Retirement Plan Administration Jobs for OPT Students
Retirement Plan Administration jobs involve managing 401(k) plans, pension funds, and employee benefits compliance under ERISA regulations. F-1 OPT students with finance, accounting, or actuarial science degrees qualify for these roles, which commonly sponsor H-1B visas given their specialized degree requirements and ongoing regulatory complexity.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
Vestwell is the financial technology company powering the new savings economy. The New York City-based fintech platform redefines how people save for the critical aspects of life across retirement, education, and healthcare savings needs. Today, Vestwell enables over 350,000 businesses and nearly 1.5 Million active savers, with over $30 billion in assets saved across all 50 United States. Vestwell offers a range of products, including workplace-delivered retirement plans, employer-offered student loan repayment benefits, and various savings accounts for education, emergencies, and individuals with disabilities. Vestwell's platform serves a diverse clientele, including financial advisers, employers, third-party administrators, financial institutions, payroll providers, government agencies, and individual savers.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The Retirement Plan Administration (RPA) team is responsible for the compliance testing, government reporting, plan terminations, and retirement plan compliance for Vestwell’s bundled clients. Part of the team focuses on administration for our large plans and the other part works on small plans. We are looking for someone to join our testing team. This team is the go-to subject matter experts on qualified retirement plan rules and operations - often operating as an internal consulting group, defining and guiding retirement plan specific strategic, operational and product improvements across the company. The team ensures cross-functional alignment in iterating and executing the annual retirement plan administration process, overseeing the retirement plan compliance of Vestwell’s clients and driving product improvements. The RPA team is seeking an experienced retirement plan administrator to join this dynamic and agile team. The ideal candidate is a motivated individual who is able to manage their own block of responsibilities, confidently answer retirement plan questions and collaborate with the team to improve workstreams.
What will you be doing?
- Year end testing for DC plans
- Answer questions from the client service team on retirement plan subjects
- Assist with plan terminations and EPCRS corrections
- Provide consulting services to sponsor and advisors as needed
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Minimum 4 years of Retirement Plan Administration experience
- Experience in Retirement Plan Administration for Qualified Plans, including working on IQPA audits
- Exceptional understanding of plan administration, compliance testing and IRS regulations
- Excellent written & oral communication skills
- Meticulous attention to detail & organization
- Passion for helping people
- Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite & G suite
- Proven ability to think analytically & operate independently within set deadlines
- Team player
- Shows ownership and initiative in all aspects of work
- QKA certifications
COMPENSATION
The expected salary range for this position is $80K-$90K. Please note that salary bands are based on NY and other similar metro areas and may differ based on where the role is ultimately hired.
OUR BENEFITS
We’re an innovative, high-growth company, with lots of exciting milestones ahead. We value health and wellness at Vestwell and in addition to a dedicated Employee Wellbeing Committee, we offer competitive health coverage and generous vacation offering. We have adopted a hybrid office policy, but all employees are welcome at our bright, comfortable office with many workspace options in our Midtown Manhattan office, so everyone has a setting that is the most productive for them. Oh, and naturally we have a great 401(k) plan!
OUR PROCESS
It starts the same for every candidate: getting to know the team members through 1-2 conversations about Vestwell, your experience, and your interests. Next steps can vary by role, but the usual next steps are a skill or experience screen (e.g. a coding interview for an Engineer, a portfolio review for a Designer, deeper experience call for other roles) which leads to a virtual or in-person interview panel after that if the screens go well.
Before making an offer, our interview process concludes with a references check stage for your recruiter to meet with a current or former supervisor and peer. We prioritize transparency and lack of surprise throughout the process. For your awareness you will only receive correspondence from recruiting@vestwell.com any other domain not ending in Vestwell.com is not our Recruitment team.
Vestwell’s Privacy Policy.
Attention California residents: In the course of conducting our business and complying with federal, state, and local government regulations governing such matters as employment, tax, insurance, etc., we must collect Personal Information from you. Should you accept employment with Vestwell you may view our California Privacy Rights Act here: Vestwell’s California Privacy Rights Policy.
INTRODUCTION
Vestwell is the financial technology company powering the new savings economy. The New York City-based fintech platform redefines how people save for the critical aspects of life across retirement, education, and healthcare savings needs. Today, Vestwell enables over 350,000 businesses and nearly 1.5 Million active savers, with over $30 billion in assets saved across all 50 United States. Vestwell offers a range of products, including workplace-delivered retirement plans, employer-offered student loan repayment benefits, and various savings accounts for education, emergencies, and individuals with disabilities. Vestwell's platform serves a diverse clientele, including financial advisers, employers, third-party administrators, financial institutions, payroll providers, government agencies, and individual savers.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The Retirement Plan Administration (RPA) team is responsible for the compliance testing, government reporting, plan terminations, and retirement plan compliance for Vestwell’s bundled clients. Part of the team focuses on administration for our large plans and the other part works on small plans. We are looking for someone to join our testing team. This team is the go-to subject matter experts on qualified retirement plan rules and operations - often operating as an internal consulting group, defining and guiding retirement plan specific strategic, operational and product improvements across the company. The team ensures cross-functional alignment in iterating and executing the annual retirement plan administration process, overseeing the retirement plan compliance of Vestwell’s clients and driving product improvements. The RPA team is seeking an experienced retirement plan administrator to join this dynamic and agile team. The ideal candidate is a motivated individual who is able to manage their own block of responsibilities, confidently answer retirement plan questions and collaborate with the team to improve workstreams.
What will you be doing?
