Software Developer Jobs for OPT Students
Software Developer roles are among the most OPT-friendly positions in the U.S. job market, with strong demand from employers who routinely sponsor H-1B visas after OPT ends. STEM OPT extension eligibility applies to most CS, engineering, and related degrees, giving you up to 36 months of authorized work.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
Every day, tens of millions of people come to Roblox to explore, create, play, learn, and connect with friends in 3D immersive digital experiences– all created by our global community of developers and creators. At Roblox, we’re building the tools and platform that empower our community to bring any experience that they can imagine to life. Our vision is to reimagine the way people come together, from anywhere in the world, and on any device. We’re on a mission to connect a billion people with optimism and civility, and looking for amazing talent to help us get there. A career at Roblox means you’ll be working to shape the future of human interaction, solving unique technical challenges at scale, and helping to create safer, more civil shared experiences for everyone.
As a Senior Software Engineer on the Compute Cell Lifecycle team you will create, support, and evolve the infrastructure at Roblox as we build out Roblox's private cloud. The Cell Lifecycle's mission is to create and manage a sustainable and reliable compute primitive across all backend environments (all on-prem and public cloud data centers) to all Roblox engineers. Come help us create, support, and evolve the infrastructure that manages the millions of containers that serve hundreds of millions of requests per second that power Roblox where you will have the opportunity to create long lasting impact on the entire company.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
You Will
- Build and evolve a cell primitive for Roblox that runs the backends for the vast majority of Roblox’s compute workload.
- Work closely with other teams in Compute and across the company to develop new features, support for new workloads, and define the right cross-system APIs as we expand the footprint of ‘cells’.
- Safely and reliably manage a critical at-scale system.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
You Have
- 4+ years of experience
- Experience working in the Kubernetes ecosystem. Prior experience building Kubernetes operators or building/running Kubernetes distributions preferred.
- Strong proficiency in Go or other well structured programming languages.
- Enjoy working on critical, large-scale, cross-platform, multi-tenant distributed systems.
- Prefer building systems automation over operational and repetitive tasks.
- An appreciation for working on observability and reliability to build long term sustainable systems.
COMPENSATION
For roles that are based at our headquarters in San Mateo, CA: The starting base pay for this position is as shown below. The actual base pay is dependent upon a variety of job-related factors such as professional background, training, work experience, location, business needs and market demand. Therefore, in some circumstances, the actual salary could fall outside of this expected range. This pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future. All full-time employees are also eligible for equity compensation and for benefits as described on this page.
- Annual Salary Range: $227,370—$295,250 USD
Roles that are based in an office are onsite Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, with optional presence on Monday and Friday (unless otherwise noted).
Roblox provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. Roblox also provides reasonable accommodations to candidates with qualifying disabilities or religious beliefs during the recruiting process.
INTRODUCTION
Every day, tens of millions of people come to Roblox to explore, create, play, learn, and connect with friends in 3D immersive digital experiences– all created by our global community of developers and creators. At Roblox, we’re building the tools and platform that empower our community to bring any experience that they can imagine to life. Our vision is to reimagine the way people come together, from anywhere in the world, and on any device. We’re on a mission to connect a billion people with optimism and civility, and looking for amazing talent to help us get there. A career at Roblox means you’ll be working to shape the future of human interaction, solving unique technical challenges at scale, and helping to create safer, more civil shared experiences for everyone.
As a Senior Software Engineer on the Compute Cell Lifecycle team you will create, support, and evolve the infrastructure at Roblox as we build out Roblox's private cloud. The Cell Lifecycle's mission is to create and manage a sustainable and reliable compute primitive across all backend environments (all on-prem and public cloud data centers) to all Roblox engineers. Come help us create, support, and evolve the infrastructure that manages the millions of containers that serve hundreds of millions of requests per second that power Roblox where you will have the opportunity to create long lasting impact on the entire company.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
You Will
- Build and evolve a cell primitive for Roblox that runs the backends for the vast majority of Roblox’s compute workload.
