OPT Contract Jobs
Contract roles can be a practical option during the standard 12-month OPT period for gaining experience and building professional connections in your field, particularly in IT, consulting, and project-based industries. The rules are significantly stricter during the STEM OPT extension, where direct employer supervision is required, so understanding the distinction between standard OPT and STEM OPT contract rules before accepting any contract arrangement is important.
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RN – PCCU WEEKEND SPECIAL - NIGHTS
If you’re looking for a role where your skills make a real impact, St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center is ready to welcome you. As a Weekend Special RN on our Progressive Care Unit (PCCU), you’ll care for a diverse patient population, collaborate with a supportive team, and contribute to a hospital that has served Northwest Oklahoma for more than a century.
Why St. Mary’s?
St. Mary’s is a 229 bed acute care hospital with more than 125 skilled physicians across specialties including Cardiology, Neurology, Orthopedics, Emergency Medicine, Women’s Imaging, Rehabilitation, and more. For over 100 years, we’ve been committed to delivering exceptional care to our community.
What You’ll Do
As an RN in our PCCU, you’ll play a vital role in delivering high-quality, compassionate care. Your responsibilities include:
- Assessing patient needs and developing individualized plans of care
- Implementing and evaluating nursing interventions using the nursing process
- Coordinating interdisciplinary care to support patient recovery
- Involving patients and families in care planning, education, and discharge preparation
- Supporting the emotional, psychosocial, and spiritual needs of patients and their loved ones
This role blends clinical expertise with advocacy, communication, and patient-centered care.
What We Offer
Working PRN at St. Mary’s gives you flexibility—plus access to meaningful benefits and growth opportunities:
- Competitive compensation
- Discounts with local St. Mary’s providers
- Career advancement across UHS and its 300+ subsidiaries
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
What We’re Looking For
- Current Oklahoma RN license
- ADN required, BSN preferred
- BLS required
- ALS required within 6 months of PCCU employment (new grads: 6 months post-orientation)
- PALS preferred
- CCRN preferred
- Most recent performance evaluation of current employee meets or exceeds standards
- Attendance guideline
- Commit to work a schedule comprised of 36 hours per week including a shift on Saturday, Sunday and either Friday or Monday
- Commit to schedule a total of 24 weekends during the six-month program period
- Commit to participate in the annual rotation of holidays applicable to all unit staff
- Commit to maintain performance that meets or exceeds standards with no disciplinary action
ABOUT UHS
Universal Health Services (UHS) is one of the nation’s largest and most respected healthcare providers. A Fortune 500 company with 2023 revenues of $14.3 billion, UHS operates acute care hospitals, behavioral health facilities, outpatient centers, and more across the U.S., Puerto Rico, Washington, D.C., and the U.K. UHS employs approximately 96,700 team members and continues to grow.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. We also recognize and respect traits historically associated with race, including protective hairstyles.
RECRUITMENT NOTICE
UHS recruiters will never request financial or personal information (such as Social Security numbers or bank details) via email, nor will they contact you from public email domains like Gmail or Yahoo. If you encounter suspicious communication, please report it at https://uhs.alertline.com or call 1-800-852-3449.
INTRODUCTION
RN – PCCU WEEKEND SPECIAL - NIGHTS
If you’re looking for a role where your skills make a real impact, St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center is ready to welcome you. As a Weekend Special RN on our Progressive Care Unit (PCCU), you’ll care for a diverse patient population, collaborate with a supportive team, and contribute to a hospital that has served Northwest Oklahoma for more than a century.
Why St. Mary’s?
St. Mary’s is a 229 bed acute care hospital with more than 125 skilled physicians across specialties including Cardiology, Neurology, Orthopedics, Emergency Medicine, Women’s Imaging, Rehabilitation, and more. For over 100 years, we’ve been committed to delivering exceptional care to our community.
What You’ll Do
As an RN in our PCCU, you’ll play a vital role in delivering high-quality, compassionate care. Your responsibilities include:
- Assessing patient needs and developing individualized plans of care
- Implementing and evaluating nursing interventions using the nursing process
- Coordinating interdisciplinary care to support patient recovery
- Involving patients and families in care planning, education, and discharge preparation
- Supporting the emotional, psychosocial, and spiritual needs of patients and their loved ones
This role blends clinical expertise with advocacy, communication, and patient-centered care.
