Spirit AeroSystems OPT Eligible Jobs USA
Spirit AeroSystems is a major aerospace manufacturer that hires OPT students in engineering, manufacturing, and technical roles. Known for its work on commercial and defense aircraft structures, it offers OPT-eligible candidates meaningful pathways into the aerospace industry and a realistic route toward long-term H-1B visa sponsorship.
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INTRODUCTION
This role is at Spirit AeroSystems, Inc. a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company, supporting Spirit’s Commercial Business Units (“Spirit Commercial”). Spirit Commercial designs and builds commercial aerostructures, including for Boeing Commercial Airplanes, one of Boeing’s three business units and the premier manufacturer of commercial jetliners for decades. Spirit Commercial’s core products include fuselages, pylons, nacelles and wing components, with a focus on innovative composite and aluminum manufacturing solutions.
Responsibilities
Position Responsibilities:
- Develops and guides project and configuration management activities necessary to incorporate new products or product changes, in accordance with contractual, customer, program, and regulatory requirements.
- Analyzes sequence of operations and workflow to develop schedules for new products and existing product design changes.
- Has knowledge of the production system (e.g., supply, engineering, manufacturing, support, etc.), reviews and analyzes configuration data to control product changes, and negotiates between organizations to develop incorporation plans and integrated schedules.
- Monitors and ensures compliance with the plans and schedules and reports on status. Interfaces with program management, product design, contracts, tooling, manufacturing engineering, quality assurance, supply chain, component suppliers, assemblers, and product support, in order to develop and maintain configuration incorporation plans and integrated schedules via application of project & configuration management.
- Apply knowledge of project management to develop and maintain plans and schedules which integrate all production activities (e.g., product definition, procurement, manufacturing, testing, delivering, support, etc.).
- Ability to interpret technical work statements, manufacturing plans and program level plans.
- Ability to monitor and analyze the incorporation plan and to resolve plan deviations with the value chain.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor's degree
- 0-2 years of relevant experience
- Experience in project management or similar field
- Detail oriented
- Be able to handle schedule analysis
- Personable, great communication skills
- Adapts well to change
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Basic Microsoft Suite
- Knowledge of SAP
- SAP HANA preferred
- ECM/MCM knowledge is preferred
UNION
This is a union-represented position.
DRUG FREE WORKPLACE
We are a Drug Free Workplace where post offer applicants and employees are subject to testing for marijuana, cocaine, opioids, amphetamines, PCP, and alcohol when criteria is met as outlined in our policies.
PAY & BENEFITS
We strive to deliver a Total Rewards package that will attract, engage and retain the top talent. Elements of the Total Rewards package include competitive base pay and variable compensation opportunities. We also provide eligible employees with an opportunity to enroll in a variety of benefit programs, generally including health insurance, flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, retirement savings plans, life and disability insurance programs, and a number of programs that provide for both paid and unpaid time away from work. The specific programs and options available to any given employee may vary depending on eligibility factors such as geographic location, date of hire, and the applicability of collective bargaining agreements.
Pay is based upon candidate experience and qualifications, as well as market and business considerations.
Summary Pay Range – Entry Level (Level 1): $47,100 - $72,200
Kansas Tax Credit: Join Spirit AeroSystems’ Kansas team and you may be eligible for a $5,000 state of Kansas Aviation tax credit for up to five years. Click here for more information on the tax credit.
Job Roles at Spirit AeroSystems
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Spirit AeroSystems OPT Eligible Jobs USA
Target engineering roles with degree alignment
Spirit AeroSystems hires OPT students most consistently in structural, mechanical, and aerospace engineering roles. Before applying, verify your degree field maps directly to the job description, a close match strengthens your case for both OPT hiring and any future H-1B sponsorship.
Confirm E-Verify enrollment before accepting
Your STEM OPT 24-month extension requires your employer to be enrolled in E-Verify. Spirit AeroSystems is a federal contractor and participates in E-Verify, so you're covered, but always verify this through your offer documentation before your 90-day USCIS filing window opens.
Apply through Spirit's campus recruiting programs
Spirit AeroSystems recruits heavily at universities with strong aerospace engineering programs. Targeting their internship and co-op pipeline during your CPT period puts you inside the hiring process before OPT begins, which gives you a genuine edge over candidates applying cold.
Search verified OPT hiring data on Migrate Mate
Use Migrate Mate to check Spirit AeroSystems's actual hiring history for OPT-eligible roles before you apply. Seeing which job titles and departments have actively hired F-1 students helps you focus your application on the teams most likely to move forward with you.
Negotiate your start date around OPT timing
OPT authorization can take up to five months from your USCIS filing date. Coordinate your offer acceptance and start date with Spirit AeroSystems's HR team early so your EAD arrival aligns with onboarding, federal contractor workplaces enforce I-9 documentation strictly and can't extend informal grace.
Benchmark your salary using federal wage data
Spirit AeroSystems's aerospace engineering roles fall under specific SOC codes. Before negotiating your offer, run your job title through the OFLC Wage Search to understand prevailing wage levels for Wichita and other Spirit locations, this also prepares you for any future H-1B wage documentation.
Spirit AeroSystems OPT Eligibility: Frequently Asked Questions
Does Spirit AeroSystems sponsor OPT visas?
Spirit AeroSystems doesn't sponsor OPT directly, OPT is work authorization USCIS grants to F-1 students, not a visa employers petition for. What Spirit AeroSystems does is hire students who already hold an OPT EAD. The company is enrolled in E-Verify, which means it also supports STEM OPT 24-month extensions for eligible employees.
Which departments at Spirit AeroSystems typically hire OPT students?
Engineering functions are the strongest fit for OPT students at Spirit AeroSystems, particularly structural engineering, manufacturing engineering, and stress analysis roles. Quality assurance and supply chain positions have also drawn OPT-eligible hires. Roles tied to defense contracts may carry citizenship or clearance requirements that exclude F-1 workers, so read each job description carefully before applying.
How do I time my OPT application around a Spirit AeroSystems offer?
File your OPT application with USCIS up to 90 days before your program end date. Processing can take up to five months, so align your target start date with Spirit AeroSystems's hiring timeline well in advance. If your EAD hasn't arrived by your start date, federal contractor I-9 requirements mean Spirit can't legally onboard you until it does.
Does Spirit AeroSystems support the transition from OPT to H-1B?
Spirit AeroSystems has a history of sponsoring H-1B visas for employees in technical and engineering roles, which makes the OPT-to-H-1B transition a realistic path for strong performers. Your transition depends on H-1B lottery selection each April, so discuss Spirit's sponsorship process with your hiring manager or HR contact early in your OPT period. Migrate Mate can help you identify Spirit's H-1B filing history by role.
How do I find open OPT-eligible roles at Spirit AeroSystems?
Search Spirit AeroSystems's careers portal using filters for internship, new graduate, or entry-level positions in engineering or manufacturing. Look for roles that explicitly list F-1 OPT or STEM OPT eligibility, or that don't require U.S. citizenship or a security clearance. Roles on classified defense programs will typically exclude F-1 candidates regardless of OPT status.
How does Spirit AeroSystems hire OPT students?
OPT is work authorization granted directly to F-1 students after graduation — no employer petition is required. Spirit AeroSystems 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 Spirit AeroSystems's individual postings on Migrate Mate to confirm OPT acceptance per role.