H-1B Visa Controls Engineer Jobs
Controls Engineer roles qualify for H-1B visa sponsorship as a specialty occupation requiring a bachelor's degree in electrical, mechanical, or systems engineering. Employers in manufacturing, energy, and automation regularly file H-1B petitions for this role. Use Migrate Mate to find Controls Engineer positions at companies with verified H-1B visa filing history.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
Freese and Nichols is seeking an Instrumentation and Controls Engineer for Orlando or Tampa, Florida. As Instrumentation and Controls Engineer, you will serve as a senior technical authority for complex instrumentation, controls, SCADA, and OT work across water and wastewater projects while helping define technical direction, quality expectations, and risk-informed delivery. Based on the source position description, this role is intended for the firm’s most complex and highest-risk I&C work.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Provide firm-level technical leadership for critical I&C, SCADA, OT, control-system architecture, modernization, commissioning, resilience, and risk decisions
- Define technical direction for the I&C Team, including standards, design frameworks, reference architectures, specification strategy, review expectations, and governance methods
- Guide critical design, integration, commissioning, cutover, startup, and turnover approaches for high-risk water and wastewater projects
- Advise project managers, discipline leaders, client-service leaders, and executive leadership on technical strategy, risk posture, staffing approach, fee assumptions, and recovery actions
- Serve as a senior advisor to clients, owners, project partners, contractors, vendors, and firm leadership on complex technical issues, disputes, claims support, and failure investigations
- Establish QA/QC expectations for I&C deliverables, technical reviews, standards application, root-cause analysis, corrective actions, and lessons learned
- Lead coordination across I&C, process, electrical, mechanical, civil, structural, operations, IT/OT, cybersecurity, vendor, contractor, and owner stakeholders on major projects
- Represent the firm externally through industry leadership, committees, technical guidance, publications, presentations, and client forums
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, computer engineering, or another engineering discipline relevant to instrumentation and controls design from an ABET-accredited program
- Active Professional Engineer license (P.E.)
- 15+ years of relevant experience in instrumentation and controls, SCADA, OT systems, automation, utilities, industrial facilities, infrastructure, or related technical design work
- Recognized technical authority with significant impact on standards, quality, governance, risk controls, and complex I&C/SCADA decisions
- Advanced knowledge of engineering drawings, specifications, P&IDs, instrument indexes, I/O lists, loop diagrams, control narratives, control architecture, instrumentation, electrical interfaces, SCADA/OT systems, commissioning, and construction documentation
- Experience defining process control and SCADA strategy for modernization, migration planning, alarms and interlocks, redundancy, telemetry, HMI requirements, cybersecurity coordination, resilience, and operational readiness
- Experience establishing QA/QC expectations, technical review practices, standards application, root-cause analysis, corrective actions, and quality improvement
- Executive-level communication skills with clients, leadership, project teams, contractors, vendors, and interdisciplinary stakeholders
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- PE licensure in multiple jurisdictions served by the firm
- Experience serving as responsible licensed engineer or engineer of record for critical or high-risk I&C scope
- Experience establishing I&C standards, governance, reference architectures, specification strategy, QA/QC systems, risk controls, training, and reusable delivery frameworks
- Leadership in SCADA modernization, HMI/PLC/RTU platforms, telemetry, OT networking, virtualization, historians, remote access, backup and recovery, cybersecurity coordination, commissioning, or control system resilience
- Working knowledge of standards such as ISA-5.1, NFPA 70, NFPA 70E, UL 508A, AWWA, WEF, and NIST cybersecurity guidance
ABOUT FRESE AND NICHOLS
At the heart of our culture is our LEADS values ( L earn continuously, E ngage as family, A ct with integrity, D eliver quality, and S erve always). Each year, our employee engagement survey confirms that our leaders and our employees live our values.
We strive to be the firm of choice for clients and employees through innovative approaches, practical results, and outstanding service. For more than 130 years, we have been planning and designing the infrastructure our communities need: developing water supplies, designing roadways and bridges, preparing for natural disasters, and much more.
Besides our comprehensive benefits package, we offer paid overtime for salaried employees, an annual bonus, and access to company cabins in Red River, New Mexico and Banner Elk, North Carolina. We are proud of our flexible work environment which includes a hybrid schedule with up to 40% of remote work, and an alternative work schedule program which provides a day off every other Friday.
