J-1 Visa Staff Software Engineer Jobs
Staff Software Engineer roles in the United States are accessible to exchange visitors through J-1 visa sponsorship under the Trainee or Research Scholar program categories. Designated sponsor organizations issue your DS-2019, while the hiring company serves as your host. There is no lottery or annual cap, making placement timing more predictable than H-1B.
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Get Access To All JobsAbout Zscaler
Zscaler accelerates digital transformation to ensure our customers can be more agile, efficient, resilient, and secure. As an AI-forward enterprise, we are constantly pushing the envelope, leveraging the world’s largest security data lake to power our cloud-native Zero Trust Exchange platform. This innovation protects our customers from cyberattacks and data loss by securely connecting users, devices, and applications in any location. Here, impact in your role matters more than title and trust is built on results. We say, impact over activity. We seek innovators who actively use AI to amplify their impact and who thrive in an environment where we leverage intelligent systems to stay ahead of evolving threats. We believe in transparency and value constructive, honest debate —we’re focused on getting to the best ideas, faster. We build high-performing teams that can make an impact quickly and with high quality. To do this, we are building a culture of execution centered on customer obsession, collaboration, ownership, and accountability. We value high-impact, high-accountability with a sense of urgency where you’re enabled to do your best work and embrace your potential. If you’re driven by purpose, thrive on solving complex challenges, and want to be part of the team that’s helping to secure the AI age, we invite you to bring your talents to Zscaler and help shape the future of cybersecurity.
Role
We are looking for a Staff Software Development Engineer - DevSecOps to join our team in a hybrid capacity in San Jose, CA, reporting to the Director, Software Development Engineering. Our Engineering team built the world’s largest cloud security platform from the ground up, and we keep building. You will support internal product teams in managing CI/CD pipelines, strengthening security practices, and maintaining shared engineering systems to enable organizations worldwide to harness speed and agility with a cloud-first strategy.
What You’ll Do (Role Expectations)
- Build and manage CI/CD systems to deploy critical applications across hybrid cloud environments including AWS, GCP, and proprietary clouds
- Support internal product teams with CI/CD pipelines, automations, and tools like GitLab, GitHub, Jenkins, ArgoCD, and security scanning solutions
- Secure code, applications, and infrastructure using security scanning tools such as SonarQube, Snyk, Coverity, and CheckMarx
- Administer and optimize critical DevSecOps applications while monitoring build metrics with tools like Grafana, Prometheus, and CloudWatch
- Communicate progress to stakeholders through Jira, technical documentation, and clear status updates
Who You Are (Success Profile)
- You thrive in ambiguity. You're comfortable building the path as you walk it. You thrive in a dynamic environment, seeing ambiguity not as a hindrance, but as the raw material to build something meaningful.
- You act like an owner. Your passion for the mission fuels your bias for action. You operate with integrity because you genuinely care about the outcome. True ownership involves leveraging dynamic range: the ability to navigate seamlessly between high-level strategy and hands-on execution.
- You are a problem-solver. You love running towards the challenges because you are laser-focused on finding the solution, knowing that solving the hard problems delivers the biggest impact.
- You are a high-trust collaborator. You are ambitious for the team, not just yourself. You embrace our challenge culture by giving and receiving ongoing feedback—knowing that candor delivered with clarity and respect is the truest form of teamwork and the fastest way to earn trust.
- You are a learner. You have a true growth mindset and are obsessed with your own development, actively seeking feedback to become a better partner and a stronger teammate. You love what you do and you do it with purpose.
What We’re Looking For (Minimum Qualifications)
- 5+ years of professional experience including hands-on experience managing cloud environments such as AWS, GCP, or private clouds
- Proficiency in application development or automation using OOP languages like C/C++, Java, Python, or Go, plus exposure to container orchestration and automation tools
- Familiarity with application security testing methodologies and experience using tools like SonarQube, Snyk, Coverity, or CheckMarx
- Experience designing and managing GitOps-based pipelines using GitLab, GitHub, and CI/CD automation tools like Jenkins or GitHub Actions
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or a related field, or equivalent practical experience
What Will Make You Stand Out (Preferred Qualifications)
- Experience with AI and ML tools in day to day DevSecOps activities
- Experience writing and developing yaml based CI/CD Pipelines and knowledge of build tools like makefiles, gradle, npm, or maven
- Experience with Networking, Load Balancers, Firewalls, and Web Security
Zscaler’s salary ranges are benchmarked and are determined by role and level. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for the position across all US locations and could be higher or lower based on a multitude of factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. The base salary range listed for this full-time position excludes commission/ bonus/ equity (if applicable) + benefits.
Base Pay Range
$129,500—$185,000 USD
At Zscaler, we are committed to building a team that reflects the communities we serve and the customers we work with. We foster an inclusive environment that values all backgrounds and perspectives, emphasizing collaboration and belonging. Join us in our mission to make doing business seamless and secure.
Benefits
Our Benefits program is one of the most important ways we support our employees. Zscaler proudly offers comprehensive and inclusive benefits to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families throughout their life stages, including:
- Various health plans
- Time off plans for vacation and sick time
- Parental leave options
- Retirement options
- Education reimbursement
- In-office perks, and more!
