Field Application Engineer Jobs for OPT Students
Field Application Engineer jobs are a strong fit for F-1 OPT students with engineering degrees, since the role directly applies technical coursework to real customer problems. STEM OPT extension eligibility is common here, giving you up to three years of authorized work experience in a hands-on engineering capacity.
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Company Description
At Western Digital, our vision is to power global innovation and push the boundaries of technology to make what you thought was once impossible, possible.
At our core, Western Digital is a company of problem solvers. People achieve extraordinary things given the right technology. For decades, we’ve been doing just that—our technology helped people put a man on the moon and capture the first-ever picture of a black hole.
We offer an expansive portfolio of technologies, HDDs, and platforms for business, creative professionals, and consumers alike under our Western Digital®, WD®, and WD_BLACK™.
We are a key partner to some of the largest and highest-growth organizations in the world. From enabling systems to make cities safer and more connected, to powering the data centers behind many of the world’s biggest companies and hyperscale cloud providers, to meeting the massive and ever-growing data storage needs of the AI era, Western Digital is fueling a brighter, smarter future.
Job Description
As a Field Applications Engineer intern, you will be working with account teams supporting our key customers.
Working together with an experienced group of storage professionals, you will work with the account team to manage qualification and sustaining activities and projects. This includes:
- Taking care of customer requests and answer product-related questions
- Updating trackers for qualification and sustaining issues
- Collaborate with customer on developing qualification plans for new products
- Manage and track qualification metrics and deliverables
- Lead periodical customer meeting to track customer qualification progress, issue and initiatives
- Hands-on 1st level failure analysis to debug customer issue
- Work hand-in-hand with Engineering and other cross-functional organizations to resolve issues and provide closure response to customer
- Assist with communicating customer requests for compliance with internal teams and coordinate customer deliverables such as feature request, required documents, etc.
- Represent and advocate customer needs and priorities to internal teams.
This position is part of our Early Career program at WD. Our Early Career program is designed to support individuals beginning their professional career by providing the foundational training through a structured onboarding, mentorship, and development curriculum.
Qualifications
Required:
- Current student, pursuing a Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field and graduating between December 2026 and June 2027.
- Interest in storage industry and working with hard-disk drives
- Strong team-player who can collaborate with colleagues
- Proficient in Microsoft Office applications
- Preference given to candidates who will not require relocation to the San Jose, CA areas
- Right to work in the US without requiring Western Digital to commence or sponsor an immigration case to employ you at any point in the future required (for example, H-1B or other employment-based immigration case)
Preferred:
- Electrical hardware experience in academics and/or experience is highly preferred.
Skills:
- Strong technical and analytical skills
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
- Excellent interpersonal and project management skills
Additional Information
Western Digital is committed to providing equal opportunities to all applicants and employees and will not discriminate against any applicant or employee based on their race, color, ancestry, religion (including religious dress and grooming standards), sex (including pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, breastfeeding or related medical conditions), gender (including a person’s gender identity, gender expression, and gender-related appearance and behavior, whether or not stereotypically associated with the person’s assigned sex at birth), age, national origin, sexual orientation, medical condition, marital status (including domestic partnership status), physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, protected medical and family care leave, Civil Air Patrol status, military and veteran status, or other legally protected characteristics. We also prohibit harassment of any individual on any of the characteristics listed above. Our non-discrimination policy applies to all aspects of employment. We comply with the laws and regulations set forth in the "Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal” poster. Our pay transparency policy is available here.
Western Digital thrives on the power and potential of diversity. As a global company, we believe the most effective way to embrace the diversity of our customers and communities is to mirror it from within. We believe the fusion of various perspectives results in the best outcomes for our employees, our company, our customers, and the world around us. We are committed to an inclusive environment where every individual can thrive through a sense of belonging, respect and contribution.
