OPT Staff Software Developer Jobs
Staff Software Developer jobs are accessible on OPT, but your 12-month standard window moves fast at this seniority level. Most roles require 5-8 years of experience, and employers sponsoring H-1B visa from Staff level are common in enterprise tech, fintech, and cloud infrastructure.
Find OPT Staff Software Developer JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 396+ Staff Software Developer jobs
See all 396+ Staff Software Developer Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Staff Software Developer roles.
Get Access To All JobsWhy join Stryker?
Looking for a place that values your unique talents? Discover Stryker's award-winning culture.
We are proud to offer you our total rewards package which includes bonuses, healthcare, insurance benefits, retirement programs, wellness programs, as well as service and performance awards – not to mention various social and recreational activities, all of which are location specific.
Job description
We are excited to be named one of the World’s Best Workplaces by Fortune Magazine! We are proud to offer you 12 paid holidays annually. For an overview of our benefits and time off, please follow this link to learn more: US Stryker employee benefits.
We are seeking a Staff Embedded Software Engineer to lead the design, development, and documentation of embedded software for medical devices. In this role, you will be responsible for delivering high-quality, reliable, and compliant software solutions while adhering to internal software development lifecycle processes and FDA software development guidance.
In addition to product software development, you will partner with multidisciplinary teams to design and develop software for manufacturing fixtures and provisioning systems that support product configuration, testing, and in-line manufacturing processes. This role requires strong expertise in embedded systems, excellent problem-solving skills, and the ability to influence technical direction while delivering solutions that enhance product quality, reliability, and operational efficiency.
What You Will Do
- Design and develop embedded software and supporting documentation for medical devices in accordance with internal software development lifecycle processes and FDA software development guidance.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including R&D, Systems Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, Regulatory Affairs, and Advanced Operations, to ensure effective communication and successful product development.
- Support legacy products through root-cause investigation, defect resolution, and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Partner with multidisciplinary teams to plan and execute software verification and validation activities.
- Conduct advanced problem solving, identify potential solutions, and evaluate them against system and sub-system requirements.
- Collaborate with Advanced Operations, Manufacturing, and third-party suppliers to develop and review manufacturing fixture software and ensure deliverables meet quality and software documentation standards.
What You Need (Minimum Required Qualifications)
- Bachelor's degree in Software Engineering, Computer Science or related discipline
- 4+ years of professional work experience
- Experience in C/C++ software development for embedded systems.
- Hands-on experience with Python development, including scripting, automation, and application development.
Preferred Qualifications (Strongly Desired)
- Experience developing embedded software using C/C++ on bare-metal and/or RTOS-based embedded platforms.
- Strong experience in Python programming, including design, development, testing, and maintenance of software applications.
- Experience driving adoption of software lifecycle management and requirements traceability tools and processes.
- Understanding of embedded communication protocols, including CAN, SPI, I2C, UART, USB, Ethernet, or similar technologies.
- Knowledgeable with integrated development environments (IDE) for projects.
- Knowledgeable with tools for static/dynamic analysis, memory management, code coverage and techniques for analyzing software.
- Knowledge in creating estimates for code implementation time/resource for assigned tasks and projects.
- Familiarity with regulatory and compliance standards applied to the SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle).
- Experience using source control systems such as GitHub, Perforce or similar, including branching, merging, code reviews, and release management workflows.
- Knowledge in build systems and automation tools such as Jenkins, CMake, or equivalent CI/CD frameworks.
Compensation
- Salary Range: $102,600 - $171,000 USD Annual
Health benefits include: Medical and prescription drug insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, critical illness insurance, accident insurance, hospital indemnity insurance, personalized healthcare support, wellbeing program and tobacco cessation program. Financial benefits include: Health Savings Account (HSA), Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), 401(k) plan, Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP), basic life and AD&D insurance, and short-term disability insurance. Stryker offers innovative products and services in MedSurg, Neurotechnology, Orthopaedics and Spine that help improve patient and healthcare outcomes. Alongside its customers around the world, Stryker impacts more than 150 million patients annually. Depending on customer requirements employees and new hires in sales and field roles that require access to customer accounts as a function of the job may be required to obtain various vaccinations as an essential function of their role.
Why join Stryker?
Looking for a place that values your unique talents? Discover Stryker's award-winning culture.
We are proud to offer you our total rewards package which includes bonuses, healthcare, insurance benefits, retirement programs, wellness programs, as well as service and performance awards – not to mention various social and recreational activities, all of which are location specific.
Job description
We are excited to be named one of the World’s Best Workplaces by Fortune Magazine! We are proud to offer you 12 paid holidays annually. For an overview of our benefits and time off, please follow this link to learn more: US Stryker employee benefits.
We are seeking a Staff Embedded Software Engineer to lead the design, development, and documentation of embedded software for medical devices. In this role, you will be responsible for delivering high-quality, reliable, and compliant software solutions while adhering to internal software development lifecycle processes and FDA software development guidance.
In addition to product software development, you will partner with multidisciplinary teams to design and develop software for manufacturing fixtures and provisioning systems that support product configuration, testing, and in-line manufacturing processes. This role requires strong expertise in embedded systems, excellent problem-solving skills, and the ability to influence technical direction while delivering solutions that enhance product quality, reliability, and operational efficiency.
What You Will Do
- Design and develop embedded software and supporting documentation for medical devices in accordance with internal software development lifecycle processes and FDA software development guidance.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including R&D, Systems Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, Regulatory Affairs, and Advanced Operations, to ensure effective communication and successful product development.
