OPT Engineering Jobs
Engineering is one of the strongest fields for OPT students, combining consistently high employer demand with STEM OPT eligibility across nearly all engineering disciplines. Mechanical, electrical, civil, chemical, and software engineering graduates all qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension, giving them up to three years to establish themselves with an employer and work toward H-1B visa sponsorship.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
Perdue AgriBusiness is an international agricultural products and services company that handles agricultural commodities and a diverse portfolio of products and businesses. It is part of Perdue Farms, a fourth-generation, family-owned food and agricultural business deeply rooted in tradition yet with a forward-thinking mindset. We believe that success starts with our people, and our culture is built on a foundation of teamwork, integrity, and respect, where every voice matters and everyone is encouraged to contribute to our shared goals. We are dedicated to creating a supportive, inclusive environment where associates feel valued and inspired to make an impact, both within the company and in the communities we serve. From promoting growth and development to prioritizing work-life balance, we’re committed to helping our team members thrive. That's Perdue.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Optimize performance and drive continuous improvement across oilseed crushing operations. As a Crush Oilseeds Process Engineer, you will provide technical expertise to improve safety, reliability, efficiency, production yields, product quality, and overall plant performance. You will partner closely with Operations, Maintenance, Quality, Environmental Health and Safety, Engineering, Finance, and plant leadership to troubleshoot challenges, support process improvements, evaluate capital projects, and help sustain measurable results. This role is ideal for a hands-on, analytical problem-solver who builds strong cross-functional partnerships and is committed to operational excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement.
COMPENSATION
- Salary range: $89,000 - $133,000 per year, based on experience and qualifications with annual bonus available (variable depending on performance).
In addition to the base salary, Perdue offers a competitive benefits package, including medical/Rx, 401(k) with employer match after 1 year, critical illness, accident insurance, dental, vision, life insurance, optional group life insurance, short-term and long-term disability protection, flexible spending accounts and paid time off.
Principal Essential Duties & Responsibilities
- Evaluate and optimize oilseed crushing processes to improve throughput, extraction efficiency, product recovery, and overall plant performance.
- Analyze operating parameters, production data, and performance indicators to identify constraints, inefficiencies, and opportunities for improvement.
- Monitor and improve process performance across seed preparation, conditioning, flaking, cooking, pressing or extraction, meal desolventizing, drying and cooling, oil handling, and related operations, as applicable to the facility.
- Establish, monitor, and maintain process operating targets, performance indicators, standard operating parameters, standard operating procedures, and process control strategies.
- Identify opportunities to reduce processing losses, improve yields, optimize energy, water, steam, and chemical consumption, and improve operating margins through reduced waste and lower conversion costs.
- Partner with Operations, Maintenance, Reliability, Quality, Food Safety, Environmental Health and Safety, Engineering, Finance, external vendors, and plant leadership to implement sustainable process improvements and support operational and business decisions.
- Provide technical support during process upsets, equipment performance issues, production challenges, process deviations, and recurring operational problems.
- Lead or participate in root cause analysis and develop corrective and preventive actions to improve reliability, consistency, asset performance, and operational results.
- Support quality, food safety, feed safety, environmental compliance, process safety reviews, hazard assessments, management-of-change activities, safe operating practices, and evaluation of safety, environmental, and product-quality impacts.
- Identify and recommend capital projects, process modifications, equipment upgrades, automation, instrumentation, and control system improvements; develop technical scopes, process calculations, equipment specifications, cost-benefit analyses, and support project design, installation, commissioning, startup, and effectiveness reviews.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor's degree in chemical engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Agricultural Engineering, or a closely related engineering discipline.
- 2 to 4 years of experience in industrial process engineering, manufacturing, chemical processing, oilseed processing, or a related environment.
- Demonstrated ability to analyze process data, troubleshoot operational issues, and implement measurable process improvements.
- Experience with process optimization, root cause analysis, and continuous improvement methodologies.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, communication, and project management skills.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office and experience working with production reporting, process control systems, or manufacturing data systems.
- Ability to work in a manufacturing environment and provide hands-on technical support to plant operations.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience in an oilseed crushing facility processing soybeans, canola, sunflower, or other oilseeds.
- Knowledge of seed preparation, mechanical pressing, solvent extraction, meal processing, oil handling, and associated process technologies.
