ZipRecruiter

Log In

1

Junior Machine Learning Jobs in Illinois (NOW HIRING)

IMC

Machine Learning Research Lead

Chicago, IL · On-site

IMC Trading is seeking a Machine Learning Research Lead with proven experience applying ... Mentor junior researchers and contribute to a culture of research excellence and experimentation

IMC

Machine Learning Research Lead

Chicago, IL · On-site

$250K - $300K/yr

  • PTO

IMC Trading is seeking a Machine Learning Research Lead with proven experience applying ... Mentor junior researchers and contribute to a culture of research excellence and experimentation

The Hartford

Senior AI Machine Learning Engineer

Chicago, IL · Hybrid

$126K - $166K/yr

As a Senior Machine Learning Engineer , you will play a critical role in designing, building, and ... Work with junior engineers and peers to provide mentorship and thought leadership. Be comfortable ...

The Hartford

Sr AI Machine Learning Engineer

Chicago, IL · Hybrid

$117K - $175K/yr

The Hartford is seeking Senior AI Machine Learning Engineer to build Machine Learning Operations ... Work with junior engineers and peers to provide mentorship and thought leadership. Be comfortable ...

Transunion

Machine Learning Platform Engineer

Chicago, IL

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

... machine learning and scientific computing. * Provide oversight and hands-on support for the ... Participate in interviewing and evaluation of new talent, mentoring and training of junior ...

Parallel Works

Junior HPC Applications Engineer

Chicago, IL · On-site +1

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

About the role Parallel Works is hiring a Junior HPC Applications Engineer to support the ... It suits someone who has run scientific or machine learning workloads on a cluster as a user and ...

The Hartford

Senior AI Machine Learning Engineer

Chicago, IL

$126K - $166K/yr

The Hartfordis seeking aSenior AI Machine Learning Engineerwithin Employee Benefits Applied AI and ... Guide and mentor junior engineers by breaking down technical work, reviewing code, explaining model ...

Akuna Capital

Junior Quantitative Researcher

Chicago, IL · On-site

$145K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Akuna's Quant team is looking to add Junior Quant Researchers to a team of mathematicians ... Develop trading strategies using statistical and machine learning algorithms. * Design and ...

Akuna Capital

Junior Quantitative Researcher

Chicago, IL · On-site

$145K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Akuna's Quant team is looking to add Junior Quant Researchers to a team of mathematicians ... Develop trading strategies using statistical and machine learning algorithms. * Design and ...

TransMarket Group

Junior Algorithmic Trader

Chicago, IL

$69K - $89K/yr

As a Junior Algorithmic Trader, you will have the opportunity to experience relative value ... Project or internship experience in data analysis, quantitative modeling and/or machine learning

next page

Showing results 1-20

All JobsMachine Learning JobsJunior Machine Learning JobsJunior Machine Learning Jobs in Illinois

Junior Machine Learning information

See Illinois salary details

$7

$26

$45

How much do junior machine learning jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 14, 2026, the average hourly pay for junior machine learning in Illinois is $26.12, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $15.82 and $32.16 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Junior Machine Learning vs Data Scientist?

AspectJunior Machine LearningData Scientist
Required CredentialsBachelor's in CS, Data Science, or related field; some experience with ML toolsBachelor's or Master's in CS, Statistics, or related; strong programming and statistical skills
Work EnvironmentEntry-level projects, supervised tasks, team collaborationAdvanced analysis, model development, cross-functional teams
Industry UsageCommon in tech companies, startups, research labsWidespread across industries like finance, healthcare, tech

Junior Machine Learning roles focus on foundational ML tasks and learning on the job, while Data Scientists handle complex data analysis, model building, and strategic insights. The roles differ mainly in experience level and scope of responsibilities, but both require strong technical skills and familiarity with data tools.

What does a junior machine learning engineer do?

