OPT Software Architect Jobs
Software Architect roles qualify for OPT work authorization when the position requires a bachelor's degree or higher in computer science, software engineering, or a related field. Most architects hold STEM-designated degrees, making them eligible for the 24-month STEM OPT extension beyond the initial 12 months.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
As Data Platform Engineer, you will help build, maintain, and scale the infrastructure and pipelines that form the backbone of our data ecosystem. Working closely with senior engineers, you will gain hands-on experience with the modern data stack, cloud infrastructure, and data orchestration. This role is highly collaborative and perfect for someone with a strong foundation in computer science who is eager to learn, adapt, and write high-quality code.
Responsibilities
- Infrastructure & Pipelines: Assist in the design, development, and maintenance of scalable data pipelines and cloud infrastructure
- Collaboration: Work alongside data engineers, data scientists, and analysts to understand data needs and ensure reliable data delivery.
- Operations & Support: Help monitor platform performance, troubleshoot data pipeline failures, and resolve foundational database issues
- Modernization: Embrace AI and modern developer tools to write clean, efficient, and well-documented code
- Continuous Learning: Actively learn new technologies, frameworks, and best practices in the rapidly evolving data engineering space.
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
- The expected compensation range for this position is between $79,800 - $136,100.
- Location, confirmed job-related skills, experience, and education will be considered in setting actual starting salary. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range during the hiring process.
- Bonus based on performance and eligibility target payout is 5% of annual salary paid out annually.
- Paid time off subject to eligibility, including paid parental leave, vacation, sick, and bereavement.
- In addition to salary, PepsiCo offers a comprehensive benefits package to support our employees and their families, subject to elections and eligibility: Medical, Dental, Vision, Disability, Health, and Dependent Care Reimbursement Accounts, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Insurance (Accident, Group Legal, Life), Defined Contribution Retirement Plan.
QUALIFICATIONS
Required Qualifications
- Education/Experience: Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Software Engineering, or a related technical field (or equivalent practical/bootcamp experience).
- CS Fundamentals: Strong grasp of core Computer Science principles, including object-oriented like Python
- Data Structures: Solid understanding of data structures, algorithms, and how to optimize code for performance and scale.
- Database Management Systems (DBMS): Deep understanding of database architecture, relational concepts, and strong proficiency in SQL.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience: 1 to 2 years of experience (including internships, co-ops, or substantial academic/personal projects) in software engineering, data engineering, or DevOps.
- Data Orchestration & Transformation: Familiarity with Apache Airflow for scheduling/orchestration and dbt for data transformation.
- Infrastructure as Code (IaC): Exposure to Terraform for managing cloud resources.
- Cloud Data Platforms: Basic understanding or hands-on experience with modern data warehouses/lakehouses like Snowflake or Databricks.
- Containerization & Orchestration: Familiarity with Kubernetes and Docker for deploying and managing scalable, containerized applications.
- Relational Databases: Experience working with PostgreSQL.
- Modern Developer Tools: Understanding of and experience using AI coding assistants (e.g., Claude, GitHub Copilot) to accelerate development and problem-solving.
Our Company will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and all other applicable laws, including but not limited to, San Francisco Police Code Sections 4901-4919, commonly referred to as the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance; and Chapter XVII, Article 9 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code, commonly referred to as the Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability status.
PepsiCo is an Equal Opportunity Employer: Female / Minority / Disability / Protected Veteran / Sexual Orientation / Gender Identity / Age
If you'd like more information about your EEO rights as an applicant under the law, please download the available EEO is the Law & EEO is the Law Supplement documents. View PepsiCo EEO Policy.
Please view our Pay Transparency Statement.
INTRODUCTION
As Data Platform Engineer, you will help build, maintain, and scale the infrastructure and pipelines that form the backbone of our data ecosystem. Working closely with senior engineers, you will gain hands-on experience with the modern data stack, cloud infrastructure, and data orchestration. This role is highly collaborative and perfect for someone with a strong foundation in computer science who is eager to learn, adapt, and write high-quality code.
Responsibilities
- Infrastructure & Pipelines: Assist in the design, development, and maintenance of scalable data pipelines and cloud infrastructure
- Collaboration: Work alongside data engineers, data scientists, and analysts to understand data needs and ensure reliable data delivery.
- Operations & Support: Help monitor platform performance, troubleshoot data pipeline failures, and resolve foundational database issues
- Modernization: Embrace AI and modern developer tools to write clean, efficient, and well-documented code
- Continuous Learning: Actively learn new technologies, frameworks, and best practices in the rapidly evolving data engineering space.
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
- The expected compensation range for this position is between $79,800 - $136,100.
- Location, confirmed job-related skills, experience, and education will be considered in setting actual starting salary. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range during the hiring process.
- Bonus based on performance and eligibility target payout is 5% of annual salary paid out annually.
- Paid time off subject to eligibility, including paid parental leave, vacation, sick, and bereavement.
- In addition to salary, PepsiCo offers a comprehensive benefits package to support our employees and their families, subject to elections and eligibility: Medical, Dental, Vision, Disability, Health, and Dependent Care Reimbursement Accounts, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Insurance (Accident, Group Legal, Life), Defined Contribution Retirement Plan.
