OPT ML Research Engineer Jobs
ML Research Engineer jobs are among the most OPT-friendly roles in tech. Most positions sit squarely within STEM-designated degree programs, making you eligible for the 24-month STEM OPT extension. Roles span industry labs, academic research centers, and AI-focused startups actively accustomed to sponsoring F-1 students.
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Discolsure: The position is for the 2026-2027 School Year Only
REPORTS TO: Principal
SUPERVISES: May coordinate and direct the activities of teacher assistants.
PURPOSE: To plan, organize and present instruction and instructional environments that help students learn subject matter and skills that will contribute to their educational and social development.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
A. MAJOR FUNCTION: Management of Instructional Time
The teacher has materials, supplies, and equipment for each lesson ready at the start of the lesson or instructional activity; gets the class started quickly; gets students on task quickly at the beginning of each lesson; maintains a high level of student time-on-task.
B. MAJOR FUNCTION: Management of Student Behavior
The teacher has established a set of rules and procedures that govern the handling of routine administrative matters; has established a set of rules and procedures that govern student verbal participation and talk during different types of activities—whole-class instruction, small group instruction, etc.; has established a set of rules and procedures that govern student movement in the classroom during different types of instructional and non-instructional activities; frequently monitors the behavior of all students during whole-class, small group, and seat work activities and during transitions between instructional activities; stops inappropriate behavior promptly and consistently, yet maintains the dignity of the student.
C. MAJOR FUNCTION: Instructional Presentation
The teacher begins lesson or instructional activity with a review of previous materials; introduces the lesson or instructional activity and specific learning objectives when appropriate; speaks fluently and precisely; presents the lesson or instructional activity using concepts and language understandable to the students; provides relevant examples and demonstrations to illustrate concepts and skills; assigns tasks that students handle with a high rate of success; asks appropriate levels of questions that students handle with a high rate of success; conducts lesson or instructional activity at a brisk pace, slowing presentations when necessary for student understanding but avoiding slowdowns; makes transitions between lessons and between instructional activities within lessons efficiently and smoothly; makes sure that the assignment is clear; summarizes the main point(s) of the lesson at the end of the lesson or instructional activity.
D. MAJOR FUNCTION: Instructional Monitoring of Student Performance
The teacher maintains clear, firm and reasonable work standards and due dates; circulates during class work to check all students’ performance; routinely uses oral, written, and other work products to check student progress; poses questions clearly and one at a time.
E. MAJOR FUNCTION: Instructional Feedback
The teacher provides feedback on the correctness or incorrectness of in-class work to encourage student growth; regularly provides prompt feedback on assigned out-of-class work; affirms a correct oral response appropriately, and moves on; provides sustaining feedback after an incorrect response or no response by probing, repeating the question, giving a clue, or allowing more time.
F. MAJOR FUNCTION: Facilitating Instruction
The teacher has an instructional plan which is compatible with the school and system-wide curricular goals; uses diagnostic information obtained from tests and other assessment procedures to develop and revise objectives and/or tasks; maintains accurate records to document student performance; has instructional plan that matches/aligns objectives, learning strategies, assessment and student needs at the appropriate level of difficulty; uses available human and material resources to support the instructional program.
G. MAJOR FUNCTION: Interacting Within the Educational Environment
The teacher treats all students in a fair and equitable manner; interacts effectively with students, co-workers, parents, and community.
H. MAJOR FUNCTION: Performing Non-Instructional Duties
The teacher carries out non-instructional duties as assigned and/or as need is perceived; adheres to established laws, policies, rules, and regulations; follows a plan for professional development and demonstrates evidence of growth.
Direct Instruction and Student Support
- Direct instruction and intervention services for multilingual learners.
- Progress monitoring and language development support.
- Collaboration with classroom teachers.
- Student documentation and compliance requirements.
- Family communication and student support meetings.
Multilingual Learner Instruction
- Provide direct English Language Development (ELD) instruction to assigned multilingual learners.
- Deliver small-group, co-teaching, and/or classroom-based instructional services aligned to student language proficiency levels.
- Develop and implement lesson plans aligned with WIDA English Language Development Standards and district curriculum.
- Monitor student language development and academic progress through ongoing assessment and progress monitoring.
- Maintain student language plans, service documentation, progress records, and required state and federal documentation.
- Collaborate with classroom teachers to ensure appropriate accommodations, modifications, and instructional supports are implemented.
- Participate in MTSS, IEP, 504, and student support meetings as appropriate.
- Communicate regularly with families regarding student progress, services, and educational opportunities.
- Support multilingual learners through targeted intervention, tutoring, and enrichment opportunities as needed.
ADDITIONAL JOB FUNCTIONS
Performs other related work as required.
MINIMUM TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE
Degree in education or in a related area that will qualify for licensure as a teacher by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS OR STANDARDS REQUIRED TO PERFORM ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS
Physical Requirements: Must be able to use a variety of equipment and classroom tools such as computers, copiers, typewriters, calculators, pencils, scissors, and equipment for children with special needs, etc. Must be able to exert a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects. Due to amount of time spent standing and/or walking, physical requirements are consistent with those for Light Work.
Data Conception: Requires the ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional, structural, or composite characteristics (whether similar to or divergent from obvious standards) of data, people or things.
