Backend Engineer Jobs for OPT Students
Backend Engineer roles are among the most OPT-friendly positions in tech. Most require a degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field, which aligns well with F-1 eligibility. STEM OPT extension applies, giving you up to 36 months of authorized work to gain experience and secure H-1B sponsorship.
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Get Access To All JobsHelp Build the Future of Healthcare AI
Infinitus is AI communications in service of patients.
Healthcare is inherently complex and siloed. We’re pioneering agentic communications to connect the entire system — any stakeholder, any channel, inbound and out. The result is intelligent care that reduces patient anxiety, increases speed to treatment, and enables teams to scale impact without stretching resources.
Our system combines industry-leading safety guardrails with the largest dynamic knowledge graph built on millions of real-world interactions. It’s why 44% of the healthcare Fortune 50 trusts Infinitus to turn fragmented touchpoints into seamless care for better patient outcomes.
The Mission
At Infinitus, our mission is simple: create time for healthcare by making access, adherence, and affordability easier than ever. We’ve automated over 7 million calls and 100M+ minutes of conversation — saving millions of hours for patients and providers.
Backed by over $100M from top investors including Google Ventures, Kleiner Perkins, Andreessen Horowitz, and Coatue, we’re a team that challenges the status quo and moves fast at the intersection of AI and healthcare. Infinitus was recently named to Fast Company's World's Most Innovative Companies and Business Insider’s top startups in healthcare.
Your Role
We’re looking for an early career Backend Engineer to join our team and help us build and scale the core of our digital health products. As our system grows to support more customers, expand the capabilities of Eva (our digital health assistant), and automate key processes in healthcare, we need engineers who are excited to learn, grow, and make an impact.
This is a role where you’ll be hands-on with backend systems, collaborate across teams, and develop the skills to become a strong, well-rounded engineer. If you’re curious about AI, NLP, and healthcare at scale, this is a great place to deepen your expertise while contributing to meaningful products.
Your Impact
- Build and maintain backend services that power our healthcare products.
- Help design and develop scalable APIs and integrations.
- Collaborate with data science, frontend, and infrastructure engineers on end-to-end solutions.
- Write clean, testable, and maintainable code with guidance from senior engineers.
- Participate in code reviews, technical discussions, and roadmap planning.
- Gain experience in performance optimization, reliability improvements, and scaling systems.
- Work with AI coding tools (Cursor, Claude Code, etc.)
- Work with product managers and designers to understand user needs and deliver real customer value.
- Learn best practices in backend engineering and grow into increasing ownership over time.
Your Skillset
- 2–3 years of backend development experience, with demonstrated learning and growth.
- Proficiency in at least one backend language (Python, Go, Java, C++ or similar).
- Basic knowledge of databases (SQL & NoSQL) and API design.
- Experience with cloud services (AWS, GCP, or similar).
- Curiosity about AI/ML concepts and healthcare applications (no prior expertise required).
- Strong communication and collaboration skills.
- A growth mindset: open to feedback, eager to learn, and motivated to take on new challenges.
- Alignment with our values: Customer Obsessed, Optimistic, Disagree + Commit, Engage Employees, See–Say–Do.
Why You’ll Love It Here
Please Note: the following benefits are for salaried employees
- Hybrid work (SF office Mon/Tues/Thurs) + catered lunches (Bay Area Positions only)
- Competitive salary, equity, and 401(k)
- Wellness stipend & great benefits (medical, dental, vision)
- Generous PTO & parental leave
- Bi-annual offsites & a collaborative, mission-driven culture
What to Expect in the Interview Process
- Apply & meet our recruiting team
- Virtual interviews to showcase your skills
- Final onsite loop to meet the team and get to know us better
- Chat with our CEO
Curious to Learn More?
- Read our Blog to hear from Infinauts about what we’re building
- Discover how our company values (CODES) guide us
- Follow our CEO, Ankit Jain for industry updates
We’re building AI agents that tackle healthcare’s toughest problems and open new possibilities. Ready to join us? Let’s talk!
Infinitus Systems is committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and teammates without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation and related medical conditions), national origin, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information (including characteristics and testing), military and veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Infinitus Systems believes that diversity and inclusion among our teammates is critical to our success as a global company, and we seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool.
Help Build the Future of Healthcare AI
Infinitus is AI communications in service of patients.
Healthcare is inherently complex and siloed. We’re pioneering agentic communications to connect the entire system — any stakeholder, any channel, inbound and out. The result is intelligent care that reduces patient anxiety, increases speed to treatment, and enables teams to scale impact without stretching resources.
Our system combines industry-leading safety guardrails with the largest dynamic knowledge graph built on millions of real-world interactions. It’s why 44% of the healthcare Fortune 50 trusts Infinitus to turn fragmented touchpoints into seamless care for better patient outcomes.
The Mission
At Infinitus, our mission is simple: create time for healthcare by making access, adherence, and affordability easier than ever. We’ve automated over 7 million calls and 100M+ minutes of conversation — saving millions of hours for patients and providers.
Backed by over $100M from top investors including Google Ventures, Kleiner Perkins, Andreessen Horowitz, and Coatue, we’re a team that challenges the status quo and moves fast at the intersection of AI and healthcare. Infinitus was recently named to Fast Company's World's Most Innovative Companies and Business Insider’s top startups in healthcare.
Your Role
We’re looking for an early career Backend Engineer to join our team and help us build and scale the core of our digital health products. As our system grows to support more customers, expand the capabilities of Eva (our digital health assistant), and automate key processes in healthcare, we need engineers who are excited to learn, grow, and make an impact.
This is a role where you’ll be hands-on with backend systems, collaborate across teams, and develop the skills to become a strong, well-rounded engineer. If you’re curious about AI, NLP, and healthcare at scale, this is a great place to deepen your expertise while contributing to meaningful products.
