J-1 Visa Structural Engineer Jobs
Structural engineer roles in the United States are accessible to international professionals through J-1 visa sponsorship under the Trainee or Research Scholar category, depending on your career stage. Designated sponsor organizations issue your DS-2019 while a U.S. engineering firm or institution serves as your host employer.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
Do you want to help engineer what’s next?
Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH) is a national engineering firm committed to delivering holistic advice for our clients’ most complex challenges. We leverage our collective and diverse experience, technical expertise, and industry knowledge of structures and building enclosures, advanced analysis, performance & code consulting, and applied science & research to deliver unrivaled, comprehensive solutions that drive superior performance. With 800 employees in offices nationwide, SGH’s industry-leading teams constantly seek to advance the meaning of what’s possible.
What makes careers at SGH so special?
The only way to advance is to question and explore. Every member of the SGH team is both a learner and an educator, committed to advancing ourselves, our teams, and our industry. Together we are creating a community that never settles for what is but always seeks what could be.
There are many reasons to love SGH:
- Our Work: Our clients trust us to bring clarity and deliver outstanding solutions for their most complex projects.
- Our People: We are bold thinkers and compassionate teammates, committed to lifelong learning and professional growth.
- Our Commitment: We live with integrity and embrace an obligation to give back to our professions and communities.
- Our Contribution: We offer a comprehensive and rich compensation and benefits package with company-paid and voluntary programs to help build healthy lifestyles, strong relationships, and future prosperity.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
We want someone passionate about engineering who wants to gain invaluable experience.
Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH) is seeking current students for a 2026 Internship in our Chicago, Illinois office.
As an Intern, you will work side-by-side with industry-leading experts in the office and in the field to gain hands-on experience while applying classroom knowledge to real-world challenges.
What You’ll Be Doing:
- Assist with construction monitoring, field investigations, condition assessments, construction observations as well as project drafting, structural design and analysis, and site inspections.
- Analyze materials, support our petrography staff, develop test protocols, design and construct testing apparatus, perform tests, and analyze test data.
- Collaborate with SGH engineers to perform reconnaissance on existing structures, conduct field tests, or monitor construction in progress.
- Organize field data and assist with research to facilitate analysis, problem solving, and repair design.
- Perform analysis under the guidance of licensed professionals using a combination of hand calculations and analysis software.
- Assist with preparation of client deliverables, including construction documents, specifications, and written reports.
- Work may include travel and working from heights.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
What You’ll Need:
- Must be currently enrolled or plan to complete a MS in Civil, Structural, or Architectural engineering.
- Students should have an interest in civil and or structural engineering, materials science, architecture, and architectural engineering.
- Maintain high grades in their studies, interested in learning through hands-on work experience in a consulting engineering environment.
- Enthusiastic about the challenges associated with the development of sophisticated engineering work product in an atmosphere of high professionalism.
- Successful candidates must have strong communication abilities.
BENEFITS
Benefits Overview:
Full-time temporary employees are eligible for medical insurance, paid holidays and sick leave. Part-time temporary employees are eligible for sick leave.
Compensation:
This compensation range is a good faith estimate pursuant to applicable equal pay and pay transparency laws. The pay range is effective for 2026 and is based on enrollment in the applicable degree program as noted below. The actual rate will be dependent upon the candidate’s education level within the degree program.
- Undergraduate: $29.25 - $32.50 per hour
- Graduate: $33.75 - $34.75 per hour
- PhD student: $36.75 per hour
Technical Interns are eligible for a $1,000 sign-on bonus.
LOCATION
Location: Chicago, Illinois
SGH is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing equal opportunities to all job applicants and employees. We consider all qualified applicants and encourage individuals with disabilities and protected veterans to apply. If the application system is not accessible to you, or you need a reasonable accommodation to apply due to a disability, please email jobs@sgh.com or call 781-907-9000 and ask for Human Resources.
INTRODUCTION
Do you want to help engineer what’s next?
Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH) is a national engineering firm committed to delivering holistic advice for our clients’ most complex challenges. We leverage our collective and diverse experience, technical expertise, and industry knowledge of structures and building enclosures, advanced analysis, performance & code consulting, and applied science & research to deliver unrivaled, comprehensive solutions that drive superior performance. With 800 employees in offices nationwide, SGH’s industry-leading teams constantly seek to advance the meaning of what’s possible.
What makes careers at SGH so special?
The only way to advance is to question and explore. Every member of the SGH team is both a learner and an educator, committed to advancing ourselves, our teams, and our industry. Together we are creating a community that never settles for what is but always seeks what could be.
There are many reasons to love SGH:
- Our Work: Our clients trust us to bring clarity and deliver outstanding solutions for their most complex projects.
- Our People: We are bold thinkers and compassionate teammates, committed to lifelong learning and professional growth.
- Our Commitment: We live with integrity and embrace an obligation to give back to our professions and communities.
- Our Contribution: We offer a comprehensive and rich compensation and benefits package with company-paid and voluntary programs to help build healthy lifestyles, strong relationships, and future prosperity.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
We want someone passionate about engineering who wants to gain invaluable experience.
Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH) is seeking current students for a 2026 Internship in our Chicago, Illinois office.
As an Intern, you will work side-by-side with industry-leading experts in the office and in the field to gain hands-on experience while applying classroom knowledge to real-world challenges.
What You’ll Be Doing:
- Assist with construction monitoring, field investigations, condition assessments, construction observations as well as project drafting, structural design and analysis, and site inspections.
