AI Data Engineer Visa Sponsorship Jobs in Illinois
Illinois is a major hub for AI data engineering talent, with Chicago anchoring demand across finance, healthcare, and technology sectors. Employers like Discover Financial, Morningstar, Allstate, and major tech firms regularly hire for these roles. Positions are concentrated in Chicago and Naperville, with a steady pipeline from University of Illinois and Northwestern.
Find AI Data Engineer JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 145+ AI Data Engineer Jobs in Illinois with Visa Sponsorship
Have you applied for this role?
Have you applied for this role?
Have you applied for this role?
Have you applied for this role?
Have you applied for this role?
See all 145+ AI Data Engineer Jobs in Illinois with Visa Sponsorship
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new AI Data Engineer Jobs in Illinois with Visa Sponsorship.
Get Access To All JobsAbout Midtronics
Midtronics is the global leader in battery management technology, serving automotive OEMs, dealerships, fleets, and energy storage markets worldwide. Our products and platforms help customers make better decisions about batteries, from manufacturing through end-of-life.
About the Team
The Data Analytics & AI team is a small, high-impact group that owns the company's data infrastructure, analytics platforms, and AI initiatives. We build the dashboards executives use to make decisions, the ML models embedded in production hardware, and the internal tools that make every department faster. We operate with a startup mindset inside a mid-size company, which means you'll ship real things, not just prototypes.
Role Summary
We're looking for a Data & AI Engineer who can move fluidly between building AI-powered tools, wrangling messy enterprise data, designing compelling dashboards, and sitting in a room with business stakeholders to figure out what actually matters. This is not a pure data engineering role or a pure analytics role. It's a builder role for someone who is equal parts technical and creative, and who gets energy from turning ambiguous business problems into working solutions.
Build with AI
- Design, develop, and deploy AI-powered tools and agents using LLM APIs (Anthropic Claude, OpenAI) with structured tool-use patterns
- Build retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) pipelines, prompt engineering workflows, and evaluation frameworks
- Integrate AI capabilities into existing business processes such as sales forecasting, trip reporting, and document generation
- Stay current on AI tooling and bring new ideas to the team about where AI can create real leverage
Data Analysis & Engineering
- Build and maintain data pipelines connecting enterprise systems (Smartsheet, Epicor ERP, SharePoint, JIRA, GitHub) into unified, queryable data sets
- Perform exploratory and diagnostic analysis on sales, operations, and product data to surface actionable insights
- Own data quality: identify gaps, reconcile conflicting sources, and build automated validation checks
- Work with SQL, Python (pandas, NumPy), and APIs to extract, transform, and load data at scale
Dashboards & Visualization
- Build and maintain interactive Power BI dashboards for sales performance, pipeline health, and operational KPIs
- Design data visualizations that tell a clear story and drive decisions, not just display numbers
- Create self-service reporting tools that empower stakeholders to explore data without hand-holding
- Develop HTML-based interactive dashboards and artifacts when Power BI isn't the right fit
Business Problem Solving
- Partner directly with Sales, Marketing, Engineering, and leadership to understand their real problems (not just their data requests)
- Translate vague asks like 'we need better visibility into the pipeline' into concrete, scoped deliverables
- Present findings and recommendations to non-technical stakeholders in a way that's clear, concise, and actionable
- Bring a creative, 80/20 mindset: find the fastest path to a useful answer before overengineering
What You Bring
Required
- 3+ years of experience in data analytics, data engineering, or a similar technical role
- Proficiency in Python or Node.js for scripting, automation, and building tools
- Hands-on experience with Power BI (DAX, data modeling, report design) or equivalent BI tools
- Strong SQL skills and experience working with relational databases or structured data sources
- Demonstrated ability to work with APIs and integrate data across multiple systems
- Clear, effective communication skills with both technical and non-technical audiences
- A portfolio, GitHub, or track record of things you've built that you're proud of
Preferred
- Experience building applications or automations using LLM APIs (Claude, OpenAI, etc.)
- Familiarity with cloud platforms (Azure preferred), CI/CD, and version control (Git)
- Experience with Smartsheet, Epicor, or other enterprise SaaS/ERP platforms
- Background in manufacturing, automotive, or B2B enterprise environments
- An eye for design and UX, whether that's a dashboard layout, a slide deck, or a data visualization
- Comfort with ambiguity and a bias toward action over perfection
Why This Role
- You'll have real ownership from day one, not task work, but problems to solve end to end
- You'll work on AI in production, not just POCs: deployed ML models, patented technology, and tools used across the company
- You'll be part of a team that has delivered 51x ROI and is actively shaping how the company operates
- You'll get exposure to global operations, EU-funded R&D programs, and cross-functional leadership
- You'll work in a hybrid environment that values output over hours
About Midtronics
Midtronics is the global leader in battery management technology, serving automotive OEMs, dealerships, fleets, and energy storage markets worldwide. Our products and platforms help customers make better decisions about batteries, from manufacturing through end-of-life.
About the Team
The Data Analytics & AI team is a small, high-impact group that owns the company's data infrastructure, analytics platforms, and AI initiatives. We build the dashboards executives use to make decisions, the ML models embedded in production hardware, and the internal tools that make every department faster. We operate with a startup mindset inside a mid-size company, which means you'll ship real things, not just prototypes.
Role Summary
We're looking for a Data & AI Engineer who can move fluidly between building AI-powered tools, wrangling messy enterprise data, designing compelling dashboards, and sitting in a room with business stakeholders to figure out what actually matters. This is not a pure data engineering role or a pure analytics role. It's a builder role for someone who is equal parts technical and creative, and who gets energy from turning ambiguous business problems into working solutions.
