Machine Learning Jobs for OPT Students
Machine learning roles are among the most OPT-friendly in tech. Most positions require a master's or PhD in computer science, statistics, or a related field, and STEM OPT extensions apply, giving you up to three years of authorized work. Employers in this space file H-1B petitions at high rates, making ML a strong long-term visa path.
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Get Access To All JobsABOUT PROFOUND THERAPEUTICS
ProFound Therapeutics is pioneering the discovery of the expanded human proteome to unlock a new universe of potential therapeutics. By integrating multi-omics, advanced computation, and translational biology, we aim to reveal and characterize thousands of previously uncharted proteins and systematically explore their role in health and disease.
THE ROLE
We are seeking a highly motivated (Senior) Machine Learning Engineer / Data Scientist to join our AI/ML team. This individual will play a central role in designing and implementing advanced machine learning systems that integrate multi-omics, perturbation, and biological knowledge graph data. Working closely with the Head of AI/ML and cross-functional partners, you will develop generative, transformer-based, and causal models — including large language models (LLMs) — within a multi-agent causal AI framework to uncover disease-driving proteins and pathways. The insights generated will directly support therapeutic discovery and development.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Architect and implement scalable ML systems that integrate multi-modal data (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, imaging, perturbation data).
- Develop and deploy graph-based, transformer-based, and generative models (including LLMs) to capture biological relationships and simulate interventions.
- Contribute to building a multi-agent causal AI framework that integrates causal graph learning, intervention simulation, and knowledge graph reasoning.
- Collaborate with data engineering teams to design data pipelines that harmonize and prepare large-scale omics datasets for model training.
- Implement, evaluate, and optimize causal inference methods (e.g., DAG learning, treatment-effect estimation, counterfactual modeling).
- Partner with experimental scientists to ensure model outputs are biologically interpretable and experimentally testable.
- Stay abreast of advances in ML/AI, causal modeling, and computational biology; bring innovative ideas into the team.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS
- Ph.D. or M.S. in Computer Science, Physics, Computational Biology, Biostatistics, Applied Mathematics, or related field, with 3+ years of relevant post-graduate or industry experience.
- Proven track record in machine learning model development, with expertise in transformers, graph neural networks, generative modeling, or causal inference.
- Proficiency in Python and ML frameworks such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, JAX, or PyTorch Geometric.
- Experience working with multi-omics or high-dimensional biological data is strongly preferred.
- Strong background in probabilistic modeling, causal reasoning, or statistical inference.
- Familiarity with knowledge graph technologies and graph databases is a plus.
- Demonstrated ability to work in cross-disciplinary teams, communicate complex ideas clearly, and deliver results in fast-moving environments.
VALUES & BEHAVIORS
We are seeking individuals with an entrepreneurial spirit, strong communication skills, and comfort working in and contributing to a dynamic and cross-functional team environment. The level of the role will be commensurate with the education and years of experience of the identified candidate. We recognize there is no perfect candidate. If you have some of the experience listed above but not all, please apply anyway. Experience comes in many forms, skills are transferable, and passion goes a long way. We are dedicated to building diverse and inclusive teams and look forward to learning more about your unique background.
ABOUT FLAGSHIP PIONEERING:
Flagship Pioneering invents and builds platform companies, each with the potential for multiple products that transform human health, sustainability and beyond. Since its launch in 2000, Flagship has originated more than 100 companies. Many of these companies have addressed humanity’s most urgent challenges: vaccinating billions of people against COVID-19, curing intractable diseases, improving human health, preempting illness, and feeding the world by improving the resiliency and sustainability of agriculture. Flagship has been recognized twice on FORTUNE’s “Change the World” list, an annual ranking of companies that have made a positive social and environmental impact through activities that are part of their core business strategies and has been twice named to Fast Company’s annual list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies. Learn more about Flagship at www.flagshippioneering.com. At Flagship, we accept impossible missions to enable bigger leaps. Our core values guide us through uncertainty and toward lasting impact.
We are an equal opportunity employer
All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We recognize that great candidates often bring unique strengths without fulfilling every qualification. If you have some of the experience listed above but not all, please apply anyway. We are dedicated to building diverse and inclusive teams and look forward to learning more about your background and interest in Flagship.
