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Machine Learning Engineer Opt Jobs in Chicago, IL

Role Summary We are seeking a highly motivated Machine Learning Engineer with a strong background in model architecture design and algorithm development, ideally with experience in scientific domains ...

Our machine learning engineering team is responsible for developing infrastructure and tooling to help enable data driven decisions and insights at scale for millions of Paylocity users. As a Staff ...

Senior Machine Learning Engineer

Schaumburg, IL ยท On-site

$120K - $159K/yr

Senior Engineer Machine Learning Position Overview Paylocity is growing its Machine Learning Engineering organization! Our machine learning engineering team is responsible for developing ...

Senior Machine Learning Engineer

Schaumburg, IL ยท On-site

$120K - $159K/yr

Our machine learning engineering team is responsible for developing infrastructure and tooling to help enable data driven decisions and insights at scale for millions of Paylocity users. As a Senior ...

Senior Machine Learning Engineer

Schaumburg, IL ยท On-site

$120K - $159K/yr

Senior Engineer Machine Learning Position Overview Paylocity is growing its Machine Learning Engineering organization! Our machine learning engineering team is responsible for developing ...

Role Summary We are seeking a highly motivated Machine Learning Engineer with a strong background in model architecture design and algorithm development, ideally with experience in scientific domains ...

This job will validate and develop machine learning models and algorithms to solve complex problems. You will work closely with senior engineers, data scientists, and product teams to enhance ...

This job will validate and develop machine learning models and algorithms to solve complex problems. You will work closely with senior engineers, data scientists, and product teams to enhance ...

Lead Machine Learning Engineer

Chicago, IL ยท On-site

$105K - $139K/yr

Lead Machine Learning Engineers at Thoughtworks use modern architectures to develop end-to-end scalable machine learning systems and applications. They use their specialized depth and breadth of ...

New

Lead Machine Learning Engineer

Chicago, IL

$105K - $139K/yr

Lead Machine Learning Engineers at Thoughtworks use modern architectures to develop end-to-end scalable machine learning systems and applications. They use their specialized depth and breadth of ...

New

AI Machine Learning Engineer

Chicago, IL ยท Hybrid

$100K - $151K/yr

The Hartford is seeking AI Machine Learning Engineer to build Machine Learning Operations (MLOps ... The company will not support the STEM OPT I-983 Training Plan endorsement for this position.

Must-Have Skills 3+ years of ML engineering experience -- model training, fine-tuning, or post-training pipelines in research or production Strong Python and deep learning proficiency (PyTorch ...

Must-Have Skills 3+ years of ML engineering experience -- model training, fine-tuning, or post-training pipelines in research or production Strong Python and deep learning proficiency (PyTorch ...

Must-Have Skills 3+ years of ML engineering experience -- model training, fine-tuning, or post-training pipelines in research or production Strong Python and deep learning proficiency (PyTorch ...

Must-Have Skills 3+ years of ML engineering experience -- model training, fine-tuning, or post-training pipelines in research or production Strong Python and deep learning proficiency (PyTorch ...

Senior Machine Learning Engineer (Nova)

Chicago, IL ยท On-site

$107K - $147K/yr

They are seeking a Senior Machine Learning Engineer to build core Machine Learning foundations, focusing on applied Machine Learning in production environments, and collaborating with various teams ...

Machine Learning Engineer

Chicago, IL ยท Remote

$96K - $131K/yr

Develop and implement analytics techniques to transform data into meaningful information using data-oriented programming languages, visualization software, data modeling, and machine learning to ...

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Showing results 1-20

Machine Learning Engineer Opt information

See Chicago, IL salary details

$32.5K

$132.7K

$199.3K

How much do machine learning engineer opt jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 8, 2026, the average yearly pay for machine learning engineer opt in Chicago, IL is $132,651.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $104,600.00 and $159,700.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are Machine Learning Engineers?

