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Freelance Data Engineer Jobs in Illinois (NOW HIRING)

1000heads

Freelance Insights Manager

Chicago, IL · On-site

$300 - $400/day

From designing mouth-watering data visualizations, keeping our clients up-to-date with the latest ... engineering social listening exercises into cultural trends, our actionable insights are at the ...

1000heads

Freelance Insights Manager

Chicago, IL

$300 - $400/day

From designing mouth-watering data visualizations, keeping our clients up-to-date with the latest ... engineering social listening exercises into cultural trends, our actionable insights are at the ...

1000heads

Freelance Insights Manager

Chicago, IL

$300 - $400/day

From designing mouth-watering data visualizations, keeping our clients up-to-date with the latest ... engineering social listening exercises into cultural trends, our actionable insights are at the ...

1000heads

Freelance Insights Manager

Chicago, IL · On-site

$300 - $400/day

From designing mouth-watering data visualizations, keeping our clients up-to-date with the latest ... engineering social listening exercises into cultural trends, our actionable insights are at the ...

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Freelance Data Engineer information

See Illinois salary details

$43.1K

$125.7K

$172K

How much do freelance data engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 4, 2026, the average yearly pay for freelance data engineer in Illinois is $125,698.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $111,000.00 and $133,200.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a freelance data engineer?

A Freelance Data Engineer is a self-employed professional who designs, builds, and maintains data systems for clients on a project basis. They work with databases, ETL pipelines, cloud platforms, and big data technologies to ensure efficient data storage and processing. Unlike full-time employees, freelancers have the flexibility to choose projects, set their own schedules, and work remotely. They may collaborate with data scientists, analysts, and engineers to ensure seamless data flow. Freelance Data Engineers need strong technical skills in SQL, Python, Spark, and cloud services like AWS, GCP, or Azure.

What types of projects and clients can a freelance data engineer expect to work with?

Freelance Data Engineers often work on diverse projects ranging from building custom data pipelines and automating workflows to migrating databases or developing data integration solutions for businesses of all sizes. Clients can include startups looking to build new data infrastructure, e-commerce companies seeking analytics solutions, or established enterprises aiming to modernize their data systems. Most projects require close collaboration with data scientists, analysts, or software engineering teams, and the scope can vary from short-term assignments to ongoing support. Freelancing provides flexibility to choose projects that match your expertise and interests, as well as opportunities to gain experience across multiple industries.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a freelance data engineer?

To thrive as a Freelance Data Engineer, you need strong programming skills (in languages like Python or Scala), in-depth knowledge of data modeling and ETL processes, and a solid background in databases and cloud platforms. Familiarity with tools such as Apache Spark, Hadoop, SQL, AWS, or Google Cloud, as well as relevant certifications like AWS Certified Data Analytics, is highly beneficial. Strong communication, project management, and problem-solving skills help you collaborate with clients and adapt to changing project requirements. These abilities are crucial for efficiently delivering tailored data solutions and building a reputable freelance business.

What are the most commonly searched types of Data Engineer jobs in Illinois?

The most popular types of Data Engineer jobs in Illinois are:

What are popular job titles related to Freelance Data Engineer jobs in Illinois?

For Freelance Data Engineer jobs in Illinois, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Freelance Data Engineer jobs in Illinois look for?

The top searched job categories for Freelance Data Engineer jobs in Illinois are:

What cities in Illinois are hiring for Freelance Data Engineer jobs?

Cities in Illinois with the most Freelance Data Engineer job openings:

Freelance Data Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Freelance Data Engineer job openings in Illinois as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 66% Full Time, 14% Part Time, 6% Temporary, and 14% Contract. Highlights an 66% In-person, and 34% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $125,698 per year, or $60.4 per hour.

Manager, Data Engineering

Publicis Groupe Holdings B.V

Chicago, IL

$88K - $127K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 10 days ago

Publicis Groupe rating

6.1

Company rating: 6.1 out of 10

Based on 5 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

38th of 52 rated marketing agency

Job description

Company Description

PHM is the leading health media agency in the US, built for the modern healthcare experience. Here, industry depth meets media scale, where data becomes direction, where creativity and storytelling bring truth to life, and where orchestration replaces fragmentation.

Dedicated to making brands discovered, PHM redefines what media can do through data, content, and creativity. Because in modern healthcare, the brands that are found are the ones that lead. And when brands lead, advantage follows. Go deeper. Be found.

Overview

The Data Manager of Data Engineering will work in a hands-on and supportive role in our Technology and Data Department. This team processes and maintains all the data that flows into our organization and is the face of the agency regarding data needs from HCP publishers.

You will work with internal and external partners, along with industry vendors, to monitor data transfers, perform data QA'ing and maintain documentation. You will also support the Vice President of Data engineering to enforce enterprise-wide data processes and protocols.

Responsibilities
  • Lead a portfolio of data projects across multiple clients
  • Design and manage scalable pipelines, including ingestion from APIs (REST, GraphQL, vendor feeds) and traditional ETL sources
  • Contribute to data architecture decisions to ensure efficient schema design, scalability, and governance across data warehouses and lakehouses
  • Partner with BI, Product, and Media Tech teams to automate data integrations and improve data flow reliability
  • Oversee ETL and metadata management to ensure stability, security, and compliance
  • Present issues, trends, and recommendations to internal and external stakeholders
  • Maintain best practices for handling, storing, and governing data
Qualifications
  • BS in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field
  • Strong hands-on experience with PySpark (preferred language for data engineering and automation)
  • Proficiency in Python and SQL for data processing and automation
  • Experience building and maintaining API-based data pipelines, including authentication and error handling
  • Solid knowledge of modern data architecture (data modeling, governance, warehouse, lakehouse)
  • Experience with database structures, ETL, and cloud data platforms
  • Technical documentation skills and ability to communicate complex topics in simple, user-friendly terms

Specific Skills Required:

  • Cloud platforms: AWS, Azure, Databricks
  • Data warehouses/lakehouses: Snowflake, Redshift, Databricks Lakehouse
  • BI tools: Tableau, Datorama (preferred)
  • Strong collaboration skills with cross-functional teams
Additional Information

Our Publicis Groupe motto "Viva La Difference" means we're better together, and we believe that our differences make us stronger. It means we honor and celebrate all identities, across all facets of intersectionality, and it underpins all that we do as an organization. We are focused on fostering belonging and creating equitable & inclusive experiences for all talent.

Publicis Groupe provides robust and inclusive benefit programs and policies to support the evolving and diverse needs of our talent and enable every person to grow and thrive. Our benefits package includes medical coverage, dental, vision, disability, 401K, as well as parental and family care leave, family forming assistance, tuition reimbursement, and flexible time off.

If you require accommodation or assistance with the application or onboarding process specifically, please contact USMTTACompliance@publicis.com.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

#LI-LV1

 Compensation Range: USD $88,540.00 - USD $127,155.00/Annually. This is the pay range the Company believes it will pay for this position at the time of this posting. Consistent with applicable law, compensation will be determined based on the skills, qualifications, and experience of the applicant along with the requirements of the position, and the Company reserves the right to modify this pay range at any time. Temporary roles may be eligible to participate in our freelancer/temporary employee medical plan through a third-party benefits administration system once certain criteria have been met. For regular roles, the Company will offer medical coverage, dental, vision, disability, 401k, and paid time off. The Company anticipates the application deadline for this job posting will be 10/1/2026.Employment Type: FULL_TIME

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