OPT Data Science Engineer Jobs
Data Science Engineer jobs are among the most OPT-friendly roles in tech, with strong demand from employers experienced in sponsoring F-1 students. Most positions qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension, giving you up to three years of total work authorization to build your U.S. career.
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INTRODUCTION
Data is at the center of everything we do. As a startup, we disrupted the credit card industry by individually personalizing every credit card offer using statistical modeling and the relational database, cutting edge technology in 1988! Fast-forward a few years, and this little innovation and our passion for data has skyrocketed us to a Fortune 200 company and a leader in the world of data-driven decision-making.
As a Data Scientist at Capital One, you’ll be part of a team that’s leading the next wave of disruption at a whole new scale, using the latest in computing and machine learning technologies and operating across billions of customer records to unlock the big opportunities that help everyday people save money, time and agony in their financial lives.
ROLE DESCRIPTION
In this role, you will:
- Partner with a cross-functional team of data scientists, software engineers, and product managers to deliver a product customers love
- Leverage a broad stack of technologies — Python, Conda, AWS, H2O, Spark, and more — to reveal the insights hidden within huge volumes of numeric and textual data
- Build machine learning models through all phases of development, from design through training, evaluation, validation, and implementation
- Flex your interpersonal skills to translate the complexity of your work into tangible business goals
THE IDEAL CANDIDATE IS:
- Customer first. You love the process of analyzing and creating, but also share our passion to do the right thing. You know at the end of the day it’s about making the right decision for our customers.
- Innovative. You continually research and evaluate emerging technologies. You stay current on published state-of-the-art methods, technologies, and applications and seek out opportunities to apply them.
- Creative. You thrive on bringing definition to big, undefined problems. You love asking questions and pushing hard to find answers. You’re not afraid to share a new idea.
- A leader. You challenge conventional thinking and work with stakeholders to identify and improve the status quo. You’re passionate about talent development for your own team and beyond.
- Technical. You’re comfortable with open-source languages and are passionate about developing further. You have hands-on experience developing data science solutions using open-source tools and cloud computing platforms.
- Statistically-minded. You’ve built models, validated them, and backtested them. You know how to interpret a confusion matrix or a ROC curve. You have experience with clustering, classification, sentiment analysis, time series, and deep learning.
- A data guru. “Big data” doesn’t faze you. You have the skills to retrieve, combine, and analyze data from a variety of sources and structures. You know understanding the data is often the key to great data science.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
-
Currently has, or is in the process of obtaining one of the following with an expectation that the required degree will be obtained on or before the scheduled start date:
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A Bachelor's Degree in a quantitative field (Statistics, Economics, Operations Research, Analytics, Mathematics, Computer Science, or a related quantitative field) plus 5 years of experience performing data analytics
- A Master's Degree in a quantitative field (Statistics, Economics, Operations Research, Analytics, Mathematics, Computer Science, or a related quantitative field) or an MBA with a quantitative concentration plus 3 years of experience performing data analytics
- A PhD in a quantitative field (Statistics, Economics, Operations Research, Analytics, Mathematics, Computer Science, or a related quantitative field)
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Master’s Degree in “STEM” field (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics) plus 3 years of experience in data analytics, or PhD in “STEM” field (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics)
- At least 1 year of experience working with AWS
- At least 3 years’ experience in Python, Scala, or R
- At least 3 years’ experience with machine learning
- At least 3 years’ experience with SQL
Capital One will consider sponsoring a new qualified applicant for employment authorization for this position
COMPENSATION
- McLean, VA: $161,800 - $184,600 for Princ Associate, Data Science
- New York, NY: $176,500 - $201,400 for Princ Associate, Data Science
- Richmond, VA: $147,100 - $167,900 for Princ Associate, Data Science
Candidates hired to work in other locations will be subject to the pay range associated with that location, and the actual annualized salary amount offered to any candidate at the time of hire will be reflected solely in the candidate’s offer letter.
This role is also eligible to earn performance based incentive compensation, which may include cash bonus(es) and/or long term incentives (LTI). Incentives could be discretionary or non discretionary depending on the plan.
Capital One offers a comprehensive, competitive, and inclusive set of health, financial and other benefits that support your total well-being. Learn more at the Capital One Careers website. Eligibility varies based on full or part-time status, exempt or non-exempt status, and management level.
