Cleveland-Cliffs OPT Eligible Jobs USA
Cleveland-Cliffs hires OPT students primarily in engineering, metallurgy, and operations roles tied to its steel and iron ore production facilities. It's a viable target for F-1 students in materials science, mechanical, electrical, and industrial engineering who want a manufacturing career path with an eventual H-1B visa sponsorship track.
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Get Access To All JobsLocation: East Chicago, IN
Cleveland-Cliffs has an immediate opportunity for a Quality Engineer at our Indiana Harbor operation located in East Chicago, IN. The Quality Engineer is responsible for supporting the daily quality activities including inspection, testing, ensuring quality system compliance, reduction of waste/non-conforming material and metallurgical product improvement to make the highest quality steel. The ideal candidate will have prior steel industry experience in steel making, hot rolling, cold rolling or coating, be self-motivated and thrive in a fast-paced work environment with complex operations.
Summary of Responsibilities:
- Comply with safety, quality, and environmental standards
- Work closely within multifunctional teams to drive results and improve quality metrics
- Possess the ability to work effectively within a team environment, utilizing clear and effective communication skills
- Utilize metallurgical expertise to support product development, process optimization, and defect reduction initiatives through data analysis, problem solving, and knowledge of customer operations and markets
- Provide technical support for internal and external customer issues
- Meet with representatives of customers/processors to provide innovative solutions to quality and reliability issues and provide customers with timely solutions
- Regularly communicates customer problems to management and workforce
- Maintains quality design systems and trains customer account representatives on order requirements and setup
- Assists in development of corrective actions
- Reviews mill's quality performance and assists in continuous improvement activities
- Review and disposition off-chemistry slabs for prime order applications based on metallurgical compatibility and customer specifications
- Other duties as assigned
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s Degree in Metallurgical Engineering or Material Science or equivalent working experience.
- Two (2) years’ previous experience in an industrial or related environment.
- Working knowledge of metallurgical principles and steel defect origins.
- Good verbal and written communication skills.
- Familiar with the Microsoft Office programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access).
- Must be able to work in a hot, dusty environment.
- Interpersonal skills and the ability to operate effectively within a team-oriented, fast-paced environment.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Working knowledge of either steelmaking, hot rolling, cold rolling or plate operations.
- Demonstrated success in defining and resolving problems.
- Strong analytical skills.
Relocation assistance is not provided for this position.
Cleveland-Cliffs is a leading North America-based steel producer with focus on value-added sheet products, particularly for the automotive industry. The Company is vertically integrated from the mining of iron ore, production of pellets and direct reduced iron, and processing of ferrous scrap through primary steelmaking and downstream finishing, stamping, tooling, and tubing. We offer an excellent total compensation package, including competitive pay with variable compensation opportunity, health insurance, retirement plan, education assistance, paid time off, and more.
Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please send an e-mail to careers@clevelandcliffs.com or call 1-(312) 899-3097 and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Do not email your application materials to this email address. Application materials sent to this email address will not be considered.
Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. is an equal opportunity employer – M/F/Veteran/Disability. We are a drug-free workplace and conduct pre-employment screening as a condition of employment.
Location: East Chicago, IN
Cleveland-Cliffs has an immediate opportunity for a Quality Engineer at our Indiana Harbor operation located in East Chicago, IN. The Quality Engineer is responsible for supporting the daily quality activities including inspection, testing, ensuring quality system compliance, reduction of waste/non-conforming material and metallurgical product improvement to make the highest quality steel. The ideal candidate will have prior steel industry experience in steel making, hot rolling, cold rolling or coating, be self-motivated and thrive in a fast-paced work environment with complex operations.
Summary of Responsibilities:
- Comply with safety, quality, and environmental standards
- Work closely within multifunctional teams to drive results and improve quality metrics
- Possess the ability to work effectively within a team environment, utilizing clear and effective communication skills
- Utilize metallurgical expertise to support product development, process optimization, and defect reduction initiatives through data analysis, problem solving, and knowledge of customer operations and markets
- Provide technical support for internal and external customer issues
- Meet with representatives of customers/processors to provide innovative solutions to quality and reliability issues and provide customers with timely solutions
- Regularly communicates customer problems to management and workforce
- Maintains quality design systems and trains customer account representatives on order requirements and setup
- Assists in development of corrective actions
- Reviews mill's quality performance and assists in continuous improvement activities
- Review and disposition off-chemistry slabs for prime order applications based on metallurgical compatibility and customer specifications
- Other duties as assigned
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s Degree in Metallurgical Engineering or Material Science or equivalent working experience.
- Two (2) years’ previous experience in an industrial or related environment.
- Working knowledge of metallurgical principles and steel defect origins.
- Good verbal and written communication skills.
- Familiar with the Microsoft Office programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access).
- Must be able to work in a hot, dusty environment.
- Interpersonal skills and the ability to operate effectively within a team-oriented, fast-paced environment.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Working knowledge of either steelmaking, hot rolling, cold rolling or plate operations.
- Demonstrated success in defining and resolving problems.
- Strong analytical skills.
Relocation assistance is not provided for this position.
