Senior Software Engineer Contract Jobs in Chicago, IL

Husch Blackwell LLP is a full-service litigation and business law firm with multiple locations across the United States, serving clients with domestic and international operations.

At Husch Blackwell we believe that diverse, equitable and inclusive teams lead to better outcomes. Husch Blackwell is committed to retaining, recruiting, developing, and promoting talented lawyers and business professionals with diverse backgrounds and experiences. We foster an engaged, diverse, and inclusive team culture of accountability and purpose that makes our Firm and our communities better.

Our firm is committed to attracting and retaining professionals who value each other and the service we provide by embracing Teamwork, Collaboration, Client Service, and Innovation. If you are a motivated professional looking for a long-term fit where you can grow in a role, and will be valued and empowered, then we invite you to apply to our Senior Software Engineer position. This position may be filled remotely or in a hybrid capacity in any of our Central and Eastern Time locations. Strong candidates located in Mountain Time will also be considered.

The Senior Software Engineer designs, builds, and maintains the technical systems and application infrastructure that power high-quality, human-centered information experiences. This role is responsible for the architecture, performance, and reliability of web applications and the data systems that support them, in service of Information Design & Engineering (ID&E) objectives. The Software Engineer establishes and upholds technical standards, leads application architecture decisions, and collaborates with cross-functional teams to deliver engaging data stories, interactive visualizations, and innovative user interfaces. This position operates at the intersection of production engineering and research and development, requiring both the rigor to run reliable systems and the curiosity to prototype emerging capabilities, including generative AI integration, extended reality (XR) interfaces, and novel information design paradigms. Essential functions include:

• Architect, build, and maintain web application infrastructure and the data systems that support interactive, narrative-driven information experiences. 
• Own application-layer technical standards, including code quality, system design patterns, deployment practices, and performance benchmarks. 
• Collaborate with Information Engineers, designers, and data scientists to deliver engaging data stories, visualizations, and user interfaces that serve organizational goals. 
• Write and maintain production-quality code across the full stack, with particular emphasis on back-end services, data APIs, and application infrastructure. 
• Lead the evaluation, integration, and responsible deployment of generative AI capabilities within web applications and information systems. 
• Prototype and develop proof-of-concept architectures for emerging interface paradigms, including extended reality (XR) and AI-assisted user experiences. 
• Ensure application reliability, security, accessibility, and scalability across all systems owned by the ID&E team. 
• Research and evaluate new technologies, frameworks, and architectural approaches to advance the team's technical capabilities. 
• Establish and document technical standards and best practices for application engineering within the ID&E practice. 
• Partner with the Information Engineers on shared front-end concerns, providing architectural guidance while collaborating on design system implementation and UI component quality. 
• Participate in continuous learning and professional development, with particular focus on emerging technologies relevant to the transformation office's R&D agenda.

POSITION-SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (e.g., Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Systems) or equivalent practical knowledge and experience 
• 5+ years of experience in application engineering, software development, or a closely related technical role, with demonstrable progression toward senior-level ownership and decision-making 
• Proficiency across the full web stack, with particular depth in back-end services, data APIs, and application infrastructure; front-end fluency sufficient to collaborate effectively on UI architecture and component quality 
• Experience designing and owning web application architecture for data-intensive or interactive applications, including decisions around scalability, performance, and maintainability 
• Proficiency in one or more back-end languages (e.g., Python, Javascript, TypeScript) and familiarity with modern front-end frameworks (e.g., React, Vue) 
• Experience integrating generative AI capabilities into production or near-production applications, including working with LLM APIs and prompt-driven workflows 
• Knowledge of data pipeline architecture, data APIs, and cloud data platform integration, with the ability to design the application layer that consumes and exposes that data 
• Experience with cloud infrastructure and deployment practices (Azure preferred), including familiarity with CI/CD, environment management, and application security 
• Demonstrable knowledge of software architecture patterns, engineering best practices, and security principles appropriate to an enterprise environment 
• Familiarity with emerging interface technologies, such as extended reality (XR), spatial computing, or AI-assisted interfaces, or a demonstrated appetite for rapid learning in adjacent technical domains
• Interdisciplinary experience or intellectual curiosity that brings a distinctive perspective to technical problem-solving, particularly in the context of information design and emerging interface technologies.
• Demonstrable ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly to audiences of varying backgrounds, including legal professionals, firm leadership, and non-technical collaborators. 
• Strong ability to translate technical architecture and engineering decisions into outcomes that serve both business objectives and user experience goals.

The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of essential functions, responsibilities, or requirements. The Firm will provide reasonable accommodations as necessary to allow an individual with a disability to apply for and/or perform the essential functions of a position.  If you need assistance to accommodate a disability, please contact HR.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

Employees are entitled to compensation commensurate with skill and experience. The exact compensation will vary based on skills, experience, location, and other factors permitted by law. The expected compensation ranges for this position in various states and jurisdictions are as follows:

• State of Colorado: $107,000 - $191,000
• State of Connecticut: $95,000 - $241,000
• State of Illinois: $105,000 - $204,000
• State of Maine: $79,000 - $182,000
• State of Maryland: $113,000 - $171,000
• State of Massachusetts: $116,000 - $222,000
• State of Minnesota: $116,000 - $192,000
• Jersey City, NJ: $126,000 - $229,000
• State of New York: $108,000 - $234,000
• State of Vermont: $115,000 - $220,000
• State of Virginia: $76,000 - $220,000
• State of Washington: $113,000 - $214,000
• Washington, D.C.: $150,000 - $220,000

The above salaries do not include a discretionary bonus, however bonus opportunities are non-guaranteed, and are dependent upon individual and firm performance. Full-time employees receive benefits including: medical and dental coverage; life insurance; short-term and long-term disability insurance; pre-tax flexible spending account for certain medical and dependent care expenses; an employee assistance program; Paid Time Off; paid holidays; participation in a retirement plan program after meeting eligibility requirements; and more.

Please include a cover letter and resume when applying.

EOE/Minority/Female/Disabled/Vet. Principal Applicants Only.

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