J-1 Visa Embedded Software Engineer Jobs
Embedded Software Engineer roles in firmware, RTOS, and hardware-driver development qualify for J-1 visa sponsorship under the Trainee or Research Scholar category, depending on your career stage. Designated sponsor organizations issue your DS-2019 once a U.S. host employer agrees to the structured training plan.
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Get Access To All JobsSoftware Engineering Intern – Body Control
The Software Engineering Intern – Body Control will support foundational software development within Karma’s Software-Defined Vehicle (SDV) Body Control domain. This role focuses on establishing core Service-Oriented Architecture (SoA) components that define how vehicle services are structured and interact across distributed systems.
The internship provides hands-on exposure to embedded software development and modern vehicle software architecture, contributing to the long-term scalability and technical foundation of Karma’s future vehicles.
Internship Objectives & Strategic Value
Strategic Architecture Enablement
- Contribute to the foundational service framework supporting Karma’s SDV direction.
- Help define reusable patterns for how services are constructed and interact across distributed vehicle systems.
Future Scalability
- Establish early technical groundwork that enables faster development of future body control and vehicle services.
- Reduce long-term architectural rework by standardizing SoA concepts early in development.
Targeted Engineering Leverage
- Provide incremental development capacity for exploratory and foundational software work that may otherwise be deprioritized.
Internship Details
- Duration: 12 weeks
- Timing: May/June start through August/September end
- Schedule: Full-time (40 hours per week)
Responsibilities (include, but are not limited to):
- Develop and implement service framework components supporting SDV and SoA concepts.
- Support service interaction within a distributed system architecture.
- Contribute to embedded software development using C/C++ in Linux and/or RTOS-based environments.
- Assist with software design, implementation, testing, and documentation.
- Collaborate with software, systems, and architecture teams to support body control domain development.
- Other duties as assigned.
Required Qualifications:
- Pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
- Strong programming fundamentals, particularly in C/C++.
- Interest in embedded systems, vehicle software, or distributed system architectures.
- Ability to work effectively in a collaborative, fast-paced engineering environment.
Preferred Qualification:
- Coursework or project experience related to embedded systems, operating systems, or distributed software.
- Familiarity with Linux and/or RTOS environments.
- Exposure to service-oriented architecture (SoA), middleware, or communication frameworks.
- Interest in Software-Defined Vehicles (SDV) and automotive software platforms.
Physical Requirements:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee should have the:
- Ability to frequently use or operate a computer, mouse, and/or other office productivity machinery, such as a calculator, copy machine, computer printer, etc.
- Ability to frequently use hand(s) for repetitive actions (grasping and fine manipulation).
- Ability to frequently walk or move – to regularly move about inside the office.
- Ability to frequently see or detect, identify, recognize, or assess surroundings while in the office.
- Ability to occasionally bend, kneel, crouch, turn, and stoop.
- Ability to frequently sit or be stationary for extended continuous periods of time.
- Ability to stand for occasional periods of time.
- Ability to occasionally lift and/or push/pull up to 20 pounds.
Work Environment
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing their job.
Total Rewards (Benefits, Perks & Compensation)
Benefits & Perks:
In addition to our competitive compensation, you will also be eligible for the following at Karma:
- Karma's Medical Plan
- 40 hours of paid Sick Time
- 401(k) with Employer Match
Compensation:
$25.00/per hour - $35.00/per hour. Compensation will vary depending on the candidate's current level of education.
At Karma, our base pay is one part of our total rewards package.
Compensation offered may vary on multiple factors, including market location, education, skills and experience. The total compensation package for this position may also include other elements dependent on the position being offered.
Karma Automotive, Inc. is an equal employment opportunity (EEO) employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, race, gender identity and expression, color, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy or related conditions (including breastfeeding), national origin/ancestry, religion, military/veteran status, genetic information, citizenship status, intersectionality or any other characteristic and group protected by applicable law. Karma Automotive, Inc complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act to ensure equal access to all qualified individuals with a physical or mental disability. Valid driver’s license may be required based on essential duties.
Software Engineering Intern – Body Control
The Software Engineering Intern – Body Control will support foundational software development within Karma’s Software-Defined Vehicle (SDV) Body Control domain. This role focuses on establishing core Service-Oriented Architecture (SoA) components that define how vehicle services are structured and interact across distributed systems.
The internship provides hands-on exposure to embedded software development and modern vehicle software architecture, contributing to the long-term scalability and technical foundation of Karma’s future vehicles.
Internship Objectives & Strategic Value
Strategic Architecture Enablement
- Contribute to the foundational service framework supporting Karma’s SDV direction.
- Help define reusable patterns for how services are constructed and interact across distributed vehicle systems.
Future Scalability
- Establish early technical groundwork that enables faster development of future body control and vehicle services.
- Reduce long-term architectural rework by standardizing SoA concepts early in development.
Targeted Engineering Leverage
- Provide incremental development capacity for exploratory and foundational software work that may otherwise be deprioritized.
Internship Details
- Duration: 12 weeks
- Timing: May/June start through August/September end
- Schedule: Full-time (40 hours per week)
Responsibilities (include, but are not limited to):
- Develop and implement service framework components supporting SDV and SoA concepts.
- Support service interaction within a distributed system architecture.
- Contribute to embedded software development using C/C++ in Linux and/or RTOS-based environments.
- Assist with software design, implementation, testing, and documentation.
- Collaborate with software, systems, and architecture teams to support body control domain development.
- Other duties as assigned.
Required Qualifications:
- Pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
- Strong programming fundamentals, particularly in C/C++.
- Interest in embedded systems, vehicle software, or distributed system architectures.
- Ability to work effectively in a collaborative, fast-paced engineering environment.
