Application Development Lead Jobs for OPT Students
Application Development Lead jobs are open to F-1 OPT students with a degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related field. Most roles require both hands-on coding ability and team leadership experience. Your OPT period gives you up to 12 months of authorized work, with a 24-month STEM extension available for qualifying degrees.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
If you are currently an employee of Herc Rentals, please apply using this link: Herc Employee Career Portal
Founded in 1965, Herc Rentals is one of the leading equipment rental suppliers in North America with 2025 total revenues reaching approximately $4.4 billion. Herc Rentals’ parent company, known as Herc Holdings Inc., listed on the New York Stock Exchange on July 1, 2016, under the symbol “HRI.” Herc Rentals serves customers through approximately 602 locations and has about 9,600 employees in North America as of December 31, 2025.
Job Purpose
Herc Rentals is going through a ground-up digital transformation. We are a cloud-native company using cutting-edge technologies. We use cloud-based tools and applications in addition to React, GraphQL, DynamoDB. It is not a requirement that you be knowledgeable in any specific language/technology.
Lead Application Developer plays a key role in working with AWS Cloud Native application development and handling high volumes of data from 100k+ equipment in the Telematics backend with a focus on code optimization and maintaining it. We are interested in collaborative, service-oriented Engineers who thrive in an environment of autonomy and ownership.
The ideal candidate has strong technical skills along with the demonstrated ability to help lead projects of application developers in a customer-driven, fast-paced collaborative team environment.
What you will do...
- Work closely with Product Owners, Business Analysts to ensure understanding of requirements.
- Develop applications, administrations and product support.
- Work closely with onsite/offshore teams, maintain code quality and code reviews.
- Administer, support and develop various Herc-hosted proprietary applications.
- Troubleshoot application issues with a resolution first approach to minimize business & customer impact.
- Manages & Supports 3rd party devices, API integrations.
- Develops cost-effective Digital IT solutions by modifying or writing new software.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science or related field.
- Graduate Degree in Computer Science preferred.
- 3 years experience in Telematics and IOT required.
- 3 years of ecommerce experience is required.
- 1 year of AI experience required.
- Design, code, test, and analyze software programs and applications including research, documenting and modifying throughout the production lifecycle.
- Excellent presentation and soft skills, able to present complex technical concepts to business partners and senior management.
- Interacting with and querying databases and/or NoSQL datastores.
- Experience in writing APIs (REST, GraphQL).
- Familiarity with AWS managed services like SQS, AppSync, MKS etc.
- Familiarity with AWS infrastructure.
- Familiarity with Microservices development.
- Carry out debugging, troubleshooting, modifications, and unit testing of custom solutions built on the organization/client’s platform.
- Familiarity with cloud streaming services like Kafka, Kinesis.
- Provide prompt response to technical issues in a professional manner.
- Experience leading Agile/Scrum development teams.
Skills
- 5+ years of development experience including Java.
- 3 years experience in Telematics and IOT required.
- 3 years of ecommerce experience is required.
- 2+ years of experience in writing Lambda functions and microservices.
- 2+ years of experience with Cloud-based development, including AWS.
- 2 years of experience working within an Agile development environment.
- 2 years of experience with modern CI/CD tools such as Git, Docker, Jenkins, etc.
- 1 year of AI experience required.
Req #: 67500
Pay Range: Based on qualifications.
Please be advised that the actual salary offered for any position is subject to the company's sole discretion and may be influenced by various factors, including but not limited to the candidate's qualifications, experience, location, and overall fit for the role.
Herc Rentals values its employees and provides excellent compensation and benefits packages which are not limited to the following.
Keeping you healthy
Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage
Life and disability insurance
Flex spending and health savings accounts
Virtual Health Visits
24 Hour Nurse Line
Healthy Pregnancy Program
Tobacco Cessation Program
Weight Loss Program
Building Your Financial Future
401(k) plan with company match
Employee Stock Purchase Program
Life & Work Harmony
Paid Time Off (Holidays, Vacations, Sick Days)
Paid parental leave.