QUALIFICATIONS
Required Qualifications
- Education/Experience: Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Software Engineering, or a related technical field (or equivalent practical/bootcamp experience).
- CS Fundamentals: Strong grasp of core Computer Science principles, including object-oriented like Python
- Data Structures: Solid understanding of data structures, algorithms, and how to optimize code for performance and scale.
- Database Management Systems (DBMS): Deep understanding of database architecture, relational concepts, and strong proficiency in SQL.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience: 1 to 2 years of experience (including internships, co-ops, or substantial academic/personal projects) in software engineering, data engineering, or DevOps.
- Data Orchestration & Transformation: Familiarity with Apache Airflow for scheduling/orchestration and dbt for data transformation.
- Infrastructure as Code (IaC): Exposure to Terraform for managing cloud resources.
- Cloud Data Platforms: Basic understanding or hands-on experience with modern data warehouses/lakehouses like Snowflake or Databricks.
- Containerization & Orchestration: Familiarity with Kubernetes and Docker for deploying and managing scalable, containerized applications.
- Relational Databases: Experience working with PostgreSQL.
- Modern Developer Tools: Understanding of and experience using AI coding assistants (e.g., Claude, GitHub Copilot) to accelerate development and problem-solving.
Our Company will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and all other applicable laws, including but not limited to, San Francisco Police Code Sections 4901-4919, commonly referred to as the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance; and Chapter XVII, Article 9 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code, commonly referred to as the Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability status.
PepsiCo is an Equal Opportunity Employer: Female / Minority / Disability / Protected Veteran / Sexual Orientation / Gender Identity / Age
If you'd like more information about your EEO rights as an applicant under the law, please download the available EEO is the Law & EEO is the Law Supplement documents. View PepsiCo EEO Policy.
Please view our Pay Transparency Statement.
See all 33+ OPT Software Architect Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new OPT Software Architect Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship in Software Architect
Target companies with established engineering orgs
Large tech companies and enterprise software firms hire architects at scale and have immigration counsel on staff. They're far more likely to understand OPT timelines and STEM extension eligibility than startups navigating sponsorship for the first time.
Lead with your systems design experience
Hiring managers for architect roles care about distributed systems, API design, and scalability decisions you've owned. Quantify scope: number of services, teams you influenced, or traffic volumes handled. This signals seniority faster than a list of languages.
Clarify your OPT timeline upfront
Architect roles often take 60 to 90 days to close. Confirm how many months remain on your EAD before applying. If you're within six months of expiration, address the STEM extension timeline proactively so hiring managers aren't caught off guard.
Frame yourself as a long-term H-1B candidate
Architects are exactly the kind of senior technical hire employers sponsor for H-1B visa. Position your OPT period as a bridge, not a risk. Mentioning your intent to pursue H-1B sponsorship signals commitment and helps employers plan their immigration budget.
Prioritize roles with a defined scope of ownership
Architect positions that report to a VP of Engineering or CTO with a clear domain, such as platform, data, or security, are easier for USCIS to classify as specialty occupations. Ambiguous titles with generalist duties can complicate future H-1B petitions.
Use Migrate Mate to filter for OPT-friendly openings
Not every architect posting is open to OPT candidates. Migrate Mate surfaces roles where employers have confirmed willingness to work with international students, saving you time and avoiding applications that will go nowhere before they start.
Software Architect OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Do Software Architect roles qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
Yes, in most cases. Software Architect positions typically require a degree in computer science, software engineering, or a closely related STEM field. If your degree is on the STEM Designated Degree Program List and your role is directly related to that field of study, you're eligible to apply for the 24-month STEM OPT extension, giving you up to 36 months of total OPT work authorization.
Can I work as a Software Architect on OPT without employer sponsorship?
Yes. OPT is employment authorization tied to your F-1 status, not to a specific employer's petition. You don't need your employer to sponsor a visa to work during your OPT period. However, your role must be directly related to your field of study. For STEM OPT, your employer must enroll in E-Verify and sign a formal training plan with your DSO.
What should I know about changing employers as a Software Architect on STEM OPT?
You can change employers on STEM OPT, but you can't start working for the new company until your DSO updates your SEVIS record and you have an updated I-20 reflecting the new employer. The new employer must also be enrolled in E-Verify and sign a revised training plan. Build in at least two to three weeks for this process to avoid any unauthorized employment gap.
Is a Software Architect role specific enough to qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B?
Generally yes, provided the job description requires at minimum a bachelor's degree in a specific technical field. Architect roles that specify expertise in areas like cloud infrastructure, microservices architecture, or enterprise systems design are strong candidates. Vague job descriptions that accept any degree or list duties spanning unrelated disciplines can create problems during H-1B adjudication, so the specificity of your offer letter matters.
Where can I find Software Architect jobs open to OPT candidates?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for international students on OPT and filters for employers willing to work with F-1 candidates. Searching broadly on general job sites often means applying to roles where OPT isn't on the employer's radar at all. Migrate Mate removes that friction so you're spending time on applications that have a real path forward.