OPT Materials Manager Jobs
Materials Manager jobs are a strong fit for OPT work authorization, including STEM OPT extension, since the role typically requires a degree in supply chain, industrial engineering, or operations management. Most positions involve procurement, inventory control, and supplier coordination, all of which align directly with STEM-designated degree fields.
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Get Access To All JobsAbout us:
Panelmatic, Inc. was founded in 1957 in Youngstown, OH to serve manufacturing industries with the design and build of custom electrical, instrument, and pneumatic control panels. Our business has sufficiently grown over the years to support expansion for our clients. We have produced control packages for many of America's top corporations in the chemical, environmental, food, pulp and paper, rubber, petroleum, pharmaceutical, glass, metals, and utilities industries. We also deliver equipment for use worldwide. Our rigorous methodology assures compliance with domestic and international standards. We can meet the needs of our diverse clientele from start to finish through sales, design, fabrication, testing, and delivery.
Since 1957 we have been known for our high-quality, custom-built control packages, our comprehensive service, and our technological and manufacturing expertise. This expertise assures you of our ability to handle the largest and most complex packages quickly and efficiently.
Job Summary:
The Materials Manager works with supply chain and manufacturing to support lean inventory and procurement strategies for purchased material. The Materials Manager is tasked with ensuring all purchased materials, goods, and services are in timely support of the planned business needs and master production schedule. This individual will maintain key relationships with stakeholders across the organization in manufacturing, supply chain, sales, and plant management as well as with customers outside of the organization.
Job Duties:
- Oversee Inventory Management, Material Handling, Shipping, and Receiving.
- Own and implement strategies to improve the operations of the materials department.
- Ensure seamless communication and feedback with company sales team and other functional groups.
- Engage in root cause problem solving to drive process improvement.
- Provide recommendations regarding materials to other functional groups to drive towards excellence.
- Oversee and advise on maintenance of ideal inventory levels to ensure on-time deliveries, while maximizing turns, and minimizing carrying costs.
- Manage and review cycle counting, physical inventory, profit planning and min./max. level controls, lead times, etc. of the ordering process to ensure inventory levels (purchase parts, WIP, finished goods, consignment, in-transit etc.) meet division and corporate expectations.
- Hire, train, develop and evaluate staff. Ensure compliance with current federal, state, and local regulations.
- Interface with customers, as required, establishing relationships, creating confidence, and resolving issues.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in business, or a related field or equivalent combination of education and experience desired required
- Five plus years of experience in Materials Management desired required
- Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written. Able to communicate at various levels within the organization required
- Demonstrated ability to successfully achieve goals through influence at high levels of an organization required
- Experience with material expediting and implementing solutions to short-term and long-term supply issues required
- Ability to identify employees’ strengths and limitations and give both positive and constructive feedback required
- Strong analytical skills required
- Demonstrated past of developing and managing KPIs and metrics required
- Ability to pass physical, drug, driving, and background check required
- Ability to physically push, pull, and lift 50lbs or more required
- Ability to sit, stand, and walk for four plus hours at a time required
- Alignment with company core values required
Benefits
- Medical, dental, vision, HSA, term life, AD&D, STD, LTD
- 100% medical premium paid for by Panelmatic for the employee-only level medical coverage
- 80% paid for by Panelmatic and 20% paid for by the employee on all other level medical coverage (i.e. employee plus child, employee plus spouse, family)
- 401(k) contributions matched 100% up to 4%
- Scholarships, educational reimbursement, paid volunteerism, and paid personal and professional development provided
- PTO and paid holidays provided
- Career advancement opportunities
- Competitive wages
- Family-friendly environment with average employee tenure above five years
About us:
Panelmatic, Inc. was founded in 1957 in Youngstown, OH to serve manufacturing industries with the design and build of custom electrical, instrument, and pneumatic control panels. Our business has sufficiently grown over the years to support expansion for our clients. We have produced control packages for many of America's top corporations in the chemical, environmental, food, pulp and paper, rubber, petroleum, pharmaceutical, glass, metals, and utilities industries. We also deliver equipment for use worldwide. Our rigorous methodology assures compliance with domestic and international standards. We can meet the needs of our diverse clientele from start to finish through sales, design, fabrication, testing, and delivery.
Since 1957 we have been known for our high-quality, custom-built control packages, our comprehensive service, and our technological and manufacturing expertise. This expertise assures you of our ability to handle the largest and most complex packages quickly and efficiently.
Job Summary:
The Materials Manager works with supply chain and manufacturing to support lean inventory and procurement strategies for purchased material. The Materials Manager is tasked with ensuring all purchased materials, goods, and services are in timely support of the planned business needs and master production schedule. This individual will maintain key relationships with stakeholders across the organization in manufacturing, supply chain, sales, and plant management as well as with customers outside of the organization.
Job Duties:
- Oversee Inventory Management, Material Handling, Shipping, and Receiving.
- Own and implement strategies to improve the operations of the materials department.
- Ensure seamless communication and feedback with company sales team and other functional groups.
- Engage in root cause problem solving to drive process improvement.
