AI Data Engineer Jobs for OPT Students
AI Data Engineer jobs are among the most OPT-friendly roles in tech. Most require a degree in computer science, data engineering, or a related field, and the work directly matches STEM OPT extension criteria, giving you up to three years of authorized work experience to build toward long-term sponsorship.
See All AI Data Engineer JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 2,524+ AI Data 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 2,524+ AI Data Engineer jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new AI Data Engineer roles.
Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
At NiCE, we don’t limit our challenges. We challenge our limits. Always. We’re ambitious. We’re game changers. And we play to win. We set the highest standards and execute beyond them. And if you’re like us, we can offer you the ultimate career opportunity that will light a fire within you.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
As a NiCE AI Data Engineer you are responsible for supporting the use of the NiCE Interaction Analytics (NIA) product suite to prove out business use cases as part of Proofs of Concepts (POCs). The POC is used to support the NiCE sales efforts to demonstrate the value of the NIA product suite. In this capacity, you will work with the NiCE sales team to obtain unstructured Customer Experience (CX) interactions (audio, chats, emails, social media, etc.) from customers and transform the interactions into a format that can be processed by the NIA product suite. You will act as an Interaction Analytics data expert who understands key data development and the impact of downstream cases and value to be derived from having data generated from unstructured interactions. You will partner closely with the Customer Engagement Analytics (CEA) Research, Product and Services teams blending your data expertise with best-in-class technology advancements and client insights to accomplish the team’s objectives. AI Data Engineers are experts in the value derived from unstructured CX interactions. It is that expertise, along with technical fluency, that allow the Business Consulting team to build scalable, out of the box data structures that reveal operational and measurable outcomes. The responsibilities for this role includes the development of the underlying data structures, along with the ability to understand new and evolving client requests for improvement and the ability to incorporate those needs into a successful build and execution plan for each POC. The ideal candidate is intellectually inquisitive, with strong communication, organization, analytical and technical capabilities. As a self-starter, they are not afraid to roll up their sleeves to learn and validate evolving toolsets while maintaining focus on what success looks like with our ultimate goals for data solutions. As they gain and maintain system and data expertise, the roll will continue to open up for direct client interactions, feedback capture and build plans.
How will you make an impact?
- Serve as the focal point for managing the delivery of CX interactions and corresponding metadata utilizing various data delivery methods.
- Serve as the focal point for the development of pre-defined data structures for automated analysis of large sets of CX interactions across all channels (audio, chat, email, social, etc.). This includes:
- Manipulation of CX interaction metadata into approved formats
- Manipulation of CX interactions into the NiCE Interaction Analytics platform
- Manipulation of CX transcripts
- Utilize evolving tools from Research that support the development of the data structures.
- Provide feedback to the Research and Product teams on how we continue to evolve tooling and data integration with CEA products.
- Work with client requirements to understand new requests and how we can or cannot meet them.
- Some team members may work directly with clients as a Subject Matter Expert to discuss data solutions, expectations and best practices.
- Educate field teams (Consulting and Customer Success) on data solutions, definitions, best practices, etc.
- Provide input on the use of developed data models for both Product and Field teams to optimize the use of developed data assets.
- As the Enlighten AI team is focused on Data Innovation, team members may be asked to support other projects, solutions and/or deployments using other Enlighten AI solutions.
- Manage the utilization of the CX Proof of Concept (POC) VM servers.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- 3+ years of software engineering experience and/or significant experience with business intelligence, analytics, and data visualization as a services provider
- Experience using Windows Server
- Experience with basic scripting in PowerShell, Command Line, or Python
- Knowledge of SQL preferred, such as using Data Manipulation Language and Data Definition Language
- Familiarity with Linux
- Familiarity with ssh and basic bash skills
- Experience with Docker, accessing AWS S3 buckets, and SFTP
- Experience with use of technology to build and analyze datasets for operational outcomes
- Excellent oral and written communication skills in English
- Ability to multi-task and meet deadlines when supporting requests that create competing priorities
- Ability to develop and maintain good working relationships with cross-functional teams
- Ability to communicate comfortably across all levels of corporate structure
- Demonstrated ability to take the initiative and work in a self-directed manner
- Ability to thrive in a changing environment
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
Join an ever-growing, market disrupting, global company where the teams – comprised of the best of the best – work in a fast-paced, collaborative, and creative environment! As the market leader, every day at NiCE is a chance to learn and grow, and there are endless internal career opportunities across multiple roles, disciplines, domains, and locations. If you are passionate, innovative, and excited to constantly raise the bar, you may just be our next NiCEr!