Preferred Qualification:
- Coursework or project experience related to embedded systems, operating systems, or distributed software.
- Familiarity with Linux and/or RTOS environments.
- Exposure to service-oriented architecture (SoA), middleware, or communication frameworks.
- Interest in Software-Defined Vehicles (SDV) and automotive software platforms.
Physical Requirements:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee should have the:
- Ability to frequently use or operate a computer, mouse, and/or other office productivity machinery, such as a calculator, copy machine, computer printer, etc.
- Ability to frequently use hand(s) for repetitive actions (grasping and fine manipulation).
- Ability to frequently walk or move – to regularly move about inside the office.
- Ability to frequently see or detect, identify, recognize, or assess surroundings while in the office.
- Ability to occasionally bend, kneel, crouch, turn, and stoop.
- Ability to frequently sit or be stationary for extended continuous periods of time.
- Ability to stand for occasional periods of time.
- Ability to occasionally lift and/or push/pull up to 20 pounds.
Work Environment
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing their job.
Total Rewards (Benefits, Perks & Compensation)
Benefits & Perks:
In addition to our competitive compensation, you will also be eligible for the following at Karma:
- Karma's Medical Plan
- 40 hours of paid Sick Time
- 401(k) with Employer Match
Compensation:
$25.00/per hour - $35.00/per hour. Compensation will vary depending on the candidate's current level of education.
At Karma, our base pay is one part of our total rewards package.
Compensation offered may vary on multiple factors, including market location, education, skills and experience. The total compensation package for this position may also include other elements dependent on the position being offered.
Karma Automotive, Inc. is an equal employment opportunity (EEO) employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, race, gender identity and expression, color, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy or related conditions (including breastfeeding), national origin/ancestry, religion, military/veteran status, genetic information, citizenship status, intersectionality or any other characteristic and group protected by applicable law. Karma Automotive, Inc complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act to ensure equal access to all qualified individuals with a physical or mental disability. Valid driver’s license may be required based on essential duties.
See all J-1 Visa Embedded Software Engineer Jobs
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding J-1 Visa Sponsorship as an Embedded Software Engineer
Document your engineering credentials for DSO review
Designated sponsor organizations verify that your degree and prior experience align with the proposed training objectives. Compile transcripts, employment letters, and project portfolios that specifically reference embedded systems, firmware, or real-time operating systems before approaching any sponsor.
Distinguish Trainee from Research Scholar eligibility
If you hold a degree and have under five years of embedded engineering experience, the Trainee category applies. Candidates conducting original firmware or systems research at a university or national lab typically qualify under Research Scholar instead, which carries different DS-2019 timelines.
Target host employers with existing J-1 infrastructure
Use Migrate Mate to filter for Embedded Software Engineer roles at companies that have hosted J-1 trainees before. Hosts already familiar with training plan requirements and DS-2019 logistics move through the process faster than first-time participants.
Build a training plan before the offer stage
Sponsor organizations require a detailed Training or Internship Placement Plan covering your learning objectives, supervision structure, and evaluation schedule. Draft this document in advance with the host employer so it's ready to submit to the designated sponsor immediately after an offer is extended.
Check whether your specialty triggers home residency
Certain engineering specializations funded by a home-country government or in fields on the Exchange Visitor Skills List carry a two-year home residency requirement after your J-1 program ends. Confirm your situation with the designated sponsor before signing any training agreement, since this affects H-1B visa transition planning.
Confirm your host employer's E-Verify enrollment
Some J-1 program categories and designated sponsors require the host organization to participate in E-Verify. Ask your prospective host's HR team directly, because an employer that isn't enrolled may be unable to act as your host site regardless of their interest in your embedded engineering background.
Embedded Software Engineer J-1 Visa: Frequently Asked Questions
Which J-1 program category fits an Embedded Software Engineer?
The Trainee category fits most working engineers with a degree and fewer than five years of post-graduation experience in embedded systems. Current university students completing a degree in electrical engineering or computer science typically qualify under the Intern category instead. Engineers conducting original research on firmware architectures or hardware-software interfaces at an academic institution may qualify as a Research Scholar, depending on their role and host site.
Who actually sponsors the J-1 visa for an Embedded Software Engineer?
A U.S. Department of State-designated sponsor organization, such as Cultural Vistas or AIPT, issues your DS-2019 and holds legal responsibility for your program. The tech company or research lab where you work is the host employer. It provides the engineering role and training environment but is not your visa sponsor. This distinction matters because both parties must independently approve and sign off on your training plan before the DS-2019 is issued.
Does the J-1 Trainee category allow hands-on firmware development work?
Yes, as long as the work is structured as skills transfer rather than routine production employment. Your training plan must show that each embedded software task, whether writing device drivers, debugging real-time systems, or integrating hardware abstraction layers, builds competencies you'll bring back to your home country. Designated sponsors review the plan for educational substance, so a purely production-focused role without a development component is unlikely to be approved.
How can I find host employers open to J-1 Embedded Software Engineers?
Use Migrate Mate to search for Embedded Software Engineer positions at companies that have already hosted exchange visitors. Filtering by J-1 compatibility narrows results to employers familiar with training plans, DS-2019 timelines, and designated sponsor requirements, which significantly reduces the back-and-forth that slows down first-time hosts.
Can I transition from a J-1 to an H-1B after my embedded engineering training ends?
You can apply for H-1B status after your J-1 program concludes, but only if you're not subject to the two-year home residency requirement. Engineers whose training was government-funded or whose specialty appears on the Exchange Visitor Skills List must complete that two-year period or obtain a waiver before changing status. Confirm your specific situation with your designated sponsor early, since this affects how you plan your U.S. career timeline.