OPT Civil Designer Jobs
Civil Designer jobs are a strong fit for F-1 OPT students with degrees in civil engineering, environmental engineering, or a related field. Most roles qualify as STEM OPT, giving you up to 36 months of work authorization. Employers in infrastructure, transportation, and land development regularly hire OPT candidates with CAD and design software proficiency.
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As an Engineering Assistant or Senior Engineering Assistant for Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc. (CEC), in our Pittsburgh, PA office, you will participate in and contribute to a diverse range of engineering projects and services in our team-oriented environment. Under the direction and supervision of experienced engineers and project managers, you will contribute to manufacturing, renewable energy, commercial, industrial, and oil and gas development projects. You will participate in the following aspects of the engineering design process which will include opportunities for task/staff leadership responsibilities:
- Assist, mentor, and/or direct staff as needed to:
- Develop site layout plans in accordance with local ordinance requirements
- Create alignments, profiles, and site grading designs using AutoCAD Civil 3D
- Prepare earthwork volume calculations
- Develop post construction stormwater management, stormwater conveyance, and erosion and sedimentation control designs and prepare the supporting calculations and reports
- Prepare drawing sets (from conceptual planning to final design and construction)
- Design sanitary sewers and prepare Sewage Facility Planning Modules
- Conduct utility coordination and design onsite utility connections
- Prepare earth disturbance, municipal, and other permitting/approval applications
At CEC, our employees enjoy a flexible/hybrid work schedule. Our comprehensive benefits package includes bonus recognition, based on performance, as well as participation in our employee stock ownership program. Additionally, we conduct annual performance reviews, provide goal setting opportunities, and have mid-year professional development reviews.
Endless perks are available to employees at CEC! Our office boasts a full-scale gym, café serving breakfast and lunch, and recreation rooms—creating the perfect balance of wellness and productivity. Throughout the year, employees enjoy ping pong, pool, cornhole, and pickleball tournaments as well as the annual summer picnic, themed happy hours, and fun team building activities including go-kart racing and curling! We also understand the importance of reaching beyond the office and giving back to the community—CEC employees volunteer for trail workdays to enhance local parks, maintain a CEC-designed pollinator garden for our office campus, and organize an annual charity golf tournament. At CEC Pittsburgh, we pride ourselves on fostering a culture of connection, collaboration, and growth within the office and in our community. $5,000 sign-on bonus for eligible candidates.
Qualifications
- Associate’s or technical degree in CAD, Construction, or Engineering or a Bachelor's degree in Engineering or similar field
- Strong knowledge and experience using AutoCAD is required. Proficiency with Civil 3D is strongly preferred (required for Senior Engineering Assistant)
- Experience with HEC-RAS, HydroCAD, and other computer modeling software is a plus
- Ability to evaluate design alternatives to solve constructability, code, and site challenges
- Candidates who meet the qualifications above are eligible for up to a $5,000 sign-on bonus upon successful onboarding.
About us:
We have experts! CEC is consistently ranked as a Top 500 Design Firm and Top 200 Environmental Firm by Engineering News-Record. We are looking for people who enjoy using their education and experience to solve difficult technical problems and work on interesting projects. You can accomplish this while working with a team of professionals who are equally motivated to provide high levels of service to our clients and to teach you along the way.
We have support! We have a variety of Employee Resource Groups, including CEC Community – focused on giving back to the communities in which we work; CEC Ignite – focused on helping professionals early in their careers to develop their pathway; CEC iDEA – focused on inclusion, diversity, equality, and acceptance; and CEC Women – focused on creating internal and external opportunities for women to network and leverage professional experience!
We care about our people! People and Culture are two of the five elements of our strategic plan. When you care about your people, they will want to grow a career with you – that is our goal. CEC offers you a small-firm work environment with large-firm opportunities. Not only will we help you develop professionally, but we will also provide an opportunity to become an owner of the firm and share in its success.
CEC offers a matching 401(k); profit sharing; a performance bonus; company stock; medical, dental, and vision insurance; short and long-term disability; tuition assistance; professional development; and work-life balance.
