Garver OPT Eligible Jobs USA
Garver is a consulting and professional services firm known for hiring OPT students across engineering, planning, and technical disciplines. If you're an F-1 student with an EAD, Garver's project-driven structure and history of H-1B visa sponsorship make it a solid target for OPT-to-H-1B transitions.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
Garver is seeking a Project Engineer to join our established Water Services team in Greenville, SC or Columbia, SC. This position will be responsible for performing a wide array of Water Business Line planning, modeling and design projects for Garver's clients in South Carolina, such as:
- Distribution systems, including conveyance and network piping, pump stations, storage units and reservoirs
- Collection systems, including interceptor, network and outfall piping, pump stations.
The Project Engineer will be led by a Senior Project Manager on a team consisting of multi-discipline design engineers and CAD technicians focused on the production of design phase deliverables including reports, technical memoranda, design manuals, plans, sections, details and specifications.
The successful candidate for this role must also have the following capabilities:
- Ability to work closely with clients to ensure quality deliverables are met efficiently
- Effectively communicate with internal and external clients one-on-one, as a group or in a presentation setting
- Ability to steer a team of junior project engineers and CAD Technicians to accomplish design, budget and project requirements
- Desire to gain marketing and project management experience
Garver offers the opportunity for further career development, mentorship from seasoned industry engineers and a fun, fast-paced work environment. Join us and see why Garver has been voted a "Best Firm to Work For."
REQUIREMENTS
- Bachelor's degree in civil, mechanical, biological, or environmental engineering from an ABET accredited program
- Licensed Engineer In Training or ability to gain within 6 months of hire
- Entry level to 1 year or more years of related water/wastewater design experience
- Familiarity with ODEQ regulations
- Strong communications skills
- Strong working knowledge of MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Project and Outlook
PREFERRED SKILLS
- Masters' degree in Civil or Environmental Engineering
- Hydraulic profiles
- Pump calculations
- Specification review
Grow With Us
Garver offers its employees programs such as company-paid professional memberships, company support for industry licenses and continuing education opportunities that foster a progressive atmosphere. Garver provides the tools, resources, and environment to develop leaders, stimulate ideas, and accomplish projects. By offering highly competitive salary packages, attractive benefits, and a comprehensive wellness program; Garver walks the talk when it comes to work-life balance.
Founded in 1919, Garver is an employee-owned engineering, planning, and environmental services firm focused on aviation, transportation, buildings, federal, water and wastewater services; surveying; advisory services; and construction engineering and inspection. In the top 100 of Engineering News-Record’s Top 500 Design Firms list, with more than 1,400 employees, Garver provides an exceptional level of client service that reflects our people-first culture, which has achieved Zweig Group Best Firm to Work For Legacy Status. Learn how Garver invests in people and places they call home at GarverUSA.com.
Garver is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees. Our employment practices are based upon an individual's capabilities and qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other category protected by law.
INTRODUCTION
Garver is seeking a Project Engineer to join our established Water Services team in Greenville, SC or Columbia, SC. This position will be responsible for performing a wide array of Water Business Line planning, modeling and design projects for Garver's clients in South Carolina, such as:
- Distribution systems, including conveyance and network piping, pump stations, storage units and reservoirs
- Collection systems, including interceptor, network and outfall piping, pump stations.
The Project Engineer will be led by a Senior Project Manager on a team consisting of multi-discipline design engineers and CAD technicians focused on the production of design phase deliverables including reports, technical memoranda, design manuals, plans, sections, details and specifications.
The successful candidate for this role must also have the following capabilities:
- Ability to work closely with clients to ensure quality deliverables are met efficiently
- Effectively communicate with internal and external clients one-on-one, as a group or in a presentation setting
- Ability to steer a team of junior project engineers and CAD Technicians to accomplish design, budget and project requirements
- Desire to gain marketing and project management experience
Garver offers the opportunity for further career development, mentorship from seasoned industry engineers and a fun, fast-paced work environment. Join us and see why Garver has been voted a "Best Firm to Work For."
REQUIREMENTS
- Bachelor's degree in civil, mechanical, biological, or environmental engineering from an ABET accredited program
- Licensed Engineer In Training or ability to gain within 6 months of hire
- Entry level to 1 year or more years of related water/wastewater design experience
- Familiarity with ODEQ regulations
- Strong communications skills
- Strong working knowledge of MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Project and Outlook
PREFERRED SKILLS
- Masters' degree in Civil or Environmental Engineering
- Hydraulic profiles
- Pump calculations
- Specification review
Grow With Us
Garver offers its employees programs such as company-paid professional memberships, company support for industry licenses and continuing education opportunities that foster a progressive atmosphere. Garver provides the tools, resources, and environment to develop leaders, stimulate ideas, and accomplish projects. By offering highly competitive salary packages, attractive benefits, and a comprehensive wellness program; Garver walks the talk when it comes to work-life balance.
