J-1 Visa Development Engineer Jobs
Development Engineer roles in the United States are accessible to international professionals through J-1 visa sponsorship under the Trainee or Research Scholar program categories. Host employers partner with State Department-designated sponsor organizations to issue your DS-2019, covering hands-on engineering training that builds directly on your academic or professional background.
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INTRODUCTION
Hajoca Corporation is one of the country’s largest privately-held wholesale distributors of plumbing, heating & cooling, and industrial supplies. Founded in 1858, Hajoca is a company based on the principles of “Service, Integrity, Reliability,” and on relationships of trust and support with teammates, customers, and suppliers. Throughout its history, Hajoca has played an active role in shaping advances in plumbing. However, we attribute our success to two simple truths; a unique business philosophy and talented people. Hajoca is all about the people, who give us our advantage, and who will guide us successfully into the future.
Although Hajoca is a large company, we work in a decentralized environment where each of our locations, called Profit Centers (PCs), is run by the Profit Center Manager as if it were their own small business. A typical Profit Center is the heart of our business and consists of a warehouse, counter, sales office, and (sometimes) a showroom. Our PCs conduct business under unique trade names and offer a customized business approach, honoring what’s special about each local marketplace.
Modern Supply Co. is one of those trade names and is looking for a SLDP - Sales & Leadership Development Program Trainee at their Knoxville, TN location.
Pay for SLDP - Sales & Leadership Development Program Trainee is between $25 and $30 per hour at this location.
Are you looking to pursue a long-term career in sales, business operations, or management? Do you have a strong work ethic and an eagerness to learn? Do you enjoy interacting with people and building relationships? If so, then we’d like you to join our team as a SLDP - Sales & Leadership Development Program Trainee.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM:
The Sales & Leadership Development program is a multi-year rotational program aimed at investing in each trainee's future by providing exposure to all aspects of our business. During the program, we work in a structured, thorough manner to develop an aligned understanding of your skill set and long-term career goals.
- Live into your dreams. We'll pair your passion, skill set, and career goals with our business needs. When the program is complete, you'll have the opportunity to pursue a long-term career in sales, operations management, profit center management, or a variety of other career paths that suit your individual goals and the needs of the business.
- Learn the business. Your learning path will include on-the-job experience supplemented with coaching from experienced managers, book and computer courses, and visits with customers and vendors. You'll learn about all aspects of our business (including warehouse procedures, operations, and sales) with guidance along the way from mentors and managers.
HERE'S A LOOK AT WHAT YOU'LL ACCOMPLISH IN EACH PHASE:
Phase 1:
- Learn about and perform work related to our business operations such as receiving and shipping material, processing returned goods, making deliveries, and learning about proper truck maintenance.
- Participate in vendor product knowledge sessions.
- Complete related online courses that facilitate and supplement your learning.
Phase 2:
- Learn about and gain experience working in counter sales including assisting customers and other teammates, processing sales orders, providing reliable product information, and maintaining the display area.
- Participate in vendor product knowledge sessions.
- Gain experience working with residential, commercial, and repair and remodel contractors.
Phase 3:
- Learn about and gain experience working in sales. Complete tasks related to pricing and margin management, bids, quotes and submittals, product procurement, and job scheduling.
- Develop relationships with vendors.
- Participate in joint sales calls with outside salespersons.
Phase 4:
- Participate in an in-depth career discussion with your assigned Profit Center Manager and discuss which aspect of business you’re interested in pursuing.
ABOUT YOU:
- College degree or equivalent experience.
- Experience in customer service, sales, management, or leadership roles.
- Able to drive for company business. As a company business driver, you must:
- Be at least 18 years old.
- Possess a proper and valid driver's license.
- Have a driving record that meets the criteria for being an Authorized Driver in accordance with company policy.
OUR IDEAL CANDIDATE WILL ALSO:
- Be able to build influential relationships and trust with customers and key vendor partners through open and interactive communication.
- Be able to build positive working relationships and inspire teamwork with co-workers.
- Possess excellent communication and listening skills, with the ability to persuade.
- Be able to quickly adapt and react to changes within the work environment.
- Possess a high level of accuracy and attention to detail.
- Effectively prioritize work projects and multi-task.
- Be able to learn and operate applicable software systems and technology used in day-to-day business operations.
- Demonstrate an awareness of personal strengths and areas of improvement and act independently to improve and increase skills and knowledge.
- Be able to learn how to safely operate warehouse material-handling equipment.
- Read, write, speak, and understand English.
- Be able to add, subtract, multiply, and divide, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.
- Be able to quickly gain knowledge of products sold in the Profit Center.
- Effectively use Microsoft Office software (Outlook, Word, Excel) to communicate via email, to maintain weekly sales plans, call reports, customer contact files, and to analyze customer data.
