Senior Power Systems Engineer Jobs in Illinois
Senior Power Systems Engineer jobs in Illinois concentrate in electric utilities, industrial manufacturing, and grid infrastructure, with demand active across roles from project-level engineer through principal and staff-level positions. Chicago, Peoria, and Rockford lead hiring, anchored by employers such as ComEd, Caterpillar, and Exelon, each of which has maintained a lasting engineering presence in the state. The most in-demand specialties are protection and controls, transmission planning, and substation design. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Career Area:
EngineeringJob Description:
Your Work Shapes the World at Caterpillar Inc.
When you join Caterpillar, you're joining a global team who cares not just about the work we do – but also about each other. We are the makers, problem solvers, and future world builders who are creating stronger, more sustainable communities. We don't just talk about progress and innovation here – we make it happen, with our customers, where we work and live. Together, we are building a better world, so we can all enjoy living in it.
About Advanced Power Technologies:
Advanced Power Technologies (APT) defines and delivers Caterpillar’s next generation of power system technologies. The organization leads product strategy, long term technology roadmaps, and lifecycle leadership for advanced power, electrification, electronic controls, software, and energy solutions across the entire range of Power and Energy applications.
APT integrates hardware, software, and digital services to deliver scalable, reliable, and future‑ready power solutions. Partnering closely with product groups, engineering, and global delivery teams, APT balances near‑term business execution with long‑term technology leadership—enabling best in class electronics quality, fast response to market changes, differentiated customer value through vertical integration, improved uptime, and sustainable power systems across Caterpillar’s Power and Energy product portfolio.
Job Summary:
What You Will Do:
- Lead L3 electrification subsystem control programs for motors, generators, and DC/DC converters, ensuring alignment with product plans, technical requirements, and business priorities.
- Manage release content, schedules, budgets, and delivery commitments for assigned electrification subsystem programs.
- Coordinate cross-functional execution across controls, software, systems, components, product groups, validation, and program teams to deliver integrated subsystem solutions.
- Develop, review, and support release of controls and/or software content for electrification applications.
- Identify and manage program risks, technical issues, resource needs, and tradeoffs to maintain delivery commitments.
- Provide technical guidance and decision support to ensure L3 subsystem controls and software solutions meet performance, quality, safety, and reliability expectations.
- Develop controls or software for the programs that are being executed.
What You Will Have:
Communicating Complex Concepts: Knowledge of effective presentation tools and techniques to ensure clear understanding; ability to use summarization and simplification techniques to explain complex technical concepts in simple, clear language appropriate to the audience.
Problem Solving: Knowledge of approaches, tools, techniques for recognizing, anticipating, and resolving organizational, operational or process problems; ability to apply knowledge of problem solving appropriately to diverse situations.
Conceptual Thinking: Knowledge of thinking and reasoning at a conceptual level; ability to identify the critical ideas and interdependencies among system elements that impact performance.
Embedded Systems: Knowledge of embedded systems and their applications; ability to develop embedded systems with varying levels of complexity to control the operations of the machine it is embedded within.
Requirements Analysis: Knowledge of tools, methods, and techniques of requirement analysis; ability to elicit, analyze and record required business functionality and non-functionality requirements to ensure the success of a system or software development project.
Education: Requires a degree in an accredited Engineering, Computer Science, or related field.
Top Candidates Will Also Have:
- Experience in embedded systems
- Knowledge or experience in electric drive systems
- Controls or software development experience
- MatLab / Simulink experience
- C programming language experience
Summary Pay Range:
$128,470.00 - $192,710.00Compensation and benefits offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, job level, market location, job-related knowledge, skills, individual performance and experience. Please note that salary is only one component of total compensation at Caterpillar.
Benefits:
Subject to plan eligibility, terms, and guidelines. This is a summary list of benefits.