Build with AI
- Design, develop, and deploy AI-powered tools and agents using LLM APIs (Anthropic Claude, OpenAI) with structured tool-use patterns
- Build retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) pipelines, prompt engineering workflows, and evaluation frameworks
- Integrate AI capabilities into existing business processes such as sales forecasting, trip reporting, and document generation
- Stay current on AI tooling and bring new ideas to the team about where AI can create real leverage
Data Analysis & Engineering
- Build and maintain data pipelines connecting enterprise systems (Smartsheet, Epicor ERP, SharePoint, JIRA, GitHub) into unified, queryable data sets
- Perform exploratory and diagnostic analysis on sales, operations, and product data to surface actionable insights
- Own data quality: identify gaps, reconcile conflicting sources, and build automated validation checks
- Work with SQL, Python (pandas, NumPy), and APIs to extract, transform, and load data at scale
Dashboards & Visualization
- Build and maintain interactive Power BI dashboards for sales performance, pipeline health, and operational KPIs
- Design data visualizations that tell a clear story and drive decisions, not just display numbers
- Create self-service reporting tools that empower stakeholders to explore data without hand-holding
- Develop HTML-based interactive dashboards and artifacts when Power BI isn't the right fit
Business Problem Solving
- Partner directly with Sales, Marketing, Engineering, and leadership to understand their real problems (not just their data requests)
- Translate vague asks like 'we need better visibility into the pipeline' into concrete, scoped deliverables
- Present findings and recommendations to non-technical stakeholders in a way that's clear, concise, and actionable
- Bring a creative, 80/20 mindset: find the fastest path to a useful answer before overengineering
What You Bring
Required
- 3+ years of experience in data analytics, data engineering, or a similar technical role
- Proficiency in Python or Node.js for scripting, automation, and building tools
- Hands-on experience with Power BI (DAX, data modeling, report design) or equivalent BI tools
- Strong SQL skills and experience working with relational databases or structured data sources
- Demonstrated ability to work with APIs and integrate data across multiple systems
- Clear, effective communication skills with both technical and non-technical audiences
- A portfolio, GitHub, or track record of things you've built that you're proud of
Preferred
- Experience building applications or automations using LLM APIs (Claude, OpenAI, etc.)
- Familiarity with cloud platforms (Azure preferred), CI/CD, and version control (Git)
- Experience with Smartsheet, Epicor, or other enterprise SaaS/ERP platforms
- Background in manufacturing, automotive, or B2B enterprise environments
- An eye for design and UX, whether that's a dashboard layout, a slide deck, or a data visualization
- Comfort with ambiguity and a bias toward action over perfection
Why This Role
- You'll have real ownership from day one, not task work, but problems to solve end to end
- You'll work on AI in production, not just POCs: deployed ML models, patented technology, and tools used across the company
- You'll be part of a team that has delivered 51x ROI and is actively shaping how the company operates
- You'll get exposure to global operations, EU-funded R&D programs, and cross-functional leadership
- You'll work in a hybrid environment that values output over hours
AI Data Engineer Job Roles in Illinois
See all 145+ AI Data Engineer Jobs in Illinois
Sign up for free to filter by visa type, set job alerts, and find employers with verified sponsorship history.
Search AI Data Engineer Jobs in IllinoisAI Data Engineer Jobs in Illinois: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies in Illinois sponsor visas for AI data engineers?
Chicago-based employers across finance and technology are among the most active sponsors for AI data engineer roles. Companies like Discover Financial Services, Morningstar, Allstate, Epsilon, and large consulting firms such as Accenture and Deloitte have consistent H-1B visa filing histories for data and AI positions. Enterprise software and healthcare technology firms in the Chicago metro also sponsor regularly for these roles.
Which visa types are most common for AI data engineer roles in Illinois?
The H-1B is the most common visa for AI data engineers in Illinois, as the role typically qualifies as a specialty occupation requiring a bachelor's degree or higher in computer science, data science, or a related field. Candidates already in the U.S. on F-1 OPT or STEM OPT extension often transition into H-1B sponsorship. The O-1A is an option for engineers with documented exceptional contributions, though it requires substantial evidence.
How to find ai data engineer visa sponsorship jobs in Illinois?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for international candidates and filters AI data engineer jobs in Illinois by visa sponsorship availability, so you're not sorting through postings from employers who won't sponsor. Chicago-area roles in finance, healthcare, and technology dominate the listings. Searching by city within Illinois on Migrate Mate also helps narrow to Naperville or Evanston-area employers if you prefer those corridors.
Which cities in Illinois have the most AI data engineer sponsorship jobs?
Chicago accounts for the large majority of AI data engineer sponsorship opportunities in Illinois, particularly in the Loop, River North, and Fulton Market tech corridors. Naperville and Schaumburg in the western suburbs host technology and financial services employers that also hire for these roles. Evanston is worth watching given its proximity to Northwestern University and the research-to-industry pipeline it generates.
Are there any Illinois-specific considerations for AI data engineers seeking visa sponsorship?
Illinois employers filing H-1B petitions for AI data engineers must meet Department of Labor prevailing wage requirements for the Chicago metropolitan statistical area, which tends to reflect a competitive market for specialized AI and data skills. The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Northwestern produce a significant share of local AI talent, meaning employers in Illinois are familiar with sponsoring graduates on OPT and transitioning them to H-1B status.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored ai data engineer jobs in Illinois?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.