Systems Engineer Jobs in Chicago, IL
Systems Engineer jobs in Chicago are concentrated in the Loop, River North, and the tech corridor around Fulton Market, with strong demand across defense contracting, enterprise IT, and telecommunications. Employers actively hiring include Sargent & Lundy, Axon, and M1 Finance. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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The Data Enclave Platform Systems Engineer supports the operation, maintenance, and improvement of NORC’s secure computing environments, including Data Enclave, DEGOV, and related regulated research platforms.
This role supports platform administration, user onboarding, troubleshooting, monitoring, documentation, security/compliance operations, and infrastructure modernization efforts.
Location: This is a hybrid role based in our Chicago Loop office, with a minimum of six days per month in the office.
Qualified applicants must be eligible to work in the U.S. We regret that we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this position.
NORC's Information Technology program provides technology services to our staff and clients. Given the critical role technology plays in our day-to-day lives, we are committed to providing professional, high-quality solutions in order to further our collective goal of advancing social science research.
Key Responsibilities
- Administer and maintain secure computing environments, primarily the Data Enclave and DEGOV.
- Support customer and user onboarding, access provisioning, and platform resource management.
- Monitor platform health, troubleshoot infrastructure and application issues, and support production operations.
- Assist with patching, upgrades, lifecycle management, disaster recovery testing, and modernization efforts.
- Support security controls, vulnerability remediation, compliance documentation, and audit readiness.
- Maintain runbooks, operational procedures, and technical documentation; contribute to cross-training and process improvement.
Success Measures
Within the first year, the successful candidate should be able to:
- Independently support routine Data Enclave and DEGOV operations.
- Onboard users and projects with minimal supervision.
- Troubleshoot common Citrix, Windows, identity, and infrastructure issues.
- Contribute to incident response, documentation, cross-training, and operational improvements.
- Serve as a backup resource for critical platform operations and support future platform growth.
- Bachelor’s degree in a technical field or equivalent experience.
- 3 years of experience supporting enterprise infrastructure, operational platforms, or production systems.
- Strong troubleshooting, analytical, communication, and customer service skills.
- Ability to work effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders.
- Windows Server, Active Directory, Group Policy, and enterprise infrastructure administration.
- Citrix, VDI, remote access, user profile management, and application delivery.
- Identity and access management, security administration, and compliance-oriented operations.
- Incident response, troubleshooting, monitoring, change management, and customer support.
- PowerShell scripting, operational automation, technical documentation, and continuous improvement.
Preferred Experience
- Secure research computing or controlled-access environments.
- Microsoft Azure, virtualization platforms, or IAM solutions.
- FedRAMP, NIST 800-53, or similar security frameworks.
- Customer onboarding and user lifecycle management.
The pay range for this position is $94,000 – $125,000
This position is classified as regular. Regular staff are eligible for NORC’s comprehensive benefits program. Benefits include, but are not limited to:
Generously subsidized health insurance, effective on the first day of employment
Dental and vision insurance
A defined contribution retirement program, along with a separate voluntary 403(b) retirement program
Group life insurance, long-term and short-term disability insurance
Benefits that promote work/life balance, including generous paid time off, holidays; paid parental leave, bereavement leave, tuition assistance, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
NORC is committed to equity and transparency in its pay practices. We publish salary ranges and benefit information for every job. The listed hiring range reflects what we, in good faith, expect to pay at the time of posting, though actual compensation may vary and may be adjusted over time. A candidate’s placement within the range depends on factors such as competencies, education, qualifications, experience, skills, performance, and organizational needs.
NORC at the University of Chicago is an objective, non-partisan research institution that delivers reliable data and rigorous analysis to guide critical programmatic, business, and policy decisions. Since 1941, our teams have conducted groundbreaking studies, created and applied innovative methods and tools, and advanced principles of scientific integrity and collaboration. Today, government, corporate, and nonprofit clients around the world partner with us to transform increasingly complex information into useful knowledge.
For over 80 years, NORC has evolved in many ways, moving the needle with research methods, technical applications and groundbreaking research findings. But our tradition of excellence, passion for innovation, and commitment to collegiality have remained constant components of who we are as a brand, and who each of us is as a member of the NORC team. With world-class benefits, a business casual environment, and an emphasis on continuous learning, NORC is a place where people join for the stellar research and analysis work for which we’re known, and stay for the relationships they form with their colleagues who take pride in the impact their work is making on a global scale.
NORC is an equal opportunity employer. NORC evaluates qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, sexual orientation, and other legally protected characteristics.
The Data Enclave Platform Systems Engineer supports the operation, maintenance, and improvement of NORC’s secure computing environments, including Data Enclave, DEGOV, and related regulated research platforms.
This role supports platform administration, user onboarding, troubleshooting, monitoring, documentation, security/compliance operations, and infrastructure modernization efforts.
Location: This is a hybrid role based in our Chicago Loop office, with a minimum of six days per month in the office.
Qualified applicants must be eligible to work in the U.S. We regret that we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this position.
NORC's Information Technology program provides technology services to our staff and clients. Given the critical role technology plays in our day-to-day lives, we are committed to providing professional, high-quality solutions in order to further our collective goal of advancing social science research.
Key Responsibilities
- Administer and maintain secure computing environments, primarily the Data Enclave and DEGOV.