Western Digital is committed to offering opportunities to applicants with disabilities and ensuring all candidates can successfully navigate our careers website and our hiring process. Please contact us at jobs.accommodations@wdc.com to advise us of your accommodation request. In your email, please include a description of the specific accommodation you are requesting as well as the job title and requisition number of the position for which you are applying.
Based on our experience, we anticipate that the application deadline will be 4/9/2026, although we reserve the right to close the application process sooner if we hire an applicant for this position before the application deadline. If we are not able to hire someone from this role before the application deadline, we will update this deadline.
Compensation & Benefits Details
- An employee’s pay position within the salary range may be based on several factors including but not limited to (1) relevant education; qualifications; certifications; and experience; (2) skills, ability, knowledge of the job; (3) performance, contribution and results; (4) geographic location; (5) shift; (6) internal and external equity; and (7) business and organizational needs.
- The salary range is what we believe to be the range of possible compensation for this role at the time of this posting. We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range and this range is only applicable for jobs to be performed in California, Colorado, New York or remote jobs that can be performed in California, Colorado and New York. This range may be modified in the future.
- If your position is non-exempt, you are eligible for overtime pay pursuant to company policy and applicable laws. You may also be eligible for shift differential pay, depending on the shift to which you are assigned.
- You will be eligible to be considered for bonuses under either WD’s Short Term Incentive Plan (“STI Plan”) or the Sales Incentive Plan (“SIP”) which provides incentive awards based on Company and individual performance, depending on your role and your performance. You may be eligible to participate in our annual Long-Term Incentive (LTI) program, which consists of restricted stock units (RSUs) or cash equivalents, pursuant to the terms of the LTI plan. Please note that not all roles are eligible to participate in the LTI program, and not all roles are eligible for equity under the LTI plan. RSU awards are also available to eligible new hires, subject to WD'S Standard Terms and Conditions for Restricted Stock Unit Awards.
- We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid vacation time; paid sick leave; medical/dental/vision insurance; life, accident and disability insurance; tax-advantaged flexible spending and health savings accounts; employee assistance program; other voluntary benefit programs such as supplemental life and AD&D, legal plan, pet insurance, critical illness, accident and hospital indemnity; tuition reimbursement; transit; the Applause Program; employee stock purchase plan; and the WD Savings 401(k) Plan.
- Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole discretion, consistent with the law.
Notice To Candidates: Please be aware that WD and its subsidiaries will never request payment as a condition for applying for a position or receiving an offer of employment. Should you encounter any such requests, please report it immediately to WD Ethics Helpline or email compliance@wdc.com.

Company Description
At Western Digital, our vision is to power global innovation and push the boundaries of technology to make what you thought was once impossible, possible.
At our core, Western Digital is a company of problem solvers. People achieve extraordinary things given the right technology. For decades, we’ve been doing just that—our technology helped people put a man on the moon and capture the first-ever picture of a black hole.
We offer an expansive portfolio of technologies, HDDs, and platforms for business, creative professionals, and consumers alike under our Western Digital®, WD®, and WD_BLACK™.
We are a key partner to some of the largest and highest-growth organizations in the world. From enabling systems to make cities safer and more connected, to powering the data centers behind many of the world’s biggest companies and hyperscale cloud providers, to meeting the massive and ever-growing data storage needs of the AI era, Western Digital is fueling a brighter, smarter future.
Job Description
As a Field Applications Engineer intern, you will be working with account teams supporting our key customers.
Working together with an experienced group of storage professionals, you will work with the account team to manage qualification and sustaining activities and projects. This includes:
- Taking care of customer requests and answer product-related questions
- Updating trackers for qualification and sustaining issues
- Collaborate with customer on developing qualification plans for new products
- Manage and track qualification metrics and deliverables
- Lead periodical customer meeting to track customer qualification progress, issue and initiatives
- Hands-on 1st level failure analysis to debug customer issue
- Work hand-in-hand with Engineering and other cross-functional organizations to resolve issues and provide closure response to customer
- Assist with communicating customer requests for compliance with internal teams and coordinate customer deliverables such as feature request, required documents, etc.