- Provide recommendations regarding materials to other functional groups to drive towards excellence.
- Oversee and advise on maintenance of ideal inventory levels to ensure on-time deliveries, while maximizing turns, and minimizing carrying costs.
- Manage and review cycle counting, physical inventory, profit planning and min./max. level controls, lead times, etc. of the ordering process to ensure inventory levels (purchase parts, WIP, finished goods, consignment, in-transit etc.) meet division and corporate expectations.
- Hire, train, develop and evaluate staff. Ensure compliance with current federal, state, and local regulations.
- Interface with customers, as required, establishing relationships, creating confidence, and resolving issues.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in business, or a related field or equivalent combination of education and experience desired required
- Five plus years of experience in Materials Management desired required
- Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written. Able to communicate at various levels within the organization required
- Demonstrated ability to successfully achieve goals through influence at high levels of an organization required
- Experience with material expediting and implementing solutions to short-term and long-term supply issues required
- Ability to identify employees’ strengths and limitations and give both positive and constructive feedback required
- Strong analytical skills required
- Demonstrated past of developing and managing KPIs and metrics required
- Ability to pass physical, drug, driving, and background check required
- Ability to physically push, pull, and lift 50lbs or more required
- Ability to sit, stand, and walk for four plus hours at a time required
- Alignment with company core values required
Benefits
- Medical, dental, vision, HSA, term life, AD&D, STD, LTD
- 100% medical premium paid for by Panelmatic for the employee-only level medical coverage
- 80% paid for by Panelmatic and 20% paid for by the employee on all other level medical coverage (i.e. employee plus child, employee plus spouse, family)
- 401(k) contributions matched 100% up to 4%
- Scholarships, educational reimbursement, paid volunteerism, and paid personal and professional development provided
- PTO and paid holidays provided
- Career advancement opportunities
- Competitive wages
- Family-friendly environment with average employee tenure above five years
See all 70+ OPT Materials Manager Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new OPT Materials Manager Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship as a Materials Manager
Target manufacturing-heavy employers
Large manufacturers in aerospace, automotive, electronics, and consumer goods hire Materials Managers regularly and have established immigration compliance teams, making them far more likely to support OPT and future visa sponsorship than smaller distributors.
Confirm your STEM OPT eligibility early
Supply chain, industrial engineering, and operations management degrees commonly qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension. Verify your CIP code with your DSO before applying, since this gives employers up to three years of OPT coverage total.
Quantify your supply chain impact on your resume
Hiring managers respond to specific metrics: inventory reduction percentages, on-time delivery rates, and cost savings from supplier negotiations. Concrete numbers make your application stand out and demonstrate the ROI of sponsoring your work authorization.
Address sponsorship directly in your cover letter
State your OPT status and remaining authorized period in your cover letter. Many employers misunderstand OPT as complicated, so briefly clarifying that no immediate petition is required during your OPT period removes a common objection upfront.
Prioritize roles with H-1B sponsorship history
Check whether a company has sponsored H-1B visas for similar roles in the past. Employers already familiar with the process are significantly more willing to extend that support to OPT candidates once your authorization period approaches its end.
Emphasize ERP system proficiency
Experience with SAP, Oracle, or similar ERP platforms is a top differentiator for Materials Manager candidates. Listing these skills prominently signals you can contribute immediately, which strengthens the business case for an employer investing in your long-term sponsorship.
Materials Manager OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Do Materials Manager jobs typically qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
They often do, but it depends on your specific degree. Supply chain management, industrial engineering, logistics, and operations research are commonly STEM-designated fields. If your degree carries a qualifying CIP code, you can apply for a 24-month STEM OPT extension after your initial 12-month OPT period, giving employers three years of coverage before an H-1B is needed.
Which industries hire the most Materials Managers willing to sponsor OPT students?
Aerospace and defense, automotive manufacturing, semiconductor and electronics, and medical device companies are the most active hirers for this role and tend to have the infrastructure to support work authorization. These industries run large procurement and inventory operations that require dedicated materials management headcount, making the business case for sponsorship more straightforward than in smaller organizations.
How do I find Materials Manager jobs that are open to OPT candidates?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for this search. You can browse Materials Manager roles filtered by OPT-friendly employers, so you are not wasting time applying to positions where sponsorship is a dealbreaker. Filtering by industry and employer size also helps you focus on companies with the hiring volume and HR capacity to support your work authorization status.
Can I work as a Materials Manager on OPT if my degree is in a related field like industrial engineering?
Yes. OPT requires that your employment be directly related to your degree field, and industrial engineering, supply chain management, and operations management all map clearly to materials management responsibilities such as procurement planning, inventory optimization, and supplier evaluation. If an employer or your DSO asks, you can document the connection through the job description and your coursework.
What should I say when an employer asks about my visa status during the interview?
Be straightforward: explain that you are currently authorized to work under OPT, state your authorization end date, and note whether you qualify for the STEM extension. Let them know that no employer petition is required during your OPT period, and that if they wish to retain you long-term, an H-1B petition would typically be the next step. Clear, confident answers reduce employer hesitation significantly.