Join our team of 1,300+ employees as we grow from Virginia to Colorado.
Freese and Nichols is firmly committed to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and prohibits employment discrimination for employees and applicants based upon race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, genetic information, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other protected category under applicable federal, state, and local laws.
#LI-Hybrid
INTRODUCTION
Freese and Nichols is seeking an Instrumentation and Controls Engineer for Orlando or Tampa, Florida. As Instrumentation and Controls Engineer, you will serve as a senior technical authority for complex instrumentation, controls, SCADA, and OT work across water and wastewater projects while helping define technical direction, quality expectations, and risk-informed delivery. Based on the source position description, this role is intended for the firm’s most complex and highest-risk I&C work.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Provide firm-level technical leadership for critical I&C, SCADA, OT, control-system architecture, modernization, commissioning, resilience, and risk decisions
- Define technical direction for the I&C Team, including standards, design frameworks, reference architectures, specification strategy, review expectations, and governance methods
- Guide critical design, integration, commissioning, cutover, startup, and turnover approaches for high-risk water and wastewater projects
- Advise project managers, discipline leaders, client-service leaders, and executive leadership on technical strategy, risk posture, staffing approach, fee assumptions, and recovery actions
- Serve as a senior advisor to clients, owners, project partners, contractors, vendors, and firm leadership on complex technical issues, disputes, claims support, and failure investigations
- Establish QA/QC expectations for I&C deliverables, technical reviews, standards application, root-cause analysis, corrective actions, and lessons learned
- Lead coordination across I&C, process, electrical, mechanical, civil, structural, operations, IT/OT, cybersecurity, vendor, contractor, and owner stakeholders on major projects
- Represent the firm externally through industry leadership, committees, technical guidance, publications, presentations, and client forums
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, computer engineering, or another engineering discipline relevant to instrumentation and controls design from an ABET-accredited program
- Active Professional Engineer license (P.E.)
- 15+ years of relevant experience in instrumentation and controls, SCADA, OT systems, automation, utilities, industrial facilities, infrastructure, or related technical design work
- Recognized technical authority with significant impact on standards, quality, governance, risk controls, and complex I&C/SCADA decisions
- Advanced knowledge of engineering drawings, specifications, P&IDs, instrument indexes, I/O lists, loop diagrams, control narratives, control architecture, instrumentation, electrical interfaces, SCADA/OT systems, commissioning, and construction documentation
- Experience defining process control and SCADA strategy for modernization, migration planning, alarms and interlocks, redundancy, telemetry, HMI requirements, cybersecurity coordination, resilience, and operational readiness
- Experience establishing QA/QC expectations, technical review practices, standards application, root-cause analysis, corrective actions, and quality improvement
- Executive-level communication skills with clients, leadership, project teams, contractors, vendors, and interdisciplinary stakeholders
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- PE licensure in multiple jurisdictions served by the firm
- Experience serving as responsible licensed engineer or engineer of record for critical or high-risk I&C scope
- Experience establishing I&C standards, governance, reference architectures, specification strategy, QA/QC systems, risk controls, training, and reusable delivery frameworks
- Leadership in SCADA modernization, HMI/PLC/RTU platforms, telemetry, OT networking, virtualization, historians, remote access, backup and recovery, cybersecurity coordination, commissioning, or control system resilience
- Working knowledge of standards such as ISA-5.1, NFPA 70, NFPA 70E, UL 508A, AWWA, WEF, and NIST cybersecurity guidance
ABOUT FRESE AND NICHOLS
At the heart of our culture is our LEADS values ( L earn continuously, E ngage as family, A ct with integrity, D eliver quality, and S erve always). Each year, our employee engagement survey confirms that our leaders and our employees live our values.
We strive to be the firm of choice for clients and employees through innovative approaches, practical results, and outstanding service. For more than 130 years, we have been planning and designing the infrastructure our communities need: developing water supplies, designing roadways and bridges, preparing for natural disasters, and much more.
Besides our comprehensive benefits package, we offer paid overtime for salaried employees, an annual bonus, and access to company cabins in Red River, New Mexico and Banner Elk, North Carolina. We are proud of our flexible work environment which includes a hybrid schedule with up to 40% of remote work, and an alternative work schedule program which provides a day off every other Friday.
