OPT Certified Diabetes Educator Jobs
Certified Diabetes Educator jobs on OPT require STEM-adjacent clinical credentials that most employers already understand. Your OPT work authorization lets you work full-time in patient education and chronic disease management roles, and STEM OPT extension eligibility depends on whether your degree classification qualifies.
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The Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (RN/Clinical Nurse 3) will provide comprehensive diabetes care, patient and family education, care coordination, medication management, and DSMES to children and adolescents at the Westwood Children's Health Center clinic. The role will support patients in managing their diabetes through clinical assessments, ongoing medical therapy, and individualized education. You will be required to obtain and maintain certification as a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist.
- Conduct follow-up nursing visits for patients starting new insulin pump therapy.
- Assess patients’ and families’ ability to perform diabetes self-management skills.
- Coordinate ongoing medical therapy during and between patient visits.
- Provide diabetes management support via phone, video, and in-person visits, including insulin dose adjustments, sick calls, medication refills, and follow-up calls.
- Provide individual and group diabetes education.
- Complete annual diabetes self-management assessments during in-person visits.
- Maintain pediatric diabetes monitoring flowsheets for assigned patients.
The employee's primary work location will be the assigned clinic; however, the position requires flexibility to travel and float to other clinic locations as needed to provide direct patient care, diabetes education, care coordination, and clinical support.
Salary Range: $70.59 - 106.80 Hourly
Qualifications
The ideal candidate will have strong clinical experience in diabetes care, preferably in a pediatric setting. We are seeking a highly competent and proactive nursing professional with strong clinical judgment, excellent collaboration skills, flexibility, and the ability to take initiative in a fast-paced clinical environment.
This position is expected to travel to multiple UCLA Health locations as needed.
Required:
- BSN or MSN.
- Minimum 2 years of professional practice experience.
- Current Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES) certification or obtain certification within 12 months of hire through Certification Board for Diabetes Care and Education.
- Active RN license with the California Board of Registered Nursing.
- BLS from the American Red Cross or American Heart Association.
- Ability to complete a Nursing physical assessment.
- Skill in developing a plan of care including setting goals, monitoring and documenting progress.
- Ability to implement interventions that are pertinent to goals established in the plan of care.
- Ability to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions toward the attainment of established goals and to recognize the need to reassess or reset goal parameters.
- Ability to delegate tasks in a management style that is consistent with promoting leadership and teamwork.
- Knowledge base to provide education to patients, families, and other staff regarding clinical and patient care issues.
Preferred:
- Familiarity with the CCS and Medi-Cal programs.
- CCS paneled in Pediatrics/Pediatric Endocrinology (will be expected to apply for paneling upon hire).
Description
The Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (RN/Clinical Nurse 3) will provide comprehensive diabetes care, patient and family education, care coordination, medication management, and DSMES to children and adolescents at the Westwood Children's Health Center clinic. The role will support patients in managing their diabetes through clinical assessments, ongoing medical therapy, and individualized education. You will be required to obtain and maintain certification as a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist.
- Conduct follow-up nursing visits for patients starting new insulin pump therapy.
- Assess patients’ and families’ ability to perform diabetes self-management skills.
- Coordinate ongoing medical therapy during and between patient visits.
- Provide diabetes management support via phone, video, and in-person visits, including insulin dose adjustments, sick calls, medication refills, and follow-up calls.
- Provide individual and group diabetes education.
- Complete annual diabetes self-management assessments during in-person visits.
- Maintain pediatric diabetes monitoring flowsheets for assigned patients.
The employee's primary work location will be the assigned clinic; however, the position requires flexibility to travel and float to other clinic locations as needed to provide direct patient care, diabetes education, care coordination, and clinical support.
Salary Range: $70.59 - 106.80 Hourly
Qualifications
The ideal candidate will have strong clinical experience in diabetes care, preferably in a pediatric setting. We are seeking a highly competent and proactive nursing professional with strong clinical judgment, excellent collaboration skills, flexibility, and the ability to take initiative in a fast-paced clinical environment.
This position is expected to travel to multiple UCLA Health locations as needed.
Required:
- BSN or MSN.
- Minimum 2 years of professional practice experience.
- Current Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES) certification or obtain certification within 12 months of hire through Certification Board for Diabetes Care and Education.
