Startup Software Developer Internship Jobs in Chicago, IL

Why Work at Paylocity

Paylocity is an award-winning provider of cloud-based HR and payroll software solutions, offering the most complete platform for the modern workforce. The company has become one of the fastest-growing HCM software providers worldwide by offering an intuitive, easy-to-use product suite that helps businesses automate and streamline HR and payroll processes, attract and retain talent, and build a strong workplace culture.
While traditional HR and payroll providers automate basic HR processes such as payroll and benefits administration, Paylocity goes further by developing tools that HR and businesses need to compete for talent and deliver against the expectations of the modern workforce. 

Early careers 

Bring your talent and eagerness to learn to Paylocity, where you’ll discover the skills needed to launch your career! 

Benefit from award-winning training and one-on-one coaching as you play a key role in Paylocity’s future with an early careers position. 

Explore how you can go from the classroom to the conference room with internships and new-grad programs at one of Glassdoor's Best Places to Work. 

Experience the support that’ll take you from grad to a flourishing career with a position in Paylocity’s early careers division! 

Our Product & Technology organization operates in small, mission-focused agile teams responsible for building and maintaining Paylocity’s cloud-based platform. Software Engineers at Paylocity typically operate as full stack developers, contributing across frontend user interfaces, backend services, and APIs. Engineers are involved throughout the full software development lifecycle, from design and implementation through testing, deployment, and ongoing improvement.

As an intern, you will contribute to well-scoped development work, learn modern engineering practices, and gain exposure to how high-quality software is built and delivered at scale. With mentorship and guidance, you will write production-quality code and collaborate closely with your team to deliver real outcomes.

In-Office: This is a 100% in-office role based in Guadalajara, Mexico. Remote or hybrid work is not available for this position. Candidates must be able to work on-site five days per week during designated work hours. 

Timeframe: January 2027- May 2027 

• The responsibilities below represent the primary duties of the role. With support from mentors and teammates, you will 
• Desgin, implement, and modify software across frontend, backend and service layers within defined scope and timelines
• Contribute to user-facing features, APIs, and supporting services under guidance from senior engineers
• Write clean, well-documented code following established coding standards and best practices
• Collaborate with Software Test Engineers to ensure features are tested and production-ready
• Participate in code reviews and incorporate feedback to improve code quality
• Implement and maintain automated tests for assigned features
• Debug issues and contribute to root cause analysis and problem resolution
• Participate actively in agile ceremonies, including stand-ups, sprint planning, and retrospectives
• Document technical decisions and solutions clearly
• Work closely with product and design partners to understand requirements and tradeoffs

• Currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related technical field
• Final-year student or graduating within 6–9 months of internship start
• Strong foundation in computer science fundamentals
• Experience with at least one programming language used in modern web or service-based applications (e.g., C#, Java, JavaScript, Python, or similar)
• Understanding of basic software development principles and object-oriented design
• Familiarity with version control systems (e.g., Git)
• Ability to work effectively in a collaborative, team-oriented environment
• Excellent command of the English language, with the ability to communicate effectively in both written and spoken English in a professional, technical environment

• Prior internship, co-op, or meaningful academic project experience
• Exposure to automated testing frameworks
• Familiarity with agile software development practices
• Experience working with modern web or cloud-based applications
• Exposure to full stack development concepts, including frontend frameworks, backend services, or API-driven architectures
• Exposure to AI or machine learning concepts through coursework, projects, or practical experimentation (e.g., using AI-assisted development tools, building small models, or integrating AI APIs)

• How software is designed, built, tested, and delivered in a professional product organization
• How to collaborate effectively with engineers, QA, and product partners
• How to write production-quality code that meets quality and performance standards
• How to participate in code reviews and technical discussions
• How to balance delivery, quality, and maintainability

This internship is designed to prepare interns for future full-time opportunities at Paylocity. High-performing interns may be considered for conversion into an Associate Software Engineer role upon graduation, based on performance, business needs, and available headcount.

At Paylocity, we believe diverse perspectives strengthen our teams. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone can grow and succeed.

Paylocity is an equal-opportunity employer. Paylocity is committed to the full inclusion of all individuals. We recruit, train, compensate, and promote regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, veteran status, and other protected status as required by applicable law. At Paylocity, we believe diversity makes us better.   

We embrace and encourage our employees’ differences in age, culture, ethnicity, family or marital status, gender identity or expression, language, national origin, physical and mental ability, political affiliation, race, religion or spiritual belief, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, veteran status, and other characteristics that make our employees unique. We actively cultivate these differences through our employee resource groups (ERGs), employee experiences, perspectives, talents, and approaches to drive innovation in the software and services we provide our customers.  

We comply with federal and state disability laws and make reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. To request reasonable accommodation in the job application or interview process, please contact accessibility@paylocity.com. This email address is exclusively designated for such requests, aligning with federal and state disability laws. Please do not send resumes to this email address, as they will be removed. 

 Your personal data will be processed for recruitment purposes in accordance with our Notice of Privacy Practices for Mexico Job Applicants and applicable Mexican data protection laws.