Medical, dental, and vision benefits*
Paid time off plan (Vacation, Holidays, Volunteer, etc.)*
401(k) savings plans*
Health Savings Account (HSA)*
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)*
Health Lifestyle Programs*
Employee Assistance Program*
Voluntary Benefits and Employee Discounts*
Career Development*
Incentive bonus*
Disability benefits
Life Insurance
Parental leave
Adoption benefits
Tuition Reimbursement
- These benefits also apply to part-time employees
Relocation is available for this position. Visa Sponsorship is not available for this position.
Posting Dates:
September 25, 2026 - October 9, 2026Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a drug screen.
Caterpillar is an Equal Opportunity Employer, Including Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities. Qualified applicants of any age are encouraged to apply.
Not ready to apply? Join our Talent Community.
See All 14 Senior Power Systems Engineer Jobs in Illinois
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Find JobsSenior Power Systems Engineer Jobs by City in Illinois
Where Illinois roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Senior Power Systems Engineer Job Market in Illinois
A snapshot from current Illinois openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring



Top Industries Hiring
- Energy
- Consulting & Professional Services
What Illinois Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in senior power systems engineer jobs across Illinois.
- Professional Engineer license issued or recognized by the Illinois Design Firm Licensure Act
- Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering with a concentration in power systems
- Five or more years of experience in transmission, distribution, or substation engineering
- Proficiency in power system analysis tools such as PSS/E, PSCAD, or ETAP
- Experience with NERC reliability standards and Illinois Commerce Commission requirements
- Strong project leadership skills with demonstrated ability to manage cross-functional engineering teams
Senior Power Systems Engineer Jobs in Illinois: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a senior power systems engineer in Illinois?
The standard path starts with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering followed by obtaining a Professional Engineer license through the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, which administers the PE exam via NCEES. Candidates first pass the Fundamentals of Engineering exam, accumulate qualifying experience under a licensed PE, then sit for the Principles and Practice of Engineering exam in electrical and computer engineering. Senior roles typically require years of progressively responsible power systems work in areas such as substation design, protection, or transmission planning.
How much do senior power systems engineers make in Illinois?
Senior power systems engineers in Illinois earn a median of about $107,860 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $75,470 for the lowest 10% to over $164,290 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire senior power systems engineers in Illinois?
Employers hiring senior power systems engineers in Illinois right now include Sargent & Lundy, Altorfer - CAT, and Eaton, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of October 2026. Illinois's combination of major investor-owned utilities, large industrial manufacturers, and engineering consulting firms creates consistent demand for senior-level power systems talent throughout the state.
Which Illinois cities have the most senior power systems engineer jobs?
Chicago, Addison, and Batavia have the most senior power systems engineer openings in Illinois. Chicago dominates because it is home to ComEd's headquarters and a large cluster of engineering consultancies, while Peoria draws demand from Caterpillar's global manufacturing and power systems operations, and Rockford's industrial base supports ongoing utility and grid infrastructure work.
Are there remote senior power systems engineer jobs in Illinois?
Yes, but they're less common than in purely analytical fields because senior power systems engineering frequently involves site visits, substation inspections, and hands-on commissioning work. About 88% of senior power systems engineer openings tied to Illinois are remote or hybrid as of October 2026, reflecting the role's mixed nature. Planning, modeling, and protection study work tends to be the most remote-friendly part of the position.
How can I get hired as a senior power systems engineer in Illinois with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is a new-graduate engineering role at a large Illinois utility or manufacturer, where structured rotational programs provide exposure to transmission, distribution, and substation work. ComEd and Exelon both run early-career engineering programs in the Chicago area that place candidates in power systems groups without requiring prior industry experience. Passing the Fundamentals of Engineering exam and building a portfolio of coursework in ETAP or PSS/E strengthens any application, as does lateral movement from adjacent roles such as electrical design engineer or relay technician.
Where can I find and apply to senior power systems engineer jobs in Illinois?
You can find and apply to senior power systems engineer jobs in Illinois on Migrate Mate, which lists current Illinois openings from employers across the state. Search the listings, find roles that fit your background and target location, and apply directly to the ones that match.
See All 14 Senior Power Systems Engineer Jobs in Illinois
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