Your Impact
- Build and maintain backend services that power our healthcare products.
- Help design and develop scalable APIs and integrations.
- Collaborate with data science, frontend, and infrastructure engineers on end-to-end solutions.
- Write clean, testable, and maintainable code with guidance from senior engineers.
- Participate in code reviews, technical discussions, and roadmap planning.
- Gain experience in performance optimization, reliability improvements, and scaling systems.
- Work with AI coding tools (Cursor, Claude Code, etc.)
- Work with product managers and designers to understand user needs and deliver real customer value.
- Learn best practices in backend engineering and grow into increasing ownership over time.
Your Skillset
- 2–3 years of backend development experience, with demonstrated learning and growth.
- Proficiency in at least one backend language (Python, Go, Java, C++ or similar).
- Basic knowledge of databases (SQL & NoSQL) and API design.
- Experience with cloud services (AWS, GCP, or similar).
- Curiosity about AI/ML concepts and healthcare applications (no prior expertise required).
- Strong communication and collaboration skills.
- A growth mindset: open to feedback, eager to learn, and motivated to take on new challenges.
- Alignment with our values: Customer Obsessed, Optimistic, Disagree + Commit, Engage Employees, See–Say–Do.
Why You’ll Love It Here
Please Note: the following benefits are for salaried employees
- Hybrid work (SF office Mon/Tues/Thurs) + catered lunches (Bay Area Positions only)
- Competitive salary, equity, and 401(k)
- Wellness stipend & great benefits (medical, dental, vision)
- Generous PTO & parental leave
- Bi-annual offsites & a collaborative, mission-driven culture
What to Expect in the Interview Process
- Apply & meet our recruiting team
- Virtual interviews to showcase your skills
- Final onsite loop to meet the team and get to know us better
- Chat with our CEO
Curious to Learn More?
- Read our Blog to hear from Infinauts about what we’re building
- Discover how our company values (CODES) guide us
- Follow our CEO, Ankit Jain for industry updates
We’re building AI agents that tackle healthcare’s toughest problems and open new possibilities. Ready to join us? Let’s talk!
Infinitus Systems is committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and teammates without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation and related medical conditions), national origin, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information (including characteristics and testing), military and veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Infinitus Systems believes that diversity and inclusion among our teammates is critical to our success as a global company, and we seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool.
How to Get Visa Sponsorship as a Backend Engineer
Target STEM-designated employers first
Companies with an active E-Verify enrollment are required for your 24-month STEM OPT extension. Filter your search to employers already enrolled, since this signals they've hired international students before and understand the authorization process.
Lead with your authorization timeline upfront
Tell recruiters you have 12 months of OPT with STEM extension eligibility for up to 36 months total. Framing it as a multi-year window reduces hesitation and gives hiring managers a clear picture of your availability before sponsorship is needed.
Highlight backend-specific skills that are hard to source locally
Expertise in distributed systems, Kubernetes, Go, or Rust can make sponsorship worthwhile for employers. The harder your skill set is to find domestically, the stronger the business case for a company to invest in your visa sponsorship.
Focus on mid-size tech companies and funded startups
Series B and C startups often sponsor backend engineers because they're scaling fast and competing for talent aggressively. They're less bureaucratic than large enterprises and more willing to move quickly on candidates with strong technical profiles.
Get your OPT EAD card details ready before applying
Have your EAD card number, OPT start and end dates, and STEM extension eligibility documented. Recruiters may ask during initial screening, and having accurate answers immediately signals that you've managed your authorization responsibly.
Use Migrate Mate to find roles open to OPT candidates
Searching general job boards means filtering through roles that won't sponsor. Migrate Mate surfaces backend engineering jobs from employers who have sponsored international candidates, saving you time and reducing the chance of wasting applications on closed doors.
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Get Access To All JobsFrequently Asked Questions
Can I work as a Backend Engineer on OPT without employer sponsorship?
Yes, during your initial OPT period you're authorized to work without any additional employer action beyond verifying your EAD. Your employer simply needs to confirm your work authorization. Sponsorship only becomes relevant when you need H-1B status after OPT expires, and most backend engineering roles qualify for H-1B as specialty occupations requiring a related degree.
Does a Backend Engineer role qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
Backend engineering roles almost always qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension, provided your degree is in a STEM-designated field such as Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or Information Systems. Your employer must be E-Verify enrolled, and you'll need a formal training plan submitted through your DSO. This gives you up to 36 months total to work and pursue H-1B sponsorship.
What happens if I lose my Backend Engineer job while on OPT?
You have a 60-day unemployment grace period during your initial OPT and during your STEM extension. Accumulated unemployment days cannot exceed 90 days across your full OPT period. If you go beyond that, you fall out of status. Report job changes to your DSO immediately, update your SEVP portal record, and prioritize finding a new backend role quickly. Migrate Mate is a good place to search for OPT-eligible openings fast.
Do Backend Engineers on OPT need to worry about the H-1B cap?
If your goal is long-term work authorization, yes. The H-1B lottery runs once per year with registrations in March for an October 1 start date. Backend engineers at cap-exempt employers like universities or nonprofit research institutions bypass the lottery entirely. For cap-subject employers, you'll need to be selected in the lottery, so having a full 36 months of OPT authorization gives you multiple lottery cycles if needed.
Can I work as a contractor or on a project basis as a Backend Engineer on OPT?
Yes, but with important constraints. OPT requires that your work is directly related to your degree field, which backend engineering typically satisfies. However, you must be engaged in actual employment rather than passive investment or ownership. Contract and consulting arrangements are allowed as long as you can document the work relationship, hours, and how the role relates to your degree when required by USCIS or your DSO.
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