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 Options Clearing Corporation, iManage, and Northern Trust. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.

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Overview

Open roles12
Top employerOptions Clearing Corporation
Work type75% Hybrid
Top credentialMaster's degree
Companies hiring7

Showing 5 of 12+ Principal Software Engineer jobs

Associate Principal, Software Engineering Delivery & Execution
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Added 1d ago
Associate Principal, Software Engineering Delivery & Execution
Options Clearing Corporation
Chicago, Illinois
Program Management
Project & Program Management
Project Management
$94k - $137k/yr
Hybrid
ITIL Certification
1,001-5,000

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Principal Software Engineer
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Added 3d ago
Principal Software Engineer
Saragossa
Chicago, Illinois
Software Engineering
Backend Engineering
$200k - $230k
On-Site
None

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Lead Associate Principal, Software Engineering: Java
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Added 6d ago
Lead Associate Principal, Software Engineering: Java
Options Clearing Corporation
Chicago, Illinois
Data Analytics
Data Engineering
Data Science
$136k - $223k/yr
Hybrid
Bachelor of Science
1,001-5,000

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Principal Software Engineer
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Added 1w ago
Principal Software Engineer
Wonder
Chicago, Illinois
Software Engineering
Solutions Engineering & Architecture
Technical Program Management
$244k - $254k/yr
Master's degree
501-1,000

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Principal, Software Engineering: Java
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Added 2w ago
Principal, Software Engineering: Java
Options Clearing Corporation
Chicago, Illinois
Cloud Engineering
DevOps
Software Engineering
$173k - $287k/yr
Hybrid
Bachelor of Science
1,001-5,000

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See All 12 Principal Software Engineer Jobs in Chicago

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Principal Software Engineer Job Market in Chicago

Who's Hiring

Options Clearing Corporation4 open roles
iManage2 open roles
Northern Trust2 open roles

Top Industries Hiring

  • 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 Options Clearing Corporation, iManage, and Northern Trust and others right now, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 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 88% of principal software engineer openings tied to Chicago are remote or hybrid as of November 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 Staffing & Recruiting and Technology & Software, per current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 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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