- Represent and advocate customer needs and priorities to internal teams.
This position is part of our Early Career program at WD. Our Early Career program is designed to support individuals beginning their professional career by providing the foundational training through a structured onboarding, mentorship, and development curriculum.
Qualifications
Required:
- Current student, pursuing a Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field and graduating between December 2026 and June 2027.
- Interest in storage industry and working with hard-disk drives
- Strong team-player who can collaborate with colleagues
- Proficient in Microsoft Office applications
- Preference given to candidates who will not require relocation to the San Jose, CA areas
- Right to work in the US without requiring Western Digital to commence or sponsor an immigration case to employ you at any point in the future required (for example, H-1B or other employment-based immigration case)
Preferred:
- Electrical hardware experience in academics and/or experience is highly preferred.
Skills:
- Strong technical and analytical skills
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
- Excellent interpersonal and project management skills
Additional Information
Western Digital is committed to providing equal opportunities to all applicants and employees and will not discriminate against any applicant or employee based on their race, color, ancestry, religion (including religious dress and grooming standards), sex (including pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, breastfeeding or related medical conditions), gender (including a person’s gender identity, gender expression, and gender-related appearance and behavior, whether or not stereotypically associated with the person’s assigned sex at birth), age, national origin, sexual orientation, medical condition, marital status (including domestic partnership status), physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, protected medical and family care leave, Civil Air Patrol status, military and veteran status, or other legally protected characteristics. We also prohibit harassment of any individual on any of the characteristics listed above. Our non-discrimination policy applies to all aspects of employment. We comply with the laws and regulations set forth in the "Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal” poster. Our pay transparency policy is available here.
Western Digital thrives on the power and potential of diversity. As a global company, we believe the most effective way to embrace the diversity of our customers and communities is to mirror it from within. We believe the fusion of various perspectives results in the best outcomes for our employees, our company, our customers, and the world around us. We are committed to an inclusive environment where every individual can thrive through a sense of belonging, respect and contribution.
Western Digital is committed to offering opportunities to applicants with disabilities and ensuring all candidates can successfully navigate our careers website and our hiring process. Please contact us at jobs.accommodations@wdc.com to advise us of your accommodation request. In your email, please include a description of the specific accommodation you are requesting as well as the job title and requisition number of the position for which you are applying.
Based on our experience, we anticipate that the application deadline will be 4/9/2026, although we reserve the right to close the application process sooner if we hire an applicant for this position before the application deadline. If we are not able to hire someone from this role before the application deadline, we will update this deadline.
Compensation & Benefits Details
- An employee’s pay position within the salary range may be based on several factors including but not limited to (1) relevant education; qualifications; certifications; and experience; (2) skills, ability, knowledge of the job; (3) performance, contribution and results; (4) geographic location; (5) shift; (6) internal and external equity; and (7) business and organizational needs.
- The salary range is what we believe to be the range of possible compensation for this role at the time of this posting. We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range and this range is only applicable for jobs to be performed in California, Colorado, New York or remote jobs that can be performed in California, Colorado and New York. This range may be modified in the future.
- If your position is non-exempt, you are eligible for overtime pay pursuant to company policy and applicable laws. You may also be eligible for shift differential pay, depending on the shift to which you are assigned.
- You will be eligible to be considered for bonuses under either WD’s Short Term Incentive Plan (“STI Plan”) or the Sales Incentive Plan (“SIP”) which provides incentive awards based on Company and individual performance, depending on your role and your performance. You may be eligible to participate in our annual Long-Term Incentive (LTI) program, which consists of restricted stock units (RSUs) or cash equivalents, pursuant to the terms of the LTI plan. Please note that not all roles are eligible to participate in the LTI program, and not all roles are eligible for equity under the LTI plan. RSU awards are also available to eligible new hires, subject to WD'S Standard Terms and Conditions for Restricted Stock Unit Awards.