THE BENEFITS OF WORKING WITH US:
Our culture is well-suited for exceptional people who use their talents to drive business and want to share in the financial success their efforts yield. In addition to a competitive starting wage, we offer a Profit-Sharing Program that provides each team member with an opportunity to earn a direct share of the profits on an annual basis. In addition to our generous compensation package, Hajoca also offers:
Full-time benefits (for team members working 30 or more hours per week):
- Medical, dental, vision, and prescription coverage.
- Accident, Hospital Indemnity, and critical care coverage.
- Life insurance and Long Term Disability.
- Pre-tax accounts for healthcare, dependent care, and commuter benefits.
- Paid vacation, holidays, and sick time (sick time also offered to PT team members as required by state law).
- Paid pregnancy and parental leave.
- Paid day of community service.
Full-time and part-time benefits:
- 401(k).
- Retirement cash account with company contributions.
- Targeted training programs focused on your personal and professional growth.
- Company wellness program.
- Employee discounts.
- College tuition benefits.
- Please note that benefit offerings may differ for teammates covered under a collective bargaining agreement or employed through an intern program.
Hajoca Corporation is an Equal Opportunity Employer (Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled).
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected category pursuant to federal, state or local laws and will not be discriminated against on the basis of any such categories/status. Hajoca is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities including, but not limited to, during the application process. Please let us know if you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability.
We are a drug free workplace. Employment is contingent upon pre-employment drug screening, and successful completion of a criminal background investigation subject to any federal, state and local laws.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding J-1 Visa Sponsorship as a Development Engineer
Align your training plan with engineering credentials
Your DS-2019 training plan must connect your prior engineering degree or work experience directly to the Development Engineer tasks you'll perform. Gaps between your documented background and the proposed training are a common reason sponsors decline to issue.
Distinguish Trainee from Research Scholar eligibility
Apply under the Trainee category if you have a degree plus one year of experience or five years of field experience. Research Scholar applies if your role involves structured research at a university or institute, not commercial product development.
Target host employers with existing sponsor relationships
Use Migrate Mate to find Development Engineer roles at U.S. employers already familiar with J-1 visa host agreements. Companies without prior J-1 experience often stall the process because they're unfamiliar with executing a host organization agreement.
Verify the two-year home residency requirement early
Development Engineers from certain countries or funded by government scholarships may face a two-year home residency requirement before changing to H-1B visa or a green card. Confirm your status before accepting an offer, as it affects long-term U.S. career planning.
Request a signed training plan before your DS-2019 is issued
Your host employer and the designated sponsor must both sign your Trainee/Intern Category Training Plan. Ask to review this document before the sponsor submits it to ensure your engineering duties, objectives, and supervision structure are accurately described.
Benchmark your offer against prevailing wage data
J-1 Trainees must receive compensation commensurate with U.S. counterparts in the same role and location. Cross-check your offered rate against the OFLC Wage Search and O*NET data for Development Engineer positions before signing any offer letter.
Development Engineer J-1 Visa: Frequently Asked Questions
Which J-1 program category fits a Development Engineer role?
The Trainee category fits most Development Engineer placements. It covers foreign nationals with a degree in engineering plus at least one year of related experience, or five years of field experience without a degree. If your role is based at a university or nonprofit research institute and involves structured research output rather than commercial engineering work, the Research Scholar category may apply instead.
Who actually sponsors my J-1 visa as a Development Engineer?
Your J-1 visa sponsor is a U.S. Department of State-designated organization, such as Cultural Vistas, AIPT, or IIE, not your host employer. The employer is your host and designs your training plan, but the designated sponsor issues your DS-2019, monitors your program compliance, and acts as your official point of contact with the State Department throughout your exchange.
How do I find U.S. employers open to hosting J-1 Development Engineers?
Search Migrate Mate for Development Engineer roles tagged to J-1 visa sponsorship. Employers already listed there have demonstrated openness to exchange visitor arrangements. Cold-applying to engineering firms with no J-1 history is inefficient because the host agreement process is unfamiliar to most HR teams and can add months to your start date.
Does the two-year home residency requirement affect Development Engineers?
It can. If you are a national of a country designated as needing exchange visitors to return and share skills, or if your program was government-funded, you may be subject to INA Section 212(e), which requires two years in your home country before switching to H-1B, L-1 visa, or permanent residence. Check your DS-2019 for a 212(e) notation and confirm with your sponsor before accepting a long-term offer.
What does my training plan need to include for a Development Engineer J-1 application?
Your Trainee Category Training Plan must detail the specific engineering skills you will learn, the phases of training, supervision arrangements, and how each phase connects to your prior education or work history. Vague descriptions like 'assist with product development' are frequently rejected by sponsors. Your host employer drafts this document, but the designated sponsor reviews it for compliance before issuing your DS-2019.