- Work closely with other teams in Compute and across the company to develop new features, support for new workloads, and define the right cross-system APIs as we expand the footprint of ‘cells’.
- Safely and reliably manage a critical at-scale system.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
You Have
- 4+ years of experience
- Experience working in the Kubernetes ecosystem. Prior experience building Kubernetes operators or building/running Kubernetes distributions preferred.
- Strong proficiency in Go or other well structured programming languages.
- Enjoy working on critical, large-scale, cross-platform, multi-tenant distributed systems.
- Prefer building systems automation over operational and repetitive tasks.
- An appreciation for working on observability and reliability to build long term sustainable systems.
COMPENSATION
For roles that are based at our headquarters in San Mateo, CA: The starting base pay for this position is as shown below. The actual base pay is dependent upon a variety of job-related factors such as professional background, training, work experience, location, business needs and market demand. Therefore, in some circumstances, the actual salary could fall outside of this expected range. This pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future. All full-time employees are also eligible for equity compensation and for benefits as described on this page.
- Annual Salary Range: $227,370—$295,250 USD
Roles that are based in an office are onsite Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, with optional presence on Monday and Friday (unless otherwise noted).
Roblox provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. Roblox also provides reasonable accommodations to candidates with qualifying disabilities or religious beliefs during the recruiting process.
How to Get Visa Sponsorship as a Software Developer
Filter by STEM OPT compatibility first
Confirm your degree CIP code qualifies for the 24-month STEM extension before applying. Most computer science, software engineering, and information systems degrees do, but verify with your DSO before accepting any offer.
Address OPT proactively in your application
State your authorization clearly on your resume or cover letter. Noting that you have 36 months of STEM OPT available removes ambiguity and signals you understand the timeline, which reduces perceived risk for hiring managers.
Prioritize companies with existing immigration infrastructure
Mid-size to large tech companies typically have in-house or retained immigration counsel, making sponsorship administratively straightforward. Startups without prior visa experience often decline not from unwillingness but from unfamiliarity.
Apply before your OPT EAD is issued if possible
Starting your job search during your final semester gives you maximum runway. Employers hiring software developers often have 4- to 8-week interview pipelines, so early applications reduce the risk of gaps in work authorization.
Quantify your technical contributions in applications
Hiring managers evaluating OPT candidates weigh sponsorship costs against clear engineering value. Concrete impact metrics, such as performance improvements or systems you shipped, make the business case for sponsorship significantly more compelling.
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Get Access To All JobsFrequently Asked Questions
Can I work as a Software Developer on OPT without an EAD in hand?
No. You cannot begin working until your EAD card arrives and the start date printed on it has passed. USCIS processing currently runs 3 to 5 months for standard OPT applications, so file as early as your DSO permits, typically 90 days before your program end date, to avoid a gap between graduation and employment.
Does a software developer role qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
Most software developer roles qualify, provided your underlying degree is in a STEM-designated field such as computer science, software engineering, computer engineering, or information systems. The employer must also be E-Verify enrolled and agree to a formal training plan on Form I-983. Confirm your degree CIP code with your DSO before counting on the extension.
How do I find Software Developer jobs where employers are open to OPT sponsorship?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for this. Every listing on Migrate Mate is screened for visa sponsorship willingness, so you're not guessing which employers will consider OPT students. Filtering by role and authorization type saves significant time compared to applying broadly and discovering sponsorship policies late in the process.
What happens to my OPT status if my software developer job is fully remote?
Remote work is permitted on OPT, but you must still report your employer and employment details to your DSO within 10 days of starting. Your physical location does not affect your authorization, but unreported changes can trigger a status violation. Update your SEVIS record promptly whenever your employer, address, or employment status changes.
Can I work as an independent contractor or freelance software developer on OPT?
Yes, self-employment and freelance work are allowed on OPT, but each client engagement must be directly related to your degree field, average at least 20 hours per week to meet the full-time requirement during post-completion OPT, and be properly reported to your DSO. The STEM OPT extension does not permit self-employment, so this path closes if you extend.
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