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Data Center Engineer Jobs in Chicago, IL (NOW HIRING)

Epsilon

Data Center Engineer

Chicago, IL

Data Center Engineer Employment Location: On-site, 5 days a week * Oak Brook, Illinois & Elk Grove Village, Illinois Employment Type: Full-Time Employee (Salaried) How You'll Make an Impact At ...

New

Pico

Data Center Engineer

Chicago, IL

Working closely with our Network and Systems engineering teams and our Project Management and ... Maintain overall Data Centre cleanliness and appearance * Work flexible shift schedules including ...

Pico

Data Center Engineer

Chicago, IL · On-site

$70K - $100K/yr

Working closely with our Network and Systems engineering teams and our Project Management and ... Maintain overall Data Centre cleanliness and appearance * Work flexible shift schedules including ...

JLL

Data Center - Talent Network

Chicago, IL

We are looking for skilled engineers and managers to deliver world-class solutions for mission-critical environments. About JLL's Data Center Practice With specialized expertise and global reach, our ...

JLL

Data Center - Talent Network

Chicago, IL

We are looking for skilled engineers and managers to deliver world-class solutions for mission-critical environments. About JLL's Data Center Practice With specialized expertise and global reach, our ...

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All JobsData Center Engineer JobsData Center Engineer Jobs in Chicago, IL

Data Center Engineer information

See Chicago, IL salary details

$53.1K

$152K

$203.1K

How much do data center engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 2, 2026, the average yearly pay for data center engineer in Chicago, IL is $152,026.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $86,600.00 and $202,100.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a Data Center Engineer do?

A Data Center Engineer is responsible for designing, maintaining, and troubleshooting the hardware and infrastructure of data centers. Their work involves installing servers, managing network systems, ensuring optimal cooling and power, and monitoring system performance. They play a critical role in keeping data centers operational, secure, and efficient, supporting the IT needs of organizations. Data Center Engineers often collaborate with IT, security, and facilities teams to ensure 24/7 uptime and to plan for future growth.

What does a data centre engineer do?

A data center engineer is responsible for designing, maintaining, and managing the infrastructure of data centers, including servers, networking equipment, power supplies, and cooling systems. They troubleshoot hardware and software issues, ensure system security, and often work with monitoring tools and certifications to optimize data center performance and reliability.

What is the difference between Data Center Engineer vs Network Engineer?

AspectData Center EngineerNetwork Engineer
CertificationsCompTIA Server+, Cisco CCNA, Data Center-specific certificationsCCNA, CCNP, Cisco certifications
Work EnvironmentData centers, server rooms, hardware-focusedNetwork infrastructure, routing, switching environments
ResponsibilitiesDesign, maintain, and troubleshoot data center hardware and infrastructureDesign, implement, and manage network systems and connectivity

While both roles require networking knowledge and certifications, Data Center Engineers focus on physical infrastructure, servers, and hardware within data centers. Network Engineers primarily work on network design, configuration, and troubleshooting of network systems. Understanding the hardware environment is key for Data Center Engineers, whereas Network Engineers concentrate on network connectivity and protocols.

Can I make 200K as a data engineer?

Data Center Engineers typically earn lower salaries than data engineers, with median salaries ranging from $70,000 to $120,000 annually depending on experience and location. Reaching a $200,000 salary usually requires advanced skills, certifications, and significant experience, often in senior or specialized roles within the field.

What are some common challenges faced by Data Center Engineers, and how can they be managed on the job?

Data Center Engineers often encounter challenges such as maintaining uptime during hardware failures, managing rapid scaling demands, and ensuring strong physical and cybersecurity. These issues require quick troubleshooting skills, familiarity with redundancy protocols, and proactive monitoring of systems. Effective communication and collaboration with IT, facilities, and security teams are also crucial to address incidents efficiently and minimize downtime. Staying updated with evolving technologies and best practices helps engineers anticipate and mitigate potential risks.

What engineers make $200,000 a year?

Senior data center engineers with extensive experience, specialized skills in network infrastructure, and relevant certifications such as Cisco or VMware can earn $200,000 or more annually. High-level roles often require advanced knowledge of data center operations, virtualization, and security, along with leadership responsibilities.

What engineers make $500,000 a year?