- Support legacy products through root-cause investigation, defect resolution, and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Partner with multidisciplinary teams to plan and execute software verification and validation activities.
- Conduct advanced problem solving, identify potential solutions, and evaluate them against system and sub-system requirements.
- Collaborate with Advanced Operations, Manufacturing, and third-party suppliers to develop and review manufacturing fixture software and ensure deliverables meet quality and software documentation standards.
What You Need (Minimum Required Qualifications)
- Bachelor's degree in Software Engineering, Computer Science or related discipline
- 4+ years of professional work experience
- Experience in C/C++ software development for embedded systems.
- Hands-on experience with Python development, including scripting, automation, and application development.
Preferred Qualifications (Strongly Desired)
- Experience developing embedded software using C/C++ on bare-metal and/or RTOS-based embedded platforms.
- Strong experience in Python programming, including design, development, testing, and maintenance of software applications.
- Experience driving adoption of software lifecycle management and requirements traceability tools and processes.
- Understanding of embedded communication protocols, including CAN, SPI, I2C, UART, USB, Ethernet, or similar technologies.
- Knowledgeable with integrated development environments (IDE) for projects.
- Knowledgeable with tools for static/dynamic analysis, memory management, code coverage and techniques for analyzing software.
- Knowledge in creating estimates for code implementation time/resource for assigned tasks and projects.
- Familiarity with regulatory and compliance standards applied to the SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle).
- Experience using source control systems such as GitHub, Perforce or similar, including branching, merging, code reviews, and release management workflows.
- Knowledge in build systems and automation tools such as Jenkins, CMake, or equivalent CI/CD frameworks.
Compensation
- Salary Range: $102,600 - $171,000 USD Annual
Health benefits include: Medical and prescription drug insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, critical illness insurance, accident insurance, hospital indemnity insurance, personalized healthcare support, wellbeing program and tobacco cessation program. Financial benefits include: Health Savings Account (HSA), Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), 401(k) plan, Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP), basic life and AD&D insurance, and short-term disability insurance. Stryker offers innovative products and services in MedSurg, Neurotechnology, Orthopaedics and Spine that help improve patient and healthcare outcomes. Alongside its customers around the world, Stryker impacts more than 150 million patients annually. Depending on customer requirements employees and new hires in sales and field roles that require access to customer accounts as a function of the job may be required to obtain various vaccinations as an essential function of their role.
See all 396+ OPT Staff Software Developer Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new OPT Staff Software Developer Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship as a Staff Software Developer
Target employers with established H-1B pipelines
Staff-level roles at companies with consistent H-1B visa filing histories signal genuine sponsorship infrastructure. Search OFLC disclosure data to verify which employers have sponsored Staff or Senior Software Developer positions in recent years before applying.
Apply early in your OPT window
Staff roles take longer to close than junior positions. Hiring cycles at this seniority often run 6-10 weeks, so applying within the first few months of OPT gives you time to clear interviews before your authorization window creates urgency.
Apply for STEM OPT extension before your standard OPT expires
If your degree is in computer science, software engineering, or a related STEM field, you qualify for a 24-month extension. File Form I-765 at least 90 days before your EAD expires to maintain continuous work authorization.
Lead with technical depth, not visa status
Staff engineers are evaluated on system design, architecture decisions, and cross-team influence. Front-load those qualifications in your resume and interviews. Addressing OPT status clearly but briefly avoids making it the centerpiece of your candidacy.
Prioritize companies that have sponsored at your exact level
Sponsorship willingness varies by seniority tier. An employer who regularly sponsors junior engineers may not have experience sponsoring Staff-level roles. Confirming prior Staff or Principal-level H-1B filings significantly reduces mid-process sponsorship hesitation.
Clarify cap-gap coverage if your H-1B is selected
If your H-1B is picked in the lottery while you hold STEM OPT, cap-gap regulations allow you to continue working through September 30. Confirm with your DSO that your STEM OPT is properly filed so cap-gap protection applies automatically.
Staff Software Developer OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work as a Staff Software Developer on OPT?
Yes. OPT authorizes full-time employment in roles directly related to your degree field. Staff Software Developer positions qualify under computer science, software engineering, and related STEM degrees. Your EAD card is the only document your employer needs to verify work authorization before your start date.
Do Staff Software Developer roles typically offer H-1B sponsorship?
Many do, particularly at mid-size and enterprise companies in tech, fintech, and cloud infrastructure. Staff-level engineers are expensive to hire and difficult to replace, which gives employers a stronger financial incentive to sponsor. Migrate Mate filters specifically for OPT-friendly and sponsoring employers so you can focus on companies already open to it.
How does STEM OPT extension work for software developers?
If your degree is in a qualifying STEM field, you can extend your OPT by 24 months beyond the initial 12, giving you up to 36 months of work authorization total. You must file Form I-765 with USCIS at least 90 days before your current EAD expires. Your employer also needs to enroll in E-Verify and sign a training plan.
What experience level is typically expected for Staff Software Developer roles?
Most Staff Software Developer postings expect 5-8 years of professional experience, with demonstrated ownership of complex systems and cross-functional collaboration. This is above Senior in most engineering ladders. If you are early in your OPT window with fewer years of experience, Senior Software Engineer roles may be a more realistic entry point.
Can I change employers while on OPT if I accept a Staff Software Developer role and it does not work out?
Yes, but OPT is not tied to a specific employer. You can change jobs as long as the new role is directly related to your degree field and you report the change to your DSO within 10 days. If you are on STEM OPT, your new employer must also be enrolled in E-Verify and sign a new training plan with your school.