- Analyze materials, support our petrography staff, develop test protocols, design and construct testing apparatus, perform tests, and analyze test data.
- Collaborate with SGH engineers to perform reconnaissance on existing structures, conduct field tests, or monitor construction in progress.
- Organize field data and assist with research to facilitate analysis, problem solving, and repair design.
- Perform analysis under the guidance of licensed professionals using a combination of hand calculations and analysis software.
- Assist with preparation of client deliverables, including construction documents, specifications, and written reports.
- Work may include travel and working from heights.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
What You’ll Need:
- Must be currently enrolled or plan to complete a MS in Civil, Structural, or Architectural engineering.
- Students should have an interest in civil and or structural engineering, materials science, architecture, and architectural engineering.
- Maintain high grades in their studies, interested in learning through hands-on work experience in a consulting engineering environment.
- Enthusiastic about the challenges associated with the development of sophisticated engineering work product in an atmosphere of high professionalism.
- Successful candidates must have strong communication abilities.
BENEFITS
Benefits Overview:
Full-time temporary employees are eligible for medical insurance, paid holidays and sick leave. Part-time temporary employees are eligible for sick leave.
Compensation:
This compensation range is a good faith estimate pursuant to applicable equal pay and pay transparency laws. The pay range is effective for 2026 and is based on enrollment in the applicable degree program as noted below. The actual rate will be dependent upon the candidate’s education level within the degree program.
- Undergraduate: $29.25 - $32.50 per hour
- Graduate: $33.75 - $34.75 per hour
- PhD student: $36.75 per hour
Technical Interns are eligible for a $1,000 sign-on bonus.
LOCATION
Location: Chicago, Illinois
SGH is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing equal opportunities to all job applicants and employees. We consider all qualified applicants and encourage individuals with disabilities and protected veterans to apply. If the application system is not accessible to you, or you need a reasonable accommodation to apply due to a disability, please email jobs@sgh.com or call 781-907-9000 and ask for Human Resources.
See all J-1 Visa Structural Engineer Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new J-1 Visa Structural Engineer Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding J-1 Visa Sponsorship as a Structural Engineer
Align your credentials with specialty occupation standards
Get your engineering degree evaluated by a NACES-accredited credential assessment service before applying. Sponsors and host employers need to confirm your qualifications meet U.S. equivalency, and delays at this stage push back your DS-2019 issuance.
Build a training plan around PE licensure milestones
J-1 visa Trainee programs require a formal training plan. Structure yours around identifiable engineering competencies tied to PE exam preparation, since sponsors like Cultural Vistas expect measurable skill objectives that go beyond day-to-day project work.
Target firms with active structural engineering project pipelines
Use Migrate Mate to filter for U.S. employers actively hosting international engineers, then cross-reference their project portfolio. Firms with ongoing infrastructure or commercial construction work are far more likely to commit to the J-1 host employer agreement.
Confirm the 2-year home residency rule applies to your country
If your home country appears on the Exchange Visitor Skills List or your program is government-funded, the two-year home residency requirement applies before you can change status to H-1B visa or L-1 visa. Verify your status with your designated sponsor before accepting any offer.
Request the host employer sign a site agreement early
Many structural engineering firms don't know they need to execute a host employer agreement with your designated sponsor. Raise this in the first conversation with HR, not after the offer letter, so compliance paperwork doesn't stall your program start date.
Check prevailing wage requirements for your work location
Although J-1 Trainees aren't subject to DOL PERM, your offer must reflect fair compensation for the role and location. Use the OFLC Wage Search to look up Level I or II wages for structural engineer positions in your target metro before negotiating.
Structural Engineer J-1 Visa: Frequently Asked Questions
Which J-1 program category fits a structural engineer?
It depends on your career stage. If you're currently enrolled in a degree program or recently graduated, the Intern category covers short-term, curriculum-related placements. If you've completed your degree and have at least one year of relevant work experience, the Trainee category is the right fit for gaining hands-on structural engineering experience at a U.S. host firm.
Who actually sponsors the J-1 visa for a structural engineer role?
The visa sponsor is a U.S. Department of State-designated organization, not the engineering firm that hires you. Designated sponsors such as Cultural Vistas or AIPT issue your DS-2019 form and oversee program compliance. The engineering firm functions as your host employer and provides the work environment, but it is not your visa sponsor in the legal sense.
How do I find structural engineering firms that are open to J-1 host arrangements?
Most engineering firms don't advertise J-1 host positions because the process is unfamiliar to them. Migrate Mate lets you search for U.S. employers with a history of hosting international engineering talent, so you can focus your outreach on firms already comfortable with the documentation and training plan requirements that come with a J-1 program.
Does the two-year home residency requirement affect structural engineers on J-1?
It can. If your home country is on the Exchange Visitor Skills List, which includes many countries with strong engineering workforces, or if your training is funded by your home government, you're subject to a two-year home residency requirement before switching to H-1B or applying for permanent residence. Confirm your eligibility with your designated sponsor before you commit to a program.
What does the J-1 training plan need to include for a structural engineering placement?
Your training plan, called the DS-7002 for the Trainee category, must outline specific structural engineering competencies you'll develop, the supervision structure, and a phase-by-phase schedule. Vague objectives like 'assist with design projects' won't pass sponsor review. Tie each phase to measurable skills such as load analysis methods, software proficiency in tools like ETABS or SAP2000, or code compliance under IBC or ASCE standards.