Senior C Software Engineer Jobs in Illinois
Senior C Software Engineer jobs in Illinois are in strong demand, concentrated in embedded systems, defense and aerospace software, financial technology, and industrial automation, with openings at every level from mid-level developer through principal engineer. Chicago anchors the majority of hiring, joined by significant activity in Naperville and Rockford, where companies like Motorola Solutions, Caterpillar, and Boeing maintain deep engineering organizations that rely on C programming for real-time and safety-critical systems. The most sought-after specializations in Illinois include low-level systems programming, RTOS development, and performance-critical embedded firmware. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 12+ Senior C Software Engineer jobs
Belvedere Trading is a leading proprietary trading firm proudly headquartered in downtown Chicago. Our traders work hard to provide liquidity to the market through their market-making activities and are the masters of a diverse set of commodities, interest rates, exchange-traded funds (ETF), and equity index options. From the beginning, we began iteratively investing in our proprietary technology and committing to building our systems from the ground up. Our trading models and software systems are continually re-engineered, optimized, and maintained to stay on top of the industry. This wouldn’t be possible without the dedicated efforts of our technology teams who utilize and perfect our innovative technology solutions.
High-performance proprietary development is the source of our success and competitive advantage at Belvedere, further fueling our passion for performance. We are a team driven by intellectual curiosity, seeking answers that will change not only how we trade in this technological age, but also the future landscape of the trading industry. We place a high premium on defining, developing, and deploying high-performance trading software using a team-based, holistic development approach. We look for passionate team members that excel and their contribution is critical to our continued success.
Belvedere Trading is seeking a Senior Software Engineer to design and build high-performance market data systems. This role focuses on ingesting and processing raw market data feeds, implementing exchange protocols such as CME and Cboe, and optimizing systems for concurrency, throughput, and ultra-low latency performance.
You'll collaborate closely with traders, quantitative researchers, analysts, and engineers to solve complex challenges across technology, mathematics, and finance. The ideal candidate has experience building automated trading systems and a proven track record of developing scalable, architecturally sound solutions that directly support business objectives.
What You'll Do
- Design, develop, and optimize scalable, extensible trading applications, and deploy successful enterprise-level applications that can be leveraged across a variety of asset classes
- Work alongside traders to develop and deliver scalable and highly available software systems
- Improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our development process and reduce operational risk
- Maintain, support, and troubleshoot critical trading applications
- Deliver quality systems through automated testing and peer code review
- Apply industry knowledge and technical skills in new and innovative ways
- Encourage the use of best practices throughout the development process
What You'll Need
- 7+ years of Experience with C++ programming and Python scripting languages
- A strong understanding of object-oriented design, data structures, and algorithms
- Experience in high performance, multi-threaded, network-programming
- Demonstrated success in delivering automated trading systems is a plus
- Ability to take full ownership (design, implement, test, deploy, maintain) of projects
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Possess an entrepreneurial spirit
- Willingness to coach junior engineers in addition to teaching and learning from peers
- A degree in computer science or any related engineering discipline Experience with financial market concepts, including options trading and engineering
-
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.
Belvedere Trading is a leading proprietary trading firm proudly headquartered in downtown Chicago. Our traders work hard to provide liquidity to the market through their market-making activities and are the masters of a diverse set of commodities, interest rates, exchange-traded funds (ETF), and equity index options. From the beginning, we began iteratively investing in our proprietary technology and committing to building our systems from the ground up. Our trading models and software systems are continually re-engineered, optimized, and maintained to stay on top of the industry. This wouldn’t be possible without the dedicated efforts of our technology teams who utilize and perfect our innovative technology solutions.
High-performance proprietary development is the source of our success and competitive advantage at Belvedere, further fueling our passion for performance. We are a team driven by intellectual curiosity, seeking answers that will change not only how we trade in this technological age, but also the future landscape of the trading industry. We place a high premium on defining, developing, and deploying high-performance trading software using a team-based, holistic development approach. We look for passionate team members that excel and their contribution is critical to our continued success.
Belvedere Trading is seeking a Senior Software Engineer to design and build high-performance market data systems. This role focuses on ingesting and processing raw market data feeds, implementing exchange protocols such as CME and Cboe, and optimizing systems for concurrency, throughput, and ultra-low latency performance.
