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Creative Software Engineer Jobs in Illinois (NOW HIRING)

Showing results 21-40

Creative Software Engineer information

See Illinois salary details

$61.5K

$143K

$199.1K

How much do creative software engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 6, 2026, the average yearly pay for creative software engineer in Illinois is $142,954.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $116,300.00 and $167,600.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a creative software engineer?

Creative Software Engineers are professionals who blend technical programming skills with creative problem-solving abilities to design and develop innovative software solutions. They often work on projects that require both technical expertise and artistic vision, such as digital media, interactive applications, games, or user experience design. Their role typically involves collaborating with designers, artists, and other developers to bring ideas to life using code and technology. Creative Software Engineers are valued for their ability to think outside the box and push the boundaries of what software can do.

How do creative software engineers typically collaborate with designers and other team members during a project?

Creative Software Engineers often work closely with designers, product managers, and other developers to bring innovative digital experiences to life. Collaboration usually involves participating in brainstorming sessions, translating design concepts into functional code, and providing technical feedback to ensure feasibility. Regular communication through stand-ups, design reviews, and prototyping helps align everyone’s vision and ensures a seamless workflow. This cross-disciplinary approach not only enhances project outcomes but also allows engineers to expand their skill set and gain insights from other fields.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a creative software engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Creative Software Engineer, you need strong programming skills, a solid understanding of software development principles, and often a degree in computer science or a related field. Familiarity with tools like version control systems (e.g., Git), creative coding frameworks (e.g., Processing, OpenFrameworks), and design software (e.g., Adobe Creative Suite) is typically required. Outstanding creative thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving abilities help set top candidates apart. These skills are crucial for developing innovative solutions that merge technical expertise with artistic vision, driving impactful and engaging software projects.

What is the difference between Creative Software Engineer vs Software Developer?

AspectCreative Software EngineerSoftware Developer
CredentialsBachelor's in CS or related field; sometimes additional design or multimedia skillsBachelor's in CS or related field; coding certifications optional
Work EnvironmentDesign-focused teams, multimedia projects, interactive mediaGeneral coding projects, applications, backend or frontend development
Industry UsageMedia, entertainment, advertising, gamingTech, finance, healthcare, various industries
Search & Comparison IntentUnderstanding roles blending creativity and codingGeneral software development roles

The Creative Software Engineer combines programming skills with creative design, often working on multimedia, gaming, or interactive projects. In contrast, a Software Developer focuses on building applications or systems across various industries. While both roles require strong coding skills, Creative Software Engineers emphasize creativity and multimedia integration, making their roles distinct in the tech and entertainment sectors.

What job categories do people searching Creative Software Engineer jobs in Illinois look for?

The top searched job categories for Creative Software Engineer jobs in Illinois are:

Infographic showing various Creative Software Engineer job openings in Illinois as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 83% Full Time, 14% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 85% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 11% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $142,954 per year, or $68.7 per hour.

Lead Software Engineer - Java Full Stack Engineering

JP Morgan Chase

Chicago, IL • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Retirement

Posted 22 days ago


JPMorgan Chase & Co. rating

7.9

Company rating: 7.9 out of 10

Based on 500 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

78th of 175 rated banks


Job description

We have an opportunity to impact your career and provide an adventure where you can push the limits of what's possible.

As a Lead Software Engineer at JPMorganChase within the Corporate Technology - Enterprise Technology team , you are an integral part of an agile team that works to enhance, build, and deliver trusted market-leading technology products in a secure, stable, and scalable way. As a core technical contributor, you are responsible for conducting critical technology solutions across multiple technical areas within various business functions in support of the firm's business objectives.

