OPT Electrical Design Technician Jobs
Electrical Design Technician jobs are a strong fit for F-1 OPT students with degrees in electrical engineering technology or a related field. Most roles qualify as STEM OPT, giving you up to 36 months of work authorization. Employers in this field regularly sponsor H-1B visas, making it a viable long-term path.
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Get Access To All JobsDate: Aug 7, 2026
Location: Kirkland, WA, US, 98033
Company: PACCAR
PACCAR is a Fortune 500 company established in 1905. PACCAR Inc is recognized as a global leader in the commercial vehicle, financial, and customer service fields with internationally recognized brands such as Kenworth, Peterbilt, and DAF trucks. PACCAR is a global technology leader in the design, manufacture and customer support of high-quality light-, medium-, and heavy-duty trucks under the Kenworth, Peterbilt and DAF nameplates. PACCAR also designs and manufactures advanced diesel engines, provides financial services and information technology, and distributes truck parts related to its principal business.
Whether you want to design the transportation technology of tomorrow, support the staff functions of a dynamic, international leader, or build our excellent products and services — you can develop the career you desire with PACCAR. Get started!
Division Information
Kenworth Truck Company is the manufacturer of The World’s Best® heavy and medium duty trucks. Kenworth is an industry leader in providing fuel-saving technology solutions that help increase fuel efficiency and reduce emissions. The company’s dedication to the green fleet includes aerodynamic trucks, compressed and liquefied natural gas trucks, and medium-duty diesel-electric hybrids.
Kenworth Electrical Architecture Team is dedicated to improving the quality of all engineering projects that require electrical wiring. This team is focused on definition of the electrical architecture of our systems. We are looking for someone motivated to take a senior engineer role in the Kenworth Electrical Architecture Team that is knowledgeable of electrical systems and motivated to contribute to a new generation of vehicles at Kenworth and PACCAR at large. This position is within the Electrical Engineering department at Kenworth and involves redefining how Kenworth vehicle requirements and system designs are integrated into vehicle level electrical systems. This will include investigative, development, and coordination activities.
Job Responsibilities:
- Be the senior engineer providing technical leadership and guidance to your team of fellow electrical architects as you transform system requirements and legacy designs into system level logical schematics within the Siemens Capital tool suite. Quality work output will be defined as clear system logical diagrams that are optioned appropriately for best integration into vehicle harnesses.
- Work with Field Service and repair teams to improve clarity and speed to market of troubleshooting documentation.
- Help develop new Corporate Standards appropriate for electrical architecture to standardize new processes.
- Work with other teams at Kenworth and other PACCAR divisions to provide complete architecture definition to meet major harness release schedules. This includes interfacing with the PACCAR Technical Center and Peterbilt.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or equivalent engineering degree required. Master’s degree in similar fields and/or Professional Engineering (PE) license preferred.
- 3-5+ years of experience in electrical system development required. Desired experience in design & release of automotive or commercial vehicle electrical systems or industry-related background.
- Able to work in a team environment.
- Background in system-level development, component selection, integration, performance, and validation.
- Experience with the Siemens Capital electrical system toolsets preferred.
- Understanding of SAE J1939 physical layer dynamics, including differential signaling states, stub/backbone length constraints, and node limitations.
- Experience with advanced physical layer variants, such as CAN FD (Flexible Data-Rate) up to 2 Mbps or J1939-16 preferred.
- Hands-on experience with CAN bus termination strategies and managing split-termination circuits for EMI/EMC mitigation preferred.
- Experience with 3D CAD, especially PTC’s Creo preferred.
- Previously demonstrated resourcefulness, strong technical knowledge, analytical capability, and communication skills.
- Strong interpersonal skills, be a self-starter and have demonstrated high levels of initiative and innovation.
Travel up to 10% possible as conditions allow.
Why work for PACCAR/Kenworth?
- Global Fortune 500 Company with a wide array of growth and development opportunities
- Work alongside experienced goal-oriented colleagues recognized as experts in their fields
- Support and/or design the commercial vehicles of the future with a focus on emerging technologies such as electric and autonomous trucks
As a U.S. PACCAR employee, you have a full range of benefit options including:
- 401k with up to a 5% company match
- Fully funded pension plan that provides monthly benefits after retirement
- Comprehensive paid time off – minimum of 10 paid vacation days (additional days are provided with additional seniority/years of service), 12 paid holidays, and sick time
- Tuition reimbursement for continued education
- Medical, dental, and vision plans for you and your family
- Flexible spending accounts (FSA) and health savings account (HSA)
- Paid short-and long-term disability programs
- Life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance
- EAP services include wellness plans, estate planning, financial counseling and more
Additional Job Board Information
At PACCAR, we value talent and promote growth and development. We carefully consider numerous compensation factors including your education, training, or experience. The salary range for Electrical Design Engineer is $90,400 - $141,800 annually. This position is also eligible for a holiday gift. Additionally, this role is eligible for the full range of benefit options listed above.