Learn more about Zscaler’s Future of Work strategy, hybrid working model, and benefits here.
By applying for this role, you adhere to applicable laws, regulations, and Zscaler policies, including those related to security and privacy standards and guidelines. Zscaler is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all individuals. We strive to create a workplace where employees are treated with respect and have the chance to succeed. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy or related medical conditions), age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.
Pay Transparency
Zscaler complies with all applicable federal, state, and local pay transparency rules. Zscaler is committed to providing reasonable support (called accommodations or adjustments) in our recruiting processes for candidates who are differently abled, have long term conditions, mental health conditions or sincerely held religious beliefs, or who are neurodivergent or require pregnancy-related support.
About Zscaler
Zscaler accelerates digital transformation to ensure our customers can be more agile, efficient, resilient, and secure. As an AI-forward enterprise, we are constantly pushing the envelope, leveraging the world’s largest security data lake to power our cloud-native Zero Trust Exchange platform. This innovation protects our customers from cyberattacks and data loss by securely connecting users, devices, and applications in any location. Here, impact in your role matters more than title and trust is built on results. We say, impact over activity. We seek innovators who actively use AI to amplify their impact and who thrive in an environment where we leverage intelligent systems to stay ahead of evolving threats. We believe in transparency and value constructive, honest debate —we’re focused on getting to the best ideas, faster. We build high-performing teams that can make an impact quickly and with high quality. To do this, we are building a culture of execution centered on customer obsession, collaboration, ownership, and accountability. We value high-impact, high-accountability with a sense of urgency where you’re enabled to do your best work and embrace your potential. If you’re driven by purpose, thrive on solving complex challenges, and want to be part of the team that’s helping to secure the AI age, we invite you to bring your talents to Zscaler and help shape the future of cybersecurity.
Role
We are looking for a Staff Software Development Engineer - DevSecOps to join our team in a hybrid capacity in San Jose, CA, reporting to the Director, Software Development Engineering. Our Engineering team built the world’s largest cloud security platform from the ground up, and we keep building. You will support internal product teams in managing CI/CD pipelines, strengthening security practices, and maintaining shared engineering systems to enable organizations worldwide to harness speed and agility with a cloud-first strategy.
What You’ll Do (Role Expectations)
- Build and manage CI/CD systems to deploy critical applications across hybrid cloud environments including AWS, GCP, and proprietary clouds
- Support internal product teams with CI/CD pipelines, automations, and tools like GitLab, GitHub, Jenkins, ArgoCD, and security scanning solutions
- Secure code, applications, and infrastructure using security scanning tools such as SonarQube, Snyk, Coverity, and CheckMarx
- Administer and optimize critical DevSecOps applications while monitoring build metrics with tools like Grafana, Prometheus, and CloudWatch
- Communicate progress to stakeholders through Jira, technical documentation, and clear status updates
Who You Are (Success Profile)
- You thrive in ambiguity. You're comfortable building the path as you walk it. You thrive in a dynamic environment, seeing ambiguity not as a hindrance, but as the raw material to build something meaningful.
- You act like an owner. Your passion for the mission fuels your bias for action. You operate with integrity because you genuinely care about the outcome. True ownership involves leveraging dynamic range: the ability to navigate seamlessly between high-level strategy and hands-on execution.
- You are a problem-solver. You love running towards the challenges because you are laser-focused on finding the solution, knowing that solving the hard problems delivers the biggest impact.
- You are a high-trust collaborator. You are ambitious for the team, not just yourself. You embrace our challenge culture by giving and receiving ongoing feedback—knowing that candor delivered with clarity and respect is the truest form of teamwork and the fastest way to earn trust.
- You are a learner. You have a true growth mindset and are obsessed with your own development, actively seeking feedback to become a better partner and a stronger teammate. You love what you do and you do it with purpose.
What We’re Looking For (Minimum Qualifications)
- 5+ years of professional experience including hands-on experience managing cloud environments such as AWS, GCP, or private clouds
- Proficiency in application development or automation using OOP languages like C/C++, Java, Python, or Go, plus exposure to container orchestration and automation tools
- Familiarity with application security testing methodologies and experience using tools like SonarQube, Snyk, Coverity, or CheckMarx
- Experience designing and managing GitOps-based pipelines using GitLab, GitHub, and CI/CD automation tools like Jenkins or GitHub Actions
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or a related field, or equivalent practical experience
What Will Make You Stand Out (Preferred Qualifications)
- Experience with AI and ML tools in day to day DevSecOps activities
- Experience writing and developing yaml based CI/CD Pipelines and knowledge of build tools like makefiles, gradle, npm, or maven
- Experience with Networking, Load Balancers, Firewalls, and Web Security
Zscaler’s salary ranges are benchmarked and are determined by role and level. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for the position across all US locations and could be higher or lower based on a multitude of factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. The base salary range listed for this full-time position excludes commission/ bonus/ equity (if applicable) + benefits.