CEC is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate in recruiting, hiring or promotion based on race, color, religion, sex (including sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, transgender status), national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status or any other basis or characteristic prohibited by applicable federal, state, or local law.
THIRD PARTY RECRUITERS
If CEC has not expressly requested recruiting services or contractually engaged with you for recruiting services on a specific position, any resumes or candidate profiles sent to CEC shall be considered unsolicited. Therefore, any such submissions will be considered property of CEC, with no associated fees due to your firm.
Overview:
As an Engineering Assistant or Senior Engineering Assistant for Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc. (CEC), in our Pittsburgh, PA office, you will participate in and contribute to a diverse range of engineering projects and services in our team-oriented environment. Under the direction and supervision of experienced engineers and project managers, you will contribute to manufacturing, renewable energy, commercial, industrial, and oil and gas development projects. You will participate in the following aspects of the engineering design process which will include opportunities for task/staff leadership responsibilities:
- Assist, mentor, and/or direct staff as needed to:
- Develop site layout plans in accordance with local ordinance requirements
- Create alignments, profiles, and site grading designs using AutoCAD Civil 3D
- Prepare earthwork volume calculations
- Develop post construction stormwater management, stormwater conveyance, and erosion and sedimentation control designs and prepare the supporting calculations and reports
- Prepare drawing sets (from conceptual planning to final design and construction)
- Design sanitary sewers and prepare Sewage Facility Planning Modules
- Conduct utility coordination and design onsite utility connections
- Prepare earth disturbance, municipal, and other permitting/approval applications
At CEC, our employees enjoy a flexible/hybrid work schedule. Our comprehensive benefits package includes bonus recognition, based on performance, as well as participation in our employee stock ownership program. Additionally, we conduct annual performance reviews, provide goal setting opportunities, and have mid-year professional development reviews.
Endless perks are available to employees at CEC! Our office boasts a full-scale gym, café serving breakfast and lunch, and recreation rooms—creating the perfect balance of wellness and productivity. Throughout the year, employees enjoy ping pong, pool, cornhole, and pickleball tournaments as well as the annual summer picnic, themed happy hours, and fun team building activities including go-kart racing and curling! We also understand the importance of reaching beyond the office and giving back to the community—CEC employees volunteer for trail workdays to enhance local parks, maintain a CEC-designed pollinator garden for our office campus, and organize an annual charity golf tournament. At CEC Pittsburgh, we pride ourselves on fostering a culture of connection, collaboration, and growth within the office and in our community. $5,000 sign-on bonus for eligible candidates.
Qualifications
- Associate’s or technical degree in CAD, Construction, or Engineering or a Bachelor's degree in Engineering or similar field
- Strong knowledge and experience using AutoCAD is required. Proficiency with Civil 3D is strongly preferred (required for Senior Engineering Assistant)
- Experience with HEC-RAS, HydroCAD, and other computer modeling software is a plus
- Ability to evaluate design alternatives to solve constructability, code, and site challenges
- Candidates who meet the qualifications above are eligible for up to a $5,000 sign-on bonus upon successful onboarding.
About us:
We have experts! CEC is consistently ranked as a Top 500 Design Firm and Top 200 Environmental Firm by Engineering News-Record. We are looking for people who enjoy using their education and experience to solve difficult technical problems and work on interesting projects. You can accomplish this while working with a team of professionals who are equally motivated to provide high levels of service to our clients and to teach you along the way.
We have support! We have a variety of Employee Resource Groups, including CEC Community – focused on giving back to the communities in which we work; CEC Ignite – focused on helping professionals early in their careers to develop their pathway; CEC iDEA – focused on inclusion, diversity, equality, and acceptance; and CEC Women – focused on creating internal and external opportunities for women to network and leverage professional experience!
We care about our people! People and Culture are two of the five elements of our strategic plan. When you care about your people, they will want to grow a career with you – that is our goal. CEC offers you a small-firm work environment with large-firm opportunities. Not only will we help you develop professionally, but we will also provide an opportunity to become an owner of the firm and share in its success.
