J-1 Visa Design Engineer Jobs
Design Engineer roles in the U.S. are accessible to international professionals through the J-1 visa under the Trainee or Intern program category, depending on your career stage. A State Department-designated sponsor issues your DS-2019 and arranges sponsorship, while the engineering firm acts as your host employer.
See All Design Engineer JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 77+ Design Engineer jobs
Have you applied for this role?
Have you applied for this role?
Have you applied for this role?
Have you applied for this role?
Have you applied for this role?
See all 77+ Design Engineer jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Design Engineer roles.
Get Access To All JobsCo-Op – Design Engineer
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Start Date: May/June 2026 (6-Month Program)
About Maesa:
The next gen beauty company, Maesa is transforming the industry by incubating and growing meaningful, innovative brands and making prestige beauty accessible. Maesa believes beauty ignites inspiration, creativity, imagination, and connection, sparking new ideas and possibilities, and meeting unmet consumer needs. Through best-in-class design, formulation, brand creation and marketing capabilities, Maesa delivers new, better and different products with an unsurpassed speed to market. Maesa works with a variety of retailers to create and launch brands across beauty and wellness categories. The current portfolio includes Kristin Ess, Hairitage by Mindy McKnight, Fine'ry, Being Frenshe, and Niches & Nooks among other brands.
Position Overview:
As a Design Engineer Co-Op, you’ll work alongside our Los Angeles-based team to support the design, development, and engineering of beauty product packaging. You'll gain real-world experience in turning creative design concepts into functional packaging solutions—working with a cross-functional global team from concept through to manufacturable files.
This role is ideal for students pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering, Packaging Science, Product Design, or related fields and looking to gain practical experience in the cosmetics and consumer goods industries.
This co-op position requires a full-time commitment of 40 hours per week during the Fall 2025 semester (approximately September through February) and will require to be onsite at our LA office a minimum of 4x a week.
Key Responsibilities:
- Support the conversion of conceptual packaging designs into engineered 3D CAD models suitable for manufacturing.
- Assist with creating and updating SolidWorks files, 2D drawings, and visual schematics.
- Collaborate on the evaluation of materials and manufacturing processes including injection molding, blow molding, and decoration techniques.
- Participate in design reviews and provide input on manufacturability and product functionality.
- Help manage prototype development and 3D printing of packaging components.
- Work with international engineering teams and vendors to help bring designs to life.
- Review product testing data (e.g. drop tests, vibration tests) and document feedback.
- Contribute to project organization, timelines, and reporting.
What You'll Gain:
- Hands-on experience working on real packaging projects from ideation to execution.
- Exposure to engineering standards and manufacturing processes in the beauty industry.
- Opportunities to develop technical skills in CAD, design for manufacturing (DFM), and prototyping.
- Mentorship from experienced design engineers.
- Insight into product development and cross-functional collaboration.
Qualifications:
- Currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Product Development Engineering, Product Design, or a related discipline.
- Familiarity with SolidWorks or other 3D CAD software (coursework or internship experience a plus).
- Interest in consumer products, especially beauty or CPG packaging.
- Strong attention to detail and an eagerness to learn.
- Excellent communication and time-management skills.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment.
Compensation:
$20/hour. Exact compensation may vary based on skills, experience, and location.
Co-Op – Design Engineer
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Start Date: May/June 2026 (6-Month Program)
About Maesa:
The next gen beauty company, Maesa is transforming the industry by incubating and growing meaningful, innovative brands and making prestige beauty accessible. Maesa believes beauty ignites inspiration, creativity, imagination, and connection, sparking new ideas and possibilities, and meeting unmet consumer needs. Through best-in-class design, formulation, brand creation and marketing capabilities, Maesa delivers new, better and different products with an unsurpassed speed to market. Maesa works with a variety of retailers to create and launch brands across beauty and wellness categories. The current portfolio includes Kristin Ess, Hairitage by Mindy McKnight, Fine'ry, Being Frenshe, and Niches & Nooks among other brands.
Position Overview:
As a Design Engineer Co-Op, you’ll work alongside our Los Angeles-based team to support the design, development, and engineering of beauty product packaging. You'll gain real-world experience in turning creative design concepts into functional packaging solutions—working with a cross-functional global team from concept through to manufacturable files.
This role is ideal for students pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering, Packaging Science, Product Design, or related fields and looking to gain practical experience in the cosmetics and consumer goods industries.
This co-op position requires a full-time commitment of 40 hours per week during the Fall 2025 semester (approximately September through February) and will require to be onsite at our LA office a minimum of 4x a week.
Key Responsibilities:
- Support the conversion of conceptual packaging designs into engineered 3D CAD models suitable for manufacturing.
- Assist with creating and updating SolidWorks files, 2D drawings, and visual schematics.