- Familiarity with process control systems, instrumentation, data analytics, and statistical process analysis.
- Experience with capital project development, commissioning, and startup.
- Knowledge of process safety management, management of change, and applicable environmental and food/feed safety requirements.
- Experience implementing Lean, Six Sigma, or other continuous improvement methodologies.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS
- Ability to work in a manufacturing environment and provide hands-on technical support to plant operations.
Perdue Farms Inc. is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.
INTRODUCTION
Perdue AgriBusiness is an international agricultural products and services company that handles agricultural commodities and a diverse portfolio of products and businesses. It is part of Perdue Farms, a fourth-generation, family-owned food and agricultural business deeply rooted in tradition yet with a forward-thinking mindset. We believe that success starts with our people, and our culture is built on a foundation of teamwork, integrity, and respect, where every voice matters and everyone is encouraged to contribute to our shared goals. We are dedicated to creating a supportive, inclusive environment where associates feel valued and inspired to make an impact, both within the company and in the communities we serve. From promoting growth and development to prioritizing work-life balance, we’re committed to helping our team members thrive. That's Perdue.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Optimize performance and drive continuous improvement across oilseed crushing operations. As a Crush Oilseeds Process Engineer, you will provide technical expertise to improve safety, reliability, efficiency, production yields, product quality, and overall plant performance. You will partner closely with Operations, Maintenance, Quality, Environmental Health and Safety, Engineering, Finance, and plant leadership to troubleshoot challenges, support process improvements, evaluate capital projects, and help sustain measurable results. This role is ideal for a hands-on, analytical problem-solver who builds strong cross-functional partnerships and is committed to operational excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement.
COMPENSATION
- Salary range: $89,000 - $133,000 per year, based on experience and qualifications with annual bonus available (variable depending on performance).
In addition to the base salary, Perdue offers a competitive benefits package, including medical/Rx, 401(k) with employer match after 1 year, critical illness, accident insurance, dental, vision, life insurance, optional group life insurance, short-term and long-term disability protection, flexible spending accounts and paid time off.
Principal Essential Duties & Responsibilities
- Evaluate and optimize oilseed crushing processes to improve throughput, extraction efficiency, product recovery, and overall plant performance.
- Analyze operating parameters, production data, and performance indicators to identify constraints, inefficiencies, and opportunities for improvement.
- Monitor and improve process performance across seed preparation, conditioning, flaking, cooking, pressing or extraction, meal desolventizing, drying and cooling, oil handling, and related operations, as applicable to the facility.
- Establish, monitor, and maintain process operating targets, performance indicators, standard operating parameters, standard operating procedures, and process control strategies.
- Identify opportunities to reduce processing losses, improve yields, optimize energy, water, steam, and chemical consumption, and improve operating margins through reduced waste and lower conversion costs.
- Partner with Operations, Maintenance, Reliability, Quality, Food Safety, Environmental Health and Safety, Engineering, Finance, external vendors, and plant leadership to implement sustainable process improvements and support operational and business decisions.
- Provide technical support during process upsets, equipment performance issues, production challenges, process deviations, and recurring operational problems.
- Lead or participate in root cause analysis and develop corrective and preventive actions to improve reliability, consistency, asset performance, and operational results.
- Support quality, food safety, feed safety, environmental compliance, process safety reviews, hazard assessments, management-of-change activities, safe operating practices, and evaluation of safety, environmental, and product-quality impacts.
- Identify and recommend capital projects, process modifications, equipment upgrades, automation, instrumentation, and control system improvements; develop technical scopes, process calculations, equipment specifications, cost-benefit analyses, and support project design, installation, commissioning, startup, and effectiveness reviews.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor's degree in chemical engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Agricultural Engineering, or a closely related engineering discipline.
- 2 to 4 years of experience in industrial process engineering, manufacturing, chemical processing, oilseed processing, or a related environment.
- Demonstrated ability to analyze process data, troubleshoot operational issues, and implement measurable process improvements.
- Experience with process optimization, root cause analysis, and continuous improvement methodologies.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, communication, and project management skills.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office and experience working with production reporting, process control systems, or manufacturing data systems.
- Ability to work in a manufacturing environment and provide hands-on technical support to plant operations.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience in an oilseed crushing facility processing soybeans, canola, sunflower, or other oilseeds.