Job responsibilities

  • Executes creative software solutions, design, development, and technical troubleshooting with ability to think beyond routine or conventional approaches to build solutions or break down technical problems
  • Develops secure high-quality production code, and reviews and debugs code written by others
  • Identifies opportunities to eliminate or automate remediation of recurring issues to improve overall operational stability of software applications and systems
  • Leads evaluation sessions with external vendors, startups, and internal teams to drive outcomes-oriented probing of architectural designs, technical credentials, and applicability for use within existing systems and information architecture
  • Leads communities of practice across Software Engineering to drive awareness and use of new and leading-edge technologies
  • Adds to team culture of diversity, opportunity, inclusion, and respect
  • Adds to team culture of opportunity, inclusion, and respect
  • Evolve and apply AI in software development and automation
  • Drives team adoption of enterprise-authorized AI-assisted engineering practices within the work environment to improve code quality, delivery speed, and operational outcomes (e.g., AI-assisted code review/refactoring, test strategy acceleration, incident/root-cause analysis support), while establishing consistent validation standards (secure coding, peer review, automated testing) and promoting reuse of effective patterns across the team.
  • Applies knowledge of tools within the Software Development Life Cycle toolchain, including enterprise-authorized AI-assisted development and automation capabilities, to improve the value realized by automation.
  • Drives team adoption of enterprise-authorized AI-assisted engineering practices within the work environment to improve code quality, delivery speed, and operational outcomes (e.g., AI-assisted code review/refactoring, test strategy acceleration, incident/root-cause analysis support), while establishing consistent validation standards (secure coding, peer review, automated testing) and promoting reuse of effective patterns across the team.
  • Applies knowledge of tools within the Software Development Life Cycle toolchain, including enterprise-authorized AI-assisted development and automation capabilities, to improve the value realized by automation.
     

Required qualifications, capabilities, and skills

  • Formal training or certification on software engineering concepts and 5+ years applied experience
  • Experience in the Software Development Life Cycle, including hands-on development experience
  • Hands-on experience in Java/J2EE, REST Services, Spring Boot
  • Strong experience writing complex SQL queries, joins, PL/SQL, functions, and stored procedures.
  • Hands-on experience in public cloud - Kubernetes, AWS and extensive experience with ECS, S3, RDS, Lambda, CloudWatch, Eventbridge, and Step Functions, as well as infrastructure automation using Terraform
  • Proficiency in designing and implementing RESTful APIs for enterprise-scale applications.
  • Ability to design software systems using object-oriented principles and practices.
  • Experience in building Decoupled Systems
  • Proficiency in using design patterns and technologies to decouple system components, enhancing flexibility and maintainability.
  • Proficiency in unit testing frameworks such as JUnit and Mockito for ensuring code quality.
  • Knowledge of messaging platforms such as Apache Kafka
  • Demonstrated experience leading effective use of approved AI-assisted software development tools (e.g., for coding, code review, test acceleration, troubleshooting) with the ability to set team expectations for validating AI outputs for correctness, performance, and security.
  • Strong understanding of responsible AI use in engineering workflows, including data sensitivity considerations, secure handling of inputs/outputs, and adherence to resiliency and security expectations; experience coaching engineers on safe, compliant adoption within delivery practices

Preferred qualifications, capabilities, and skills

  • Familiarity with modern front-end technologies like React JS, JavaScript, typescript
  • Experience with SQL performance tuning, JDBC, and ORM frameworks (Hibernate/JPA)
  • Familiarity with DevOps practices, containerization and orchestration
  • Exposure to AI systems such as Copilot, Claude
     
JPMorganChase, one of the oldest financial institutions, offers innovative financial solutions to millions of consumers, small businesses and many of the world's most prominent corporate, institutional and government clients under the J.P. Morgan and Chase brands. Our history spans over 200 years and today we are a leader in investment banking, consumer and small business banking, commercial banking, financial transaction processing and asset management.

We offer a competitive total rewards package including base salary determined based on the role, experience, skill set and location. Those in eligible roles may receive commission-based pay and/or discretionary incentive compensation, paid in the form of cash and/or forfeitable equity, awarded in recognition of individual achievements and contributions. We also offer a range of benefits and programs to meet employee needs, based on eligibility. These benefits include comprehensive health care coverage, on-site health and wellness centers, a retirement savings plan, backup childcare, tuition reimbursement, mental health support, financial coaching and more. Additional details about total compensation and benefits will be provided during the hiring process. 

We recognize that our people are our strength and the diverse talents they bring to our global workforce are directly linked to our success. We are an equal opportunity employer and place a high value on diversity and inclusion at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of any protected attribute, including race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital or veteran status, pregnancy or disability, or any other basis protected under applicable law. We also make reasonable accommodations for applicants' and employees' religious practices and beliefs, as well as mental health or physical disability needs. Visit our FAQs for more information about requesting an accommodation.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including Disability/Veterans

Our professionals in our Corporate Functions cover a diverse range of areas from finance and risk to human resources and marketing. Our corporate teams are an essential part of our company, ensuring that we're setting our businesses, clients, customers and employees up for success.

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