OPT Cleaning Jobs
Cleaning jobs on OPT are available across commercial facilities, hospitals, hotels, and residential services. Most roles are full-time, which satisfies OPT's requirement that you work at least 20 hours per week. Your degree field determines eligibility, so facilities management, hospitality, or environmental services coursework strengthens your case.
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Get Access To All JobsWork Schedule
Standard (Mon-Fri)
Environmental Conditions
Adherence to all Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) Safety Standards, Office
Job Description
Discover Impactful Work:
Join Thermo Fisher Scientific and be part of a team delivering life-changing therapies through world-class sterile pharmaceutical manufacturing.
As a Validation Engineer III, you will lead validation activities supporting process and cleaning validation in sterile environments, playing a key role in ensuring compliance, quality, and successful product launches.
This role offers high visibility and cross-functional exposure, working across Operations, Quality, and QC Labs—often acting as a technical lead during tech transfers and validation execution.
A Day in the Life:
- ~70% desk-based: protocol writing, data analysis, deviation investigations, reporting
- ~30% on the floor: executing validation in sterile manufacturing environments
- Lead validation activities including:
- Process validation
- Cleaning validation
- Equipment qualification (IQ/OQ/PQ)
- Support tech transfers and new product introductions
- Collaborate cross-functionally with Ops, QC, and Quality teams
- Participate in client interactions, audits, and regulatory readiness
What to Expect:
- Ownership of complex validation projects
- High exposure across site operations and leadership teams
- Opportunity to act in a project management capacity
- Involvement in audits, deviations, and continuous improvement
Keys to Success:
Education & Experience:
- Bachelor’s degree and 4+ years validation experience
- Experience in pharmaceutical or biotech manufacturing required
- Direct experience in sterile/aseptic pharmaceutical manufacturing highly preferred:
- Aseptic filling
- Sterile processing
- Cleanroom environments
Skills & Expertise:
- Strong experience with:
- Process validation
- Cleaning validation
- Equipment qualification (IQ/OQ/PQ)
- Proven ability to write and execute validation protocols and reports
- Experience with validation documentation and regulatory standards
- Exposure to audits, audit responses, or regulatory inspections
- Strong problem-solving and deviation investigation skills
Preferred:
- Experience in both process and cleaning validation
- Background in sterile filling or manufacturing operations
- Knowledge of FDA, EMA, and cGMP regulations
Work Environment & Requirements:
- Onsite role in Greenville, NC
- Monday–Friday schedule with flexibility as needed
- Cleanroom and production floor exposure required
Why Join Us:
- Work on cutting-edge sterile pharmaceutical programs
- Gain broad cross-functional exposure across the site
- Be part of high-impact tech transfers and product launches
- Clear path to senior and leadership roles
Work Schedule
Standard (Mon-Fri)
Environmental Conditions
Adherence to all Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) Safety Standards, Office
Job Description
Discover Impactful Work:
Join Thermo Fisher Scientific and be part of a team delivering life-changing therapies through world-class sterile pharmaceutical manufacturing.
As a Validation Engineer III, you will lead validation activities supporting process and cleaning validation in sterile environments, playing a key role in ensuring compliance, quality, and successful product launches.
This role offers high visibility and cross-functional exposure, working across Operations, Quality, and QC Labs—often acting as a technical lead during tech transfers and validation execution.