You'll collaborate closely with traders, quantitative researchers, analysts, and engineers to solve complex challenges across technology, mathematics, and finance. The ideal candidate has experience building automated trading systems and a proven track record of developing scalable, architecturally sound solutions that directly support business objectives.
What You'll Do
- Design, develop, and optimize scalable, extensible trading applications, and deploy successful enterprise-level applications that can be leveraged across a variety of asset classes
- Work alongside traders to develop and deliver scalable and highly available software systems
- Improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our development process and reduce operational risk
- Maintain, support, and troubleshoot critical trading applications
- Deliver quality systems through automated testing and peer code review
- Apply industry knowledge and technical skills in new and innovative ways
- Encourage the use of best practices throughout the development process
What You'll Need
- 7+ years of Experience with C++ programming and Python scripting languages
- A strong understanding of object-oriented design, data structures, and algorithms
- Experience in high performance, multi-threaded, network-programming
- Demonstrated success in delivering automated trading systems is a plus
- Ability to take full ownership (design, implement, test, deploy, maintain) of projects
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Possess an entrepreneurial spirit
- Willingness to coach junior engineers in addition to teaching and learning from peers
- A degree in computer science or any related engineering discipline Experience with financial market concepts, including options trading and engineering
-
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.
See All 12 Senior C Software Engineer Jobs in Illinois
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Find JobsSenior C Software Engineer Jobs by City in Illinois
Where Illinois roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Senior C Software Engineer Job Market in Illinois
A snapshot from current Illinois openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Investment & Asset Management
What Illinois Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in senior C software engineer jobs across Illinois.
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, electrical engineering, or a closely related technical field
- Five or more years of professional experience writing production C code in systems or embedded environments
- Demonstrated expertise with memory management, pointers, and low-level hardware interfaces in C
- Experience developing software for real-time operating systems or embedded microcontroller platforms
- Proficiency with debugging tools such as GDB, Valgrind, or hardware JTAG debuggers
- Familiarity with version control systems and collaborative development workflows using Git
Senior C Software Engineer Jobs in Illinois: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a senior c software engineer in Illinois?
There is no state-issued license required to work as a senior c software engineer in Illinois, so the path runs through education and demonstrated experience. Most Illinois employers expect a bachelor's degree in computer science, electrical engineering, or a similar field, followed by progressively complex C development work in systems, embedded, or performance-critical roles. Building a portfolio of low-level projects and contributing to open-source C repositories strengthens candidacy at Illinois defense, industrial, and fintech employers.
How much do senior C software engineers make in Illinois?
Senior C 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 senior c software engineers in Illinois?
Employers hiring senior c software engineers in Illinois right now include Comcast, ARI, and REPLY, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. Illinois's concentration of defense contractors, industrial automation firms, and financial technology companies means consistent demand for engineers with deep C expertise across the state.
Which Illinois cities have the most senior c software engineer jobs?
Chicago, Peoria, and Mossville have the most senior c software engineer openings in Illinois. Chicago drives the largest share through its financial technology and enterprise software sectors, while Naperville and Rockford reflect demand from Caterpillar, Motorola Solutions, and aerospace suppliers that operate major engineering centers in Chicago's western and northern suburbs.
Are there remote senior c software engineer jobs in Illinois?
Yes, and more than many engineering disciplines, because C development work is largely code and toolchain-based rather than tied to physical hardware on-site. About 57% of senior c software engineer openings tied to Illinois are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, reflecting demand from companies whose projects can be developed and tested off-site. Application and firmware roles tied to specific lab hardware tend to remain on-site.
How can I get hired as a senior c software engineer in Illinois with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is through a junior or associate software engineer role focused on embedded or systems work at one of Illinois's large industrial or defense employers. Companies like Caterpillar, Motorola Solutions, and Boeing regularly recruit new graduates into engineering associate programs that include mentored C development. Building a GitHub portfolio of C projects such as custom memory allocators or RTOS simulations, alongside an internship at an Illinois manufacturing or aerospace supplier, gives candidates without professional experience a competitive edge.
Where can I find and apply to senior c software engineer jobs in Illinois?
You can find and apply to senior c software engineer jobs in Illinois on Migrate Mate, which lists current Illinois openings updated regularly. Search for roles that match your experience level and specialization, then apply directly to the ones that fit.
See All 12 Senior C Software Engineer Jobs in Illinois
Find roles in Illinois that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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