OPT Data Architect Jobs
Data Architect roles on OPT require employers who can sponsor H-1B visa, as the position consistently qualifies as a specialty occupation under USCIS standards. Most roles demand proficiency in cloud platforms, data modeling, and enterprise architecture. STEM OPT extensions are widely available for this role, giving you up to three years of work authorization.
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Amazon Web Services (AWS) is seeking a Data Center Project Architect to join its design team in Herndon, VA.
AWS Infrastructure Services owns the design, planning, delivery, and operation of all AWS global infrastructure. In other words, we’re the people who keep the cloud running. We support all AWS data centers and all of the servers, storage, networking, power, and cooling equipment that ensure our customers have continual access to the innovation they rely on. We work on the most challenging problems, with thousands of variables impacting the supply chain — and we’re looking for talented people who want to help.
You’ll join a diverse team of software, hardware, and network engineers, supply chain specialists, security experts, operations managers, and other vital roles. You’ll collaborate with people across AWS to help us deliver the highest standards for safety and security while providing seemingly infinite capacity at the lowest possible cost for our customers. And you’ll experience an inclusive culture that welcomes bold ideas and empowers you to own them to completion.
AWS designs, builds, and operates Data Centers (DC) around the world and is a leader in worldwide cloud-computing infrastructure.
Architects at AWS work to design resilient, cost effective DC facilities. Our team is responsible for achieving a world class uptime for our customers and drive to develop a fleet of buildings that emphasize security, safety, efficiency, and cost effectiveness, while finding new ways to meet AWS’s growing demand.
As a DC Project Architect at AWS, you will lead designs for Amazon DCs in our Americas Region and impact other projects around the world. As a DC Project Architect, you will be part of a highly creative and efficient design team comprised of Architects, Engineers, and Designers tasked with solving problems and challenging the status quo. As a subject matter expert, you will have a direct impact on the design of prototypical DC facilities, provide technical guidance, solve large scale implementation issues, and be responsible for architectural design requirements.
Key job responsibilities
- Communicate conceptual designs and create/maintain project documentation before, during, and after construction.
- Maintenance of Basis of Design, prototype design, and template specifications for architectural elements.
- Review and inform design RFPs.
- Manage our external design consultants through the design and construction process.
- Coordinate with internal and external Civil, Structural, Mechanical, Electrical, Controls, and Cabling design engineers.
- Effectively communicate design standards to internal and external project partners.
- Manage multiple fast paced projects simultaneously.
- Think outside of the box to find innovative solutions prior to and during the construction process to reduce costs without negative impacts on quality or reliability.
- Travel for site assessments, internal design meetings, construction review, and interfacing with design consultants. Anticipated travel not to exceed 25%.
About the team
Diverse Experiences
AWS values diverse experiences. Even if you do not meet all of the preferred qualifications and skills listed in the job description, we encourage candidates to apply. If your career is just starting, hasn’t followed a traditional path, or includes alternative experiences, don’t let it stop you from applying.
Why AWS?
Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the world’s most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud platform. We pioneered cloud computing and never stopped innovating — that’s why customers from the most successful startups to Global 500 companies trust our robust suite of products and services to power their businesses.
Inclusive Team Culture
Here at AWS, it’s in our nature to learn and be curious. Our employee-led affinity groups foster a culture of inclusion that empower us to be proud of our differences. Ongoing events and learning experiences, including our Conversations on Race and Ethnicity (CORE) and AmazeCon conferences, inspire us to never stop embracing our uniqueness.
Mentorship & Career Growth
We’re continuously raising our performance bar as we strive to become Earth’s Best Employer. That’s why you’ll find endless knowledge-sharing, mentorship and other career-advancing resources here to help you develop into a better-rounded professional.
Work/Life Balance
We value work-life harmony. Achieving success at work should never come at the expense of sacrifices at home, which is why we strive for flexibility as part of our working culture. When we feel supported in the workplace and at home, there’s nothing we can’t achieve.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Knowledge of Microsoft Office including Outlook, Word, and Excel
- Experience with the design, construction, operation, or maintenance of mission critical facilities, especially data centers
- 4+ years of technical specialist, design and architecture experience
- NCARB recognized architecture license.
