OPT Ic Design Engineer Jobs
IC design engineer jobs on OPT are available across semiconductor companies, fabless startups, and defense contractors. Most roles require STEM OPT eligibility, giving you up to three years of work authorization. Employers typically sponsor H-1B visa after OPT, making this one of the stronger visa pathways in hardware engineering.
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Get Access To All JobsOpportunity Summary
The Instrumentation Controls and Electrical (IC&E) Technician is responsible for the maintenance and repair of all instruments, control systems and electrical equipment in the Renewable Natural Gas process. The IC&E Technician performs work of high skill in the inspection repair, testing, adjustment, installation and removal of all electronic and electrical power plant equipment and systems.
Primary Duties
- Perform preventive maintenance duties on all major equipment and systems as well as emergency backup systems
- Maintain complete equipment files, logs, and drawings for all designated equipment
- Assist in operational and mechanical support as needed
- Assist in maintaining and controlling spare parts inventory to maintain plant reliability. Assist in physical inventories.
- Conduct instrument calibration as scheduled/required
- Maintain all plant instrumentation and electrical equipment
- Inspect repair, install and remove all types of motors, generators, transformers, switches, control equipment, wiring, electrical signal and communication systems, and storage batteries, and work with electrical systems up to and including 480 volts
- Conduct troubleshooting and analysis on DCS, PLC and turbine control equipment
- Fully support and participate in the NAES Safety and Regulatory Compliance Programs
- Complete other tasks as assigned by the Area Manager
NAES Safe
Safety is a core value of NAES and as a condition of employment, all employees are expected to be mentally alert and work safely at all times. Additionally, employees are required to adhere to all safety warnings and posted safety signs whenever on company property. Furthermore, employees must follow all NAES safety rules and procedures. Effectiveness in carrying out this responsibility is part of the evaluation of each employee’s performance.
Physical Requirements and Working Conditions
Physical requirements include standing on feet for extended periods of time, stair and ladder climbing and routinely lifting up to 50 pounds. Protective equipment such as hard hats, safety glasses, air masks, ear protection and others must be worn in the performance of some duties. Work with hazardous materials may be required.
Fitness for Duty
All employees will participate in the Fitness for Duty Program. This program includes a post-offer physical examination and drug screening and post-employment random drug screening. There are extensive smoking restrictions in and around the dairy farms.
Work Schedule
This position offers a regularly scheduled Monday to Friday work week, with an 8-hour day shift. Position requires extended working hours and varied shifts with the possibility of weekend and holiday work, as required by schedules, workload and plant conditions. "On call" status will periodically be required.
Compensation
The initial hourly rate of pay will range from $31.53 - $40.00 depending on experience.
Job Qualifications
- Ability to understand procedures and instructions specific to the area of assignment as would be acquired in four years of high school
- Graduation from an accredited Instrument Technician Program is a plus
- Proven track record of successful work experience at a Technician level or in a similar role with increasing responsibility in a related industry demonstrating proficiency in maintaining, troubleshooting, and repairing instrumentation, controls, and electrical systems
- Experience in working with voltages up to 480 volts highly desirable
- Exceptional oral and written communication skills are required
- Ability to work well with others and be self-directed, as well as apply creative solutions to unique IC&E problems is desirable
- Must be able to work from blueprints and be skilled in the use of hand and power driven tools
- Outstanding organizational abilities and proficient computer skills are necessary
- Proficiency in personal computer usage is essential
- Must have and maintain a valid driver's license
Experience
Preferred: Four years work experience as a technician with increasing responsibility in a related industry
Education
Preferred: Associates or better in Electronics Engineering Technology or related field
Licenses & Certifications
Required: Driver's License
Skills
Preferred:
- Calibration - Instrumentation and Equipment
- Electrical Safety and Hazard Awareness
- IC&E - Instrumentation, Controls & Electrical
- PLC - Programmable Logic Controller
- Troubleshooting and Diagnostics
Behaviors
Preferred:
- Dedicated: Devoted to a task or purpose with loyalty or integrity
- Detail Oriented: Capable of carrying out a given task with all details necessary to get the task done well
- Enthusiastic: Shows intense and eager enjoyment and interest
- Team Player: Works well as a member of a group
Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.
Opportunity Summary
The Instrumentation Controls and Electrical (IC&E) Technician is responsible for the maintenance and repair of all instruments, control systems and electrical equipment in the Renewable Natural Gas process. The IC&E Technician performs work of high skill in the inspection repair, testing, adjustment, installation and removal of all electronic and electrical power plant equipment and systems.
Primary Duties
- Perform preventive maintenance duties on all major equipment and systems as well as emergency backup systems
- Maintain complete equipment files, logs, and drawings for all designated equipment
- Assist in operational and mechanical support as needed
- Assist in maintaining and controlling spare parts inventory to maintain plant reliability. Assist in physical inventories.
- Conduct instrument calibration as scheduled/required
- Maintain all plant instrumentation and electrical equipment
- Inspect repair, install and remove all types of motors, generators, transformers, switches, control equipment, wiring, electrical signal and communication systems, and storage batteries, and work with electrical systems up to and including 480 volts
- Conduct troubleshooting and analysis on DCS, PLC and turbine control equipment
- Fully support and participate in the NAES Safety and Regulatory Compliance Programs
- Complete other tasks as assigned by the Area Manager
NAES Safe
Safety is a core value of NAES and as a condition of employment, all employees are expected to be mentally alert and work safely at all times. Additionally, employees are required to adhere to all safety warnings and posted safety signs whenever on company property. Furthermore, employees must follow all NAES safety rules and procedures. Effectiveness in carrying out this responsibility is part of the evaluation of each employee’s performance.
