OPT Software Quality Engineer Jobs
Software Quality Engineer jobs are a strong fit for F-1 OPT students with degrees in computer science, software engineering, or a related technical field. Most roles qualify as STEM OPT extensions, giving you up to 36 months of work authorization. Employers in this space regularly sponsor H-1B visas for strong performers.
Find OPT Software Quality Engineer JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 322+ Software Quality Engineer jobs
See all 322+ Software Quality Engineer Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Software Quality Engineer roles.
Get Access To All JobsMany structural heart patients suffer from heart failure with limited options. Our Implantable Heart Failure Management (IHFM) team is at the forefront of addressing these unmet patient needs through pioneering technology that enables early, targeted therapeutic intervention. Our innovative solutions are not just transforming patient care but also creating a unique and exciting environment for our team members. It’s our driving force to help patients live longer and healthier lives. Join us and be part of our inspiring journey.
How you’ll make an impact:
- Coordinate and oversee software design activities across software elements across the IHFM product suite—including digital applications (mobile/web), microservices-based platforms (.NET Core, Java, Python, GoLang, Rust), and modern data platforms (Databricks; Python/Scala pipelines).
- Maintain a strong understanding of design considerations while contributing to and influencing Class B software system design.
- Coordinate and oversee software design activities across UI, signal processing, DevOps, product security, operating systems, and related application areas.
- Work closely with other development engineers (hardware, mechanical, clinical and quality) to ensure the system is designed and delivered with appropriate requirements.
- Drive the development and deployment of custom test systems SW / automation SW, and test methods concurrently with new product development.
- Develop SW verification strategy, testing methods and V&V plans based on product requirements and SW design including writing tests that challenge the system and its requirements and advocate for test approaches that have highest impact.
- Support complex end-to-end and system integration testing across applications, platforms and data systems.
- Drive defect triage, quality assessment, and root-cause analysis in close partnership with cross-functional engineering, product, and quality teams.
- Support review of test plans, protocols, and reports in Azure DevOps (ADO), ensuring alignment with FDA, IEC 62304, ISO 13485, and ISO 14971 standards.
- Influence product and platform design by bringing a strong software quality perspective to architecture and risk discussions.
- Partner with R&D to shape system requirements and contribute to robust software and system design.
- Champion Agile and Lean methodologies to embed quality early in the development lifecycle and improve delivery predictability.
- Ensure manufacturability is considered early in NPI programs while supporting successful regulatory submissions through strong validation practices.
- Provide technical leadership, influence stakeholders, and confidently present complex ideas to diverse audiences.
- Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned by leadership.
What you'll need (Required):
- Bachelor's Degree in Engineering or related field, 4 years’ experience related industry experience or
- Master's Degree or equivalent in Engineering or related field, 3 years’ experience related industry experience or
- Ph.D. or equivalent in Engineering or related field, 0 years’ experience related industry experience
What else we look for (Preferred):
- Experience with IEC 62304 Medical Device Software
- Experience with hardware-software integration.
- Experience in software and hardware system testing, test design, data acquisition and analysis.
- Strong technical writing skills.
- Experience in Medical Device regulations standards and SW design, life cycle and V&V.
- Knowledge of HW/SW protocols.
- UI Experience.
- Proficiency with Azure DevOps (ADO) for test management, traceability, and Agile execution.
- Strong technical writing skills and the ability to collaborate effectively across engineering, quality, and regulatory teams.
- Familiarity with design control processes for medical devices or Software as a Medical Device (SaMD).
- Deep understanding of SDLC documentation, including requirements, design controls, V&V evidence, and traceability.
- Experience developing compliant documentation aligned to FDA 21 CFR Part 820, IEC 62304, ISO 13485, and ISO 14971.
- Strong familiarity with global regulatory frameworks for medical devices and SaMD (FDA, IMDRF).
- Experience with cybersecurity, interoperability, or wireless (e.g., BLE) testing for connected devices.
- Exposure to modern ALM and traceability tools (Jira, Jama, Codebeamer, Helix ALM, TestRail).
- Background in cardiac, hemodynamic, or implantable medical technologies.
- Relevant certifications such as ISTQB Advanced, CSTE, or ASQ.
- Troubleshooting mindset, able to systematically and effectively break down a system or process into subparts to identify failure mechanisms.
- Proactive attitude, excellent teamwork and interpersonal skills including negotiating and relationship management.