- 1+ years leading sub-consultants and project teams.
- Proficiency in building codes, regulations, and standards including IBC or equivalent.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Knowledge of building codes and regulations for your region
- Experience carrying design concepts through exploration, development, and into deployment or mass production
- Ability to travel internationally.
Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.
Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.
The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits.
Location: USA, VA, Herndon
Salary: 96,600.00 - 160,000.00 USD annually
DESCRIPTION
Amazon Web Services (AWS) is seeking a Data Center Project Architect to join its design team in Herndon, VA.
AWS Infrastructure Services owns the design, planning, delivery, and operation of all AWS global infrastructure. In other words, we’re the people who keep the cloud running. We support all AWS data centers and all of the servers, storage, networking, power, and cooling equipment that ensure our customers have continual access to the innovation they rely on. We work on the most challenging problems, with thousands of variables impacting the supply chain — and we’re looking for talented people who want to help.
You’ll join a diverse team of software, hardware, and network engineers, supply chain specialists, security experts, operations managers, and other vital roles. You’ll collaborate with people across AWS to help us deliver the highest standards for safety and security while providing seemingly infinite capacity at the lowest possible cost for our customers. And you’ll experience an inclusive culture that welcomes bold ideas and empowers you to own them to completion.
AWS designs, builds, and operates Data Centers (DC) around the world and is a leader in worldwide cloud-computing infrastructure.
Architects at AWS work to design resilient, cost effective DC facilities. Our team is responsible for achieving a world class uptime for our customers and drive to develop a fleet of buildings that emphasize security, safety, efficiency, and cost effectiveness, while finding new ways to meet AWS’s growing demand.
As a DC Project Architect at AWS, you will lead designs for Amazon DCs in our Americas Region and impact other projects around the world. As a DC Project Architect, you will be part of a highly creative and efficient design team comprised of Architects, Engineers, and Designers tasked with solving problems and challenging the status quo. As a subject matter expert, you will have a direct impact on the design of prototypical DC facilities, provide technical guidance, solve large scale implementation issues, and be responsible for architectural design requirements.
Key job responsibilities
- Communicate conceptual designs and create/maintain project documentation before, during, and after construction.
- Maintenance of Basis of Design, prototype design, and template specifications for architectural elements.
- Review and inform design RFPs.
- Manage our external design consultants through the design and construction process.
- Coordinate with internal and external Civil, Structural, Mechanical, Electrical, Controls, and Cabling design engineers.
- Effectively communicate design standards to internal and external project partners.
- Manage multiple fast paced projects simultaneously.
- Think outside of the box to find innovative solutions prior to and during the construction process to reduce costs without negative impacts on quality or reliability.
- Travel for site assessments, internal design meetings, construction review, and interfacing with design consultants. Anticipated travel not to exceed 25%.
About the team
Diverse Experiences
AWS values diverse experiences. Even if you do not meet all of the preferred qualifications and skills listed in the job description, we encourage candidates to apply. If your career is just starting, hasn’t followed a traditional path, or includes alternative experiences, don’t let it stop you from applying.
Why AWS?
Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the world’s most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud platform. We pioneered cloud computing and never stopped innovating — that’s why customers from the most successful startups to Global 500 companies trust our robust suite of products and services to power their businesses.
Inclusive Team Culture
Here at AWS, it’s in our nature to learn and be curious. Our employee-led affinity groups foster a culture of inclusion that empower us to be proud of our differences. Ongoing events and learning experiences, including our Conversations on Race and Ethnicity (CORE) and AmazeCon conferences, inspire us to never stop embracing our uniqueness.
Mentorship & Career Growth
We’re continuously raising our performance bar as we strive to become Earth’s Best Employer. That’s why you’ll find endless knowledge-sharing, mentorship and other career-advancing resources here to help you develop into a better-rounded professional.