- Year end testing for DC plans
- Answer questions from the client service team on retirement plan subjects
- Assist with plan terminations and EPCRS corrections
- Provide consulting services to sponsor and advisors as needed
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Minimum 4 years of Retirement Plan Administration experience
- Experience in Retirement Plan Administration for Qualified Plans, including working on IQPA audits
- Exceptional understanding of plan administration, compliance testing and IRS regulations
- Excellent written & oral communication skills
- Meticulous attention to detail & organization
- Passion for helping people
- Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite & G suite
- Proven ability to think analytically & operate independently within set deadlines
- Team player
- Shows ownership and initiative in all aspects of work
- QKA certifications
COMPENSATION
The expected salary range for this position is $80K-$90K. Please note that salary bands are based on NY and other similar metro areas and may differ based on where the role is ultimately hired.
OUR BENEFITS
We’re an innovative, high-growth company, with lots of exciting milestones ahead. We value health and wellness at Vestwell and in addition to a dedicated Employee Wellbeing Committee, we offer competitive health coverage and generous vacation offering. We have adopted a hybrid office policy, but all employees are welcome at our bright, comfortable office with many workspace options in our Midtown Manhattan office, so everyone has a setting that is the most productive for them. Oh, and naturally we have a great 401(k) plan!
OUR PROCESS
It starts the same for every candidate: getting to know the team members through 1-2 conversations about Vestwell, your experience, and your interests. Next steps can vary by role, but the usual next steps are a skill or experience screen (e.g. a coding interview for an Engineer, a portfolio review for a Designer, deeper experience call for other roles) which leads to a virtual or in-person interview panel after that if the screens go well.
Before making an offer, our interview process concludes with a references check stage for your recruiter to meet with a current or former supervisor and peer. We prioritize transparency and lack of surprise throughout the process. For your awareness you will only receive correspondence from recruiting@vestwell.com any other domain not ending in Vestwell.com is not our Recruitment team.
Vestwell’s Privacy Policy.
Attention California residents: In the course of conducting our business and complying with federal, state, and local government regulations governing such matters as employment, tax, insurance, etc., we must collect Personal Information from you. Should you accept employment with Vestwell you may view our California Privacy Rights Act here: Vestwell’s California Privacy Rights Policy.
How to Get Visa Sponsorship in Retirement Plan Administration
Target ERISA-regulated employers directly
Third-party administrators, record-keepers, and large plan sponsors file the most H-1B petitions for retirement roles. Focus your search on firms managing 401(k), 403(b), and defined benefit plans, where specialized compliance knowledge makes sponsorship straightforward to justify.
Emphasize your actuarial or ERISA coursework
Employers justify H-1B sponsorship by proving the role requires a specific degree. Highlight coursework in pension mathematics, benefits law, or tax-qualified plans in your resume to reinforce that your background directly matches the specialty occupation requirement.
Pursue relevant certifications early
The ASPPA Associate credentials, including QKA and QPA, signal serious commitment to plan administration. Earning or actively pursuing these during OPT strengthens your candidacy and gives employers additional justification to sponsor your H-1B after your work authorization period ends.
Apply to firms with established immigration programs
Large record-keepers and benefits consulting firms process H-1B petitions regularly and have internal legal resources. These employers move faster and with less friction than smaller administrators encountering sponsorship for the first time during your OPT window.
Frame your niche expertise in interviews
Retirement plan administration covers compliance testing, Form 5500 filing, and participant recordkeeping. Demonstrating command of one specific area, such as nondiscrimination testing or plan document restatements, signals depth that supports the specialty occupation case employers must make to USCIS.
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Get Access To All JobsFrequently Asked Questions
Do Retirement Plan Administration jobs typically sponsor H-1B visas?
Yes, many do. Retirement plan administration qualifies as a specialty occupation because it requires specific knowledge of ERISA, tax-qualified plan regulations, and actuarial concepts typically gained through a finance, accounting, or actuarial science degree. Third-party administrators and large financial services firms are the most active H-1B sponsors for these roles. You can browse verified sponsoring employers on Migrate Mate.
What OPT work authorization documents do I need before starting a Retirement Plan Administration job?
You need your Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card, which authorizes you to work for any employer within your authorized OPT period. Your employer will verify this through Form I-9. Your job must directly relate to your degree field, so roles in retirement plan administration should align with a finance, accounting, business, or actuarial science program to satisfy STEM or standard OPT requirements.
Does Retirement Plan Administration qualify for STEM OPT extension?
It can, depending on your degree classification. If your degree falls under an approved STEM field, such as actuarial science, financial mathematics, or certain accounting and business analytics programs, you may qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension. Your role must also meet the formal training plan requirements under the STEM OPT regulations, which your employer completes using Form I-983.
What happens to my employment if I'm in cap-gap and the H-1B lottery results are delayed?
Cap-gap automatically extends your OPT status and EAD if your H-1B petition is filed before your OPT expires and the requested start date is October 1. Your employment can continue uninterrupted through September 30 of the fiscal year even if USCIS hasn't adjudicated the petition yet. If your petition is rejected in the lottery, cap-gap protection ends and you'd need to stop working or find an alternative visa pathway.
What degree backgrounds do employers expect for Retirement Plan Administration roles on OPT?
Most employers hiring for retirement plan administration look for degrees in finance, accounting, actuarial science, business administration, or mathematics. Some roles focused on compliance or benefits consulting also accept economics or legal studies backgrounds. The closer your degree is to the core regulatory and quantitative demands of the role, the stronger your OPT eligibility argument and any future H-1B specialty occupation case.
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