A Junior Machine Learning Engineer assists in the development and implementation of machine learning models and algorithms under the supervision of more experienced engineers. They typically help with data collection, cleaning, feature engineering, model training, and evaluation. Junior engineers may also write code, test prototypes, and contribute to improving model performance while learning best practices in the field. Their role often involves collaborating with data scientists and software engineers to integrate machine learning solutions into products or services.

What types of projects and tasks can a junior machine learning professional typically expect to work on in their first year?

As a Junior Machine Learning professional, you’ll often support senior data scientists and engineers by preparing data, implementing basic algorithms, and assisting with model evaluation. Your daily tasks may include data cleaning, feature engineering, running experiments, and writing code to automate data pipelines. You might also help document processes and present your findings to team members. While the work is often collaborative, you’ll have opportunities to take ownership of smaller projects and progressively contribute to larger initiatives as you gain experience.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a junior machine learning engineer?

To thrive as a Junior Machine Learning Engineer, you need a solid understanding of programming (especially Python), basic statistics, linear algebra, and familiarity with machine learning concepts, typically supported by a relevant degree or coursework. Proficiency in tools and frameworks like scikit-learn, TensorFlow, PyTorch, and version control systems such as Git is often expected. Strong problem-solving abilities, curiosity, and effective communication are crucial soft skills for collaborating with teams and explaining technical concepts. These skills and qualities are important because they enable you to contribute effectively to building, testing, and improving machine learning models in real-world applications.

What are the most commonly searched types of Machine Learning jobs in Illinois?

The most popular types of Machine Learning jobs in Illinois are:

What are popular job titles related to Junior Machine Learning jobs in Illinois?

For Junior Machine Learning jobs in Illinois, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Junior Machine Learning jobs in Illinois look for?

The top searched job categories for Junior Machine Learning jobs in Illinois are:

What cities in Illinois are hiring for Junior Machine Learning jobs?

Cities in Illinois with the most Junior Machine Learning job openings:

Junior Machine Learning jobs near you
Infographic showing various Junior Machine Learning job openings in Illinois as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 73% Full Time, 23% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 11% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $54,332 per year, or $26.1 per hour.

Machine Learning Research Lead

IMC Trading

Chicago, IL • On-site

Full-time

Re-posted 24 days ago

Job description

Job Summary:
IMC Trading is a global trading firm seeking a Machine Learning Research Lead with proven experience in applying advanced machine learning techniques to enhance trading performance. The role involves leading the development of machine learning models, collaborating with traders and researchers, and driving innovation in a centralized ML environment.
Responsibilities:
• Lead the design, development, and deployment of machine learning models to enhance trading performance across various asset classes
• Research, test and prototype new algorithmic ideas; deploy advanced ML techniques applicable to market prediction, signal generation, and portfolio optimization
• Collaborate with quantitative traders, researchers and developers to translate market insights into data-driven features and models
• Oversee data acquisition, preprocessing, and feature engineering for structured and unstructured data sources
• Mentor junior researchers and contribute to a culture of research excellence and experimentation
• Drive strategic decisions on model architecture, experimentation pipelines, and infrastructure for scalable research
Qualifications:
Required:
• PhD or Master’s in Engineering, Math, Statistics, Computer Science, or related quantitative field
• 4+ years of experience building applied ML models; previous experience in trading environment preferred
• Proven expertise in developing and deploying predictive models in low-latency environments
• Strong programming skills in Python; proficiency in ML libraries such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, and/or high-performance libraries like Jax
• Strong understanding of theoretical foundations of state-of-the-art ML models
• Ability and desire to work in a collaborative team environment
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Preferred:
• Previous experience in trading environment
• Prior people management experience
Company:
IMC is a global trading firm powered by a cutting-edge research environment and a world-class technology backbone. Founded in 2022, the company is headquartered in Klein Amsterdam, NLD, with a team of 1001-5000 employees. The company is currently Late Stage.

Apply