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Grad Engineer Jobs in Chicago, IL (NOW HIRING)

About Us Clayco is a full-service, turnkey real estate development, master planning, architecture, engineering, and construction firm that safely delivers clients across North America the highest ...

About Us Clayco is a full-service, turnkey real estate development, master planning, architecture, engineering, and construction firm that safely delivers clients across North America the highest ...

About Us Clayco is a full-service, turnkey real estate development, master planning, architecture, engineering, and construction firm that safely delivers clients across North America the highest ...

About Us Clayco is a full-service, turnkey real estate development, master planning, architecture, engineering, and construction firm that safely delivers clients across North America the highest ...

About Us Clayco is a full-service, turnkey real estate development, master planning, architecture, engineering, and construction firm that safely delivers clients across North America the highest ...

About Us Clayco is a full-service, turnkey real estate development, master planning, architecture, engineering, and construction firm that safely delivers clients across North America the highest ...

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Showing results 1-20

Grad Engineer information

See Chicago, IL salary details

$11.3K

$74.8K

$129.3K

How much do grad engineer jobs pay per year?

As of May 29, 2026, the average yearly pay for grad engineer in Chicago, IL is $74,779.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $46,400.00 and $85,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

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

To thrive as a Graduate Engineer, you need a strong foundation in engineering principles, analytical problem-solving, and a relevant engineering degree. Familiarity with industry-standard software such as AutoCAD, MATLAB, or SolidWorks, and sometimes certifications like EIT (Engineer in Training), are commonly expected. Effective communication, teamwork, and adaptability help you excel in collaborative and fast-paced project environments. These skills ensure you can contribute effectively to technical projects, learn quickly, and support organizational goals as you develop professionally.

What opportunities for mentorship and professional development are typically available to Grad Engineers?

Grad Engineers often benefit from structured mentorship programs and regular training sessions, designed to help them transition smoothly into the professional engineering environment. They typically work closely with senior engineers and project managers, gaining hands-on experience and feedback on their work. Many organizations also encourage Grad Engineers to attend workshops, pursue certifications, and participate in cross-functional projects, fostering both technical skills and professional growth. These opportunities support career advancement and help Grad Engineers build a strong foundation for future leadership roles.

What are Grad Engineers?

Grad Engineers, short for Graduate Engineers, are individuals who have recently completed an engineering degree and are beginning their professional careers. They typically join organizations in entry-level engineering roles, where they receive training, mentorship, and hands-on experience in their chosen field. Grad Engineers are expected to apply the theoretical knowledge gained during their studies to real-world projects, contributing to problem-solving and innovation within their teams. Over time, they develop technical and professional skills that prepare them for more senior engineering positions.

What is the difference between Grad Engineer vs Junior Engineer?

AspectGrad EngineerJunior Engineer
Required CredentialsBachelor's degree in engineering or related field; internship or project experienceBachelor's degree in engineering; entry-level position
Work EnvironmentTraining programs, mentorship, learning-focusedProject work, task execution, supervised responsibilities
Employer & Industry UsageEntry-level role in engineering firms, manufacturing, constructionInitial role for recent graduates in similar industries

In summary, a Grad Engineer is typically a recent graduate undergoing training and development, while a Junior Engineer is an entry-level professional responsible for supporting engineering projects. Both roles require similar educational backgrounds, but the Grad Engineer position emphasizes learning and skill-building.

What cities near Chicago, IL are hiring for Grad Engineer jobs? Cities near Chicago, IL with the most Grad Engineer job openings:
Infographic showing various Grad Engineer job openings in Chicago, IL as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 12% Internship, and 88% Full Time. Highlights an 82% In-person, and 18% Hybrid job distribution, with an average salary of $74,779 per year, or $36 per hour.