What We Offer
Working PRN at St. Mary’s gives you flexibility—plus access to meaningful benefits and growth opportunities:
- Competitive compensation
- Discounts with local St. Mary’s providers
- Career advancement across UHS and its 300+ subsidiaries
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
What We’re Looking For
- Current Oklahoma RN license
- ADN required, BSN preferred
- BLS required
- ALS required within 6 months of PCCU employment (new grads: 6 months post-orientation)
- PALS preferred
- CCRN preferred
- Most recent performance evaluation of current employee meets or exceeds standards
- Attendance guideline
- Commit to work a schedule comprised of 36 hours per week including a shift on Saturday, Sunday and either Friday or Monday
- Commit to schedule a total of 24 weekends during the six-month program period
- Commit to participate in the annual rotation of holidays applicable to all unit staff
- Commit to maintain performance that meets or exceeds standards with no disciplinary action
ABOUT UHS
Universal Health Services (UHS) is one of the nation’s largest and most respected healthcare providers. A Fortune 500 company with 2023 revenues of $14.3 billion, UHS operates acute care hospitals, behavioral health facilities, outpatient centers, and more across the U.S., Puerto Rico, Washington, D.C., and the U.K. UHS employs approximately 96,700 team members and continues to grow.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. We also recognize and respect traits historically associated with race, including protective hairstyles.
RECRUITMENT NOTICE
UHS recruiters will never request financial or personal information (such as Social Security numbers or bank details) via email, nor will they contact you from public email domains like Gmail or Yahoo. If you encounter suspicious communication, please report it at https://uhs.alertline.com or call 1-800-852-3449.
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Contract roles count toward your OPT as long as the work is related to your degree
You don’t need a full time permanent position to satisfy your OPT requirements. Contract, project-based, and temporary roles all qualify, provided the work is directly related to your field of study and you’re working at least 20 hours per week.
The employer of record must be E-Verify enrolled for STEM OPT
In contract arrangements, the employer of record, the company actually employing you rather than the client, must be E-Verify enrolled for STEM OPT extension eligibility. Confirm this before signing any contract, as the client company’s enrollment status doesn’t count.
Contract roles are a real path to permanent offers
Many OPT students use contract positions as a foot in the door with employers who are cautious about committing to sponsorship upfront. Demonstrating your value on a contract basis often leads to permanent offers and sponsorship conversations.
Keep detailed records of your contract employment for your DSO
Contract employment can be more complex to document than permanent roles. Keep copies of your contracts, pay stubs, and start and end dates, and report changes to your DSO promptly to keep your SEVIS record accurate.
Ask whether the contracting firm or the client would sponsor your H-1B
In staffing arrangements, H-1B visa sponsorship can come from either the staffing firm or the end client. Understanding which entity would sponsor, and whether they’ve done it before, is an important question to ask before committing to a contract role.
Be cautious about 1099 arrangements during your OPT
Self-employment and independent contractor arrangements on a 1099 basis are generally not permitted during standard OPT. If a company offers you contract work structured as self-employment rather than W-2 employment, consult your DSO before accepting.
Contract OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work as a contractor on OPT?
During the standard 12-month post-completion OPT, contract work is generally permitted as long as the role is directly related to your field of study. On the STEM OPT extension, you must have a direct employer-employee relationship where your employer, not a third-party client, supervises your work. Independent contracting where you are self-employed and setting your own schedule is also allowed on standard OPT but not on STEM OPT.
What is the difference between contract employment and being a contractor on OPT?
Contract employment means you are a W-2 employee of a staffing or consulting firm that places you on projects at client sites, and your employer still supervises your work. Independent contracting means you work as a 1099 self-employed professional managing your own clients and schedule. The first option is compatible with STEM OPT under the right structure; the second is not. Understanding which arrangement an employer is offering before you accept protects your visa status.
Do contract jobs count toward the OPT unemployment limit?
Yes, as long as the contract work is related to your field of study, it counts as qualifying employment and the time working does not count toward your unemployment day limit. Gaps between contracts do count as unemployment days, so managing your calendar to minimize gaps is important during the standard 12-month OPT period. On STEM OPT, paid employment is required, so unpaid or volunteer work does not meet the minimum requirement.
Can contract roles lead to full-time employment and H-1B sponsorship?
Yes, many professionals start in contract or temporary roles and transition to full-time employment with the same company or with a client organization they worked with during the contract. Some companies use contract arrangements as an extended evaluation period before offering full-time roles. Being clear about your goal of transitioning to a full-time sponsored position from the start helps hiring managers and recruiters match you to opportunities with that potential.
What should I watch out for when considering a contract OPT role?
The most important things to verify are that the role is clearly related to your field of study, your employment is structured as W-2 rather than 1099 if you are on STEM OPT, and the employer or staffing firm is transparent about the client supervision arrangement. Contracts that pay cash, lack written agreements, or involve supervision by a client rather than your direct employer are red flags that could put your immigration status at risk. Consulting your DSO before accepting an unusual contract arrangement is always a good step.