OPT Technical Program Manager Jobs
Technical Program Manager jobs are strong candidates for OPT work authorization. TPMs operate at the intersection of engineering and product, requiring a technical degree that satisfies STEM OPT extension eligibility. Most roles at mid-to-large tech companies involve active H-1B visa sponsorship pipelines, giving OPT students a realistic path beyond the initial 12-month period.
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Application deadline: Sep 27, 2026
Bringing a new AWS data center online starts with fiber in the ground. In this role you own that work across high-volume US metro markets, taking a metro fiber route from approved plan to live capacity and managing the construction vendors who build it.
You will run several builds at once, hold vendors to schedule and quality, inspect sites to confirm the work was done right, and keep a wide group of stakeholders current on where each project stands. If you have built fiber before, you will move fast here. If you have run complex physical infrastructure or construction programs in another field, you can succeed here too: the hard part of this job is owning an ambiguous program end to end and driving it to delivery, and we will teach you the fiber.
Key job responsibilities
- Own end-to-end delivery of metro fiber construction projects, from approved plan through in-service handover
- Manage construction vendors to schedule and quality: track milestones, measure performance, and drive corrective action when standards are not met
- Run quality control across the build: inspect conduit and vault installation, validate designs in the field, and review splice and fiber acceptance test results and as-built accuracy before handoff to internal customers
- Deliver weekly status reporting to leadership and internal customers, and manage risk, escalations, and competing priorities across multiple concurrent builds
- Coordinate site access and approvals in security-regulated environments, and travel to field sites up to 50% of the time
A day in the life
Most days your focus is knowing the true status of every build you own and moving each one forward. You will scan vendor progress and open risks, make the calls that unblock a permit or a crew, and update the trackers your stakeholders rely on. You work day to day with construction vendors and general contractors, fiber engineers, data center and networking teams, and permitting authorities. Some weeks you will be on a site confirming the build matches the design and the test results hold up. Beyond the steady work of delivery, you will also help improve the standards and processes the team runs on. This is a field-facing role rather than a remote one, and you will spend real time on site.
About the team
Global Connectivity Infrastructure Development - Fiber Deployment plans, manages, and delivers the physical fiber network that connects AWS data centers. The high-volume metro team delivers the fiber that brings new AWS capacity online across our busiest metro markets. You will work alongside construction vendors, engineers, and the internal customers who depend on that capacity, building large-scale fiber networks on time and to a high quality bar. Our focus for the coming years is scaling delivery without losing that quality, and this role is central to it. New teammates reach independent project ownership quickly, supported by runbooks and mentorship.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- 3+ years of technical infrastructure management experience
- Knowledge of best practices and emerging technologies, related to infrastructure (i.e. network, data center, hardware, software)
- Experience with varying scenarios of infrastructure builds
- Bachelor's degree in engineering, project management, construction management or similar technical focus
- 3+ years of experience managing third-party vendors or contractors, including tracking delivery timelines, measuring performance against metrics, and driving corrective action when quality or schedule standards are not met
- 3+ years of experience managing multiple concurrent projects across cross-functional teams, including scope, schedule, risk, and stakeholder communication
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience working in a network planning, network construction/implementation, or commercial implementation role at an ISP, telecoms operator, or Hyperscaler
- 2+ years of fiber handling and fiber installation processes experience, or experience with cabling infrastructure best practices and methodologies
- Experience reading and interpreting construction drawings and specifications
- Experience with large scale infrastructure
- PMP certificate
- Experience with reporting and automation tools such as SQL, Python, GIS platforms, or business intelligence tools
- Experience delivering physical infrastructure in another domain such as data center, utilities, energy, or large-scale capital construction, and applying it to a new technical field
Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.
Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.
The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits.
LOCATION
USA, CO, Denver - 127,100.00 - 171,900.00 USD annually
USA, GA, Atlanta - 127,100.00 - 171,900.00 USD annually
USA, OH, COLUMBUS - 127,100.00 - 171,900.00 USD annually
USA, TX, Austin - 127,100.00 - 171,900.00 USD annually
USA, VA, Herndon - 127,100.00 - 171,900.00 USD annually
USA, WA, Seattle - 127,100.00 - 171,900.00 USD annually
DESCRIPTION
Application deadline: Sep 27, 2026
Bringing a new AWS data center online starts with fiber in the ground. In this role you own that work across high-volume US metro markets, taking a metro fiber route from approved plan to live capacity and managing the construction vendors who build it.
You will run several builds at once, hold vendors to schedule and quality, inspect sites to confirm the work was done right, and keep a wide group of stakeholders current on where each project stands. If you have built fiber before, you will move fast here. If you have run complex physical infrastructure or construction programs in another field, you can succeed here too: the hard part of this job is owning an ambiguous program end to end and driving it to delivery, and we will teach you the fiber.
