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Junior Machine Learning Jobs in Illinois (NOW HIRING)

IMC

Machine Learning Research Lead

Chicago, IL

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

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 ...

NinjaHoldings

Data Engineer

Chicago, IL · On-site +1

$100K - $145K/yr

The hire will be responsible for building tooling to support analytics, helping to extend our machine learning platform, expanding and optimizing our data pipeline architecture, supervising junior ...

NinjaHoldings

Data Engineer

Chicago, IL · On-site +1

$100K - $145K/yr

The hire will be responsible for building tooling to support analytics, helping to extend our machine learning platform, expanding and optimizing our data pipeline architecture, supervising junior ...

Ritchie Bros.

Staff Data Scientist

Westchester, IL

... junior data scientists and analysts, and contribute to best practices across the data science team Required Qualifications * 5-7 years of experience building and deploying production machine learning ...

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Junior Machine Learning information

See Illinois salary details

$7

$26

$45

How much do junior machine learning jobs pay per hour?

As of Jul 26, 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 is a $900000 AI job?

A $900,000 AI job typically refers to a high-level position in artificial intelligence, such as senior machine learning engineer or AI research director, often requiring advanced skills in programming, data analysis, and deep learning. These roles usually involve leadership, strategic planning, and expertise with tools like TensorFlow or PyTorch, and may require multiple years of experience and relevant certifications.

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 engineer makes $500,000 a year?

Senior machine learning engineers with extensive experience, advanced skills in deep learning, and expertise in deploying large-scale models can earn salaries approaching or exceeding $500,000 annually, especially in high-cost-of-living areas or within top tech companies. Compensation often includes base salary, bonuses, and stock options. Achieving this level typically requires years of specialized experience and a strong track record of impactful projects.

Can I get an AI job with no experience?

Entry-level machine learning roles, such as Junior Machine Learning positions, often require some foundational knowledge of programming, mathematics, and data analysis. While prior experience is beneficial, candidates can improve their chances by completing relevant online courses, building projects, and gaining familiarity with tools like Python and TensorFlow.

Which 3 jobs will survive AI?

Junior Machine Learning roles are likely to persist as they require specialized knowledge, critical thinking, and domain expertise that AI cannot fully replicate. Jobs involving complex problem-solving, creativity, and human interaction, such as data scientists, AI ethics specialists, and machine learning engineers, are also expected to remain in demand. Continuous learning and adapting to new tools will be essential for these roles to stay relevant.

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

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 July 2026, with employment types broken down into 93% Full Time, 4% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 88% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $54,332 per year, or $26.1 per hour.
Machine Learning Research Lead

Machine Learning Research Lead

IMC

Chicago, IL

Other

Posted 14 days ago

Job description

IMC Trading is seeking a Machine Learning Research Lead with proven experience applying state-of-the-art machine learning to solve challenging trading problems.  This role will drive the development of a centralized ML environment to be used across all areas of trading at IMC.  The ideal candidate will have experience working with other researchers, traders, and engineers to build and continuously improve a research platform to drive innovation via ML. We firmly believe that success for research-driven efforts lies in bringing together skills in ML, statistics and trading intuition as well as a problem-solving mindset and pragmatism.  This is an opportunity to dive deep into feature engineering and focus on applying a wide range of ML models as well as to perform research on building custom models.

Your Core 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

Your Skills and Experience:

  • 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
  • Prior people management experience preferred
  • Ability and desire to work in a collaborative team environment
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills

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