Technical Expertise Jobs in Chicago, IL

Junior AI Ops Engineer: $70k–$90k, Mid‑level: $90k–$120k, Senior: $120k–$150k, Lead: $150k–$180k.

Key skills include Python, Kubernetes, Terraform, Docker, CI/CD (GitLab, Jenkins), and observability (Prometheus, Grafana). Preferred certifications are AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate, GCP Professional Cloud Architect, Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA), and ML‑Ops certificates such as TensorFlow Developer.

About 75% of listings offer full‑time remote or hybrid arrangements. Employers often list 'Remote' or 'Hybrid' in the job title; check the location field or tags for 'Remote'.

Typical ladder: Junior Cloud Engineer → Senior Cloud Engineer → Lead Cloud Architect → Director of Cloud Services → VP of Engineering. Each step adds responsibility for architecture design, team leadership, and strategic roadmap.

Edge computing adoption is projected to grow 30% CAGR; AI Ops tools are integrating with Kubernetes for predictive autoscaling; quantum‑edge hybrid solutions are emerging in finance; serverless and multi‑cloud governance are expanding; stay current with Kubernetes, Terraform, and AI‑Ops platforms.