Cleveland-Cliffs is a leading North America-based steel producer with focus on value-added sheet products, particularly for the automotive industry. The Company is vertically integrated from the mining of iron ore, production of pellets and direct reduced iron, and processing of ferrous scrap through primary steelmaking and downstream finishing, stamping, tooling, and tubing. We offer an excellent total compensation package, including competitive pay with variable compensation opportunity, health insurance, retirement plan, education assistance, paid time off, and more.
Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please send an e-mail to careers@clevelandcliffs.com or call 1-(312) 899-3097 and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Do not email your application materials to this email address. Application materials sent to this email address will not be considered.
Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. is an equal opportunity employer – M/F/Veteran/Disability. We are a drug-free workplace and conduct pre-employment screening as a condition of employment.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Cleveland-Cliffs OPT Eligible Jobs USA
Align your degree to Cleveland-Cliffs roles
Cleveland-Cliffs hires OPT students for engineering and technical roles where a degree in materials science, metallurgical, mechanical, or industrial engineering directly matches the job. Pull the O*NET occupation profile for the specific role before applying to confirm your field qualifies as a specialty occupation.
Verify E-Verify enrollment before accepting offers
Your 24-month STEM OPT extension requires your employer to be enrolled in E-Verify. Confirm Cleveland-Cliffs's E-Verify status with your recruiter before signing an offer letter. Your DSO needs this confirmed before they can authorize the extension on your I-20.
Target plant-level engineering openings directly
Cleveland-Cliffs operates steelmaking and iron ore facilities across multiple states. Engineering roles at the plant level, not just corporate, tend to see the most OPT hiring. Search by facility location, not just company name, to surface openings that match your technical background.
Research Cleveland-Cliffs H-1B filing history first
Before applying, use Migrate Mate to review Cleveland-Cliffs's H-1B and EB-2/EB-3 filing history by role. Employers who regularly sponsor for permanent residence are statistically more committed to the OPT-to-H-1B transition, which matters when you're evaluating long-term sponsorship reliability.
Benchmark your offer against OFLC prevailing wages
Manufacturing employers filing LCAs must pay the DOL prevailing wage for your role, level, and location. Run your expected job title through the OFLC Wage Search before your offer negotiation so you know the floor, and can flag underpayment before it becomes an issue at H-1B filing.
Start H-1B conversations before your OPT end date
H-1B cap-subject petitions have an April 1 filing window with an October 1 start date. If your OPT or STEM OPT expires before your H-1B is approved, you may need a cap-gap bridge. Raise the H-1B timeline with your hiring manager or HR contact at least 12 months out.
Cleveland-Cliffs OPT Eligibility: Frequently Asked Questions
Does Cleveland-Cliffs sponsor OPT visas?
Cleveland-Cliffs doesn't sponsor OPT directly. OPT is work authorization USCIS grants to eligible F-1 students, not something an employer files for. What Cleveland-Cliffs does is hire students already holding an OPT EAD, particularly in engineering and technical roles. For STEM OPT extension eligibility, you'd need to confirm Cleveland-Cliffs is enrolled in E-Verify.
Which departments at Cleveland-Cliffs typically hire OPT students?
Cleveland-Cliffs's core hiring for OPT students concentrates in engineering disciplines tied to steelmaking and iron ore processing. That includes metallurgical, mechanical, electrical, and industrial engineering. Environmental, quality, and process engineering roles at plant facilities also appear regularly. Corporate functions like finance or HR are less common entry points for OPT candidates at a manufacturing company of this type.
How do I know if Cleveland-Cliffs will support an H-1B transition after OPT?
Cleveland-Cliffs has filed EB-2 and EB-3 green card petitions, which signals a baseline willingness to navigate long-term immigration sponsorship. You can review its H-1B and employment-based filing history by role and location on Migrate Mate before applying. Ask directly during the offer stage whether the company has a formal sponsorship policy for engineering hires coming off OPT.
What's the timeline for the STEM OPT extension if I'm hired at Cleveland-Cliffs?
You can apply to USCIS for the 24-month STEM OPT extension up to 90 days before your initial OPT EAD expires. Your DSO submits an updated I-20 recommending the extension after you provide a signed training plan from Cleveland-Cliffs. If you file before your OPT expires and USCIS hasn't adjudicated yet, your authorization is automatically extended by 180 days while the application is pending.
How do I position myself as a strong OPT candidate at Cleveland-Cliffs?
Focus your application on roles where your degree field maps directly to the job requirements. Manufacturing employers file LCAs that list the minimum degree field, so a mismatch creates problems at H-1B stage even if you're hired on OPT now. Highlight hands-on lab, co-op, or internship experience in materials or process engineering. Demonstrating familiarity with industrial-scale production environments makes a measurable difference in technical hiring at companies like Cleveland-Cliffs.
How does Cleveland-Cliffs hire OPT students?
OPT is work authorization granted directly to F-1 students after graduation — no employer petition is required. Cleveland-Cliffs can hire OPT students as soon as their EAD card is approved. STEM degree holders can extend OPT by 24 months when their employer is enrolled in E-Verify. Most companies that hire OPT students also support the transition to H-1B when the student's OPT period is ending. Check Cleveland-Cliffs's individual postings on Migrate Mate to confirm OPT acceptance per role.