Work/Life Balance
We value work-life harmony. Achieving success at work should never come at the expense of sacrifices at home, which is why we strive for flexibility as part of our working culture. When we feel supported in the workplace and at home, there’s nothing we can’t achieve.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Knowledge of Microsoft Office including Outlook, Word, and Excel
- Experience with the design, construction, operation, or maintenance of mission critical facilities, especially data centers
- 4+ years of technical specialist, design and architecture experience
- NCARB recognized architecture license.
- 1+ years leading sub-consultants and project teams.
- Proficiency in building codes, regulations, and standards including IBC or equivalent.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Knowledge of building codes and regulations for your region
- Experience carrying design concepts through exploration, development, and into deployment or mass production
- Ability to travel internationally.
Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.
Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.
The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits.
Location: USA, VA, Herndon
Salary: 96,600.00 - 160,000.00 USD annually
See all 267+ OPT Data Architect Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new OPT Data Architect Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship in Data Architect
Target employers with a STEM OPT track record
Companies that have hired data architects on OPT before understand the authorization timeline and STEM extension process. Look for organizations with dedicated immigration support teams, as they're far more likely to navigate H-1B visa sponsorship without hesitation.
Lead with your data stack, not your visa status
Hiring managers at the senior architect level care about your cloud platform expertise, data modeling methodology, and past system scale. Establish technical credibility first. Sponsorship conversations land better once a hiring manager already wants you on the team.
Confirm your degree qualifies for STEM OPT extension
Data Architect roles almost always qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension if your degree is in computer science, information systems, or a related CIP-coded field. Verify your program's CIP code with your DSO before accepting any offer.
Address the H-1B timeline early with employers
Data Architect is a well-established specialty occupation, which strengthens H-1B petition approval odds. Raising this proactively with employers signals preparation, not desperation, and lets both sides plan around the April filing and October start timeline.
Prioritize large enterprises and consultancies
Firms like the Big Four, major cloud consultancies, and Fortune 500 technology organizations sponsor data architects regularly. Their in-house immigration counsel and established processes reduce friction compared to smaller companies encountering OPT sponsorship for the first time.
Document your architecture work with measurable outcomes
Sponsoring employers need to justify the hire for an H-1B petition. Portfolio pieces that show data pipeline scale, latency improvements, or cost reductions give the company concrete evidence supporting the specialty occupation classification and wage level determination.
Data Architect OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Data Architect role qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B?
Yes. Data Architect is one of the more straightforward H-1B specialty occupation classifications because USCIS consistently recognizes it as requiring at least a bachelor's degree in computer science, information systems, or a directly related field. The role's technical complexity and degree-specific requirements satisfy the specialty occupation standard without significant evidentiary challenges.
Can I work as a Data Architect on STEM OPT?
Yes, provided your degree falls under a STEM-designated CIP code. Most degrees in computer science, data science, information systems, or software engineering qualify. The STEM OPT extension gives you an additional 24 months of work authorization beyond your initial 12-month OPT period, for up to 36 months total. Confirm your specific CIP code with your DSO before you apply.
How do I find Data Architect jobs where employers are open to OPT sponsorship?
Migrate Mate filters job listings specifically for OPT-eligible candidates, so you're not spending time on roles where sponsorship is a non-starter. Data Architect positions on the platform are sourced from employers familiar with the OPT and H-1B process, which significantly shortens the sponsorship conversation during interviews.
What should I do if my OPT expires before the H-1B start date?
If your employer files an H-1B cap-subject petition by the April 1 deadline for an October 1 start date, and your OPT expires between April and September, the cap-gap rule automatically extends your work authorization. You can continue working legally for the same employer throughout that period without interruption, as long as the petition remains pending or is approved.
Do smaller startups typically sponsor Data Architects on OPT?
Some do, but it's less common than at larger enterprises. Startups without in-house legal teams often lack experience with the H-1B process, which creates risk for your timeline. If you're considering a startup, ask early whether they've sponsored H-1B petitions before and whether they have an immigration attorney relationship in place.