Base Pay Range
$129,500—$185,000 USD
At Zscaler, we are committed to building a team that reflects the communities we serve and the customers we work with. We foster an inclusive environment that values all backgrounds and perspectives, emphasizing collaboration and belonging. Join us in our mission to make doing business seamless and secure.
Benefits
Our Benefits program is one of the most important ways we support our employees. Zscaler proudly offers comprehensive and inclusive benefits to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families throughout their life stages, including:
- Various health plans
- Time off plans for vacation and sick time
- Parental leave options
- Retirement options
- Education reimbursement
- In-office perks, and more!
Learn more about Zscaler’s Future of Work strategy, hybrid working model, and benefits here.
By applying for this role, you adhere to applicable laws, regulations, and Zscaler policies, including those related to security and privacy standards and guidelines. Zscaler is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all individuals. We strive to create a workplace where employees are treated with respect and have the chance to succeed. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy or related medical conditions), age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.
Pay Transparency
Zscaler complies with all applicable federal, state, and local pay transparency rules. Zscaler is committed to providing reasonable support (called accommodations or adjustments) in our recruiting processes for candidates who are differently abled, have long term conditions, mental health conditions or sincerely held religious beliefs, or who are neurodivergent or require pregnancy-related support.
See all 17+ Staff Software Engineer jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Staff Software Engineer roles.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding J-1 Visa Sponsorship as a Staff Software Engineer
Align your CV to specialty occupation standards
Your resume needs to demonstrate a direct connection between your degree field and software engineering. Generalist experience won't satisfy a Trainee training plan. Document project scope, tech stack, and measurable outcomes to support the DS-2019 application your designated sponsor will file.
Identify host employers with prior J-1 Trainee history
Search Migrate Mate to filter Staff Software Engineer roles at companies that have hosted J-1 exchange visitors before. Prior hosting experience means the employer already understands training plan obligations and DS-2019 co-signing requirements, which shortens offer-to-placement timelines significantly.
Verify your role qualifies under O*NET job zone criteria
The Trainee category requires your position to align with a recognized occupational classification. Pull the Staff Software Engineer profile from O*NET and confirm the job zone and education requirements match your background before approaching a designated sponsor for DS-2019 issuance.
Request a structured training plan from your host employer
Designated sponsors require a detailed training plan before issuing your DS-2019. Ask the hiring manager to outline specific skill-building objectives, supervision structure, and evaluation milestones. A vague plan is the most common reason sponsors delay or decline DS-2019 issuance for software engineering trainees.
Clarify home residency requirement exposure before accepting an offer
Staff Software Engineers from certain countries or funded by government programs may face a two-year home residency requirement after their J-1 exchange ends. Confirm your eligibility for a waiver or H-1B transition with your designated sponsor before signing an offer letter.
Confirm E-Verify enrollment before your start date
Host employers are required to be E-Verify enrolled to onboard J-1 exchange visitors in most sponsored programs. Ask your recruiter to confirm E-Verify participation during the offer stage, not after you've accepted, to avoid delays in activating your exchange visitor status.
Staff Software Engineer jobs are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Staff Software Engineer JobsStaff Software Engineer J-1 Visa: Frequently Asked Questions
Which J-1 program category fits a Staff Software Engineer role?
Most Staff Software Engineers enter on the Trainee category, which is designed for foreign nationals who have a degree or professional experience in their field and want to gain exposure to U.S. techniques and methodology. If you hold a current faculty or research appointment, the Research Scholar category may apply instead. The Intern category is limited to students currently enrolled in a degree program outside the United States.
Who actually sponsors the J-1 visa for a software engineering position?
The J-1 visa sponsor is a U.S. Department of State-designated organization, not your employer. Organizations like IIE, Cultural Vistas, and AIPT issue your DS-2019 form and are legally responsible for program compliance. The company hiring you is the host organization. Your employer co-signs the training plan but is not the party with sponsorship authority under the Exchange Visitor Program.
How do I find Staff Software Engineer roles where the host employer already supports J-1 trainees?
Migrate Mate lets you search Staff Software Engineer positions filtered by J-1 sponsorship compatibility, so you're targeting companies that have already navigated the host employer process. Cold-applying to employers unfamiliar with J-1 requirements often results in withdrawn offers once they learn a designated sponsor must be involved, so starting with experienced host employers saves significant time.
Can a Staff Software Engineer on J-1 transition to an H-1B later?
Yes, but timing and the two-year home residency requirement matter. If your J-1 is subject to the requirement under INA Section 212(e), you must either fulfill it or obtain a waiver before USCIS will approve a change to H-1B status. Engineers not subject to the requirement can file a change of status directly. Confirm your 212(e) exposure with your designated sponsor before planning any transition.
What does the training plan requirement mean for a Staff Software Engineer specifically?
Designated sponsors require a formal training plan that justifies the exchange as a structured learning experience, not simply employment. For Staff Software Engineers, this means documenting specific skills you'll develop, the methodologies you'll be exposed to that differ from your home country's practices, supervision arrangements, and evaluation points. Vague plans citing only general software work are routinely rejected by sponsor compliance reviewers.
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