Recruitment & Staffing Agencies:
Flagship Pioneering and its affiliated Flagship Lab companies (collectively, “FSP”) do not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than candidates. The submission of unsolicited resumes by recruitment or staffing agencies to FSP or its employees is strictly prohibited unless contacted directly by Flagship Pioneering’s internal Talent Acquisition team. Any resume submitted by an agency in the absence of a signed agreement will automatically become the property of FSP, and FSP will not owe any referral or other fees with respect thereto.
The salary range for this role is $96,000 - $214,500. Compensation for the role will depend on a number of factors, including a candidate’s qualifications, skills, competencies, and experience. ProFound Therapeutics, Inc. currently offers healthcare coverage, annual incentive program, retirement benefits and a broad range of other benefits. Compensation and benefits information is based on ProFound Therapeutics, Inc.'s good faith estimate as of the date of publication and may be modified in the future.
ABOUT PROFOUND THERAPEUTICS
ProFound Therapeutics is pioneering the discovery of the expanded human proteome to unlock a new universe of potential therapeutics. By integrating multi-omics, advanced computation, and translational biology, we aim to reveal and characterize thousands of previously uncharted proteins and systematically explore their role in health and disease.
THE ROLE
We are seeking a highly motivated (Senior) Machine Learning Engineer / Data Scientist to join our AI/ML team. This individual will play a central role in designing and implementing advanced machine learning systems that integrate multi-omics, perturbation, and biological knowledge graph data. Working closely with the Head of AI/ML and cross-functional partners, you will develop generative, transformer-based, and causal models — including large language models (LLMs) — within a multi-agent causal AI framework to uncover disease-driving proteins and pathways. The insights generated will directly support therapeutic discovery and development.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Architect and implement scalable ML systems that integrate multi-modal data (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, imaging, perturbation data).
- Develop and deploy graph-based, transformer-based, and generative models (including LLMs) to capture biological relationships and simulate interventions.
- Contribute to building a multi-agent causal AI framework that integrates causal graph learning, intervention simulation, and knowledge graph reasoning.
- Collaborate with data engineering teams to design data pipelines that harmonize and prepare large-scale omics datasets for model training.
- Implement, evaluate, and optimize causal inference methods (e.g., DAG learning, treatment-effect estimation, counterfactual modeling).
- Partner with experimental scientists to ensure model outputs are biologically interpretable and experimentally testable.
- Stay abreast of advances in ML/AI, causal modeling, and computational biology; bring innovative ideas into the team.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS
- Ph.D. or M.S. in Computer Science, Physics, Computational Biology, Biostatistics, Applied Mathematics, or related field, with 3+ years of relevant post-graduate or industry experience.
- Proven track record in machine learning model development, with expertise in transformers, graph neural networks, generative modeling, or causal inference.
- Proficiency in Python and ML frameworks such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, JAX, or PyTorch Geometric.
- Experience working with multi-omics or high-dimensional biological data is strongly preferred.
- Strong background in probabilistic modeling, causal reasoning, or statistical inference.
- Familiarity with knowledge graph technologies and graph databases is a plus.
- Demonstrated ability to work in cross-disciplinary teams, communicate complex ideas clearly, and deliver results in fast-moving environments.
VALUES & BEHAVIORS
We are seeking individuals with an entrepreneurial spirit, strong communication skills, and comfort working in and contributing to a dynamic and cross-functional team environment. The level of the role will be commensurate with the education and years of experience of the identified candidate. We recognize there is no perfect candidate. If you have some of the experience listed above but not all, please apply anyway. Experience comes in many forms, skills are transferable, and passion goes a long way. We are dedicated to building diverse and inclusive teams and look forward to learning more about your unique background.
ABOUT FLAGSHIP PIONEERING:
Flagship Pioneering invents and builds platform companies, each with the potential for multiple products that transform human health, sustainability and beyond. Since its launch in 2000, Flagship has originated more than 100 companies. Many of these companies have addressed humanity’s most urgent challenges: vaccinating billions of people against COVID-19, curing intractable diseases, improving human health, preempting illness, and feeding the world by improving the resiliency and sustainability of agriculture. Flagship has been recognized twice on FORTUNE’s “Change the World” list, an annual ranking of companies that have made a positive social and environmental impact through activities that are part of their core business strategies and has been twice named to Fast Company’s annual list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies. Learn more about Flagship at www.flagshippioneering.com. At Flagship, we accept impossible missions to enable bigger leaps. Our core values guide us through uncertainty and toward lasting impact.