2026 New Grad | Software Engineer, Full-Stack (Chicago)

Loop

Chicago, IL • On-site

$125K/yr

Other

Medical, Retirement, PTO

Posted 4 days ago


Job description

About Loop

Loop is the data platform for the global supply chain. Logistics runs on messy, unstructured data-trapped in PDFs, emails, and legacy systems. We use AI to structure this chaos, creating a "source of truth" that automates payments and audits for the Fortune 100.

We are building the financial nervous system for a $100 trillion physical economy. Our technology ensures freight moves efficiently and carriers get paid instantly.

Backed by Founders Fund, Index Ventures and 8VC, we are scaling rapidly. We are looking for engineers ready to deploy production AI that powers the physical economy.

About the New Grad Program

Most AI stays in the browser. Ours moves atoms. You aren't just building features; you are building the autonomous brain for the Fortune 100's global supply chain.

This program is designed to compress 3 years of learning into 1 year by throwing you into the deep end of production AI systems on Day 1. Instead of sandboxed projects, you get to solve real problems and impact customers directly. This program demands intense investment, but by the end, you will perform as a strong entry-level engineer jumpstarting your career.

The Schedule:

  • Week 1 (Onboarding): Deep dive into tools and domain. You will ship code to production on Day 1 and fully grasp our dev loop by Friday.
  • Months 1-3 (Velocity): You will deliver 3 entry-level projects with increasing ambiguity. By the end of Month 3, you are expected to operate as a fully independent engineer.
  • Months 4-9 (The Rotation): You will rotate onto a different high-impact team to expand your surface area. Tracks include:
    • Platform: AI infrastructure and Engineering Systems.
    • Core Product: Audit, Billing, and Payments logic.
    • Commercial: Revenue Activation and Forward Deployed Engineering.
    • Special Projects: Partnering directly with the CEO/CTO and other execs
  • Month 9+ (Graduation): You should demonstrate Mid-Level Engineer performance and will be considered for immediate promotion.

About You

We're not just looking for strong academic performers. We're looking for people who are genuinely driven to build things and go deep on hard problems. If the following resonates, you belong here:

  • You go above and beyond. You have a repo, a side hustle, or a project you built just because you are curious. You're self-directed and don't need an assignment to start coding.
  • You have a bias towards action. You prefer to ship, break, fix, and apologize rather than wait for a committee decision.
  • You are drawn to hard problems. You want problems that are more than one prompt away from a solution.
  • You get absorbed in mastering your craft. Whether it's climbing the Esports ladder, acing a math competition, winning a hackathon, or debugging a complex issue, you know what it feels like to lose track of time working on something you care about.

Responsibilities

  • Ship critical infrastructure. Manage real-world logistics and financial data for the largest enterprise in the world.. 
  • Own the why. Build deep context through customer calls, and understand the Loop's value to our customers. You push back on requirements if you see a better, faster way to solve the customer's problem.
  • Full-stack proficiency. Work across system boundaries, from frontend UX to LLM agents, database schema and event infrastructures.
  • Leverage AI tools to handle the 90% boilerplate, so you can focus the highest leverage 10%: quality, architecture, product taste.
  • Raise the velocity bar. You will constantly optimize our dev loops, refactor legacy patterns, automate your own workflows and fix broken processes.

Qualifications

  • Graduating with a BS or higher in STEM fields; available to start full-time in 2026.
  • Working in person in the SF or Chicago office 4 days a week.
  • Proficiency with modern techstack. You can deliver a modern web app in hours not in days..
  • Unblocking yourself. You thrive in ambiguity. Despite the chaos, you deliver high quality products and business impact.
  • AI Literate. You have strong intuition on how LLM works: where they excel and where they generate slop. You live and breathe AI native tools (Cursor, Codex, Claude Code etc.)

Compensation

  • $125,000 annual base pay for Chicago

Benefits & Perks

  • Fully paid health insurance.
  • 401k with matching.
  • Unlimited PTO.
  • Generous professional development budget.
  • Commuter benefits.
  • Wellness benefits
  • Phone plan stipend

#LI-LOOP