Highly experienced data center engineers with specialized skills in network infrastructure, security, and large-scale systems management can earn salaries approaching or exceeding $500,000 annually, especially in senior or executive roles. Such compensation often includes bonuses, stock options, or profit sharing and typically requires advanced certifications and extensive industry experience.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Data Center Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Data Center Engineer, you need a solid background in IT infrastructure, networking, and hardware maintenance, often supported by a degree in computer science or a related field. Familiarity with server management tools, virtualization platforms (like VMware), and certifications such as CompTIA Server+ or Cisco CCNA are typically required. Strong problem-solving abilities, attention to detail, and effective communication help you excel in this role. These skills ensure reliable data center operations, minimize downtime, and support the critical IT needs of the organization.

What Is a Data Center Engineer?

A data center engineer’s duties are to design, implement, and monitor information technology systems at a data center. A data center engineer must be familiar with a variety of IT hardware, such as servers, cables, power systems, and cooling equipment, needed to maintain the physical safety of an IT facility, which includes fire safety. Their job is to set up the infrastructure needed to connect servers and hard drives together, and be familiar with the capacity of the technology. After setting up IT systems, they are responsible for system monitoring, maintenance, and troubleshooting.

More about Data Center Engineer jobs
What are popular job titles related to Data Center Engineer jobs in Chicago, IL? For Data Center Engineer jobs in Chicago, IL, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Data Center Engineer jobs in Chicago, IL look for? The top searched job categories for Data Center Engineer jobs in Chicago, IL are:
What cities near Chicago, IL are hiring for Data Center Engineer jobs? Cities near Chicago, IL with the most Data Center Engineer job openings:
Data Center Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Data Center Engineer job openings in Chicago, IL as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 81% Full Time, 16% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 95% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 3% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $152,026 per year, or $73.1 per hour.

Data Center Engineer Consultant

Next Step Systems

Aurora, IL • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 26 days ago

Job description

Data Center Engineer Consultant, Aurora, IL
We are seeking a talented and self-motivated Data Center Engineer to join our growing IT team. We are open to someone consulting on a part-time or full-time basis. In addition, we could foresee this role being a consult-to-hire role. The Data Center Engineer should be able to travel to local data centers on a regular basis. Individuals must live in or commute daily to Aurora, IL.
Hours for this position are as follows but may fluctuate from time to time:
- Monday - Thursday 3:00 pm - 5:30 pm CT
- Monday - Thursday 8:00 am - 3:00 pm CT (occasionally)
- Friday 4:00 pm - 9:00 pm CT (occasionally)
- Saturday 8:00 am - 12:00 pm (occasionally)
Data Center Engineer Consultant Responsibilities:
- Be responsible for logistics coordination, installation, documentation and troubleshooting of physical equipment at colocation facilities.
- Coordinate with existing IT team to validate equipment installation and troubleshoot technical issues.
- Pre-plan data center design and execution by utilizing mock equipment.
- Leverage and extend existing data center best practices and documentation.
- Manage data center inventory, domestic and foreign equipment orders, returns and shipments.
- Project management of datacenter related projects.
- Proactively suggest enhancements to existing configurations, technologies or procedures.
- Able to travel to global data centers for occasional project work.
- Able to work flexible hours when required, including night and weekends.
- Organized, self-starter that is passionate about technology.
- Able to lift 65 pounds.
Data Center Engineer Consultant Qualifications:
- Bachelor's Degree from a 4-year university or comparable work experience.
- 1-3 years of experience of data center management.
- Familiar with Cisco IOS and knowledge of Ethernet networks (VLAN, spanning tree, MAC addressing, etc.).
- Experience with bug/ticket tracking systems like JIRA a plus.
- Comfortable working in a Linux-based environment.
- Comfortable with basic network connectivity concepts.
- Experience with physically installing fiber optic duplex and simplex cables.
- Experience utilizing tools to validate, clean and test fiber optic cables.
- Experience making and running patch cables.
- Previous financial industry experience a plus.
Benefits include medical insurance, retirement plan, PTO, etc. Salary: 80K+ DOE. Keywords: Aurora IL Jobs, Data Center Engineer Consultant, Cisco IOS, Ethernet Networks, VLAN, Spanning Tree, MAC Addressing, Jira, Linux, Network Connectivity, Fiber Optics, Simplex Cables, Illinois Recruiters, Information Technology Jobs, IT Jobs, Illinois Recruiting
Looking to hire for similar positions in Aurora, IL or in other cities? Our IT recruiting agencies and staffing companies can help.
We help companies that are looking to hire Data Center Engineer Consultants for jobs in Aurora, Illinois and in other cities too. Please contact our IT recruiting agencies and IT staffing companies today! Phone 630-428-0600 ext. 11 or email us at jobs@nextstepsystems.com. Click here to submit your resume for this job and others.
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