- Knowledge of seed preparation, mechanical pressing, solvent extraction, meal processing, oil handling, and associated process technologies.
- Familiarity with process control systems, instrumentation, data analytics, and statistical process analysis.
- Experience with capital project development, commissioning, and startup.
- Knowledge of process safety management, management of change, and applicable environmental and food/feed safety requirements.
- Experience implementing Lean, Six Sigma, or other continuous improvement methodologies.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS
- Ability to work in a manufacturing environment and provide hands-on technical support to plant operations.
Perdue Farms Inc. is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.
See all 15,573+ OPT Engineering Jobs
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Get Access To All JobsEngineering OPT Job Search Tips
Most engineering degrees qualify for STEM OPT extension
Civil, mechanical, electrical, chemical, and computer engineering degrees are all STEM-classified, making you eligible for the 24-month STEM OPT extension at an E-Verify employer. That gives you up to three years of work authorization and multiple shots at the H-1B lottery.
Target E-Verify employers from the beginning of your search
E-Verify enrollment is required for STEM OPT, and many engineering employers, particularly in defense, aerospace, and technology, are already enrolled. Filtering for E-Verify employers early saves you from starting over later if your first role doesn’t qualify.
Engineering licensing requirements vary by field and role
Some engineering roles, particularly in civil and structural engineering, require or eventually lead to Professional Engineer (PE) licensure. Understanding the licensing path in your specific discipline helps you choose roles that build toward your long-term career goals.
Security clearance requirements can limit some government-adjacent roles
Defense contractors and government engineering roles sometimes require security clearances that aren’t available to non-citizens. Checking clearance requirements before applying saves time and focuses your search on roles that are actually accessible during your OPT window.
Ask about H-1B sponsorship early, since engineering is a strong sponsorship category
Engineering is consistently one of the most active H-1B sponsorship categories. Companies in technology, aerospace, manufacturing, and energy regularly sponsor for engineering roles. Asking about sponsorship history upfront is a reasonable question that experienced employers will have a direct answer to.
Use your university’s industry partnerships during your search
Engineering programs often have formal recruiting partnerships with employers who hire their graduates. Career fairs, recruiting events, and faculty connections are all worth using. These channels often connect you with employers who already have experience hiring international engineering graduates.
Engineering OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Which engineering specializations have the most employers experienced with OPT hiring?
Software engineering has the highest volume of roles with strong OPT hiring activity, followed by electrical engineering in semiconductor and consumer electronics, mechanical engineering in automotive and manufacturing, and chemical engineering in pharmaceuticals and materials. Civil and structural engineering firms are also active hirers, particularly for graduates from U.S. programs who are pursuing PE licensure. Any engineering discipline with clear technical degree requirements is well-positioned for both OPT employment and eventual H-1B sponsorship.
Do all engineering degrees qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
The large majority of engineering degrees including computer, electrical, mechanical, civil, chemical, biomedical, industrial, and aerospace engineering are STEM-designated. You can verify your specific degree program on the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program list, and your DSO can confirm eligibility. If your degree qualifies, applying for the 24-month extension before your standard OPT expires keeps your authorization continuous.
Are there engineering roles in government or national labs that hire OPT students?
Some government agencies and national laboratories hire OPT students, but roles requiring security clearances are typically limited to U.S. citizens and permanent residents. Research positions at federally funded research institutions, university labs, and some civilian agency roles can be open to OPT students. Checking the specific position requirements before applying saves time and helps you focus on the most accessible opportunities.
How does OPT experience help my H-1B petition as an engineer?
Documented engineering work experience during OPT strengthens your H-1B petition by demonstrating that you are actively applying your degree in a specialty occupation. Employers who have seen your work over one to three years also have a much stronger motivation and ability to make the case for sponsorship than those hiring you fresh. Building a strong performance record during OPT is one of the most effective things you can do to secure long-term sponsorship.
Can I change engineering employers during my STEM OPT?
Yes, you can change employers on STEM OPT as long as the new role is in your field of study and the new employer is E-Verify enrolled. You need to report the change to your DSO and update your I-983 training plan with the new employer before starting. Staying proactive about paperwork when changing roles protects your status and ensures your STEM OPT extension remains valid.