Interpersonal Communication: Requires the ability to speak and/or signal people to convey or exchange information. Includes receiving instructions, assignments and/or directions from superiors.
Language Ability: Requires the ability to read a variety of correspondence, reports, handbooks, forms, lists, etc. Requires the ability to prepare correspondence, simple reports, forms, instructional materials, etc., using prescribed format.
Intelligence: Requires the ability to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions; to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagrammatic form; and to deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
Verbal Aptitude: Requires the ability to record and deliver information, to explain procedures, to follow oral and written instructions. Must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently in variety of technical or professional languages including medical, legal and counseling terminology.
Numerical Aptitude: Requires the ability to utilize mathematical formulas; to add and subtract; multiply and divide; utilize decimals and percentages; and to apply the principles of descriptive statistics, statistical inference and statistical theory.
Form/Spatial Aptitude: Requires the ability to inspect items for proper length, width and shape.
Motor Coordination: Requires the ability to coordinate hands and eyes rapidly and accurately in using office equipment.
Manual Dexterity: Requires the ability to handle a variety of items such as office equipment and hand tools. Must have minimal levels of eye/hand/foot coordination.
Color Discrimination: Requires the ability to differentiate between colors and shades of color.
Interpersonal Temperament: Requires the ability to deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions. Must be adaptable to performing under stress and when confronted with emergency situations.
Physical Communication: Requires the ability to talk and hear: (Talking: expressing or exchanging ideas by means of spoken words. Hearing: perceiving nature of sounds by ear). Must be able to communicate via telephone.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES
Ability to constantly monitor the safety and well-being of students, particularly when student is participating in an inclusive activity.
Ability to motivate students.
Ability to maintain a clean and orderly environment. Ability to perform general clerical duties.
Ability to maintain order and discipline in a classroom. Ability to operate common office machines.
Ability to maintain basic files and records.
Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships as necessitates by work assignments.
DISCLAIMER
The preceding job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees to this job.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship as a ML Research Engineer
Target STEM OPT-eligible employers first
Not every company is E-Verify enrolled, which is required for your 24-month STEM OPT extension. Confirm enrollment before applying. Industry research labs and larger tech companies are almost always enrolled. Smaller startups require individual verification.
Align your degree field to the role explicitly
STEM OPT eligibility depends on your degree matching your job. ML Research Engineer roles typically require Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or Statistics. If your degree is adjacent, document how your coursework directly supports the research function.
File your STEM OPT extension at least 90 days early
Your DSO needs time to update your I-20, and USCIS processing can take weeks. Filing late risks a gap in work authorization. Most universities recommend starting the extension paperwork three to four months before your initial OPT expires.
Prioritize companies with existing H-1B sponsorship history
An employer willing to sponsor your future H-1B visa is far more valuable than one that isn't. Check public OFLC disclosure data to see which companies have filed H-1B petitions for research engineering roles. Past behavior is the strongest signal.
Address OPT directly in your cover letter or outreach
Many hiring managers assume international students require immediate visa sponsorship. Clarifying upfront that you have up to three years of OPT authorization, including the STEM extension, removes the biggest objection before it becomes one.
Leverage your research publications and GitHub to stand out
ML Research Engineer hiring is credential-heavy. Published papers, reproducible code repositories, and Kaggle competition results compensate for visa status concerns by making your technical contribution undeniable. Employers hire talent they cannot easily replace.
ML Research Engineer OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Do ML Research Engineer jobs qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension?
Yes, in nearly all cases. ML Research Engineer roles fall under CIP codes tied to Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Applied Mathematics, and Statistics, all of which are STEM-designated. Your degree field must match the role, and your employer must be enrolled in E-Verify. If both conditions are met, you're eligible for the full 24-month extension on top of your initial 12-month OPT.
Where is the best place to find ML Research Engineer jobs that sponsor OPT students?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for F-1 OPT students and filters for employers actively open to hiring international candidates. General job boards mix in roles that quietly exclude visa holders, wasting application time. Migrate Mate surfaces ML Research Engineer openings from companies with demonstrated sponsorship history, so you can focus your search on realistic opportunities.
Can I work at a university research lab on OPT as an ML Research Engineer?
Yes. University and academic lab positions qualify as standard OPT employment as long as the role is directly related to your field of study and you're paid as an employee rather than receiving a stipend through a fellowship. Confirm with your DSO that the position qualifies before accepting. Academic labs are also typically E-Verify enrolled, making them fully compatible with STEM OPT extension requirements.
What happens to my OPT if my ML Research Engineer job ends unexpectedly?
You have a 60-day unemployment grace period during initial OPT and 60 days during the STEM extension. During that window you must report the unemployment to your DSO and actively pursue new employment. Time in OPT status counts toward your total 90-day unemployment limit across the authorization period. Finding a new qualifying role quickly is critical to maintaining lawful status.
Does contract or consulting work count as valid OPT employment for an ML Research Engineer?
Yes, self-employment and contract work are permitted on OPT as long as the work is directly related to your degree field. You must be able to document the relationship between your ML research activities and your academic training. For STEM OPT specifically, the employer you report must be E-Verify enrolled, which complicates pure freelance arrangements. Short-term consulting contracts with established companies are generally more straightforward to document properly.