PACCAR is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veteran/Disability and E-Verify Employer.
Nearest Major Market: Seattle
Nearest Secondary Market: Bellevue
Job Segment: Design Engineer, Field Service, Electrical, Engineer, Engineering, Automotive, Manufacturing
Date: Aug 7, 2026
Location: Kirkland, WA, US, 98033
Company: PACCAR
PACCAR is a Fortune 500 company established in 1905. PACCAR Inc is recognized as a global leader in the commercial vehicle, financial, and customer service fields with internationally recognized brands such as Kenworth, Peterbilt, and DAF trucks. PACCAR is a global technology leader in the design, manufacture and customer support of high-quality light-, medium-, and heavy-duty trucks under the Kenworth, Peterbilt and DAF nameplates. PACCAR also designs and manufactures advanced diesel engines, provides financial services and information technology, and distributes truck parts related to its principal business.
Whether you want to design the transportation technology of tomorrow, support the staff functions of a dynamic, international leader, or build our excellent products and services — you can develop the career you desire with PACCAR. Get started!
Division Information
Kenworth Truck Company is the manufacturer of The World’s Best® heavy and medium duty trucks. Kenworth is an industry leader in providing fuel-saving technology solutions that help increase fuel efficiency and reduce emissions. The company’s dedication to the green fleet includes aerodynamic trucks, compressed and liquefied natural gas trucks, and medium-duty diesel-electric hybrids.
Kenworth Electrical Architecture Team is dedicated to improving the quality of all engineering projects that require electrical wiring. This team is focused on definition of the electrical architecture of our systems. We are looking for someone motivated to take a senior engineer role in the Kenworth Electrical Architecture Team that is knowledgeable of electrical systems and motivated to contribute to a new generation of vehicles at Kenworth and PACCAR at large. This position is within the Electrical Engineering department at Kenworth and involves redefining how Kenworth vehicle requirements and system designs are integrated into vehicle level electrical systems. This will include investigative, development, and coordination activities.
Job Responsibilities:
- Be the senior engineer providing technical leadership and guidance to your team of fellow electrical architects as you transform system requirements and legacy designs into system level logical schematics within the Siemens Capital tool suite. Quality work output will be defined as clear system logical diagrams that are optioned appropriately for best integration into vehicle harnesses.
- Work with Field Service and repair teams to improve clarity and speed to market of troubleshooting documentation.
- Help develop new Corporate Standards appropriate for electrical architecture to standardize new processes.
- Work with other teams at Kenworth and other PACCAR divisions to provide complete architecture definition to meet major harness release schedules. This includes interfacing with the PACCAR Technical Center and Peterbilt.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or equivalent engineering degree required. Master’s degree in similar fields and/or Professional Engineering (PE) license preferred.
- 3-5+ years of experience in electrical system development required. Desired experience in design & release of automotive or commercial vehicle electrical systems or industry-related background.
- Able to work in a team environment.
- Background in system-level development, component selection, integration, performance, and validation.
- Experience with the Siemens Capital electrical system toolsets preferred.
- Understanding of SAE J1939 physical layer dynamics, including differential signaling states, stub/backbone length constraints, and node limitations.
- Experience with advanced physical layer variants, such as CAN FD (Flexible Data-Rate) up to 2 Mbps or J1939-16 preferred.
- Hands-on experience with CAN bus termination strategies and managing split-termination circuits for EMI/EMC mitigation preferred.
- Experience with 3D CAD, especially PTC’s Creo preferred.
- Previously demonstrated resourcefulness, strong technical knowledge, analytical capability, and communication skills.
- Strong interpersonal skills, be a self-starter and have demonstrated high levels of initiative and innovation.
Travel up to 10% possible as conditions allow.
Why work for PACCAR/Kenworth?