CEC offers a matching 401(k); profit sharing; a performance bonus; company stock; medical, dental, and vision insurance; short and long-term disability; tuition assistance; professional development; and work-life balance.
CEC is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate in recruiting, hiring or promotion based on race, color, religion, sex (including sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, transgender status), national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status or any other basis or characteristic prohibited by applicable federal, state, or local law.
THIRD PARTY RECRUITERS
If CEC has not expressly requested recruiting services or contractually engaged with you for recruiting services on a specific position, any resumes or candidate profiles sent to CEC shall be considered unsolicited. Therefore, any such submissions will be considered property of CEC, with no associated fees due to your firm.
See all 199+ OPT Civil Designer Jobs
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship as a Civil Designer
Lead with your design software skills
Civil designers live in AutoCAD Civil 3D, MicroStation, and similar tools. List every platform you're proficient in prominently on your resume. Employers scanning for OPT candidates want to know you're productive from day one, not a training investment.
Target firms with active infrastructure contracts
Engineering and consulting firms with active DOT, municipal, or federal contracts hire designers consistently and have established OPT sponsorship workflows. These firms need production capacity on project teams, which creates recurring entry-level demand that fits your timeline well.
Clarify your STEM OPT timeline upfront
If your degree qualifies for STEM OPT extension, confirm it with your DSO before applying. Communicating a 36-month authorization window rather than 12 months meaningfully reduces employer hesitation and makes you a more viable candidate for longer project cycles.
Highlight project experience with real deliverables
Employers want evidence you can produce construction documents, grading plans, or utility layouts. Reference specific deliverables from coursework, internships, or co-ops. Describing the output, not just the project, signals that you understand professional design production workflows.
Pursue EIT certification before or during your job search
The Engineer-in-Training exam is not required for designer roles, but passing it signals commitment to licensure and long-term career investment. Many firms prefer candidates working toward PE licensure, and it strengthens your case for H-1B visa sponsorship down the road.
Connect with project engineers, not just HR
Civil design teams are small and project-driven. Reaching out directly to project engineers or team leads at target firms, referencing specific project types they work on, is far more effective than submitting through general application portals and waiting for a response.
Civil Designer OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Do Civil Designer roles qualify for STEM OPT extension?
Most Civil Designer positions qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension if your degree is in civil engineering, environmental engineering, or another field on the STEM Designated Degree Program List. That gives you up to 36 months total. Confirm your degree's eligibility with your DSO before applying, since some adjacent majors like construction management may not qualify.
How often do civil engineering firms sponsor OPT students?
Mid-size and large civil engineering and consulting firms sponsor OPT students regularly, particularly for production-heavy designer roles where they need consistent output on active projects. Smaller firms with fewer than 20 employees are less likely to have established OPT workflows. Browsing Civil Designer listings on Migrate Mate lets you filter to employers who are actively hiring OPT candidates in this field.
What does a Civil Designer do day-to-day on OPT?
Civil Designers spend most of their time producing design drawings and plans in software like AutoCAD Civil 3D or MicroStation, supporting licensed engineers on grading, drainage, roadway, or utility projects. On OPT, your role must align with your degree field, so positions involving structural, transportation, or site design are all appropriate placements for civil or environmental engineering graduates.
Can I work as a Civil Designer on OPT without a PE license?
Yes. Civil Designer roles are specifically structured for unlicensed engineers working under the supervision of a licensed Professional Engineer. Your stamped deliverables go out under their seal. This is the standard entry-level model in the industry and is fully compatible with OPT work authorization, as long as your job duties align with your degree program.
What should I know about transitioning from OPT to H-1B as a Civil Designer?
Civil Designer roles at established engineering firms are well-suited for H-1B sponsorship because the specialty occupation requirement is clearly satisfied by a civil engineering degree. The H-1B lottery runs annually with an April 1 registration window, so timing matters if your OPT expires before selection. Larger firms and those with federal contracts tend to have more experience managing this transition for design staff.