- Solid problem-solving, organizational, analytical, and critical thinking skills.
- Must work well both independently and as a member of a cross-functional team in a dynamic environment.
- Capable to quickly learn and interpret complex test systems.
- Must be a highly motivated self-starter who is driven to achieve quality and value-add results. Candidate must seek direction when appropriate.
Aligning our overall business objectives with performance, we offer competitive salaries, performance-based incentives, and a wide variety of benefits programs to address the diverse individual needs of our employees and their families.
For California (CA), the base pay range for this position is $108,000 to $153,000 (highly experienced). The pay for the successful candidate will depend on various factors (e.g., qualifications, education, prior experience). Applications will be accepted while this position is posted on our Careers website.
Edwards is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer including protected Veterans and individuals with disabilities.
Many structural heart patients suffer from heart failure with limited options. Our Implantable Heart Failure Management (IHFM) team is at the forefront of addressing these unmet patient needs through pioneering technology that enables early, targeted therapeutic intervention. Our innovative solutions are not just transforming patient care but also creating a unique and exciting environment for our team members. It’s our driving force to help patients live longer and healthier lives. Join us and be part of our inspiring journey.
How you’ll make an impact:
- Coordinate and oversee software design activities across software elements across the IHFM product suite—including digital applications (mobile/web), microservices-based platforms (.NET Core, Java, Python, GoLang, Rust), and modern data platforms (Databricks; Python/Scala pipelines).
- Maintain a strong understanding of design considerations while contributing to and influencing Class B software system design.
- Coordinate and oversee software design activities across UI, signal processing, DevOps, product security, operating systems, and related application areas.
- Work closely with other development engineers (hardware, mechanical, clinical and quality) to ensure the system is designed and delivered with appropriate requirements.
- Drive the development and deployment of custom test systems SW / automation SW, and test methods concurrently with new product development.
- Develop SW verification strategy, testing methods and V&V plans based on product requirements and SW design including writing tests that challenge the system and its requirements and advocate for test approaches that have highest impact.
- Support complex end-to-end and system integration testing across applications, platforms and data systems.
- Drive defect triage, quality assessment, and root-cause analysis in close partnership with cross-functional engineering, product, and quality teams.
- Support review of test plans, protocols, and reports in Azure DevOps (ADO), ensuring alignment with FDA, IEC 62304, ISO 13485, and ISO 14971 standards.
- Influence product and platform design by bringing a strong software quality perspective to architecture and risk discussions.
- Partner with R&D to shape system requirements and contribute to robust software and system design.
- Champion Agile and Lean methodologies to embed quality early in the development lifecycle and improve delivery predictability.
- Ensure manufacturability is considered early in NPI programs while supporting successful regulatory submissions through strong validation practices.
- Provide technical leadership, influence stakeholders, and confidently present complex ideas to diverse audiences.
- Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned by leadership.
What you'll need (Required):
- Bachelor's Degree in Engineering or related field, 4 years’ experience related industry experience or
- Master's Degree or equivalent in Engineering or related field, 3 years’ experience related industry experience or
- Ph.D. or equivalent in Engineering or related field, 0 years’ experience related industry experience
What else we look for (Preferred):
- Experience with IEC 62304 Medical Device Software
- Experience with hardware-software integration.
- Experience in software and hardware system testing, test design, data acquisition and analysis.
- Strong technical writing skills.
- Experience in Medical Device regulations standards and SW design, life cycle and V&V.
- Knowledge of HW/SW protocols.
- UI Experience.
- Proficiency with Azure DevOps (ADO) for test management, traceability, and Agile execution.
- Strong technical writing skills and the ability to collaborate effectively across engineering, quality, and regulatory teams.
- Familiarity with design control processes for medical devices or Software as a Medical Device (SaMD).
- Deep understanding of SDLC documentation, including requirements, design controls, V&V evidence, and traceability.
- Experience developing compliant documentation aligned to FDA 21 CFR Part 820, IEC 62304, ISO 13485, and ISO 14971.
- Strong familiarity with global regulatory frameworks for medical devices and SaMD (FDA, IMDRF).
- Experience with cybersecurity, interoperability, or wireless (e.g., BLE) testing for connected devices.
- Exposure to modern ALM and traceability tools (Jira, Jama, Codebeamer, Helix ALM, TestRail).