- Global Fortune 500 Company with a wide array of growth and development opportunities
- Work alongside experienced goal-oriented colleagues recognized as experts in their fields
- Support and/or design the commercial vehicles of the future with a focus on emerging technologies such as electric and autonomous trucks
As a U.S. PACCAR employee, you have a full range of benefit options including:
- 401k with up to a 5% company match
- Fully funded pension plan that provides monthly benefits after retirement
- Comprehensive paid time off – minimum of 10 paid vacation days (additional days are provided with additional seniority/years of service), 12 paid holidays, and sick time
- Tuition reimbursement for continued education
- Medical, dental, and vision plans for you and your family
- Flexible spending accounts (FSA) and health savings account (HSA)
- Paid short-and long-term disability programs
- Life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance
- EAP services include wellness plans, estate planning, financial counseling and more
Additional Job Board Information
At PACCAR, we value talent and promote growth and development. We carefully consider numerous compensation factors including your education, training, or experience. The salary range for Electrical Design Engineer is $90,400 - $141,800 annually. This position is also eligible for a holiday gift. Additionally, this role is eligible for the full range of benefit options listed above.
PACCAR is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veteran/Disability and E-Verify Employer.
Nearest Major Market: Seattle
Nearest Secondary Market: Bellevue
Job Segment: Design Engineer, Field Service, Electrical, Engineer, Engineering, Automotive, Manufacturing
See all 77+ OPT Electrical Design Technician Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new OPT Electrical Design Technician Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship as an Electrical Design Technician
Lead with your CAD and design software skills
Employers hiring Electrical Design Technicians want to see proficiency in AutoCAD Electrical, EPLAN, or SolidWorks upfront. List these tools prominently on your resume. Specific software experience signals immediate productivity and reduces hesitation around OPT training timelines.
Target companies with active H-1B filing histories
Engineering firms, utilities, and defense contractors that file H-1B petitions regularly are your best long-term bets. A company that has sponsored before is far more likely to sponsor again than one encountering the process for the first time.
Clarify your STEM OPT eligibility early in conversations
Electrical engineering technology and related degrees typically qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension. Telling hiring managers you have up to 36 months of total work authorization reduces urgency concerns and makes sponsorship conversations feel less pressured.
Highlight hands-on project experience with electrical systems
Internships, lab projects, or capstone work involving panel design, wiring schematics, or load calculations directly maps to what employers need. Concrete deliverables from real projects demonstrate technical competency faster than coursework descriptions alone ever will.
Pursue relevant certifications before applying
Certifications like the Associate Engineering Technologist credential or an OSHA 10 safety certification signal professional seriousness to employers. They also help differentiate your application in competitive markets where multiple candidates share similar academic backgrounds.
Use Migrate Mate to focus on sponsorship-open roles
Searching general job boards wastes time on roles where visa status eliminates your candidacy before anyone reads your resume. Migrate Mate filters specifically for employers open to OPT sponsorship, so every application you send has a realistic chance of moving forward.
Electrical Design Technician OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Does an Electrical Design Technician role qualify for STEM OPT extension?
It depends on your degree, not the job title. If you graduated with a degree in electrical engineering technology, electrical engineering, or a closely related STEM field, you likely qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension. Confirm your degree appears on the current STEM Designated Degree Program List before assuming eligibility, and work with your DSO to file the extension at least 90 days before your initial OPT expires.
What industries hire Electrical Design Technicians who need OPT sponsorship?
Engineering consulting firms, defense contractors, utilities, industrial manufacturers, and construction companies are the most consistent hirers. These sectors tend to have high demand for technical design talent and established HR processes for managing work authorization. Roles in aerospace and power infrastructure are particularly active. Browse Migrate Mate to find employers in these industries that have indicated openness to OPT candidates.
How does the E-Verify requirement affect my OPT job search as an Electrical Design Technician?
STEM OPT extension requires your employer to be enrolled in E-Verify. Most larger engineering firms and government contractors are already enrolled, so this rarely becomes an obstacle in those sectors. Smaller firms or independent consultancies may not be enrolled, which would limit you to your initial 12-month OPT period with them. Confirm E-Verify status before accepting an offer if you are planning on applying for the STEM extension.
What should I include in my resume to improve my chances of getting an OPT-friendly Electrical Design Technician role?
Prioritize technical skills front and center: CAD software proficiency, familiarity with NEC or IEC standards, schematic drafting, and any experience with load calculations or panel schedules. Include any internship or co-op experience involving electrical systems design. Quantify outcomes where possible, such as the number of drawings completed or projects delivered. Keep your OPT status and authorization period visible but straightforward, without leading with it.
Do Electrical Design Technician employers typically move toward H-1B sponsorship after OPT?
Many do, particularly in sectors with ongoing demand for technical talent. Employers who invest in training a technician over 12 to 36 months have strong incentive to retain that person through H-1B sponsorship rather than restart the hiring process. The transition is not automatic, so it is worth discussing long-term sponsorship intentions during the offer stage, before you commit, rather than waiting until your OPT period is ending.