn Learning.
- Join an innovative, industry leading SaaS company that is continuing to grow & scale!
iManage Is Supporting Me By...
- Creating an inclusive environment where I can help shape the culture not just by fitting in, but by adding to it.
- Providing a market competitive salary that is applied through a consistent process, equitable for all our employees, and regularly reviewed based on industry data.
- Rewarding me with an annual performance-based bonus.
- Offering comprehensive Health/Vision/Dental/Life Insurance, and a 401k Retirement Savings Plan with a company match up to 4%.
- Giving access to HealthJoy, a healthcare concierge service, to help me maximize my health benefits.
- Granting enhanced leave for expecting parents; 20 weeks 100% paid for primary leave, and 10 weeks 100% paid for secondary leave.
- Providing me with a flexible time off policy to take the time off that I need. Be it for vacation, volunteering, celebrating holidays, spending time with family, or simply taking time to recharge and reset.
- Caring for my mental health and well-being with multiple company wellness days and free access to the Healthy Minds app for mindfulness, meditation and more.
About iManage…
iManage is dedicated to Making Knowledge WorkTM. Over one million professionals across 65+ countries rely on our intelligent, cloud-enabled, secure knowledge work platform to uncover and activate the knowledge that exists inside their business content and communications.
We are continuously innovating to solve the most complex professional challenges and enable better business outcomes; Our work is not always easy but it is ambitious and rewarding.
So we’re looking for people who love a challenge. People who are happiest when they’re solving problems and collaborating with the industry’s best and brightest. That’s the iManage way. It’s how we do things that might appear impossible. How we develop our employees’ strengths and unlock their potential. How we find meaning in everything we do.
Whoever you are, whatever you do, however you work. Make it mean something at iManage.
iManage provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.
Learn more at: www.imanage.com
Please see our recruitment privacy statement for more information on how we handle your personal data.
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See All 21 Principal Software Engineer Jobs in Chicago
Find roles in Chicago that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find JobsPrincipal Software Engineer Job Market in Chicago
Who's Hiring



Top Industries Hiring
- Agriculture & Farming
- Staffing & Recruiting
- Technology & Software
Principal Software Engineer Jobs in Chicago: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a principal software engineer job in Chicago?
Focus your search on Chicago's fintech corridor along LaSalle Street, the growing Fulton Market tech cluster, and the enterprise software firms headquartered downtown in the Loop. Candidates with experience leading distributed systems, platform architecture, or large-scale backend work stand out most in this market. Demonstrating a history of cross-functional technical leadership and hands-on ownership of production systems gives you a real edge over candidates with purely managerial backgrounds.
Which companies hire principal software engineers in Chicago?
Chicago principal software engineer roles are posted by Northern Trust, Options Clearing Corporation, and Comcast and others right now, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. Chicago's hiring mix skews toward established financial technology firms, large healthcare systems, and a growing number of high-growth SaaS companies with engineering offices concentrated in the Loop and Fulton Market neighborhoods.
Are there remote principal software engineer jobs in Chicago?
Yes, though principal software engineer roles lean more toward hybrid than fully remote, since the seniority typically involves mentoring teams and leading architecture decisions in person. About 73% of principal software engineer openings tied to Chicago are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, with the remainder requiring regular on-site presence. Deep-tech and platform-focused roles at Chicago's fintech and enterprise software employers tend to offer the most flexible arrangements.
How can I get a principal software engineer job in Chicago with little or no experience?
The most realistic path in Chicago is moving laterally from a senior software engineer role at one of the city's mid-size fintech or healthcare technology firms, where smaller engineering organizations promote to the principal level faster than large enterprises do. Targeting Chicago-based companies with growing platform or infrastructure teams, contributing to internal architecture decisions, and building a portfolio of system design work will position you ahead of candidates who rely solely on years of service.
Which industries hire the most principal software engineers in Chicago?
Most principal software engineer openings in Chicago sit in Agriculture & Farming, Staffing & Recruiting, and Technology & Software, per current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. Chicago's deep roots in financial services and its expanding healthcare technology sector drive consistent demand, while the city's maturing startup ecosystem adds openings at growth-stage companies in Fulton Market and the broader Near North Side.
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