9 Chicago Companies Hiring This Fall

As reported previously by Built In Chicago, the city and region’s tech sector is growing much faster — up 18 percent over the past decade — than the broader local economy — one percent. 

Chicago’s diversified economy is heavily based in legacy industries that include manufacturing, publishing, finance, insurance, healthcare, food processing and consumer products marketing. And it’s a transportation hub for people and goods moving by rail, air and on highways. Each of these sectors are hungry for tech talent that keeps companies competitive in a modern world.

One of the ways that Windy City firms, which range from start-ups to Fortune 100 companies, are adapting to the new expectations of hybrid and remote working culture is through co-working spaces. As reported in Government Technology, many companies are offering the option to work in spaces closer to home even if the primary offices are within commuting distance. 

But that’s just one option — a large portion of Chicagoans like their lively Loop, River North, Fulton Market, South Loop and West Loop offices for the vibrant lifestyle each offers within walking distance.

The region’s need for people in technology-related roles shows no slowdown in the last quarter of the year. Built In Chicago assembled this list of nine companies that are hiring and offering growth opportunities in industries that help the world move forward and move ahead.

 

 

 

What they do: Wolverine Trading is a market leader in derivatives valuation, trading and value-added order execution across global equity, options and futures markets. 

 

 

Authentic technologists: Wolverine drills down to what matters, technically speaking, in each position they offer and fill. “What drew me to Wolverine specifically, past the reputation, was that they were hiring a technical recruiter who was, well, technical,” said Mac Mleczko, himself a technical recruiter at Wolverine. “Often enough, in my search, I hopped on phone calls or had discussions with people who weren’t software engineers, didn’t have technical backgrounds and sounded pretty robotic in that they were looking for something they were told to look for.”

 

 

 

What they do: Wonderlic is a fully remote company that provides HR professionals with trusted, scientifically validated assessment tools for analyzing and comparing job candidates and improving the success rates of new hires and employee advancement. 

Technology combined with psychology: The company uses cutting-edge industrial and organizational  psychology research, machine learning, artificial intelligence — and its own company culture that includes a respect for diverse perspectives. The process allows hiring teams to mitigate unconscious biases inherent in employee recruitment. 

 

 

 

 

What they do: Strong Analytics is a team of machine learning scientists, data engineers, software engineers and data scientists who work with startups, mid-caps and Fortune 500 companies to apply AI and ML to organizational health and growth.

 

 

AI that helps people: While the company works with companies to help with marketing pharmaceuticals, food inspections, the design of future transport vehicles and optimizing restaurant inventory forecasting. It also has used machine learning to protect children’s online safety. 

“I’m proud of the impact that this project has every day, as it allows millions of kids to freely explore the online world while also keeping them safe,” said Juan Llanos, senior data scientist with Strong Analytics, in Built In Chicago. “I am also proud of the technical challenges that we’ve overcome, from building models that understand children’s constantly evolving vocabulary to scaling these models to the tens of millions of online text and media pieces that children are exposed to daily.”
 

 

 

What they do: Upside serves both online and bricks-and-mortar retailers, using AI and ML to help them to thrive while providing their customers with cash-back incentives on purchases of such things as groceries, gas and meals. 

 

Help the client help its contractors: The company has worked with both Lyft and Uber rideshare companies to help drivers pay less for gas and make more money. “Gig economy drivers have really kept our communities moving throughout the pandemic,” said Alex Kinnier, CEO of Upside, to Built In. “They’re driving as much as 75-100 miles per day, eating quick meals and snacks while on the go and often paying out-of-pocket. We’re proud to help ease the burden for drivers.”

 

 

 

What they do: Taking commercial trucking insurance to the next level, HDVI provides end-to-end telematics, software and data solutions that reward safer driving with dynamically-priced insurance policies.

 

 

This company attracts investment: In 2021, the company drew a $32.5 million investment because of its technology-driven approach to trucking insurance that employs sensors to collect information and algorithms to provide safety insights. Where was that money put to work? Product development and a national growth strategy.

 

 

 

What they do: The team of “unconsultants” at 10Pearls help companies navigate the complexities of healthcare plans through process optimization, data and analytics, strategic advisory services, digital transformation, digitization, technology integration, project management and innovation strategies.

 

Recognized nationally for growth: The company was recognized in 2023, for the fifth consecutive year, in the annual Inc. 5000 list, ranking number 1871 among America’s fastest-growing private companies. This honor is based in part on the firm’s 300 percent revenue growth with more than 1,500 subject matter experts. 10Pearls CEO Imran Aftab has also been named the EY Entrepreneur of the Year. "10Pearls continues to excel at delivering quality at scale globally through all facets of strategy, design, and implementation,” wrote Aftab on the company website. “Our success is attributed to our domain expertise in key verticals — healthcare, financial services and telecommunications, and strategic investments in AI and machine learning to help clients build future-ready digital properties."
 

 

 

What they do: CPI OpenFox delivers software solutions that are a network for federal and state law enforcement agencies to manage and share criminal data.

 

Why their people stay: CPI OpenFox has a culture that respects tenure. “I’ve been with the company for almost 10 years and a key reason for that is loyalty that goes both ways,” Tyler Cap, a senior software engineer, told Built In Chicago. “For example, when the pandemic hit, everybody worked remotely. Once we started phasing back into the office, it was a progression, and some people didn’t feel comfortable coming into the office for medical or personal reasons. CPI was very eager to work with them and make everybody feel comfortable. It wasn’t a hard stance of, ‘You either come in two days a week or you’re fired.’ It was, ‘How do we work this out for you? How do we accommodate you and how do we make everybody comfortable?’”