- Active RN license with the California Board of Registered Nursing.
- BLS from the American Red Cross or American Heart Association.
- Ability to complete a Nursing physical assessment.
- Skill in developing a plan of care including setting goals, monitoring and documenting progress.
- Ability to implement interventions that are pertinent to goals established in the plan of care.
- Ability to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions toward the attainment of established goals and to recognize the need to reassess or reset goal parameters.
- Ability to delegate tasks in a management style that is consistent with promoting leadership and teamwork.
- Knowledge base to provide education to patients, families, and other staff regarding clinical and patient care issues.
Preferred:
- Familiarity with the CCS and Medi-Cal programs.
- CCS paneled in Pediatrics/Pediatric Endocrinology (will be expected to apply for paneling upon hire).
See all 42+ OPT Certified Diabetes Educator Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new OPT Certified Diabetes Educator Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship in Certified Diabetes Educator
Clarify your OPT authorization type upfront
Tell employers whether you're on standard 12-month OPT or a STEM OPT extension early in conversations. Diabetes educator roles often involve credentialing timelines, so employers need to plan around your authorization period from the start.
Highlight your CDCES exam status
If you've sat for or passed the Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist exam, lead with it. Credentialed candidates face fewer hiring delays, and employers sponsoring OPT students want confidence you'll clear clinical requirements without extra onboarding friction.
Target hospital systems and integrated health networks
Large health systems like Kaiser Permanente and academic medical centers have established HR processes for international hires. They're more likely to have navigated OPT paperwork before and less likely to treat your status as a dealbreaker during recruitment.
Address H-1B transition plans proactively
Diabetes educator roles can qualify as specialty occupations under H-1B visa. Mentioning your intent to transition before OPT expires reassures employers about continuity of care, which matters deeply in chronic disease management where patient relationships are long-term.
Verify your degree qualifies for STEM OPT extension
Health informatics, clinical nutrition, and public health degrees may carry STEM CIP codes that unlock the 24-month extension. Check your degree classification with your DSO early so you know exactly how much authorized time you can offer an employer.
Frame your international background as a clinical asset
Diabetes prevalence and cultural food practices vary significantly across patient populations. Multilingual ability and cross-cultural patient experience are genuine differentiators in diabetes education roles serving diverse communities, so make that case explicitly in your cover materials.
Certified Diabetes Educator OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work as a Certified Diabetes Educator on OPT without additional licensing?
Work authorization and professional licensure are separate requirements. Your OPT EAD card authorizes employment, but you'll also need to meet any state-level requirements for diabetes education practice and pursue the CDCES credential through ADCES. Most employers require or strongly prefer the CDCES exam, so check both your OPT timeline and credentialing eligibility simultaneously to avoid delays after hire.
Do Certified Diabetes Educator jobs qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
It depends on your underlying degree, not the job title itself. If your degree is in a STEM-designated field such as health informatics, nutritional science, or a qualifying public health program, your DSO can authorize the 24-month STEM OPT extension. Degrees in general health education or nursing often do not qualify. Confirm your CIP code with your DSO before assuming eligibility.
How do I find Certified Diabetes Educator jobs that are open to OPT students?
Migrate Mate is the recommended starting point. The platform is built specifically for F-1 OPT students and filters roles by sponsorship willingness, so you're not wasting applications on employers who won't consider international candidates. Searching there surfaces health system employers who have a documented history of hiring on OPT and transitioning employees to H-1B status.
Can I start working as a Certified Diabetes Educator before passing the CDCES exam?
Yes, with conditions. Many employers hire candidates as diabetes educators in training or under a supervising credentialed educator while they accumulate the practice hours required before sitting for the CDCES exam. Your OPT work authorization is valid regardless of credential status, but confirm that your specific job offer qualifies as OPT-eligible employment in your authorized field of study.
Will employers sponsor H-1B after my OPT ends for a Certified Diabetes Educator role?
Diabetes educator roles can qualify as H-1B specialty occupations when the position requires a bachelor's degree or higher in a specific field such as dietetics, nursing, or health education. Whether a specific employer will sponsor depends on their internal policies and your value to the organization. Building a strong clinical track record during OPT significantly improves your sponsorship case before the H-1B lottery cycle.