Full Time Java Student Jobs in Chicago, IL (NOW HIRING)

Work Location Type: Hybrid
Req Number 333224
About Grainger
W.W. Grainger, Inc. is a leading broad line distributor with operations primarily in North America and Japan. At Grainger, We Keep the World Working® by serving more than 4.6 million customers worldwide with maintenance, repair and operating (MRO) products and value-added solutions delivered through innovative technology and deep customer expertise. Known for its commitment to service and purpose-driven culture, the Company reported 2025 revenue of $17.9 billion. For more information, visit www.grainger.com.
Compensation
The anticipated base pay compensation range for this position is $112,900.00 - $188,100.00. This role is eligible for an incentive target of up to 10 % or $ , based on the achievement of individual and company performance objectives in accordance with the current terms of the incentive program which are subject to change.
This position is not eligible for any form of sponsorship now or in the future. Individuals requiring sponsorship (e.g. OPT or H1B visa status) should not apply. Only individuals authorized to work in the United States now and for the foreseeable future will be considered for this position.
Rewards and Benefits
With benefits starting on day one, our programs provide choice and flexibility to meet team members' individual needs, including:

• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans with coverage starting on day one of employment and 6 free sessions each year with a licensed therapist to support your emotional wellbeing.
• 18 paid time off (PTO) days annually for full-time employees (accrual prorated based on employment start date) and 6 company holidays per year.
• 6% company contribution to a 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan each pay period, no employee contribution required.
• Employee discounts, tuition reimbursement, student loan refinancing and free access to financial counseling, education, and tools.
• Maternity support programs, nursing benefits, and up to 14 weeks paid leave for birth parents and up to 4 weeks paid leave for non-birth parents.

For additional information and details regarding Grainger's benefits, please click on the link below:
https://experience100.ehr.com/grainger/Home/Tools-Resources/Key-Resources/New-Hire
Grainger Benefits
The pay range provided above is not a guarantee of compensation. The range reflects the potential base pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual base pay compensation will depend, in part, on factors such as geographic work location and relevant experience and skills.
The anticipated compensation range described above is subject to change and the compensation ultimately paid may be higher or lower than the range described above.
Grainger reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate its compensation and benefit programs in its sole discretion at any time, consistent with applicable law.
Position Details
As a Senior Software Engineer on the Step Data Transformation team, you will design, develop, and maintain applications that support our strategic vision for product data management. You will bring experience in Java development, data engineering, SQL, and integration patterns, and will grow your expertise in Master Data Management (MDM).
You will work closely with lead engineers, product managers, and cross-functional partners to deliver reliable, high-quality software - and will be expected to bring a modern engineering mindset: actively identifying opportunities to improve our tools, processes, and architecture rather than simply inheriting what exists.
This position is not eligible for any form of sponsorship now or in the future. Individuals requiring sponsorship (e.g. OPT or H1B visa status) should not apply. Only individuals authorized to work in the United States now and for the foreseeable future will be considered for this position.
You will

• Design and develop high-quality, maintainable Java-based and MDM software solutions across the SDT team's product data ecosystem
• Contribute to the modernization of existing Java applications (NPI, IPV, and others), identifying opportunities to improve architecture, reducing technical debt, and adopt contemporary engineering patterns
• Analyze and improve existing data transformation logic to enhance system efficiency, resilience, and scalability
• Integrate data processes from various Grainger systems, ensuring seamless data flow and governance across platforms
• Bring a fresh perspective to engineering challenges - actively proposing improvements to ways of working, tooling, CI/CD pipelines, and team practices
• Collaborate with lead engineers, product managers, and architects to ensure successful design and delivery of technology solutions
• Champion best practices in software engineering, including clean code principles, automated testing, observability, and continuous delivery
• Participating actively in knowledge-sharing sessions, staying current on MDM practices, Java ecosystem advancements, and emerging engineering methodologies
• Engage in code reviews and pair programming to continuously improve code quality and grow as an engineer
• Support production systems with a demonstrated ability to triage, debug, and resolve issues with minimal disruption to development workflows
• Contribute to knowledge transfer by documenting solutions, patterns, and onboarding materials for MDM platform functionalities and data transformation processes

You have

• Bachelor's Degree or equivalent experience in Computer Science or a related field; or equivalent practical experience required
• 3+ years of experience as a Software Engineer, with demonstrated experience in designing, developing, testing, and deploying software applications across a variety of technologies and environments required
• 2+ years of hands-on Java development experience, including building or maintaining Java-based applications in a production environment required.
• Familiarity with modern Java frameworks such as Spring Boot, and contemporary tooling for build, test, and deployment automation.
• Proficiency in Oracle and/or SQL and data manipulation techniques
• Solid programming skills and knowledge of software engineering fundamentals
• Understanding of integration patterns and distributed system concepts
• Demonstrated ability to think beyond current constraints - proposing practical improvements to systems, processes, or team workflows
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to work both independently and collaboratively
• Good communication skills with a proactive approach to task management and team collaboration
• Familiarity with data governance principles and best practices in data management
• Familiarity with Agile/Scrum methodologies and DevOps practices

Preferred Skills

• Exposure to or interest in data platform modernization projects
• 2-3 years of hands-on experience with MDM platforms (e.g., Stibo STEP, Informatica MDM, Reltio, Semarchy, or similar) or strong data engineering experience with the ability to learn MDM platforms quickly required
• Experience with developer productivity tooling - including AI-assisted development tools (e.g., GitHub Copilot), code quality platforms, and observability/monitoring frameworks
• A track record of introducing and driving adoption of better engineering practices - whether through process improvements, new tooling, or architectural recommendations

We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or expression, protected veteran status or any other protected characteristic under federal, state, or local law. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.
We are committed to fostering an inclusive, accessible work environment that includes both providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities during the application and hiring process as well as throughout the course of one's employment, should you need a reasonable accommodation during the application and selection process, including, but not limited to use of our website, any part of the application, interview or hiring process, please advise us so that we can provide appropriate assistance.