Machine Learning Engineers are specialized software engineers who design, build, and deploy machine learning models into production environments. They work at the intersection of software engineering and data science, transforming data-driven prototypes into scalable, reliable systems that organizations can use to make predictions or automate tasks. Their responsibilities include data preprocessing, choosing appropriate algorithms, model training, and ensuring the model's performance in real-world applications. Machine Learning Engineers often collaborate with data scientists, data engineers, and product teams to deliver intelligent solutions.

What is the difference between Machine Learning Engineer Opt vs Data Scientist?

AspectMachine Learning Engineer OptData Scientist
Required CredentialsBachelor's or Master's in CS, AI, or related fields; certifications in ML toolsBachelor's or Master's in CS, Statistics, or related fields; data analysis certifications
Work EnvironmentDevelops, tests, and deploys ML models in production systemsAnalyzes data, builds models, and provides insights for decision-making
Employer & Industry UsageTech companies, AI startups, e-commerce, financeResearch institutions, tech firms, consulting, finance
Common Search & ComparisonOften compared for technical skills and deployment focusCompared for data analysis and business insights

Machine Learning Engineers Opt focus on deploying scalable ML models in production environments, while Data Scientists primarily analyze data and develop models for insights. Both roles require strong technical skills, but their core responsibilities differ in application and deployment.

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

To thrive as a Machine Learning Engineer, you need a solid background in mathematics, statistics, and programming (especially Python), typically supported by a degree in computer science, engineering, or a related field. Familiarity with machine learning frameworks (such as TensorFlow, PyTorch), data processing tools, and cloud platforms, along with relevant certifications, is highly valuable. Strong problem-solving ability, collaboration, and effective communication are standout soft skills in this role. These skills and qualities ensure the successful development, deployment, and integration of machine learning solutions that drive business value.

What are some common challenges Machine Learning Engineers face when deploying models to production environments?

Machine Learning Engineers often encounter challenges such as ensuring model scalability, handling data drift, and integrating models seamlessly with existing systems when deploying to production. Monitoring model performance in real time and retraining models as new data becomes available are also critical tasks. Collaboration with data engineers and DevOps teams is essential to address infrastructure and deployment hurdles while maintaining model accuracy and reliability.
What cities near Chicago, IL are hiring for Machine Learning Engineer Opt jobs? Cities near Chicago, IL with the most Machine Learning Engineer Opt job openings:
Infographic showing various Machine Learning Engineer Opt job openings in Chicago, IL as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 93% Full Time, 5% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $132,651 per year, or $63.8 per hour.
Machine Learning Engineer

Machine Learning Engineer

Strategic Employment

Chicago, IL โ€ข Hybrid

Other

Re-posted 12 days ago


Job description

A well-established, publicly traded company in Chicago is hiring its first full-time Machine Learning Engineer. After two years of running ML systems in production through an outside consulting firm, this organization is building the capability in-house. This is a hands-on individual contributor role where you would be building new ML pipelines and models, while also maintaining and improving what is already in production.

Hybrid: 3 days onsite, 2 days remote

Downtown Chicago

What You Bring:

  • 4+ Machine Learning engineering experience
  • Hands-on work building, deploying, and maintaining models in production
  • Python experience
  • Full pipeline experience: data ingestion, training, evaluation
  • Understand MLOps

Pluses:

  • AWS SageMaker experience
  • Generative AI
  • SQL and/or other relational databases

US work authorization required; sponsorship is not available.

If this sounds like the right scope for where you are in your career, we would like to hear from you.



Strategic Employment Partners logo

About Strategic Employment Partners

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Strategic Employment Partners (SEP) was founded in 2007, serving companies in the Greater Los Angeles area by providing Technology Recruiting and Placement Services. With the combined experience of our seasoned professionals, SEP quickly began to build strong partnerships and provide curated talent for some of the largest and fastest growing companies in Los Angeles. Since then, SEP has expanded its operations and currently has eight divisions nationwide.

Industry

Recruiting and staffing services

Company size

51 - 200 Employees

Headquarters location

Los Angeles, CA, US

Year founded

2006

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