Daunting ice formations decorate Lake Michigan’s shores like shattered ornaments from last month’s holiday tree. The temperatures continue to plummet, there are flurries in the air and a blanket of silence hangs between the Windy City’s office buildings as people continue to work from home.
Chicago’s weather might be in full “winter blues” mode, but this is hardly the case for the city’s bustling tech scene. With Q1 already well underway, teams are ambitiously ramping up to make this new year even more successful than the last.
That’s why Built In Chicago dug a little deeper into five companies that are standing out this month. We took a look at who they are, what’s got people taking notice and all the ways they’re keeping internal teams supported no matter their working location.
Take a look at retail and consumer intelligence company NielsenIQ, for instance. Its office might be based in Chicago, but the team’s reach can be accounted for across the globe as they look to fill more than 260 open positions — many of which are remote.
Meanwhile, employees at companies like DISQO and Fast Radius can’t stop buzzing about the co-workers and company cultures that help them contribute to making a real difference in the world every day.
Ready for a new opportunity to kick off 2022? All five organizations just so happen to be hiring.
What they do: NielsenIQ is a trusted source for retail and consumer intelligence. Using comprehensive data sets and powerful insights, NielsenIQ enables businesses to make critical decisions confidently and easily navigate the marketplace.
Making remote work, work: “As a leader, I am very sensitive to simple things like making sure we are not keeping teams on the other side of the globe awake,” VP of Technology Subramanyam Kumarapuram previously told Built In. “That includes making sure we have meetings during overlap periods when both sides are at work and knowing when there are important festivals and events to ensure teams get time in the office. Additionally, we provide what is necessary to function remotely.”
Engaging hyper-growth mode: NielsenIQ is currently scaling at a rapid pace, hiring for more than 260 open positions both in Chicago and remotely around the globe. Jobs range from junior statistician and consumer insights intern all the way up to VP of consumer/brand health and beyond.
What they do: DISQO is an audience insights platform where members share information that improves the human experience. The company offers brands cloud-based measurement software and research APIs to help them engage their customers.
People-first culture: “DISQO’s company values originated through a grassroots, collaborative effort,” VP of People Operations Tiffany Chelsvig previously told Built In. “We knew we didn’t want a situation where a few people decided on something that would become overlooked words on a wall. It was important for us to have our people’s input, so we surveyed them and asked their thoughts on our workplace culture.”
Now hiring: DISQO is currently hiring for more than 50 open jobs, including roles like senior data engineer, insights manager, VP of engineering, lead product manager, UX content writer and more. Solely working from home? They have remote positions, too.
What they do: Fast Radius is a manufacturing company that provides automotive, medical devices and consumer goods businesses with the tools they need to scale.
Employee buzz: “I wanted to work for a company that not only benefits from my manufacturing and design experience but also helps me learn and grow as a mechanical engineer,” Application Engineer Kathleen Bollito previously told Built In. “The company culture I felt throughout the interviews was very welcoming but nothing compared to what it actually is here at Fast Radius. I have never felt such positive energy in a work environment or had so much support right at my fingertips.”
Fully stacked tech: “We’ve developed a powerful tech stack,” said Engineering Manager Daelynn Moyer. “Our front end tech leans on React and Typescript, and includes a lot of the latest React features and best practices. Our APIs and backend stack are particularly interesting, relying on Elixir for our APIs, and Rust and Python for some of our glue services and machine interactions. Being a Fast Radian is a real joy!”
What they do: Rocket Travel, also known as Rocketmiles, partners with loyalty programs around the world to make travel rewarding. Customers can earn and redeem miles, points and gift cards, or save money with exclusive discounts.
Insider insight: At Rocketmiles, ownership is important for remote work success. “Ownership is encoded in our company values of accountability, curiosity and community, and for good reason,” Director of Engineering Steven Noto previously told Built In. “Good ownership helps you thrive when you’re in control of your working arrangements.”
Perks worth noticing: When it comes to employee culture, work-life balance is essential at Rocketmiles. That’s why the company offers impressive benefits like a remote work program, generous parental leave for new parents, a mentorship program to encourage promoting from within and vacation credits to take advantage of unlimited PTO.
What they do: In the era of cryptocurrency, DigitalMint enables consumers to buy Bitcoin instantly through Bitcoin ATM and teller locations. Using digital currencies as a tool for financial access and inclusion, DigitalMint aims to empower underserved and underbanked populations.
Well-protected national treasure: With ATM locations across the U.S. and a matching program for competitor markup rates, DigitalMint offers crypto customers an attractive and convenient avenue for building their digital currency assets. DigitalMint is also one of the founding members of the Cryptocurrency Compliance Cooperative, an organization dedicated to enforcing compliance standards, supporting intelligent regulation and preventing money laundering to keep customer assets safe.
Benefits aplenty: DigitalMint employees, like their customers, are in good hands. The company offers extensive perk packages that include full health and wellness coverage, a flexible work-from-home policy, a continuing education stipend, performance bonuses and commuter benefits for those city folk who want to pop into the office.