Military leave & support for those in the National Guard and Reserves
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Adoption Assistance Reimbursement Program
Tuition Reimbursement Program
Auto & Home Insurance Discounts
Protecting You & Your Family
Company Paid Life Insurance
Supplemental Life Insurance
Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance
Company Paid Disability Insurance
Supplemental Disability Insurance
Group Legal Plan
Critical Illness Insurance
Herc does not discriminate in employment based on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, sex, age, disability, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, citizenship status, political affiliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factors.
INTRODUCTION
If you are currently an employee of Herc Rentals, please apply using this link: Herc Employee Career Portal
Founded in 1965, Herc Rentals is one of the leading equipment rental suppliers in North America with 2025 total revenues reaching approximately $4.4 billion. Herc Rentals’ parent company, known as Herc Holdings Inc., listed on the New York Stock Exchange on July 1, 2016, under the symbol “HRI.” Herc Rentals serves customers through approximately 602 locations and has about 9,600 employees in North America as of December 31, 2025.
Job Purpose
Herc Rentals is going through a ground-up digital transformation. We are a cloud-native company using cutting-edge technologies. We use cloud-based tools and applications in addition to React, GraphQL, DynamoDB. It is not a requirement that you be knowledgeable in any specific language/technology.
Lead Application Developer plays a key role in working with AWS Cloud Native application development and handling high volumes of data from 100k+ equipment in the Telematics backend with a focus on code optimization and maintaining it. We are interested in collaborative, service-oriented Engineers who thrive in an environment of autonomy and ownership.
The ideal candidate has strong technical skills along with the demonstrated ability to help lead projects of application developers in a customer-driven, fast-paced collaborative team environment.
What you will do...
- Work closely with Product Owners, Business Analysts to ensure understanding of requirements.
- Develop applications, administrations and product support.
- Work closely with onsite/offshore teams, maintain code quality and code reviews.
- Administer, support and develop various Herc-hosted proprietary applications.
- Troubleshoot application issues with a resolution first approach to minimize business & customer impact.
- Manages & Supports 3rd party devices, API integrations.
- Develops cost-effective Digital IT solutions by modifying or writing new software.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science or related field.
- Graduate Degree in Computer Science preferred.
- 3 years experience in Telematics and IOT required.
- 3 years of ecommerce experience is required.
- 1 year of AI experience required.
- Design, code, test, and analyze software programs and applications including research, documenting and modifying throughout the production lifecycle.
- Excellent presentation and soft skills, able to present complex technical concepts to business partners and senior management.
- Interacting with and querying databases and/or NoSQL datastores.
- Experience in writing APIs (REST, GraphQL).
- Familiarity with AWS managed services like SQS, AppSync, MKS etc.
- Familiarity with AWS infrastructure.
- Familiarity with Microservices development.
- Carry out debugging, troubleshooting, modifications, and unit testing of custom solutions built on the organization/client’s platform.
- Familiarity with cloud streaming services like Kafka, Kinesis.
- Provide prompt response to technical issues in a professional manner.
- Experience leading Agile/Scrum development teams.
Skills
- 5+ years of development experience including Java.
- 3 years experience in Telematics and IOT required.
- 3 years of ecommerce experience is required.
- 2+ years of experience in writing Lambda functions and microservices.
- 2+ years of experience with Cloud-based development, including AWS.
- 2 years of experience working within an Agile development environment.
- 2 years of experience with modern CI/CD tools such as Git, Docker, Jenkins, etc.
- 1 year of AI experience required.
Req #: 67500
Pay Range: Based on qualifications.
Please be advised that the actual salary offered for any position is subject to the company's sole discretion and may be influenced by various factors, including but not limited to the candidate's qualifications, experience, location, and overall fit for the role.
Herc Rentals values its employees and provides excellent compensation and benefits packages which are not limited to the following.
Keeping you healthy
Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage
Life and disability insurance
Flex spending and health savings accounts
Virtual Health Visits
24 Hour Nurse Line
Healthy Pregnancy Program
Tobacco Cessation Program
Weight Loss Program
Building Your Financial Future
401(k) plan with company match
Employee Stock Purchase Program
Life & Work Harmony
Paid Time Off (Holidays, Vacations, Sick Days)
Paid parental leave.