Requisition ID: 10299
Reporting into: Vice President of Solution Sales
Role Type: Individual Contributor
ABOUT NiCE
NICE Ltd. (NASDAQ: NICE) software products are used by 25,000+ global businesses, including 85 of the Fortune 100 corporations, to deliver extraordinary customer experiences, fight financial crime and ensure public safety. Every day, NiCE software manages more than 120 million customer interactions and monitors 3+ billion financial transactions.
Known as an innovation powerhouse that excels in AI, cloud and digital, NiCE is consistently recognized as the market leader in its domains, with over 8,500 employees across 30+ countries.
NiCE is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, marital status, ancestry, neurotype, physical or mental disability, veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation or any other category protected by law.
INTRODUCTION
At NiCE, we don’t limit our challenges. We challenge our limits. Always. We’re ambitious. We’re game changers. And we play to win. We set the highest standards and execute beyond them. And if you’re like us, we can offer you the ultimate career opportunity that will light a fire within you.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
As a NiCE AI Data Engineer you are responsible for supporting the use of the NiCE Interaction Analytics (NIA) product suite to prove out business use cases as part of Proofs of Concepts (POCs). The POC is used to support the NiCE sales efforts to demonstrate the value of the NIA product suite. In this capacity, you will work with the NiCE sales team to obtain unstructured Customer Experience (CX) interactions (audio, chats, emails, social media, etc.) from customers and transform the interactions into a format that can be processed by the NIA product suite. You will act as an Interaction Analytics data expert who understands key data development and the impact of downstream cases and value to be derived from having data generated from unstructured interactions. You will partner closely with the Customer Engagement Analytics (CEA) Research, Product and Services teams blending your data expertise with best-in-class technology advancements and client insights to accomplish the team’s objectives. AI Data Engineers are experts in the value derived from unstructured CX interactions. It is that expertise, along with technical fluency, that allow the Business Consulting team to build scalable, out of the box data structures that reveal operational and measurable outcomes. The responsibilities for this role includes the development of the underlying data structures, along with the ability to understand new and evolving client requests for improvement and the ability to incorporate those needs into a successful build and execution plan for each POC. The ideal candidate is intellectually inquisitive, with strong communication, organization, analytical and technical capabilities. As a self-starter, they are not afraid to roll up their sleeves to learn and validate evolving toolsets while maintaining focus on what success looks like with our ultimate goals for data solutions. As they gain and maintain system and data expertise, the roll will continue to open up for direct client interactions, feedback capture and build plans.
How will you make an impact?
- Serve as the focal point for managing the delivery of CX interactions and corresponding metadata utilizing various data delivery methods.
- Serve as the focal point for the development of pre-defined data structures for automated analysis of large sets of CX interactions across all channels (audio, chat, email, social, etc.). This includes:
- Manipulation of CX interaction metadata into approved formats
- Manipulation of CX interactions into the NiCE Interaction Analytics platform
- Manipulation of CX transcripts
- Utilize evolving tools from Research that support the development of the data structures.
- Provide feedback to the Research and Product teams on how we continue to evolve tooling and data integration with CEA products.
- Work with client requirements to understand new requests and how we can or cannot meet them.
- Some team members may work directly with clients as a Subject Matter Expert to discuss data solutions, expectations and best practices.
- Educate field teams (Consulting and Customer Success) on data solutions, definitions, best practices, etc.
- Provide input on the use of developed data models for both Product and Field teams to optimize the use of developed data assets.
- As the Enlighten AI team is focused on Data Innovation, team members may be asked to support other projects, solutions and/or deployments using other Enlighten AI solutions.
- Manage the utilization of the CX Proof of Concept (POC) VM servers.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- 3+ years of software engineering experience and/or significant experience with business intelligence, analytics, and data visualization as a services provider
- Experience using Windows Server
- Experience with basic scripting in PowerShell, Command Line, or Python
- Knowledge of SQL preferred, such as using Data Manipulation Language and Data Definition Language
- Familiarity with Linux
- Familiarity with ssh and basic bash skills
- Experience with Docker, accessing AWS S3 buckets, and SFTP
- Experience with use of technology to build and analyze datasets for operational outcomes
- Excellent oral and written communication skills in English
- Ability to multi-task and meet deadlines when supporting requests that create competing priorities
- Ability to develop and maintain good working relationships with cross-functional teams
- Ability to communicate comfortably across all levels of corporate structure
- Demonstrated ability to take the initiative and work in a self-directed manner
- Ability to thrive in a changing environment
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
Join an ever-growing, market disrupting, global company where the teams – comprised of the best of the best – work in a fast-paced, collaborative, and creative environment! As the market leader, every day at NiCE is a chance to learn and grow, and there are endless internal career opportunities across multiple roles, disciplines, domains, and locations. If you are passionate, innovative, and excited to constantly raise the bar, you may just be our next NiCEr!
