Best Remote Entry Level Software Engineer Jobs

Best Remote Entry Level Software Engineer Jobs at Built In Chicago — Research Report

Introduction

The Best Remote Entry Level Software Engineer Jobs listed through Built In Chicago are attractive because they sit at the intersection of early-career growth, flexible work, and real product impact. For candidates who want a remote-first path into software engineering, these roles can be a strong launch point into modern tech teams with structured hiring and practical expectations.

The internship/job period for these opportunities is typically listed as Deadline: Varies by listing, which means timing matters. If you are serious about a Built In Chicago internship or entry-level role, the strongest candidates apply quickly, tailor their materials, and show evidence that they can learn fast and ship useful work.

This report breaks down what the role looks like, what recruiters care about, how the hiring process usually works, and how to improve your odds of getting selected. If you want to learn how to get hired at Built In Chicago, the most important theme is simple: show real engineering potential, not just coursework.

Overview of Built In Chicago

Built In Chicago is part of the Built In network, a digital platform focused on tech jobs, employer branding, and local startup and technology ecosystems. Its Chicago presence makes it especially relevant for candidates targeting software roles in a major Midwest tech market while still looking for remote options.

The platform operates in a niche between job board, content publisher, and employer marketing partner. That positioning matters because companies that post there are often active in hiring and want candidates who understand modern product teams, especially in software, data, design, and engineering.

In practical terms, Built In Chicago helps connect job seekers with companies across SaaS, fintech, health tech, logistics, adtech, and consumer software. That mix gives it broad market relevance, especially for early-career candidates who want to compare multiple employers rather than apply to a single company at a time.

The culture around Built In Chicago roles is generally shaped by startup and scale-up expectations: comfort with ambiguity, quick iteration, and a willingness to learn new tools. Candidates like these roles because they often offer more hands-on experience than highly structured enterprise programs.

People also value the platform because it surfaces jobs with remote flexibility, local-market context, and company profiles that help candidates make better decisions. For entry-level engineers, that combination can make the search feel much more strategic and less random.

Best Remote Entry Level Software Engineer Jobs Role

Role Overview

A remote entry-level software engineer typically supports product development by writing, testing, and maintaining code under the guidance of senior engineers. In a Built In Chicago listing, that may mean joining a startup, growth-stage company, or established tech team that uses the platform for hiring visibility.

The business impact of the role is real even at the junior level. Entry-level engineers help ship features, fix bugs, improve performance, and support internal tooling, which directly affects user experience and team velocity.

Detailed Responsibilities

• Build and maintain front-end or back-end features based on product requirements.
• Write clean, testable code and participate in code reviews.
• Debug issues across the application stack and help resolve production bugs.
• Collaborate with product managers, designers, and engineers in sprint planning.
• Document code changes, setup steps, and technical decisions.
• Support QA processes by reproducing issues and validating fixes.
• Learn team standards for Git workflows, branching, and deployment.

Day-to-Day Workflow

A realistic day usually starts with a standup or async check-in, followed by focused coding blocks. Early-career engineers often spend part of the day implementing assigned tickets and part of it asking questions, reading existing code, or testing their changes locally.

Expect frequent context switching at first. One hour may involve updating a React component, the next may involve investigating a failing API call or learning how the team structures pull requests in GitHub.

Remote work adds another layer: you need to communicate clearly in Slack, respond quickly to feedback, and be disciplined about time management. Strong junior engineers are not the ones who know everything; they are the ones who unblock themselves efficiently and keep momentum moving.

Tools and Technologies

The exact stack varies by employer, but remote entry-level software engineer jobs listed through Built In Chicago often mention common modern tools. The most likely environment includes JavaScript or TypeScript, React, Node.js, Python, Java, Git, GitHub, and SQL.

Depending on the company, you may also work with Docker, AWS, REST APIs, GraphQL, PostgreSQL, Jira, Linear, Slack, and CI/CD tools. On the front end, familiarity with HTML, CSS, component libraries, and browser debugging tools is often essential.

Skills and Requirements

Technical Skills

For an entry-level role, hiring teams usually care more about fundamentals than niche expertise. You should be comfortable with at least one programming language, data structures, object-oriented or functional concepts, version control, and basic debugging.

For front-end leaning roles, React, TypeScript, DOM manipulation, and responsive UI implementation are common requirements. For back-end roles, APIs, databases, authentication, and server-side logic matter more.

It also helps to understand software engineering basics such as testing, reading documentation, writing modular code, and using Git branches properly. Even if the listing does not require advanced systems knowledge, teams notice candidates who can explain how software is built, not just what they copied in class.

Soft Skills

Communication is one of the most important skills for remote junior engineers. If you cannot clearly explain what you tried, what broke, and what you need help with, the team will spend extra time supporting you.

Problem-solving, curiosity, and coachability matter just as much as technical knowledge. Employers want someone who can handle feedback well, learn from mistakes, and stay calm when a ticket is harder than expected.

Time management is another big factor. Remote roles reward people who can prioritize, write updates proactively, and keep tasks moving without constant supervision.

Experience Expectations

Most entry-level roles do not require professional experience, but they do expect proof that you can build things. That proof usually comes from internships, class projects, open-source contributions, hackathons, freelance work, or personal apps.

A strong portfolio usually includes 2–4 polished projects with clear explanations of the problem, stack, architecture, and your exact contributions. GPA may help if it is strong, but project quality and technical discussion ability usually matter more.