Military leave & support for those in the National Guard and Reserves
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Adoption Assistance Reimbursement Program
Tuition Reimbursement Program
Auto & Home Insurance Discounts
Protecting You & Your Family
Company Paid Life Insurance
Supplemental Life Insurance
Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance
Company Paid Disability Insurance
Supplemental Disability Insurance
Group Legal Plan
Critical Illness Insurance
Herc does not discriminate in employment based on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, sex, age, disability, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, citizenship status, political affiliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factors.
How to Get Visa Sponsorship in Application Development Lead
Lead with technical depth, not just management
Application Development Lead roles at OPT-sponsoring companies expect you to write and review code, not just manage tickets. Highlight specific languages, frameworks, and architecture decisions you've owned. Employers sponsoring OPT want technical credibility before they invest in visa paperwork.
Target STEM-designated programs to extend your runway
If your degree is in computer science, software engineering, or a related STEM field, you're eligible for a 24-month OPT extension. Apply to roles at E-Verify employers early, since that requirement is mandatory for the STEM extension and eliminates a large portion of smaller companies.
Quantify the teams and projects you've led
Generic leadership claims don't move the needle. Name the team size, the project scope, and measurable outcomes you delivered. Sponsoring an Application Development Lead is a significant commitment, and hiring managers need concrete evidence you can handle the responsibility from day one.
Address your OPT timeline proactively in conversations
Don't wait for employers to raise the visa question. Early in the process, confirm they've sponsored H-1B or similar visas before. Companies with no sponsorship history are unlikely to start for a lead-level hire, no matter how strong your technical background is.
Emphasize cross-functional collaboration in your application
Application Development Leads regularly work with product, QA, and infrastructure teams. Show concrete examples of cross-functional projects you've driven. Employers sponsoring OPT want leads who reduce friction across teams, not just engineers who write clean code within a single team.
Apply early relative to your OPT end date
Lead-level hiring processes run longer than individual contributor roles, often eight to twelve weeks from first interview to offer. Factor in H-1B cap seasons and your OPT expiration date. Starting your search at least six months before your authorization expires gives you a realistic buffer.
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Get Access To All JobsFrequently Asked Questions
Can F-1 OPT students work as Application Development Leads?
Yes. An Application Development Lead role qualifies for OPT as long as it's directly related to your field of study, which is typically satisfied by a degree in computer science, software engineering, information systems, or a related technical discipline. Your employer doesn't need to file any petition to start employment, but they must report your hire through the SEVIS system within 10 days.
Do Application Development Lead employers typically sponsor H-1B visas?
Mid-size and large technology companies, financial institutions, and enterprise software firms regularly sponsor H-1B visas for Application Development Lead roles. Smaller startups and consulting firms are less consistent. Migrate Mate filters job listings by sponsorship history, so you can focus your search on employers who have a documented track record of sponsoring candidates at this level.
Does an Application Development Lead role qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
It depends on your degree, not the job title. If your degree appears on the STEM Designated Degree Program list and your employer is enrolled in E-Verify, you can apply for the 24-month extension. Most Application Development Lead roles align well with qualifying STEM fields, but confirm your specific degree classification with your Designated School Official before assuming you're eligible.
What happens if my OPT expires before my H-1B is approved?
If you've filed a cap-subject H-1B petition before your OPT expires and your employer selected you in the lottery, you may be eligible for a 60-day cap-gap extension that bridges the gap from OPT expiration to October 1, when H-1B status begins. STEM OPT holders get an automatic extension through September 30 if the H-1B petition is filed and selected. Confirm the specifics with your DSO immediately after lottery results are announced.
How can I find Application Development Lead jobs that sponsor OPT and H-1B?
The most efficient approach is to search within a platform that has already filtered for sponsorship. Migrate Mate aggregates Application Development Lead roles from employers with confirmed sponsorship histories, so you're not manually screening hundreds of listings to find the ones relevant to your visa situation. Filter by role level and employment type to narrow to full-time positions most likely to support long-term sponsorship.
See which Application Development Lead employers are hiring and sponsoring visas right now.
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