- We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid vacation time; paid sick leave; medical/dental/vision insurance; life, accident and disability insurance; tax-advantaged flexible spending and health savings accounts; employee assistance program; other voluntary benefit programs such as supplemental life and AD&D, legal plan, pet insurance, critical illness, accident and hospital indemnity; tuition reimbursement; transit; the Applause Program; employee stock purchase plan; and the WD Savings 401(k) Plan.
- Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole discretion, consistent with the law.
Notice To Candidates: Please be aware that WD and its subsidiaries will never request payment as a condition for applying for a position or receiving an offer of employment. Should you encounter any such requests, please report it immediately to WD Ethics Helpline or email compliance@wdc.com.
How to Get Visa Sponsorship as a Field Application Engineer
Align your degree field with the role
FAE roles require a direct connection between your engineering degree and the technical domain. Electrical, mechanical, computer, or systems engineering degrees map cleanly. Confirm your degree field supports the specialty occupation requirement before applying.
Highlight customer-facing technical experience
Employers hiring FAEs want proof you can explain complex systems to non-technical audiences. Internships, lab demos, or teaching assistant roles where you translated technical concepts for others are worth calling out explicitly in your resume.
Target companies with established OPT pipelines
Semiconductor, test and measurement, and industrial automation companies regularly sponsor OPT students for FAE roles. Search Migrate Mate to identify employers who have sponsored similar engineering positions and prioritize outreach to those organizations.
Get your STEM OPT extension filed early
FAE roles at large technology companies almost always qualify for the STEM OPT extension. File your I-983 training plan with your DSO at least 90 days before your initial OPT expires to avoid any gap in work authorization.
Demonstrate product knowledge in applications
FAE hiring managers want engineers who genuinely understand the product line. Review technical datasheets, application notes, and product documentation for companies you target. Referencing specific product families during interviews signals preparation and technical credibility.
Address travel requirements proactively
FAE roles often involve customer site visits, which can raise questions about your work authorization on travel days. Be ready to explain that your OPT EAD authorizes work throughout the United States, including client-facing travel within the country.
Field Application Engineer jobs are hiring across the US. Find yours.
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Get Access To All JobsFrequently Asked Questions
Does a Field Application Engineer role qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
Yes, in most cases. FAE roles typically fall under electrical engineering, computer engineering, or a related STEM-designated field. As long as your degree program's CIP code appears on the STEM OPT designated degree program list and your employer signs an I-983 training plan, you can apply for the 24-month extension, giving you up to three years of total OPT authorization.
What engineering degrees are most competitive for FAE jobs on OPT?
Electrical engineering and computer engineering degrees are the most common pathways into FAE roles, particularly in semiconductors, RF systems, and embedded hardware. Mechanical and systems engineering degrees open doors in industrial automation and test equipment. The key is that your degree field must relate directly to the products you'll be supporting, satisfying the specialty occupation requirement for work authorization purposes.
Where can I find FAE jobs that are open to OPT candidates?
Migrate Mate lists Field Application Engineer roles from employers who are open to sponsoring or working with OPT students. Filtering by OPT eligibility saves time compared to applying broadly and discovering visa restrictions late in the process. It also helps you identify which companies have an established track record of supporting international engineering hires.
Can I work at customer sites as an FAE while on OPT?
Yes. Your OPT Employment Authorization Document authorizes you to work for your sponsoring employer throughout the United States, including travel to customer locations. What you cannot do is work independently for a client or accept compensation directly from a third party. All your work must be performed as an employee of the company listed on your EAD.
How does changing employers affect my OPT if I take a new FAE job?
On initial OPT, you can change employers as long as the new role is directly related to your degree field and you report the change to your DSO within 10 days. On STEM OPT extension, a new employer must be E-Verify enrolled, and you must submit a new I-983 training plan before your start date. Notify your DSO promptly to keep your SEVIS record current.
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