Staff Software Engineer

JLL • Chicago, CO

12d • $187,100 - $229,200 • Onsite

About The Position

As a Staff Software Engineer on JLL’s Legal Technology team, you will lead the design and implementation of end-to-end features across React front ends, Python and Node.js services, data stores, and AWS or Azure cloud deployment pipelines. You will build systems supporting JLL’s Legal and Anti-Financial Crime (AFC) functions, with emphasis on accuracy, auditability, confidentiality, and data privacy. This is a senior, hands-on technical role involving independent project ownership, engineering standards, and mentorship.

The role includes developing and supporting production applications and integrations, and using AI coding assistants in day-to-day development. You will also help build AI-enabled products and agent-based workflows, with human review and control over consequential decisions. You will collaborate with product owners, Legal and AFC stakeholders, Information Security, Data Privacy, and engineering teams to deliver secure, maintainable solutions and communicate technical trade-offs clearly.

The position is on-site in Chicago, Illinois. It does not provide visa sponsorship; candidates must be authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship. Expected compensation is $187,100–$229,200 per year. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis until a candidate is identified.

Requirements

• At least 8 years of professional software engineering experience.
• Strong full-stack development experience with backend services in Python or Node.js and front-end applications in React; Angular or Vue.js also considered.
• Experience delivering product-facing applications, internal tools, and dashboards.
• Experience designing, building, and maintaining RESTful APIs and microservice or distributed architectures.
• Hands-on experience with at least one major cloud platform, AWS or Azure, and ability to work across both.
• Working knowledge of CI/CD, infrastructure as code such as Terraform, CloudFormation, or Bicep, and containerization.
• Experience with relational databases such as PostgreSQL, SQL Server, or MySQL and NoSQL databases such as DynamoDB or Azure Cosmos DB.
• Daily, hands-on use of AI coding assistants such as Claude, Cursor, or GitHub Copilot, with ability to review, validate, and debug AI-generated code.
• Hands-on experience with modern LLM APIs, including prompt engineering, tool use/function calling, structured outputs, and context engineering.
• Ownership of testing strategy across unit, integration, and end-to-end layers, including building or improving test frameworks.
• Experience triaging production failures and independently driving root cause analysis to resolution.
• Experience building software that handles confidential or regulated data, with working knowledge of secure development practices, access control, and audit logging.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and ability to partner effectively with non-technical business stakeholders.
• Must be authorized to work in the United States without visa sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

• Experience building or deploying AI agents or agent orchestration frameworks, including multi-step workflows with tool use.
• Experience building MCP servers or clients, or working with enterprise agent platforms such as AWS Bedrock AgentCore or Azure AI Foundry.
• Working knowledge of Databricks, including Spark, Delta Lake, Unity Catalog, or workflows, and building data pipelines for applications and AI features.
• Experience with Legal, Compliance, or Anti-Financial Crime systems, such as KYC/onboarding, screening, case management, contract lifecycle management, matter management, or e-discovery, or experience in another regulated, data-intensive domain.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and implementation of end-to-end features across React, Python/Node.js services, data stores, and AWS or Azure deployment pipelines.
• Own features from discovery through production support and develop solutions for ill-defined or cross-domain problems.
• Define architecture patterns, reference designs, and technical standards for the team.
• Build security, confidentiality, and auditability into systems, including access controls, data segregation, audit trails, encryption, and retention controls.
• Establish solution structures, CI/CD, infrastructure as code, and DevSecOps practices for new and modernized applications.
• Collaborate with product owners, Legal and AFC stakeholders, and technical leads on product design, analysis, coding, and testing.
• Use AI coding assistants and enterprise AI tooling to develop, test, and iterate on production-quality code, validating AI-generated output appropriately.
• Build and maintain data pipelines and integrations across internal systems, third-party providers, and data platforms, including Databricks where applicable.
• Develop interfaces and dashboards that provide Legal and compliance users with clear, explainable views of data and AI-generated outputs.
• Design, build, and evaluate LLM-enabled features and AI agents for Legal and AFC workflows such as document intake and review, case triage, summarization, and data extraction.
• Implement human-in-the-loop controls, guardrails, and approvals for agent outputs that may affect legal or compliance decisions.
• Build and consume MCP servers and other tool integrations connecting agents to enterprise systems and data under least-privilege access.
• Create evaluation harnesses, test sets, and monitoring for AI output accuracy, drift, source traceability, and audit logging.
• Partner with Information Security, Data Privacy, and Legal stakeholders to align AI use with JLL policy and applicable regulatory expectations.
• Own testing strategy across unit, integration, and end-to-end layers, and build or improve test frameworks.
• Triage complex production failures, independently drive root cause analysis, and help others troubleshoot.
• Provide application support, observability, and operational excellence.
• Mentor engineers on engineering standards, AI-assisted development practices, and secure design for sensitive data.
• Work with product managers, Legal and AFC business partners, and engineering teams in fast iteration cycles.
• Explain technical trade-offs clearly to non-technical stakeholders, in writing and in person.

Benefits

• 401(k) plan with matching company contributions
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision care
• Paid parental leave at 100% of salary
• Paid time off and company holidays
• Early access to earned wages through Daily Pay
• Supportive culture and comprehensive benefits package prioritizing mental, physical, and emotional health

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed