Security Engineering Manager Jobs for OPT Students

Security Engineering Manager roles are among the most OPT-friendly positions in tech leadership. Employers in this space frequently sponsor H-1B visas, and your STEM OPT extension gives you up to three years of work authorization to demonstrate leadership value before transitioning to long-term status.

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Overview

Open Jobs104+
Top Visa TypeF-1 OPT
Work Type55% Hybrid
Salary Range$198K – $229K
Top LocationSan Francisco, CA
Most JobsDatadog

Showing 5 of 104+ Security Engineering Manager jobs

Wells Fargo
Information Security Engineering Manager
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Wells Fargo
Added 2w ago
Information Security Engineering Manager
Wells Fargo
Charlotte, North Carolina
Cybersecurity
Cloud & DevOps
Technical Product & Program Management
Security Engineering
DevOps
Technical Program Management
Hybrid
4+ yrs exp.
None
10,000+

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Illumio
Sr. Manager, Security Engineering
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Illumio
Added 3w ago
Sr. Manager, Security Engineering
Illumio
San Jose, California
Cybersecurity
Security Engineering
Cybersecurity Operations
On-Site
3+ yrs exp.
None

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Discord
Engineering Manager, Application Security
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Discord
Added 3w ago
Engineering Manager, Application Security
Discord
San Francisco Bay Area
Cybersecurity
Technical Product & Program Management
Project & Program Management
Security Engineering
Technical Program Management
Project Management
$248,000/yr - $279,000/yr
On-Site
3+ yrs exp.
None

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DigitalOcean
Manager, Security Defense Engineering
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DigitalOcean
Added 6d ago
Manager, Security Defense Engineering
DigitalOcean
San Francisco, California
Cybersecurity
Technical Product & Program Management
Security Engineering
Cybersecurity Operations
Technical Program Management
$180,000/yr - $210,000/yr
Remote (US)
2+ yrs exp.
None
201-500

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Biltmore Estate
Assistant Manager –Inn Engineering and Security
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Biltmore Estate
Added 2w ago
Assistant Manager –Inn Engineering and Security
Biltmore Estate
Asheville, North Carolina
Specialized Engineering
Maintenance & Repair
Quality Control
Health & Safety (EHS & OHS)
Security & Protective Services
On-Site
5+ yrs exp.
High School
1,001-5,000

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How to Get Visa Sponsorship as a Security Engineering Manager

Target employers with established security organizations

Large tech companies, financial institutions, and defense contractors maintain dedicated security teams that regularly hire managers. These employers have existing H-1B sponsorship infrastructure, making OPT-to-visa transitions more predictable and less dependent on one-off approvals.

Highlight your technical depth alongside leadership experience

Security Engineering Manager roles require both hands-on expertise and team management. Emphasize your background in areas like threat modeling, vulnerability management, or cloud security. Employers sponsoring visas want managers who can execute, not just oversee.

Start your H-1B conversation before your OPT expires

STEM OPT gives you up to 36 months, but H-1B lottery registration opens in March. Map your OPT expiration against H-1B cap timelines early so your employer has enough lead time to file a petition without gaps in your authorization.

Pursue roles at cap-exempt institutions when possible

Universities, nonprofit research institutions, and certain government contractors are exempt from the H-1B lottery. A Security Engineering Manager role at one of these employers means sponsorship without lottery risk, a significant advantage for OPT students.

Demonstrate measurable security outcomes in your application

Quantify your impact with specifics: reduced incident response times, vulnerabilities remediated, compliance frameworks implemented. Employers who sponsor visas are investing long-term in your career, and concrete results justify that commitment far more than general leadership claims.

Understand your STEM OPT reporting obligations

On STEM OPT, you must report employer changes to your DSO within five business days and submit a self-evaluation every 12 months. Security Engineering Manager roles often involve employer transitions, so knowing these requirements prevents inadvertent status violations.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can F-1 OPT students work as Security Engineering Managers in the United States?

Yes. Security Engineering Manager is a specialty occupation that qualifies for F-1 OPT work authorization. If your degree is in computer science, information security, electrical engineering, or a related STEM field, you're also eligible for the 24-month STEM OPT extension, giving you up to three years total to work in this role.

Do Security Engineering Manager roles typically come with H-1B sponsorship?

Many do, particularly at larger technology companies, financial services firms, and enterprises with mature security programs. Security leadership is consistently in high demand, and employers who have invested in building a security organization are generally motivated to retain strong managers through the H-1B process. Migrate Mate lists Security Engineering Manager roles specifically filtered for sponsorship-open employers.

Does a Security Engineering Manager role qualify for the STEM OPT extension?

It depends on your degree field, not the job title. If your degree is in a STEM-designated field such as computer science, cybersecurity, information technology, or electrical engineering, and your employer is enrolled in E-Verify, you qualify for the 24-month extension. Your DSO at your university processes the extension application through your school.

What should OPT students know about employer verification requirements for this role?

STEM OPT requires your employer to be enrolled in E-Verify, sign a training plan (Form I-983) with you, and supervise your work in a way consistent with your degree field. For Security Engineering Manager roles, your I-983 should clearly connect your security responsibilities to your degree. Employers unfamiliar with OPT obligations may need guidance from their HR or legal teams.

How competitive are Security Engineering Manager roles for OPT candidates compared to individual contributor positions?

Manager-level roles require demonstrated leadership experience, which can be harder to show early in a career. However, OPT candidates with three to five years of security engineering experience and clear examples of leading projects or small teams are genuinely competitive. Focusing on employers who promote from within or hire early managers gives you the strongest entry point.

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