We are an equal opportunity employer
All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We recognize that great candidates often bring unique strengths without fulfilling every qualification. If you have some of the experience listed above but not all, please apply anyway. We are dedicated to building diverse and inclusive teams and look forward to learning more about your background and interest in Flagship.
Recruitment & Staffing Agencies:
Flagship Pioneering and its affiliated Flagship Lab companies (collectively, “FSP”) do not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than candidates. The submission of unsolicited resumes by recruitment or staffing agencies to FSP or its employees is strictly prohibited unless contacted directly by Flagship Pioneering’s internal Talent Acquisition team. Any resume submitted by an agency in the absence of a signed agreement will automatically become the property of FSP, and FSP will not owe any referral or other fees with respect thereto.
The salary range for this role is $96,000 - $214,500. Compensation for the role will depend on a number of factors, including a candidate’s qualifications, skills, competencies, and experience. ProFound Therapeutics, Inc. currently offers healthcare coverage, annual incentive program, retirement benefits and a broad range of other benefits. Compensation and benefits information is based on ProFound Therapeutics, Inc.'s good faith estimate as of the date of publication and may be modified in the future.
How to Get Visa Sponsorship in Machine Learning
Target companies with active H-1B filing histories
Companies that consistently file H-1B petitions for ML roles are your best bet for long-term sponsorship. Check OFLC disclosure data for employers with recent machine learning or data science LCA filings to confirm they have an established sponsorship process.
Lead with your STEM OPT timeline
Most ML employers plan hiring on multi-year horizons. Telling recruiters you have up to three years of STEM OPT remaining signals you're not a short-term hire. Frame it as runway, not a constraint, when discussing your work authorization.
Specialize before you apply
Generalist ML resumes get lost. Employers hiring for NLP, computer vision, reinforcement learning, or MLOps want demonstrated depth. Pick a specialization aligned with your coursework or research and build your portfolio and resume around that specific area.
Quantify your model impact in every bullet
ML hiring managers screen for results, not methods. Replace vague descriptions like 'built a classification model' with metrics: accuracy improvements, latency reductions, or business outcomes your model drove. Numbers move resumes past initial filters faster than technical jargon.
Use your research or thesis as a portfolio anchor
If your OPT authorization stems from a graduate program, your thesis or research project is a legitimate work sample. Link to papers, GitHub repositories, or Kaggle notebooks that demonstrate real ML work. Academic output carries weight with technical recruiters.
Apply to mid-size companies, not just large tech firms
Large tech companies attract thousands of OPT applicants for ML roles. Mid-size companies with ML infrastructure needs, such as fintech, healthtech, or autonomous systems firms, often sponsor visas with less competition and faster hiring timelines.
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Get Access To All JobsFrequently Asked Questions
Can I work in machine learning on OPT without employer sponsorship?
Yes, during your OPT period you're authorized to work without your employer filing any petition on your behalf. You just need the role to be directly related to your degree field, which for ML typically means a degree in computer science, statistics, electrical engineering, or a related STEM discipline. Sponsorship only becomes relevant when transitioning to a long-term visa like the H-1B.
Does a machine learning job qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
It does if your degree is on the STEM Designated Degree Program List and the role is directly related to that degree. Most ML positions require quantitative or computer science backgrounds, which are almost universally STEM-designated. Your employer also needs to be enrolled in E-Verify to support the extension, so confirm that before accepting an offer.
Where can I find machine learning jobs that are open to OPT students?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for F-1 OPT students and filters for employers who are open to hiring candidates on work authorization. Searching for machine learning roles on Migrate Mate surfaces positions where sponsorship history or OPT-friendliness has already been factored in, which saves time compared to applying broadly and discovering authorization issues late in the process.
What happens to my OPT if my machine learning role is eliminated or I'm laid off?
You have a 90-day unemployment allowance across your standard OPT period. If you're on the STEM OPT extension, the allowance increases to 150 days total. You must find a new qualifying ML role within that window. The new employer must also be E-Verify enrolled if you're on the extension. Report any employer changes to your DSO promptly to keep your SEVIS record current.
Can I work as a machine learning contractor or freelancer on OPT?
Self-employment on OPT is permitted but requires that the work is directly related to your degree. For ML, that means genuine technical work, not general business activities. You must be able to document the relationship between your degree and the work performed. On STEM OPT, self-employment faces additional restrictions, and your DSO should confirm your specific situation before you structure any freelance arrangement.
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