Join our team of 1,300+ employees as we grow from Virginia to Colorado.
Freese and Nichols is firmly committed to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and prohibits employment discrimination for employees and applicants based upon race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, genetic information, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other protected category under applicable federal, state, and local laws.
#LI-Hybrid
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding H-1B Visa Sponsorship as a Controls Engineer
Verify your degree aligns with the role
USCIS requires a direct relationship between your degree field and the Controls Engineer position. A degree in electrical, mechanical, systems, or mechatronics engineering supports the specialty occupation standard most cleanly. Computer science degrees may require additional documentation.
Target employers in automation-heavy industries
Manufacturing, oil and gas, aerospace, and building automation firms file H-1B petitions for Controls Engineers far more consistently than general IT employers. Check DOL LCA disclosure data to confirm a company has certified H-1B positions for this specific occupation code before applying.
Search verified H-1B sponsors on Migrate Mate
Filter Controls Engineer openings by employers with confirmed H-1B filing history on Migrate Mate. This removes the guesswork of cold-applying to companies that don't sponsor, so you spend time on roles where sponsorship is already established.
Use OFLC Wage Search before negotiating
Your employer's LCA must certify your wage meets the DOL prevailing wage for your job title, location, and experience level. Run your offer through OFLC Wage Search yourself so you know the wage floor before any salary conversation starts.
Confirm PLC and SCADA experience is documented
Controls Engineer H-1B petitions frequently face Requests for Evidence questioning whether the role truly requires a degree. Offer letters and job descriptions that specify PLC programming, SCADA architecture, or control system design strengthen the specialty occupation argument significantly.
Plan your petition timeline around cap deadlines
USCIS opens H-1B registration in March for an October 1 start date. If you're on OPT, confirm your OPT end date and cap-gap eligibility with your employer so the I-129 filing window doesn't catch either side unprepared.
H-1B Visa Controls Engineer: Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Controls Engineer role qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B purposes?
Yes. Controls Engineering requires at least a bachelor's degree in a directly related engineering discipline, which meets the USCIS specialty occupation definition. The role involves applying theoretical and practical knowledge of control systems, PLCs, and automated processes. Job descriptions that explicitly require an engineering degree and technical specialization make the strongest petition. Generic titles like 'engineer' with vague duties are more likely to attract a Request for Evidence from USCIS.
Which industries sponsor H-1B visas most often for Controls Engineers?
Manufacturing, oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, aerospace, and building automation are the industries that file H-1B petitions for Controls Engineers most consistently. These sectors rely on specialized control system expertise that's difficult to fill without sponsoring international talent. You can confirm which specific employers have filed LCAs for Controls Engineer roles by reviewing DOL disclosure data. Migrate Mate surfaces this filing history directly, so you can focus your search on employers already committed to sponsorship.
What documentation strengthens an H-1B petition for a Controls Engineer?
The offer letter should specify that the role requires a bachelor's degree or higher in electrical, mechanical, systems, or mechatronics engineering. It should also detail duties like PLC programming, HMI development, SCADA configuration, or control loop design. Vague descriptions of 'engineering tasks' invite USCIS scrutiny. Your employer's attorney will also reference O*NET occupation data to support the specialty occupation argument, so make sure the job description aligns with the listed requirements for this occupation code.
Can I switch Controls Engineer jobs while on an approved H-1B?
Yes. Under portability rules established by AC21, you can transfer your H-1B to a new employer once your petition has been pending or approved for 180 days, provided the new role is the same or similar occupational classification. For Controls Engineers, moving between employers in similar industries with comparable job duties generally satisfies this standard. Your new employer files an H-1B transfer petition, and you can start working as soon as USCIS receives it, without waiting for approval.
How do I find Controls Engineer jobs where the employer will sponsor an H-1B?
The most reliable approach is targeting employers with a documented history of H-1B filings for engineering roles, rather than relying on job postings that may or may not mention sponsorship. Migrate Mate lets you search Controls Engineer openings filtered by verified H-1B sponsorship history, so you can identify companies that have already committed resources to the filing process for this occupation.