Physical Requirements and Working Conditions
Physical requirements include standing on feet for extended periods of time, stair and ladder climbing and routinely lifting up to 50 pounds. Protective equipment such as hard hats, safety glasses, air masks, ear protection and others must be worn in the performance of some duties. Work with hazardous materials may be required.
Fitness for Duty
All employees will participate in the Fitness for Duty Program. This program includes a post-offer physical examination and drug screening and post-employment random drug screening. There are extensive smoking restrictions in and around the dairy farms.
Work Schedule
This position offers a regularly scheduled Monday to Friday work week, with an 8-hour day shift. Position requires extended working hours and varied shifts with the possibility of weekend and holiday work, as required by schedules, workload and plant conditions. "On call" status will periodically be required.
Compensation
The initial hourly rate of pay will range from $31.53 - $40.00 depending on experience.
Job Qualifications
- Ability to understand procedures and instructions specific to the area of assignment as would be acquired in four years of high school
- Graduation from an accredited Instrument Technician Program is a plus
- Proven track record of successful work experience at a Technician level or in a similar role with increasing responsibility in a related industry demonstrating proficiency in maintaining, troubleshooting, and repairing instrumentation, controls, and electrical systems
- Experience in working with voltages up to 480 volts highly desirable
- Exceptional oral and written communication skills are required
- Ability to work well with others and be self-directed, as well as apply creative solutions to unique IC&E problems is desirable
- Must be able to work from blueprints and be skilled in the use of hand and power driven tools
- Outstanding organizational abilities and proficient computer skills are necessary
- Proficiency in personal computer usage is essential
- Must have and maintain a valid driver's license
Experience
Preferred: Four years work experience as a technician with increasing responsibility in a related industry
Education
Preferred: Associates or better in Electronics Engineering Technology or related field
Licenses & Certifications
Required: Driver's License
Skills
Preferred:
- Calibration - Instrumentation and Equipment
- Electrical Safety and Hazard Awareness
- IC&E - Instrumentation, Controls & Electrical
- PLC - Programmable Logic Controller
- Troubleshooting and Diagnostics
Behaviors
Preferred:
- Dedicated: Devoted to a task or purpose with loyalty or integrity
- Detail Oriented: Capable of carrying out a given task with all details necessary to get the task done well
- Enthusiastic: Shows intense and eager enjoyment and interest
- Team Player: Works well as a member of a group
Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship as an Ic Design Engineer
Target fabless semiconductor companies
Fabless companies like Qualcomm, AMD, and Broadcom hire IC design engineers at scale and have established OPT and H-1B visa sponsorship pipelines. Their recruiting teams are familiar with F-1 work authorization requirements, which reduces friction during the hiring process.
Highlight your EDA tool proficiency
Cadence, Synopsys, and Mentor Graphics experience signals immediate productivity to hiring managers. List specific tools by name on your resume alongside the process nodes you have worked with. Sponsors want engineers who can contribute from day one without extensive onboarding.
Apply before your OPT start date
IC design roles have long interview cycles involving multiple technical rounds. Start applying three to four months before your OPT begins so you can accept an offer and start without authorization gaps. Waiting until graduation compresses your timeline significantly.
Clarify your STEM OPT eligibility upfront
Electrical engineering, computer engineering, and related programs qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension. Confirming this eligibility early reassures sponsors that you have three years of runway, which makes the investment in hiring and H-1B sponsorship worthwhile for them.
Pursue tape-out experience before graduating
Even a small chip tape-out through a university program or research project is a meaningful differentiator. Sponsors hiring for IC design roles prioritize candidates who have seen a design through to physical implementation, not just completed coursework in digital or analog circuits.
Research employer H-1B filing history
Check whether a company has sponsored IC design engineers for H-1B visas in recent years before investing time in their interview process. Consistent H-1B filing history signals genuine sponsorship intent, not just openness to OPT. This protects your time during a constrained work authorization window.
Ic Design Engineer OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Do IC design engineer roles qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
Yes. IC design engineering falls under electrical engineering, computer engineering, and related STEM fields that qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension. Combined with your initial 12-month OPT period, you get up to three years of work authorization. Your employer must be enrolled in E-Verify to support the extension, which most large semiconductor companies already are.
How common is H-1B sponsorship for IC design engineers?
H-1B sponsorship is relatively common in this field because IC design is classified as a specialty occupation requiring at least a bachelor's degree in a specific technical discipline. Semiconductor companies, defense contractors, and fabless chip designers regularly sponsor engineers for H-1B status after OPT. You can browse OPT-friendly IC design roles on Migrate Mate to identify which employers have active hiring pipelines.
Can I work on ITAR-controlled projects as an F-1 OPT student?
It depends on the project and the employer's export control compliance program. Many defense and aerospace companies require engineers to be U.S. citizens or permanent residents for ITAR-restricted work. Some commercial semiconductor roles involve no export control restrictions. Be direct with recruiters about your visa status early so both sides can assess whether the specific role is accessible to you.
What types of employers hire IC design engineers on OPT?
Fabless semiconductor companies, integrated device manufacturers, defense electronics firms, automotive chip suppliers, and consumer electronics companies all hire IC design engineers. Startups working on custom silicon for AI accelerators and networking have also been active hiring markets. Roles span analog, digital, mixed-signal, RF, and physical design, so the specific team structure matters when evaluating sponsorship practices.
What should I do if my OPT expires before the H-1B lottery result?
If you are selected in the H-1B lottery with an October 1 start date but your OPT expires before then, a cap-gap provision automatically extends your work authorization. Your OPT EAD remains valid through September 30 of the lottery year if your employer files the H-1B petition before your OPT expires. Confirm your employer's timeline and work with your DSO to document the extension correctly.