Requisition ID: 10299
Reporting into: Vice President of Solution Sales
Role Type: Individual Contributor
ABOUT NiCE
NICE Ltd. (NASDAQ: NICE) software products are used by 25,000+ global businesses, including 85 of the Fortune 100 corporations, to deliver extraordinary customer experiences, fight financial crime and ensure public safety. Every day, NiCE software manages more than 120 million customer interactions and monitors 3+ billion financial transactions.
Known as an innovation powerhouse that excels in AI, cloud and digital, NiCE is consistently recognized as the market leader in its domains, with over 8,500 employees across 30+ countries.
NiCE is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, marital status, ancestry, neurotype, physical or mental disability, veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation or any other category protected by law.
How to Get Visa Sponsorship as an AI Data Engineer
Target companies with active H-1B filing history
Employers who have sponsored H-1B visas before are far more likely to sponsor yours. Search OFLC disclosure data to verify whether a company has filed for data engineering roles specifically, not just tech roles in general.
Lead with your STEM OPT timeline in outreach
Hiring managers often assume international candidates need sponsorship immediately. Clarifying upfront that you have up to three years of work authorization under STEM OPT removes the biggest objection before it becomes a reason to pass.
Align your skills with the employer's data stack
Fluency in Spark, Airflow, dbt, or cloud platforms like AWS and GCP signals readiness to contribute fast. Employers weigh sponsorship cost against ramp-up time, so demonstrating immediate impact strengthens your case considerably.
Pursue roles where your degree field matches the job directly
H-1B specialty occupation approval depends on a clear connection between your degree and the role. A data engineering position paired with a computer science or information systems degree is among the strongest combinations for petition approval.
Ask about sponsorship policy at the offer stage, not the application stage
Raising sponsorship too early filters you out before you've demonstrated value. Get through the technical interviews first, then ask whether the company has sponsored international hires in data engineering or similar roles before.
Build a portfolio that shows production-level work, not just coursework
Data engineering portfolios should include pipeline architecture, schema design decisions, and performance tradeoffs, not just completed projects. Employers sponsoring visas want evidence you can own infrastructure, not just build assignments under supervision.
AI Data Engineer jobs are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find AI Data Engineer JobsSee all 2,524+ AI Data Engineer jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new AI Data Engineer roles.
Get Access To All JobsFrequently Asked Questions
Does an AI Data Engineer role qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
Yes, AI Data Engineer roles almost always qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension, provided your degree is in an eligible STEM field such as computer science, data science, information systems, or electrical engineering. Your employer must also be enrolled in E-Verify, which most mid-size and large tech companies already are. The extension gives you up to three years of total OPT work authorization.
What types of employers are most likely to sponsor an AI Data Engineer for an H-1B?
Technology companies, financial services firms, and large enterprises with dedicated data platforms teams are the most consistent sponsors for data engineering roles. Companies building AI infrastructure at scale, such as those in cloud services, fintech, and health tech, regularly file H-1B petitions for this role. Migrate Mate filters job listings by sponsorship willingness, so you can focus on employers with a real track record rather than guessing.
Can I work as an AI Data Engineer for a startup on OPT?
Yes, but startups carry more risk for OPT students than established employers. If a startup is not enrolled in E-Verify, you cannot use your STEM OPT extension there. Startups also have a lower rate of H-1B sponsorship due to cost and legal overhead. If you pursue a startup role, confirm E-Verify enrollment before accepting and ask directly about their history sponsoring international employees.
How does the 90-day unemployment limit affect AI Data Engineers on OPT?
During your standard OPT period, you cannot accumulate more than 90 days of unemployment. During your STEM OPT extension, that limit increases to 150 cumulative days. For AI Data Engineers, this matters most during job transitions. If you leave one role without another lined up, the clock starts immediately. Keeping your job search active and targeted from the beginning of your OPT period reduces this risk substantially.
What should I look for in an AI Data Engineer job listing to assess sponsorship likelihood?
Look for explicit mentions of visa sponsorship availability, E-Verify enrollment, and whether the company has filed LCAs or H-1B petitions in data engineering or related titles previously. Job listings that specify 'must be authorized to work without sponsorship' are a hard no. Beyond the listing itself, checking a company's public OFLC disclosure filings gives you objective evidence of their actual sponsorship history before you invest time in the application process.
See which AI Data Engineer employers are hiring and sponsoring visas right now.
Search AI Data Engineer Jobs