Tech Lead, Software Engineering

W.W. Grainger, Inc.; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 134,000 - 224,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/dental/vision

Life insurance

PTO + holidays

401(k) company match

Tuition reimbursement

Maternity/paternity leave

Job summary

W. W. Grainger, Inc. is forming a new software engineering team in Chicago, focused on publishing data to Grainger.com. As a Lead Software Engineer, you will guide architecture, balance stakeholder needs, and coach engineers to deliver scalable solutions.

The role offers a hybrid work pattern with two in-office days per week at the Merchandise Mart. Highly qualified remote candidates may travel to Chicago for onboarding and occasional meetings, with onsite onboarding required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree or equivalent in computer science or a related field.
• 5+ years of software engineering experience.
• Full stack development experience with React, Java, and TypeScript.
• Knowledge of distributed systems and backend integration patterns (REST APIs, event-driven, async).
• Experience using AI agents to understand systems and write code.

Responsibilities

• Lead engineering work on a team delivering high-quality, maintainable software for complex applications.
• Influence team adoption of sensible defaults to enable continuous delivery.
• Lead knowledge-sharing sessions on new tech and engineering practices.
• Maintain production software with proactive triage and on-call rotations.
• Mentor developers, conduct code reviews, and participate in pair programming.

Skills

Full stack development

Distributed systems

REST APIs

Agile methodologies

DevOps practices

Mentoring

AI-assisted coding

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

React

Java

TypeScript

Job description

Work Location Type: Hybrid

Req Number 334986

About Grainger

W.W. Grainger, Inc. is a leading broad line distributor with operations primarily in North America and Japan. At Grainger, We Keep the World Working® by serving more than 4.6 million customers worldwide with maintenance, repair and operating (MRO) products and value-added solutions delivered through innovative technology and deep customer expertise. Known for its commitment to service and purpose-driven culture, the Company reported 2025 revenue of $17.9 billion. For more information, visit www.grainger.com.

Compensation

The anticipated base pay compensation range for this position is $134,100.00 – $223,500.00. This role is eligible for an incentive target of up to 15% or $, based on the achievement of individual and company performance objectives in accordance with the current terms of the incentive program which are subject to change.

This position is not eligible for any form of sponsorship now or in the future. Individuals requiring sponsorship (e.g. OPT or H1B visa status) should not apply. Only individuals authorized to work in the United States now and for the foreseeable future will be considered for this position.

Rewards and Benefits

With benefits starting on day one, our programs provide choice and flexibility to meet team members' individual needs, including:

• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans with coverage starting on day one of employment and 6 free sessions each year with a licensed therapist to support your emotional wellbeing.
• 23 paid time off (PTO) days annually for full-time employees (accrual prorated based on employment start date) and 6 company holidays per year.
• 6% company contribution to a 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan each pay period, no employee contribution required.
• Employee discounts, tuition reimbursement, student loan refinancing and free access to financial counseling, education, and tools.
• Maternity support programs, nursing benefits, and up to 14 weeks paid leave for birth parents and up to 4 weeks paid leave for non-birth parents.

Grainger Benefits

The pay range provided above is not a guarantee of compensation. The range reflects the potential base pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual base pay compensation will depend, in part, on factors such as geographic work location and relevant experience and skills.

The anticipated compensation range described above is subject to change and the compensation ultimately paid may be higher or lower than the range described above.

Grainger reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate its compensation and benefit programs in its sole discretion at any time, consistent with applicable law.

This position is not eligible for any form of sponsorship now or in the future. Individuals requiring sponsorship (e.g. OPT or H1B visa status) should not apply. Only individuals authorized to work in the United States now and for the foreseeable future will be considered for this position.

Position Details

We’re forming a new team which supports the publishing process that brings product data to Grainger.com. As a Lead Software Engineer (Software Engineer IV) on this team you will develop applications that align with a strategic vision. In addition to coaching engineers, you will partner with key stakeholders, including Product Managers, Business Users, and Architecture to turn complex workflows and requirements into clean, maintainable applications. You will embrace curiosity to ensure a deep understanding of the business requirements that drive the

analysis and physical design of technical solutions. The publishing process impacts products and systems across multiple domains, so you will work on internal tools and customer-facing systems.

Chicago, IL is the preferred location with a hybrid work environment (2 days per week in the Merchandise Mart office). We will also consider highly qualified remote candidates who are willing to travel to Chicago for onboarding and occasional team meetings. Onsite onboarding will be required.

You Will

• Lead engineering work on a team responsible for the support and delivery of high-quality,
  maintainable software for highly complex applications
• Influence team adoption of sensible defaults to enable continuous delivery activities
• Contribute to continuous learning on your team culture by leading knowledge sharing
  sessions with latest technological features and engineering practices
• Maintain software in production with demonstrated ability to triage and resolve issues, and
  in an evening on-call rotation.
• Mentor developers, conduct code reviews, and participate in pair programming.

You Have

• Bachelor's Degree or equivalent experience in computer science or similar; or equivalent
  experience required
• 5+ years of experience as a Software Engineer, with experience in modern software
  engineering; designing, building, and deploying scalable software applications required
• Expert knowledge of programming skills, including full stack software development
  experience in relevant technologies such as React, Java, Typescript
• Demonstrated knowledge of distributed system design and backend integration patterns,
  including REST APIs, event-driven systems, and asynchronous workflows
• Demonstrated knowledge of using AI agents to understand existing systems, write code,
  improve workflows.
• Experience analyzing, interpreting, and communicating complex problems and
  processes
• Familiarity with Agile/Scrum methodologies and DevOps practices

We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or expression, protected veteran status or any other protected characteristic under federal, state, or local law. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.

We are committed to fostering an inclusive, accessible work environment that includes both providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities during the application and hiring process as well as throughout the course of one’s employment, should you need a reasonable accommodation during the application and selection process, including, but not limited to use of our website, any part of the application, interview or hiring process, please advise us so that we can provide appropriate assistance.