Software Engineer/Senior Software Engineer/Lead Software Engineer

Software Engineer/Senior Software Engineer/Lead Software Engineer

Sponsored Programs Administration

This position may be eligible for a hybrid or remote work arrangement dependent with unit operational needs.

This position is not eligible for any type of sponsorship for work authorization.

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is a public land-grant research university in Illinois in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana. It is the flagship institution of the University of Illinois system and was founded in 1867. The university serves the people of Illinois through a shared commitment to excellence in teaching, research, public engagement, economic development and health care. Faculty, staff and students share their knowledge, expertise and resources with residents in every corner of the state through public service and outreach programs.

Sponsored Programs Administration (SPA) is a service unit under the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation, supporting the research enterprise throughout the entire lifecycle of an externally sponsored project, from proposal submission to award closeout. SPA consists of both a pre-award section, primarily responsible for proposal submission and award negotiation, and a post-award section, responsible for managing awards from account setup through closeout. The Sponsored Programs Administration Data and Systems team supports research administration systems, data management, including retrieval and analysis, cash management activities supporting the campuses and Systems offices, and training and outreach activities related to system use and support.

Job Summary

Reporting to the Senior Assistant Director of Data and Systems, the Software Engineer/Senior Software Engineer/Lead Software Engineer is responsible for development and maintenance of .NET based applications for Sponsored Programs Administration (SPA) and will assist in requirements gathering and documentation for new development projects. These will consist of data-driven applications in support of SPA's strategic initiatives, such as internal business process improvements, workflow tracking, electronic document management, sponsored program budget development, and data analytics dashboards. Most applications are hosted on the Microsoft Azure cloud infrastructure platform. A significant aspect for most projects will be integration with existing systems and data sources, such as the University's Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW), the grants and financial tables of the Banner ERP system, and the Kuali-based START myProposals and myResearch portals, as well as external systems such as the FDP Clearinghouse or SAM.

Duties & Responsibilities

Software Engineer

• Develop software according to requirements and specifications provided by end-users.
• Support existing applications by answering user questions, fixing bugs, refactoring, and iteratively enhancing available functionality.
• Utilize and follow established devops processes for source code control (Git), bug and feature request tracking, project documentation, project management, deployment, and testing.
• Respond to user requests for assistance in a timely and professional manner.

Senior Software Engineer

• All Software Engineer responsibilities.
• Maintain and continuously improve established devops processes for source code control (Git), bug and feature request tracking, project documentation, project management, deployment, and testing.
• Assist with the administration of the Azure cloud infrastructure, including provisioning, deployment, backups, and patching -- automating as many of the processes as possible.

Lead Software Engineer

• Lead the technical design and development of software solutions aligned with organizational goals, translating complex business requirements into scalable, secure, and maintainable applications.
• Provide technical leadership for existing applications, including architectural guidance, major refactoring initiatives, code reviews, and resolution of complex or high-impact issues.
• Own and guide DevOps practices and technical standards, including CI/CD pipelines, deployment strategies, testing frameworks, documentation, and tooling; evaluate and incorporate automation and AI-assisted tools where appropriate.
• Lead administration of the Azure cloud infrastructure, including provisioning, deployment, backups, patching, and security-related maintenance, with an emphasis on automating processes wherever feasible. Serve as a primary technical point of contact for stakeholders, ensuring timely, professional communication and effective coordination across teams.

Minimum Qualifications

Software Engineer

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Two (2) years of work experience in IT-related functions such as hardware/software support, programming, network design, network engineering, IT systems integration, or closely related field. College coursework which includes Information Technology (IT), IT Management, Programming, IT systems, or a closely related discipline may be substituted as follows:
  • 30 semester hours equals one (1) year.
  • Associate's Degree (60 semester hours) equals eighteen (18) months.
  • 90 semester hours equals two (2) years.
  • Bachelor's Degree (120 semester hours) equals three (3) years).
• Demonstrated experience with application development using .NET technologies.
• Demonstrated experience with SQL Server, Oracle, and/or other relational database.
• Demonstrated experience with web user interface design and coding (HTML, CSS, JavaScript).
• Demonstrated experience with requirements gathering.

Senior Software Engineer

• All Software Engineer minimum qualifications.
• Four (4) years of work experience in IT-related functions such as hardware/software support, programming, network design, network engineering, IT systems integration, or closely related field. College coursework which includes Information Technology (IT), IT Management, Programming, IT systems, or a closely related discipline may be substituted as follows:
  • 30 semester hours equals one (1) year.
  • Associate's Degree (60 semester hours) equals eighteen (18) months.
  • 90 semester hours equals two (2) years.
  • Bachelor's Degree (120 semester hours) equals three (3) years).

Lead Software Engineer

• All Software Engineer minimum qualifications.
• Six (6) years of work experience in IT-related functions such as hardware/software support, programming, network design, network engineering, IT systems integration, or closely related field. College coursework which includes Information Technology (IT), IT Management, Programming, IT systems, or a closely related discipline may be substituted as follows:
  • 30 semester hours equals one (1) year.
  • Associate's Degree (60 semester hours) equals eighteen (18) months.
  • 90 semester hours equals two (2) years.
  • Bachelor's Degree (120 semester hours) equals three (3) years).

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's or advanced degree.
• Experience with containerized application development/deployment (Docker).

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Software Engineer

• Demonstrated expertise with SQL Server or MySQL database design/management; able to automate ETL tasks efficiently; analyze and optimize performance.
• Demonstrated ability to develop complex applications or sites, which integrate heavily with other systems (RESTful APIs for instance).
• Demonstrated understanding of best practices for the Web, including accessibility, usability standards, and standards compliance.
• Ability to work with people, both internal and external to the organization to accomplish IT project goals.
• Strong time management skills with the demonstrated ability to manage multiple concurrent maintenance and development tasks concurrently and to quickly re-prioritize based on user needs.
• Proven ability to collaborate successfully as a member of a small team on IT projects.
• Proven record of customer service excellence.
• Preferred:
  • In-depth understanding of the University Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW)/Banner Data.
  • Familiar with Tableau, Power BI, or other data analysis tools.
  • Knowledge of and ability to utilize project management tools.
  • Familiarity with the Microsoft Azure Cloud Infrastructure or other cloud-based platform.

Senior Software Engineer

• All Software Engineer Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
• Ability to develop systems in an efficient and well written manner with minimal oversight
• Preferred:
  • All Software Engineer Preferred Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
  • Familiarity with modern front-end javascript frameworks such as React, Vue, Angular, etc.
  • Experience integrating AI services (such as Azure OpenAI or similar platforms) into production applications using APIs

Lead Software Engineer

• All Senior Software Engineer Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
• Proven ability to lead systems architecture from the ground up
• Preferred:
  • All Senior Software Engineer Preferred Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Appointment Information

This is a 100% full-time Civil Service 5031 - Information Technology Technical Associate position, appointed on a 12-month basis. The expected start date is as soon as possible after the close date. The budgeted salary range for the position is $85,000 to $105,000. Salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience, while also considering internal equity.

For more information on Civil Service classifications, please visit the SUCSS web site at https://www.sucss.illinois.gov/pages/classspec/default.aspx.

Application Procedures & Deadline Information

Applications must be received by 6:00 pm (Central Time) on Friday, April 17, 2026. Apply for this position using the Apply Now button at the top or bottom of this posting and upload a cover letter, resume, and names/contact information (including phone number and email address) for three professional references. Applications not submitted through https://jobs.illinois.edu will not be considered. If required by the position, transcripts or other documentation of credentials are to be provided no later than the first day of employment. For further information about this specific position, please contact Thurman Etchison at tetchis2@illinois.edu. For questions regarding the application process, please contact 217-333-2137.