- Support customer and user onboarding, access provisioning, and platform resource management.
- Monitor platform health, troubleshoot infrastructure and application issues, and support production operations.
- Assist with patching, upgrades, lifecycle management, disaster recovery testing, and modernization efforts.
- Support security controls, vulnerability remediation, compliance documentation, and audit readiness.
- Maintain runbooks, operational procedures, and technical documentation; contribute to cross-training and process improvement.
Success Measures
Within the first year, the successful candidate should be able to:
- Independently support routine Data Enclave and DEGOV operations.
- Onboard users and projects with minimal supervision.
- Troubleshoot common Citrix, Windows, identity, and infrastructure issues.
- Contribute to incident response, documentation, cross-training, and operational improvements.
- Serve as a backup resource for critical platform operations and support future platform growth.
- Bachelor’s degree in a technical field or equivalent experience.
- 3 years of experience supporting enterprise infrastructure, operational platforms, or production systems.
- Strong troubleshooting, analytical, communication, and customer service skills.
- Ability to work effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders.
- Windows Server, Active Directory, Group Policy, and enterprise infrastructure administration.
- Citrix, VDI, remote access, user profile management, and application delivery.
- Identity and access management, security administration, and compliance-oriented operations.
- Incident response, troubleshooting, monitoring, change management, and customer support.
- PowerShell scripting, operational automation, technical documentation, and continuous improvement.
Preferred Experience
- Secure research computing or controlled-access environments.
- Microsoft Azure, virtualization platforms, or IAM solutions.
- FedRAMP, NIST 800-53, or similar security frameworks.
- Customer onboarding and user lifecycle management.
The pay range for this position is $94,000 – $125,000
This position is classified as regular. Regular staff are eligible for NORC’s comprehensive benefits program. Benefits include, but are not limited to:
Generously subsidized health insurance, effective on the first day of employment
Dental and vision insurance
A defined contribution retirement program, along with a separate voluntary 403(b) retirement program
Group life insurance, long-term and short-term disability insurance
Benefits that promote work/life balance, including generous paid time off, holidays; paid parental leave, bereavement leave, tuition assistance, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
NORC is committed to equity and transparency in its pay practices. We publish salary ranges and benefit information for every job. The listed hiring range reflects what we, in good faith, expect to pay at the time of posting, though actual compensation may vary and may be adjusted over time. A candidate’s placement within the range depends on factors such as competencies, education, qualifications, experience, skills, performance, and organizational needs.
NORC at the University of Chicago is an objective, non-partisan research institution that delivers reliable data and rigorous analysis to guide critical programmatic, business, and policy decisions. Since 1941, our teams have conducted groundbreaking studies, created and applied innovative methods and tools, and advanced principles of scientific integrity and collaboration. Today, government, corporate, and nonprofit clients around the world partner with us to transform increasingly complex information into useful knowledge.
For over 80 years, NORC has evolved in many ways, moving the needle with research methods, technical applications and groundbreaking research findings. But our tradition of excellence, passion for innovation, and commitment to collegiality have remained constant components of who we are as a brand, and who each of us is as a member of the NORC team. With world-class benefits, a business casual environment, and an emphasis on continuous learning, NORC is a place where people join for the stellar research and analysis work for which we’re known, and stay for the relationships they form with their colleagues who take pride in the impact their work is making on a global scale.
NORC is an equal opportunity employer. NORC evaluates qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, sexual orientation, and other legally protected characteristics.
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- Food & Beverage
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Systems Engineer Jobs in Chicago: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a systems engineer job in Chicago?
Focus your search on Chicago's strongest hiring sectors: defense and aerospace contractors near O'Hare, enterprise IT firms in the Loop, and telecommunications companies anchored in River North and Fulton Market. Candidates who combine systems integration experience with familiarity in cloud infrastructure or network architecture stand out locally. Attending Chicago-area tech meetups and targeting mid-size firms alongside large employers broadens your realistic options considerably.
Which companies hire systems engineers in Chicago?
Chicago systems engineer roles are posted by Sargent & Lundy, Axon, and M1 Finance and others right now, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. Chicago's mix of legacy defense contractors, large financial institutions, and fast-growing tech companies near Fulton Market means openings appear across a wide range of employer sizes and sectors.
Are there remote systems engineer jobs in Chicago?
Yes, though availability depends heavily on the role: hands-on infrastructure, lab, or hardware positions are almost always on-site, while systems architecture, integration planning, and analytical roles are far more remote-friendly. About 88% of systems engineer openings tied to Chicago are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, with the strongest remote options concentrated in software-defined systems and cloud architecture work.
How can I get a systems engineer job in Chicago with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path in Chicago is through junior IT analyst or systems administrator roles at mid-size firms in the Loop or O'Hare corridor, where employers often promote internally into systems engineering. Chicago's large defense contractors and telecom companies also hire associate-level engineers through structured programs. A CompTIA or Cisco certification and hands-on lab experience with virtualization or networking give entry-level candidates a concrete edge in local screening.
Which industries hire the most systems engineers in Chicago?
Most systems engineer openings in Chicago sit in Food & Beverage and Construction & Real Estate, per current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. Chicago's role as a major transportation hub, financial center, and home to several large defense contractors and hospital networks makes it a consistent market for systems engineers across both infrastructure and integration disciplines.
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