Senior Software Development Engineer Visa Sponsorship Jobs in Illinois
Illinois is one of the strongest markets for senior software development engineer visa sponsorship, anchored by Chicago's deep tech ecosystem. Major employers including Groupon, Morningstar, Motorola Solutions, and a growing cluster of fintech and healthcare IT firms actively hire and sponsor senior engineers. The state's concentration of Fortune 500 headquarters adds further demand for experienced, sponsored technical talent.
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Senior Software Development Engineer in Test (Senior SDET)
Location: Chicago, IL | Hybrid | Full-Time
Diversified Services Network, Inc. (DSN) is seeking a full-time Senior Software Development Engineer in Test (Senior SDET) to join our team in Chicago, IL. We offer a hybrid work model, full benefits, PTO, 401k, and more! If you're looking to grow your career within an extremely reputable, stable Fortune 100 company - let's talk!
Position Overview
The Senior SDET is a hands-on technical leader responsible for advancing test automation and quality engineering across enterprise applications. Working within a collaborative team of 20+ professionals, this role shapes how quality is built into the software delivery lifecycle, from requirements through release, while guiding and developing other test engineers.
Key Responsibilities
- Extend and enhance the existing test automation framework, building automated functional and API test cases using Java, JavaScript, Karate, and JMeter
- Plan, design, develop, and maintain an API test automation framework that supports scripting, execution, and results analysis
- Develop test automation code to support Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) of systems, infrastructure, and the test framework
- Analyze business requirements and acceptance criteria to define test strategies and test plans
- Perform exploratory and manual testing of the product suite as appropriate
- Partner with the product owner to resolve open issues, enhancements, and upgrades, and to clarify intended functionality
- Lead and mentor onshore and offshore test engineers across multiple applications and projects, training team members to create, execute, analyze, and maintain automated regression suites
- Serve as the team's subject matter expert on testing methodologies, best practices, and standards
Requirements
Education & Experience
- Bachelor's and Master's degree and 8–10 years of professional experience, including 8+ years designing test automation frameworks
Required Technical Skills
- Strong design and development skills in two or more of the following: Java (3–5 years), Cucumber (3–5 years), JBehave, or other BDD testing frameworks
- 3–5 years of experience testing web services (REST APIs)
- 3+ years of experience developing scenario-based performance testing using JMeter
- Proven experience developing test scripts, test cases, and test data
- Ability to write queries in SQL or other relational databases
- Experience with full-stack testing and integration testing with third parties
- End-to-end system integration testing experience for software platforms
Desired Skills
- Hands-on experience with Python
- Development experience with AWS cloud technologies
- Experience with test-driven development (TDD) and code review practices
- Experience with DevOps concepts and tools such as Jenkins and Git
- Experience with Apigee or other API gateways
- Understanding of microservice architecture
- 2+ years working on an Agile team with a solid understanding of Agile/Lean practices
- Strong documentation skills
Soft Skills
- Ability to adapt quickly to a complex environment
- Proactive, flexible, and creative
- Very strong communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with developers and business users
Benefits
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Vision Insurance
- Disability insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Paid Holidays
Salary expectations: 155,000-165,000 per annual
Senior Software Development Engineer Job Roles in Illinois
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Search Senior Software Development Engineer Jobs in IllinoisSenior Software Development Engineer Jobs in Illinois: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies in Illinois sponsor visas for senior software development engineers?
Several large Illinois employers have established H-1B visa sponsorship track records for senior software development engineer roles. These include Motorola Solutions, Morningstar, Allstate, Discover Financial, United Airlines, and Hyatt Technologies. Chicago's fintech sector, including firms like Avant and Enova, also sponsors senior engineers regularly. Enterprise technology companies and consulting firms with Chicago offices, such as Accenture and Thoughtworks, are among the more consistent sponsors in this role category.
Which visa types are most common for senior software development engineer roles in Illinois?
The H-1B is the most common visa category for senior software development engineers in Illinois. Software engineering consistently qualifies as a specialty occupation requiring at least a bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related field. Candidates already in the U.S. on OPT or STEM OPT may also transition to H-1B through employer sponsorship. The O-1A is an option for engineers with documented exceptional achievements, though it requires substantial evidence of distinction.
Which cities in Illinois have the most senior software development engineer sponsorship jobs?
Chicago accounts for the overwhelming majority of senior software development engineer sponsorship opportunities in Illinois. The Loop, River North, and the Fulton Market tech corridor are the densest hiring areas. Suburban clusters in Schaumburg and Deerfield also have notable employer presence, particularly in enterprise software and telecommunications. Outside the Chicago metro, opportunities are significantly more limited, making geographic flexibility within the region an advantage for sponsored candidates.
How to find senior software development engineer visa sponsorship jobs in Illinois?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for international candidates seeking visa sponsorship roles, including senior software development engineer positions in Illinois. The platform filters jobs by sponsorship willingness, saving you from applying to roles where sponsorship is not on offer. Given how competitive senior engineering roles in Chicago can be, focusing your search on employers with documented H-1B filing histories, as reflected in Migrate Mate's listings, significantly improves your targeting and application efficiency.
Are there any Illinois-specific considerations for senior software development engineers seeking visa sponsorship?
Illinois employers sponsoring H-1B workers must pay at least the Department of Labor prevailing wage for the specific role and location, which for senior software development engineers in the Chicago metro reflects a highly competitive market rate. The University of Illinois system, particularly UIUC, produces a significant pipeline of international engineering graduates who seek Illinois-based sponsorship, meaning competition among sponsored candidates in this state can be high. Employers in regulated industries like finance and insurance, which are prominent in Chicago, may also have longer internal approval processes before extending sponsorship offers.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored senior software development 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.