A Day in the Life:
- ~70% desk-based: protocol writing, data analysis, deviation investigations, reporting
- ~30% on the floor: executing validation in sterile manufacturing environments
- Lead validation activities including:
- Process validation
- Cleaning validation
- Equipment qualification (IQ/OQ/PQ)
- Support tech transfers and new product introductions
- Collaborate cross-functionally with Ops, QC, and Quality teams
- Participate in client interactions, audits, and regulatory readiness
What to Expect:
- Ownership of complex validation projects
- High exposure across site operations and leadership teams
- Opportunity to act in a project management capacity
- Involvement in audits, deviations, and continuous improvement
Keys to Success:
Education & Experience:
- Bachelor’s degree and 4+ years validation experience
- Experience in pharmaceutical or biotech manufacturing required
- Direct experience in sterile/aseptic pharmaceutical manufacturing highly preferred:
- Aseptic filling
- Sterile processing
- Cleanroom environments
Skills & Expertise:
- Strong experience with:
- Process validation
- Cleaning validation
- Equipment qualification (IQ/OQ/PQ)
- Proven ability to write and execute validation protocols and reports
- Experience with validation documentation and regulatory standards
- Exposure to audits, audit responses, or regulatory inspections
- Strong problem-solving and deviation investigation skills
Preferred:
- Experience in both process and cleaning validation
- Background in sterile filling or manufacturing operations
- Knowledge of FDA, EMA, and cGMP regulations
Work Environment & Requirements:
- Onsite role in Greenville, NC
- Monday–Friday schedule with flexibility as needed
- Cleanroom and production floor exposure required
Why Join Us:
- Work on cutting-edge sterile pharmaceutical programs
- Gain broad cross-functional exposure across the site
- Be part of high-impact tech transfers and product launches
- Clear path to senior and leadership roles
See all 477+ OPT Cleaning Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new OPT Cleaning Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship in Cleaning
Confirm your role qualifies under your degree field
OPT work must be directly related to your degree. Cleaning roles tied to hospitality management, facilities management, or environmental health programs qualify. Roles with no connection to your coursework can jeopardize your OPT authorization and future visa status.
Document the connection between your job and your major
Keep a written explanation of how your cleaning or facilities role relates to your degree. If your DSO or USCIS ever asks, a clear one-paragraph justification referencing coursework and job duties protects your status and demonstrates good faith compliance.
Target employers who already hire international workers
Large hotel chains, hospital systems, and commercial facility contractors have HR teams familiar with work authorization documents. They are more likely to onboard OPT students without confusion over your EAD card and employment eligibility verification process.
Start your job search before your OPT start date
You have a 90-day unemployment limit on OPT. Begin applying two to three months before your program ends so you have an offer in place. Cleaning roles often have fast hiring timelines, but securing authorization paperwork still takes time.
Report your employer to your DSO within 10 days of starting
Once you accept a cleaning position, notify your Designated School Official immediately. Failure to update your employer information in SEVIS is a compliance violation that can shorten your unemployment days and create problems for future visa applications.
Ask about STEM OPT extension eligibility if your degree qualifies
Environmental science, public health, and some facilities management degrees are STEM-designated. If yours qualifies, you may be eligible for a 24-month extension beyond your initial 12 months, giving you significantly more time to build work experience in the field.
Cleaning OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work a cleaning job on OPT?
Yes, if the role is directly related to your degree field. A cleaning or facilities position tied to a hospitality management, environmental health, or facilities management degree qualifies. Roles with no plausible connection to your major do not satisfy OPT's practical training requirement and can put your status at risk.
How do I find cleaning employers willing to hire OPT students?
Migrate Mate lists cleaning and facilities roles from employers open to hiring international students on work authorization. Larger employers in hospitality, healthcare, and commercial real estate tend to have more experience with OPT onboarding. Filter by job type and start applying before your OPT period begins to stay within your 90-day unemployment window.
What documents does my cleaning employer need from me?
Your employer will complete Form I-9 to verify your employment eligibility. You'll present your EAD (Employment Authorization Document) as both identity and work authorization proof. Some employers also ask for your I-20 and F-1 visa, though neither is required for I-9 purposes. Bring your EAD card on your first day.
Does a part-time cleaning job count for OPT?
Part-time work of at least 20 hours per week counts as authorized OPT employment and stops your unemployment clock. However, anything under 20 hours per week is considered unemployment under USCIS rules and counts against your 90-day limit. If your cleaning role is seasonal or variable, track your weekly hours carefully.
What happens if my cleaning job ends before my OPT expires?
You enter an unemployment period and have 90 cumulative days (or 150 for STEM OPT) to find new authorized employment before your OPT is terminated. Start searching immediately and report any job change to your DSO. Freelance or contract cleaning work can count if you can document the client relationship and connection to your degree.