- Background in cardiac, hemodynamic, or implantable medical technologies.
- Relevant certifications such as ISTQB Advanced, CSTE, or ASQ.
- Troubleshooting mindset, able to systematically and effectively break down a system or process into subparts to identify failure mechanisms.
- Proactive attitude, excellent teamwork and interpersonal skills including negotiating and relationship management.
- Solid problem-solving, organizational, analytical, and critical thinking skills.
- Must work well both independently and as a member of a cross-functional team in a dynamic environment.
- Capable to quickly learn and interpret complex test systems.
- Must be a highly motivated self-starter who is driven to achieve quality and value-add results. Candidate must seek direction when appropriate.
Aligning our overall business objectives with performance, we offer competitive salaries, performance-based incentives, and a wide variety of benefits programs to address the diverse individual needs of our employees and their families.
For California (CA), the base pay range for this position is $108,000 to $153,000 (highly experienced). The pay for the successful candidate will depend on various factors (e.g., qualifications, education, prior experience). Applications will be accepted while this position is posted on our Careers website.
Edwards is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer including protected Veterans and individuals with disabilities.
See all 322+ OPT Software Quality Engineer Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new OPT Software Quality Engineer Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship as a Software Quality Engineer
Filter for STEM-designated employers
Software Quality Engineer roles almost always fall under STEM OPT eligibility, but confirm your employer has a valid E-Verify enrollment before accepting an offer. STEM extension applications require E-Verify participation from day one.
Frame your testing skills around business impact
Hiring managers respond to candidates who connect QA work to product reliability and reduced defect costs. Quantify your contributions in interviews and on your resume to stand out from other OPT candidates competing for the same roles.
Prioritize companies with established H-1B sponsorship history
Look for employers who have sponsored software engineers for H-1B visas in previous years. A history of sponsorship signals the company has immigration counsel in place and understands the process for transitioning OPT employees.
Get comfortable with automation testing frameworks
Proficiency in Selenium, Cypress, or similar automation tools significantly expands your job options and negotiating leverage. Employers hiring for automation-heavy QA roles are often more willing to sponsor because the skill set is harder to fill quickly.
Raise OPT authorization early in the process
Bring up your work authorization status before the final offer stage, not after. Most companies that sponsor have a defined process, and surfacing this early prevents surprises and gives HR time to confirm sponsorship eligibility with their legal team.
Target mid-size and enterprise tech employers
Larger engineering organizations typically have dedicated HR and immigration infrastructure. Companies with 500 or more employees are more likely to have navigated OPT-to-H-1B transitions before and can move faster when your OPT end date approaches.
Software Quality Engineer OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Do Software Quality Engineer jobs qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
Yes, in most cases. Software Quality Engineer roles typically fall under CIP codes linked to computer science or information technology, which qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension on top of your initial 12 months. Confirm your degree's CIP code with your DSO before applying, since the extension is tied to your program of study, not the job title itself.
How do I find Software Quality Engineer jobs that sponsor OPT students?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for F-1 OPT students and filters for employers that sponsor work visas. Searching there gives you a much faster path to relevant opportunities than sorting through general job boards where sponsorship status is rarely disclosed upfront. Focus your outreach on companies in software, fintech, and enterprise technology, where QA hiring is consistent and visa sponsorship is more common.
Will my OPT authorization cover both manual and automation QA roles?
Yes. OPT work authorization is tied to your degree field, not the specific type of QA work you perform. Whether you are doing exploratory testing, writing automated test scripts, or managing a QA pipeline, the work authorization rules apply the same way. What matters is that the role is directly related to your field of study, which most Software Quality Engineer positions are.
Can I work as a contract or W-2 QA engineer on OPT?
You can work as a W-2 contract employee on OPT, provided the work is related to your degree and you maintain the required 20 hours per week minimum. Self-employment and independent contractor arrangements on a 1099 basis are generally not permitted under OPT. If a recruiter offers a 1099 contract role, consult your DSO before accepting to confirm it does not jeopardize your status.
What happens to my OPT if my Software Quality Engineer role is eliminated or I am laid off?
F-1 OPT students have a 90-day unemployment allowance across the full OPT period, or 150 days if you are on a STEM extension. If you lose your Software Quality Engineer job, that clock starts immediately. Use Migrate Mate to search for new roles quickly and notify your DSO as soon as your employment ends so your records stay current and your status is protected.