- Collaborate on the evaluation of materials and manufacturing processes including injection molding, blow molding, and decoration techniques.
- Participate in design reviews and provide input on manufacturability and product functionality.
- Help manage prototype development and 3D printing of packaging components.
- Work with international engineering teams and vendors to help bring designs to life.
- Review product testing data (e.g. drop tests, vibration tests) and document feedback.
- Contribute to project organization, timelines, and reporting.
What You'll Gain:
- Hands-on experience working on real packaging projects from ideation to execution.
- Exposure to engineering standards and manufacturing processes in the beauty industry.
- Opportunities to develop technical skills in CAD, design for manufacturing (DFM), and prototyping.
- Mentorship from experienced design engineers.
- Insight into product development and cross-functional collaboration.
Qualifications:
- Currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Product Development Engineering, Product Design, or a related discipline.
- Familiarity with SolidWorks or other 3D CAD software (coursework or internship experience a plus).
- Interest in consumer products, especially beauty or CPG packaging.
- Strong attention to detail and an eagerness to learn.
- Excellent communication and time-management skills.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment.
Compensation:
$20/hour. Exact compensation may vary based on skills, experience, and location.
See all 77+ Design Engineer jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Design Engineer roles.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding J-1 Visa Sponsorship as a Design Engineer
Align your portfolio with U.S. standards
Convert your design documentation to U.S. customary units and formats before applying. Host employers in manufacturing and product development evaluate CAD files, tolerance specs, and drawing standards that differ significantly from metric-based engineering environments abroad.
Verify your J-1 category before applying
If you're currently enrolled in a degree program, the Intern category applies. If you've graduated within the past year and have relevant work experience, you qualify as a Trainee. Applying to host employers under the wrong category delays your DS-2019 issuance.
Search for J-1-friendly roles on Migrate Mate
Filter by design engineering job titles and identify U.S. host employers who have structured training programs compatible with J-1 requirements. Migrate Mate surfaces roles where the employer context already fits what a designated sponsor needs to approve your placement.
Request a formal training plan from your host
Your designated sponsor requires a detailed Training or Internship Placement Plan before issuing the DS-2019. Ask your host employer early whether their engineering team has drafted this document before, since first-time hosts often underestimate the specificity required by the sponsor organization.
Check whether your role triggers the home residency requirement
Design Engineer positions funded by a government or international organization, or in fields on the Skills List for your home country, can trigger a two-year home residency requirement after your program ends. Confirm your situation with your designated sponsor before accepting a host offer.
Confirm prevailing wage compliance with your host employer
J-1 Trainee and Intern programs require that compensation meet minimum levels set by the host's location and role. Use the OFLC Wage Search tool to look up the prevailing wage for Design Engineer positions in the relevant metro area before your host finalizes your offer letter.
Design Engineer jobs are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Design Engineer JobsDesign Engineer J-1 Visa: Frequently Asked Questions
Which J-1 program category fits a Design Engineer role?
It depends on where you are in your career. If you're currently enrolled in an engineering degree program, the Intern category applies and allows up to 12 months of practical training with a U.S. host employer. If you've already graduated and have at least one year of relevant professional experience, the Trainee category is the right fit and allows up to 18 months, with a possible 12-month extension in some cases.
Who actually sponsors the J-1 visa for a Design Engineer position?
The visa sponsor is a U.S. Department of State-designated organization, not your employer. Organizations like Cultural Vistas or AIPT issue the DS-2019 form that authorizes your J-1 status and monitor your program compliance throughout. The engineering firm where you work is the host employer, not the sponsor. You need both: a host employer willing to support the placement and a designated sponsor willing to issue the DS-2019 for that placement.
Can a Design Engineer on a J-1 visa work on proprietary or classified projects?
This is a practical issue many engineering host employers raise late in the process. J-1 exchange visitors are not eligible for security clearances, which can exclude you from certain defense, aerospace, or government-contract projects. Discuss the scope of your assigned work with the host employer before accepting, since restrictions on project access can affect whether the training plan meets your sponsor's program requirements.
How do I find U.S. engineering employers who will support a J-1 placement?
Most engineering firms are unfamiliar with the J-1 Trainee or Intern structure, so finding employers already open to it matters. Migrate Mate lets you search design engineering roles and identify host employers whose program structures are compatible with J-1 requirements, saving you from cold-pitching companies that have no experience navigating the training plan approval process.
Does the two-year home residency requirement apply to Design Engineers?
It can. The two-year home residency requirement applies if your home country is on the Exchange Visitor Skills List for engineering disciplines, or if your J-1 program was funded by a government or international organization. If triggered, you must return to your home country for two years before applying for an H-1B, L-1, or immigrant visa. Your designated sponsor can confirm whether your specific situation is affected before you finalize your host employer agreement.
See which Design Engineer employers are hiring and sponsoring visas right now.
Search Design Engineer Jobs