This role is expected to accept applications for a minimum of 5 business days.
No agencies please.
Capital One is an equal opportunity employer (EOE, including disability/vet) committed to non-discrimination in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Capital One promotes a drug-free workplace. Capital One will consider for employment qualified applicants with a criminal history in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable laws regarding criminal background inquiries, including, to the extent applicable, Article 23-A of the New York Correction Law; San Francisco, California Police Code Article 49, Sections 4901-4920; New York City’s Fair Chance Act; Philadelphia’s Fair Criminal Records Screening Act; and other applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations regarding criminal background inquiries.
If you have visited our website in search of information on employment opportunities or to apply for a position, and you require an accommodation, please contact Capital One Recruiting at 1-800-304-9102 or via email at RecruitingAccommodation@capitalone.com. All information you provide will be kept confidential and will be used only to the extent required to provide needed reasonable accommodations.
For technical support or questions about Capital One's recruiting process, please send an email to Careers@capitalone.com.
Capital One does not provide, endorse nor guarantee and is not liable for third-party products, services, educational tools or other information available through this site.
Capital One Financial is made up of several different entities. Please note that any position posted in Canada is for Capital One Canada, any position posted in the United Kingdom is for Capital One Europe and any position posted in the Philippines is for Capital One Philippines Service Corp. (COPSSC).
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship as a Data Science Engineer
Target employers with a STEM OPT track record
Search for companies that have consistently filed H-1B visa petitions for data roles. Employers already running OPT-to-H-1B pipelines are far less likely to hesitate at the sponsorship conversation than those encountering it for the first time.
Confirm your role qualifies for STEM OPT extension
Data Science Engineer roles typically fall under CIP codes 11.0401 or 27.0301. Verify your degree field matches an approved STEM designation before accepting an offer, since your 24-month extension depends entirely on that alignment.
Raise OPT early, not after the offer
Bring up your work authorization status before the final interview round. Framing it as a logistical detail rather than a request reduces friction and signals professionalism. Most data teams at mid-to-large companies have handled this before.
Lead with your technical skills, not your visa status
Hiring managers evaluate data engineers on Python, SQL, ML pipelines, and cloud platforms first. A strong technical profile shifts the sponsorship question from a risk to a straightforward administrative step worth taking for the right candidate.
Prioritize companies with dedicated immigration support
Larger tech firms and well-funded startups often have in-house immigration counsel or established law firm relationships. These employers process OPT and H-1B filings routinely, which means fewer delays and a smoother experience for you.
Document your training plan thoroughly for STEM OPT
Your employer must sign a formal training plan connecting your Data Science Engineer duties to your degree field. Be specific about the skills, tools, and projects involved. A vague plan increases the risk of a DSO rejection.
Data Science Engineer OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work as a Data Science Engineer on OPT?
Yes, provided your job duties are directly related to your degree field. Data Science Engineer roles typically qualify when your degree is in computer science, statistics, data science, or a related STEM discipline. The connection between your coursework and your day-to-day responsibilities must be documentable, as your DSO will review it when issuing your EAD.
Do Data Science Engineer jobs qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension?
Most do, but qualification depends on your degree, not just your job title. Your degree must appear on the STEM OPT designated degree list, and your employer must be enrolled in E-Verify. CIP codes commonly associated with data engineering degrees, such as computer science and applied mathematics, are typically on that list. Confirm with your DSO before accepting an offer.
How early should I apply for Data Science Engineer jobs on OPT?
Start your search at least three to four months before your OPT start date. Hiring timelines for data engineering roles at established companies often run six to eight weeks from first interview to offer. Factoring in EAD processing time, which currently averages three to five months, applying early keeps your authorization and your start date aligned.
Where can I find Data Science Engineer jobs that sponsor OPT students?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for F-1 OPT students and filters for employers with a history of sponsoring international candidates. Browsing on Migrate Mate saves significant time compared to sifting through general job listings where sponsorship willingness is unclear or buried in fine print.
What happens to my Data Science Engineer job if my H-1B isn't selected in the lottery?
If you exhaust your STEM OPT period and the H-1B lottery does not select you, your work authorization ends and you must stop working. Some employers in the data space offer alternative visa pathways, such as the O-1A for candidates with strong publication or competition records, or transfer to a Canadian office while reapplying. Discussing contingency options with your employer before your OPT expires is worth doing proactively.