Software Design Engineer Visa Sponsorship Jobs in Illinois
Software design engineer roles in Illinois are concentrated in the Chicago metro, where employers like Motorola Solutions, Zebra Technologies, Grubhub, and Caterpillar's technology division actively hire and sponsor visas. The state's blend of enterprise tech, fintech, and industrial software companies creates consistent demand for international candidates with specialized engineering skills.
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INTRODUCTION
With the growth of the Grid Solutions Integration North America Region business portfolio and increased work scope and complexity of our customer projects, the Project Engineering Manager leads the multi-discipline technical project team and contractors while coordinating with vendors and professional customer interface. NAM GSI encompasses ACS, FACTS, Service, and HVDC Segments. GSI is under of GE Vernova’s electrification businesses, part of Grid Solutions.
The Project Engineering Manager leads and coordinates the entire substation design and is accountable for their performance. The PEM performs detailed quality reviews, provides technical direction, and coordinates with the Project Manager for schedule and budget. The Portfolio Engineering Manager role is a hands-on role that may include detailed project design work.
Job Description
Essential Responsibilities:
The Senior Electrical Substation Project Engineer is responsible for the full scope of HV/EHV substation design, serving as a technical leader across engineering projects.
- Lead and coordinate all technical aspects of AC power substation projects. Also able to self-perform the physical design, and supported by a P&C Engineer, Civil Engineer, etc., on your team. Able to correctly apply and specify substation equipment.
- Proven experience in small team leadership
- Serve as the primary technical lead, responsible for scheduling, compliance to standards and specifications, value engineering, design review planning, engineering hours budget, and ensuring quality assurance and control.
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Develop and oversee key design deliverables, including:
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Power single-line diagrams & equipment specifications
- General substation arrangement drawings (plan & substation layout, elevation, grounding, conduit/trench, cable routing, detail drawings and control buildings layouts)
- High-voltage bus, structures, equipment, and wiring arrangements.
- Detailed Bill of Materials
- Related studies and calculations
- Act as the single point of contact for all technical matters between customers, vendors, project managers, and engineering teams.
- Accountable for directing and supporting engineers and designers to meet technical specifications, budget constraints, and project timelines.
- Drive cross-discipline coordination to deliver fully integrated substation solutions.
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Review and contribute to ITO (Inquiry-to-Order) process deliverables, including:
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Conceptual engineering
- Proposal documentation (e.g., BOMs, technical specifications)
- Sourcing support, vendor quotation evaluation, and technical clarifications & assumptions
- Lead preparation of high-voltage equipment specifications and contractor work scopes; support vendor engagement and equipment selection. May need to lead a sub-contracted design work scope.
- Assist the manager in ensuring team productivity and billable utilization.
- Ensure all engineering outputs meet customer CTQs (Critical to Quality), and are delivered on time and within budget.
- Support commissioning and interface efforts between customers and project stakeholders.
This role has a remote option for US or Canada (Ontario) market only.
For candidates applying to a Canadian-based position, the pay range for this position is between $120,000 and $180,000 CAD. The specific pay offered may be influenced by a variety of factors, including the candidate’s experience, education, and skill set.
Bonus eligibility: [ineligible/discretionary annual bonus/sales incentive bonus].
This posting is for an existing vacancy.
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor's Degree in Engineering from an accredited university
- Minimum of 8 years of experience in industrial or utility HV/EHV substation design (or 6 years with a Master's degree and substation design HV/EHV experience)
- Ability and willingness to travel up to 20% (including international), in compliance with company travel and tax policies
Desired Characteristics:
- +10 years of experience
- Licensed Professional Engineer (P.E.) in the U.S. in good standing with ability to get licensure in other states. Willingness to use license.
- Experience with North American electric utility substation design standards
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Proven expertise in:
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Transmission & Distribution substation engineering (utility and renewable energy)
- Primary (outdoor) substation design, calculations, and electrical protection
- Industrial power system design (12.5 kV and above)
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Proficient in key design calculations including:
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Battery sizing, DC system design and AC auxiliary power
- Power transformer and circuit breaker selection
- Conductor sizing and application
- Grounding, lightning protection, and insulation coordination
- Knowledge of IEEE, ANSI, NEC, and NESC standards; able to develop complete engineering packages in the absence of detailed customer specifications
- Field-testing and commissioning experience, with strong emphasis on safety
- Strong troubleshooting skills—both electrical and mechanical
- Excellent customer-facing communication and commercial awareness (e.g., change orders, project delivery)
- Proficiency in AutoCAD/MicroStation and design automation tools
We deliver integrated project solutions to enable large scale electrification and support our customer needs.