Hiring managers often look for candidates who can show progression: a beginner project, a more advanced app, and evidence that you improved through iteration. That pattern signals readiness for a real team environment.

Salary and Benefits

For remote entry-level software engineer jobs in the Chicago market, a realistic salary range is often around $75,000 to $105,000 annually, with some companies paying more depending on funding, stack, and location rules. Internships are usually paid hourly, often in the $25 to $45 per hour range for competitive tech employers.

Benefits can include remote-first schedules, home office stipends, learning budgets, paid holidays, health coverage for full-time roles, and flexible working hours. Some companies also offer mentorship, conference access, or reimbursement for certifications and technical courses.

Full-time conversion opportunities are often strongest when the role is tied to a growth-stage team that uses internships as a recruiting pipeline. If you perform well, communicate consistently, and ship meaningful work, you can position yourself for a return offer or a full-time junior hire conversation.

Built In Chicago Hiring Process

Step-by-Step Hiring Stages

1. Application
2. Screening
3. Assignment
4. Interviews
5. Offer

The application stage usually includes a resume, basic background details, and sometimes a portfolio or GitHub link. Screening is often a recruiter review to confirm fit, location eligibility, and baseline qualifications.

The assignment stage may involve a coding challenge, take-home project, or technical screening exercise. Interviews typically include behavioral questions, technical discussion, and sometimes a meeting with the hiring manager or future teammates.

Application Timeline

Because deadlines vary by listing, the safest strategy is to apply as soon as you find a strong fit. Early application often matters more than perfect timing because many recruiters review candidates on a rolling basis.

From application to offer, the process can take anywhere from one to four weeks for some startups and longer for larger employers. Remote hiring can move quickly, but delays are common if multiple interviewers need to align calendars.

Screening Methods

Applicant tracking systems often scan for keywords tied to the tech stack, programming languages, and project experience. That means your resume should naturally include relevant tools such as React, Python, SQL, Git, or AWS if you have used them.

Recruiters also look closely at portfolio quality, GitHub activity, and whether your experience matches the role level. If your resume shows only coursework with no projects, your odds drop significantly for competitive entry-level roles.

Interview Preparation

Example Interview Questions

• Tell me about a project where you had to debug a difficult issue and how you solved it.
• How would you structure a simple API for a task-tracking application?
• Describe a time you worked with a team and had to handle feedback on your code.
• What would you do if a feature worked locally but failed in production?

How to Answer

Use the STAR method: situation, task, action, result. For technical questions, go one step further and explain tradeoffs, not just outcomes.

Interviewers want to hear how you think. Walk them through your process, mention assumptions, and be honest about what you know versus what you would research.

When answering behavioral questions, connect your story to team impact. A good answer does not just show effort; it shows reliability, learning speed, and accountability.

What Recruiters Evaluate

Recruiters evaluate technical readiness, communication, portfolio strength, and genuine interest in the company’s work. They also want to know whether you are likely to succeed in a remote environment without constant hand-holding.

For junior candidates, enthusiasm matters more when it is paired with evidence. A candidate who says they love software engineering and can point to a deployed project, clean repository, and thoughtful explanation stands out fast.

How to Get Selected

Practical Tips

• Tailor your resume to the stack named in the job posting.
• Include links to GitHub, portfolio, or deployed projects.
• Show impact with numbers when possible, such as users, downloads, or performance improvements.
• Prepare one strong story for debugging, collaboration, and learning quickly.
• Apply early and follow up professionally if appropriate.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

One common mistake is submitting a generic resume that looks identical to every other entry-level application. Another is listing too many tools without proving you have actually used them in a project.

Candidates also get rejected when their portfolio is incomplete, hard to navigate, or missing explanations. If a recruiter has to guess what you built, they will move on faster than you expect.

Weak interview answers are another issue. If you cannot explain a project clearly or describe a bug you solved, it signals shallow understanding even if your code looked fine on paper.

How to Stand Out

The best way to stand out is to make your application feel real and specific. A polished portfolio, one or two deployed apps, and a resume tailored to the role can instantly separate you from applicants who only list classes.

Networking also helps. Engaging with employees, recruiters, alumni, or local tech communities can improve visibility and give you better insight into what the team values.

If you want an edge, build a project that mirrors the job’s environment. For example, a remote-friendly dashboard, a CRUD app with authentication, or an API-backed product with tests and deployment tells a stronger story than a simple tutorial clone.

Final Thoughts

Remote entry-level software engineer jobs listed through Built In Chicago can be an excellent entry point into tech if you approach them strategically. The strongest candidates are not necessarily the most advanced coders; they are the ones who present clear evidence of learning, building, and collaborating well.

If you are targeting this path, focus on your portfolio, tighten your resume, and prepare to explain your projects like a professional engineer. That combination is often the difference between getting screened out and moving forward in a competitive hiring process.

Frequently Asked Questions

Salary Question

The salary for Best Remote Entry Level Software Engineer Jobs at Built In Chicago is typically estimated at about $75,000 to $105,000 for full-time roles, with internship pay often around $25 to $45 per hour depending on the employer and stack.

Competition Level

It is competitive to get hired at Built In Chicago because the platform attracts strong applicants across many companies and role types. Your odds improve significantly if you apply early, tailor your materials, and show tangible project experience.

Most Important Skills

The most important skills for this role are coding fundamentals, Git, debugging, communication, and the ability to learn quickly. For many listings, React, JavaScript, TypeScript, SQL, and API experience will also be highly valuable.