Software Engineering Manager Jobs in Illinois

Software Engineering Manager jobs in Illinois are in strong demand, concentrated in enterprise technology, financial services, healthcare IT, and manufacturing software across seniority levels from team lead through director of engineering. Chicago anchors the market as one of the most active tech hiring metros in the Midwest, with Naperville and Champaign-Urbana adding meaningful volume through corporate campuses and university-connected employers. Companies like Morningstar, Allstate, and Boeing maintain long-standing engineering operations in Illinois and consistently hire software engineering managers across embedded systems, cloud platform, and agile delivery specializations. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.

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Overview

Open roles64
Top employerCVS Health
Top cityChicago, IL
Cities hiring15
Work type64% Hybrid
Top industryInsurance

Showing 5 of 64+ Software Engineering Manager jobs

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies
Embedded Systems Software Engineering Intern at UIUC Research Park (January - August 2027)
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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

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Caterpillar
Control Systems Engineering Specialist - Power Electronics & Software
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Caterpillar
Added 2d ago
Control Systems Engineering Specialist - Power Electronics & Software
Caterpillar
Mossville, Illinois
Embedded Systems Engineering
Engineering (Non-Software)
Technical Program Management
$128k - $193k/yr
10,000+

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Northrop Grumman
Manager Embedded Software Engineering 2 - Active TS/SCI - Rolling Meadows
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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+

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CVS Health
Senior Manager - Software Engineering (Health100 Platform)
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CVS Health
Added 4d ago
Senior Manager - Software Engineering (Health100 Platform)
CVS Health
Illinois
Procurement & Purchasing
Procurement & Supply Chain
Supply Chain
$107k - $261k/yr
Remote (US)
High school diploma or GED
10,000+

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CVS Health
Manager, Software Development Engineering (Quality Engineering, Testing)
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CVS Health
Added 4d ago
Manager, Software Development Engineering (Quality Engineering, Testing)
CVS Health
Illinois
Cloud Architecture
Solutions Architecture
Technical Program Management
$93k - $204k/yr
Remote (US)
Bachelor's degree
10,000+

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See All 64 Software Engineering Manager Jobs in Illinois

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

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Software Engineering Manager Jobs by City in Illinois

Where Illinois roles are concentrated, by current openings.

Rolling Meadows
4 jobs
Niles
3 jobs
Springfield
3 jobs
Mossville
2 jobs
Oak Brook
2 jobs
Northbrook
2 jobs
Lisle
1 job
Normal
1 job

Software Engineering Manager Job Market in Illinois

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

Who's Hiring

CVS Health
CVS Health5 open roles
Caterpillar
Caterpillar4 open roles
Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman4 open roles

Top Industries Hiring

  • Insurance
  • Manufacturing
  • Agriculture & Farming
  • Technology & Software
  • Consulting & Professional Services

What Illinois Employers Look For

The qualifications that appear most often in software engineering manager jobs across Illinois.

  • Bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a closely related technical field
  • Proven experience managing software engineers or cross-functional development teams
  • Hands-on background in full-stack, cloud, or systems engineering before moving into management
  • Familiarity with agile or scaled agile delivery frameworks such as Scrum or SAFe
  • Experience driving engineering roadmaps, hiring decisions, and performance reviews independently
  • Strong communication skills for coordinating across product, design, and business stakeholders

Software Engineering Manager Jobs in Illinois: Frequently Asked Questions

How do you become a software engineering manager in Illinois?

The path in Illinois typically begins with several years as a software engineer, followed by a step into a senior or lead engineer role before taking on direct reports. Illinois does not require a state-issued license or registration to work as a software engineering manager. Most Illinois employers expect a bachelor's degree in computer science or a related field, strong individual contributor experience, and demonstrated leadership of technical teams before making the move into management.

Which companies hire software engineering managers in Illinois?

Employers hiring software engineering managers in Illinois right now include CVS Health, Caterpillar, and Northrop Grumman, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. Illinois's deep concentration of financial technology, insurance, healthcare IT, and enterprise software firms means openings appear consistently throughout the year rather than in isolated hiring waves.

Which Illinois cities have the most software engineering manager jobs?

Chicago, Rolling Meadows, and Illinois account for the largest share of software engineering manager openings in Illinois. Chicago drives the majority through its headquarters density in financial services, healthcare, and enterprise technology, while suburban corridors like Naperville and Deerfield contribute volume from large corporate campuses where major insurers, manufacturers, and consulting firms maintain sizable engineering organizations.

Are there remote software engineering manager jobs in Illinois?

Yes, and more than most fields. About 79% of software engineering manager openings tied to Illinois are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, reflecting how naturally the coordination and planning work of engineering management translates to distributed settings. Strategic meetings, code reviews, and one-on-ones are the functions most commonly performed fully remotely, while on-site presence is more often expected for hiring panels and team onboarding.

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

The most realistic entry path is moving laterally from a senior or staff software engineer role into a team lead or engineering lead position at an Illinois employer before making a formal step into management. Large Illinois-based employers in insurance and financial technology often run structured associate leadership programs that give engineers their first direct reports in a supported environment. Building a record of mentoring junior developers, driving project delivery, and contributing to architecture decisions makes the case for that first management title.

Where can I find and apply to software engineering manager jobs in Illinois?

You can find and apply to software engineering manager jobs in Illinois on Migrate Mate, which lists current Illinois openings updated in real time. Find roles that fit your experience level and target industry, then apply directly to the employer through the listing.

See All 64 Software Engineering Manager Jobs in Illinois

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