Key Words: Utility Engineer, Substation Engineer, Power engineer, Design engineer, Power Systems, 138KV, 345KV, 500KV, data center, high voltage, interconnection substation, switch yard, transmission substation, distribution substation, switching station, feeder, collector substation, Electrical Grid, Three-phase, Lightning shielding, Ground grid, ring bus, NESC, 3-phase, three phase, MOD, Bus and Fittings, high voltage testing, renewable power, power factor, electrical fault, extra high voltage, surge arrestors, ring bus, double bus, disconnect switch, circuit switcher
GE Vernova offers a great work environment, professional development, challenging careers, and competitive compensation. GE Vernova is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.
GE Vernova will only employ those who are legally authorized to work in the United States for this opening. Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a drug screen (as applicable).
Relocation Assistance Provided: Yes
LI-Remote - This is a remote position
Application Deadline: November 13, 2026
For candidates applying to a U.S. based position, the pay range for this position is between $124,500.00 and $207,700.00. The Company pays a geographic differential of 110%, 120% or 130% of salary in certain areas. The specific pay offered may be influenced by a variety of factors, including the candidate’s experience, education, and skill set.
Bonus eligibility: discretionary annual bonus.
This posting is expected to remain open for at least seven days after it was posted on August 18, 2026.
Available benefits include medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage; access to Health Coach from GE Vernova, a 24/7 nurse-based resource; and access to the Employee Assistance Program, providing 24/7 confidential assessment, counseling and referral services. Retirement benefits include the GE Vernova Retirement Savings Plan, a tax-advantaged 401(k) savings opportunity with company matching contributions and company retirement contributions, as well as access to Fidelity resources and financial planning consultants. Other benefits include tuition assistance, adoption assistance, paid parental leave, disability benefits, life insurance, 12 paid holidays, and permissive time off.
GE Vernova Inc. or its affiliates (collectively or individually, “GE Vernova”) sponsor certain employee benefit plans or programs GE Vernova reserves the right to terminate, amend, suspend, replace, or modify its benefit plans and programs at any time and for any reason, in its sole discretion. No individual has a vested right to any benefit under a GE Vernova welfare benefit plan or program. This document does not create a contract of employment with any individual.
Software Design Engineer Job Roles in Illinois
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Search Software Design Engineer Jobs in IllinoisSoftware Design Engineer Jobs in Illinois: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies sponsor visas for software design engineers in Illinois?
Several Illinois employers have established histories of sponsoring work visas for software design engineers. Motorola Solutions, Zebra Technologies, Grubhub, Uptake, and CDW are among the more active sponsors in the state. Large enterprises in fintech, logistics software, and industrial technology, including companies headquartered along the Chicago tech corridor, regularly file H-1B visa petitions for engineering roles that require specialized design skills.
Which visa types are most common for software design engineer roles in Illinois?
The H-1B is the most common visa category for software design engineers in Illinois, as the role typically qualifies as a specialty occupation requiring at least a bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related field. Candidates already holding OPT or STEM OPT authorization can work while their employer files. The O-1A is an option for engineers with documented extraordinary achievement, though it requires substantial evidence.
Which cities in Illinois have the most software design engineer sponsorship jobs?
Chicago accounts for the overwhelming majority of software design engineer sponsorship opportunities in Illinois. The River North, West Loop, and Fulton Market neighborhoods host dense concentrations of tech employers. Suburban areas including Schaumburg, Lisle, and Deerfield also have significant hiring activity, particularly from enterprise and industrial tech companies with large campuses outside the city center.
How to find software design engineer visa sponsorship jobs in Illinois?
Migrate Mate filters job listings specifically for roles where employers have demonstrated sponsorship willingness, including software design engineer positions in Illinois. Rather than sorting through generic postings, you can browse roles already screened for international candidates. Illinois has active hiring from both Chicago-based startups and established enterprise tech firms, so Migrate Mate's filtered results help narrow down which openings are realistically accessible to visa-requiring applicants.
Are there any state-specific considerations for software design engineers seeking sponsorship in Illinois?
Illinois does not impose state-level visa sponsorship requirements beyond federal rules, but the local market has some notable characteristics. The University of Illinois system, including UIUC and UIC, produces a significant pipeline of international engineering graduates who enter the Illinois job market on OPT. Employers in the Chicago area are generally familiar with this pipeline, which means HR teams at larger companies tend to have established sponsorship processes compared to states with smaller international graduate populations.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored software design 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.