Founded in 1919, Garver is an employee-owned engineering, planning, and environmental services firm focused on aviation, transportation, buildings, federal, water and wastewater services; surveying; advisory services; and construction engineering and inspection. In the top 100 of Engineering News-Record’s Top 500 Design Firms list, with more than 1,400 employees, Garver provides an exceptional level of client service that reflects our people-first culture, which has achieved Zweig Group Best Firm to Work For Legacy Status. Learn how Garver invests in people and places they call home at GarverUSA.com.
Garver is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees. Our employment practices are based upon an individual's capabilities and qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other category protected by law.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Garver OPT Eligible Jobs USA
Align your degree to Garver's technical roles
Garver hires heavily in civil, structural, and environmental engineering disciplines. Before applying, confirm your degree field maps directly to the role's stated requirements. A clear match between your academic background and the position strengthens your OPT eligibility for that specific job.
Confirm Garver's E-Verify enrollment before accepting
STEM OPT's 24-month extension requires your employer to be enrolled in E-Verify. Before signing an offer, verify Garver's enrollment status through the official E-Verify employer search tool so your extension eligibility isn't at risk after you've already started.
Target project-based teams with ongoing client work
Garver's consulting structure means OPT hires often land in project-delivery teams tied to infrastructure or planning contracts. Roles on active, multi-year projects are more likely to support OPT students through the full authorization period and into H-1B sponsorship conversations.
Search Migrate Mate for verified Garver OPT roles
Filter your job search to employers with documented OPT hiring history before applying broadly. Migrate Mate lets you search Garver specifically and see which role types have supported OPT students, saving time you'd otherwise spend cold-applying to positions without confirmed OPT hiring patterns.
Time your application around your OPT start window
USCIS allows you to file your OPT application up to 90 days before your program end date, with authorization starting no earlier than that date. Coordinate your Garver application timeline so your EAD arrival aligns with their onboarding cycle and avoids a gap between your start date and authorization.
Ask directly about H-1B sponsorship during the offer stage
Garver sponsors H-1B visas, but sponsorship decisions happen at the manager and HR level, not company-wide policy. Raise the H-1B question before accepting your OPT offer so you understand the team's track record and budget process before your 12-month OPT clock is already running.
Garver OPT Eligibility: Frequently Asked Questions
Does Garver sponsor OPT visas?
Garver hires F-1 students who already hold OPT work authorization granted by USCIS. Garver doesn't petition or file for OPT itself since that authorization belongs to you, not the employer. What Garver does is onboard OPT students into qualifying roles and, in many cases, supports the transition to H-1B sponsorship once OPT authorization approaches its end.
Which roles and departments at Garver typically hire OPT students?
Garver's OPT hires concentrate in engineering disciplines such as civil, structural, transportation, and environmental engineering, reflecting the firm's core consulting practice areas. Planning, water resources, and construction management roles also appear regularly. Technical and project-delivery positions are your strongest targets since they align most directly with the degree-specific requirements that make OPT authorization applicable.
How do I navigate the OPT hiring process at Garver?
Apply to roles where your degree field directly matches the job description, as OPT authorization is tied to employment related to your major. Once you receive an offer, provide your EAD to HR and confirm Garver's E-Verify enrollment if you're pursuing the STEM extension. Use Migrate Mate to identify which Garver roles have supported OPT students before investing time in the application process.
How do I know if Garver will sponsor my H-1B after OPT?
Garver has a history of H-1B sponsorship, but decisions are made at the team and budget level rather than as a blanket policy for all OPT employees. Raise the question explicitly during the offer stage, not after you've started. Ask your hiring manager or HR contact whether the team has sponsored H-1B for OPT hires in the same role before.
What should I do if my OPT start date doesn't match Garver's onboarding schedule?
USCIS sets your OPT start date at the time of approval, so you can't work before that date regardless of when Garver wants you to begin. If there's a gap, discuss a delayed start date with HR. Some consulting firms accommodate this more readily than others when the candidate is already in their hiring pipeline and the role is project-dependent.
How does Garver hire OPT students?
OPT is work authorization granted directly to F-1 students after graduation — no employer petition is required. Garver 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 Garver's individual postings on Migrate Mate to confirm OPT acceptance per role.