Key job responsibilities
- Own end-to-end delivery of metro fiber construction projects, from approved plan through in-service handover
- Manage construction vendors to schedule and quality: track milestones, measure performance, and drive corrective action when standards are not met
- Run quality control across the build: inspect conduit and vault installation, validate designs in the field, and review splice and fiber acceptance test results and as-built accuracy before handoff to internal customers
- Deliver weekly status reporting to leadership and internal customers, and manage risk, escalations, and competing priorities across multiple concurrent builds
- Coordinate site access and approvals in security-regulated environments, and travel to field sites up to 50% of the time
A day in the life
Most days your focus is knowing the true status of every build you own and moving each one forward. You will scan vendor progress and open risks, make the calls that unblock a permit or a crew, and update the trackers your stakeholders rely on. You work day to day with construction vendors and general contractors, fiber engineers, data center and networking teams, and permitting authorities. Some weeks you will be on a site confirming the build matches the design and the test results hold up. Beyond the steady work of delivery, you will also help improve the standards and processes the team runs on. This is a field-facing role rather than a remote one, and you will spend real time on site.
About the team
Global Connectivity Infrastructure Development - Fiber Deployment plans, manages, and delivers the physical fiber network that connects AWS data centers. The high-volume metro team delivers the fiber that brings new AWS capacity online across our busiest metro markets. You will work alongside construction vendors, engineers, and the internal customers who depend on that capacity, building large-scale fiber networks on time and to a high quality bar. Our focus for the coming years is scaling delivery without losing that quality, and this role is central to it. New teammates reach independent project ownership quickly, supported by runbooks and mentorship.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- 3+ years of technical infrastructure management experience
- Knowledge of best practices and emerging technologies, related to infrastructure (i.e. network, data center, hardware, software)
- Experience with varying scenarios of infrastructure builds
- Bachelor's degree in engineering, project management, construction management or similar technical focus
- 3+ years of experience managing third-party vendors or contractors, including tracking delivery timelines, measuring performance against metrics, and driving corrective action when quality or schedule standards are not met
- 3+ years of experience managing multiple concurrent projects across cross-functional teams, including scope, schedule, risk, and stakeholder communication
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience working in a network planning, network construction/implementation, or commercial implementation role at an ISP, telecoms operator, or Hyperscaler
- 2+ years of fiber handling and fiber installation processes experience, or experience with cabling infrastructure best practices and methodologies
- Experience reading and interpreting construction drawings and specifications
- Experience with large scale infrastructure
- PMP certificate
- Experience with reporting and automation tools such as SQL, Python, GIS platforms, or business intelligence tools
- Experience delivering physical infrastructure in another domain such as data center, utilities, energy, or large-scale capital construction, and applying it to a new technical field
Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.
Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.
The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits.
LOCATION
USA, CO, Denver - 127,100.00 - 171,900.00 USD annually
USA, GA, Atlanta - 127,100.00 - 171,900.00 USD annually
USA, OH, COLUMBUS - 127,100.00 - 171,900.00 USD annually
USA, TX, Austin - 127,100.00 - 171,900.00 USD annually
USA, VA, Herndon - 127,100.00 - 171,900.00 USD annually
USA, WA, Seattle - 127,100.00 - 171,900.00 USD annually
See all 2,374+ OPT Technical Program Manager Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new OPT Technical Program Manager Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship as a Technical Program Manager
Target engineering-led companies, not just tech-adjacent ones
Companies where engineering drives the product roadmap sponsor TPM visas far more consistently. Look for organizations with large infrastructure, platform, or machine learning teams where program management requires genuine technical depth, not just coordination.
Clarify your STEM OPT eligibility upfront
A degree in computer science, engineering, or information systems typically qualifies for the 24-month STEM extension. Confirm your degree's CIP code with your DSO before applying so you can tell employers you have up to three years of OPT authorization.
Quantify technical scope in your resume
TPM roles are specialty occupation eligible when the technical complexity is evident. Highlight system scale, engineering team size, and infrastructure scope. Vague program management language makes sponsorship harder to justify to USCIS reviewers assessing specialty occupation status.
Ask about sponsorship during the recruiter screen, not the offer stage
Raise visa sponsorship in the first recruiter conversation. Experienced TPM recruiters at sponsoring companies handle this routinely. Waiting until the offer stage wastes time for both parties and signals you weren't transparent about your authorization status.
Prioritize employers with established H-1B filing histories
Companies that have filed H-1B visa petitions for TPM roles in prior years have legal processes, vendor relationships, and institutional knowledge in place. This significantly reduces the friction of sponsoring you compared to first-time sponsors navigating the process from scratch.
Use your OPT period to build cross-functional leadership evidence
USCIS evaluates specialty occupation based on role complexity, not just job title. Use your OPT period to lead technically demanding initiatives across engineering teams. Documented ownership of roadmaps, architecture decisions, and incident response strengthens any future sponsorship petition.
Technical Program Manager OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Technical Program Manager role qualify for STEM OPT extension?
It depends on your degree, not the job title. If your bachelor's or master's is in computer science, electrical engineering, systems engineering, or a related STEM field, your DSO can authorize the 24-month STEM extension. The TPM role itself does not independently trigger eligibility. Confirm your degree's CIP code with your international student office before assuming you qualify.
Do employers routinely sponsor H-1B visas for Technical Program Managers?
Yes, at mid-to-large technology companies, H-1B sponsorship for TPMs is relatively common. The role typically meets the specialty occupation threshold because it requires applying a body of theoretical and practical knowledge in engineering or computer science. Smaller companies and consulting firms are less consistent. Migrate Mate filters specifically for OPT-friendly and H-1B-sponsoring employers, which makes identifying the right targets faster.
Can I work as a Technical Program Manager on Day 1 OPT before finishing my degree?
No. OPT must be authorized by USCIS before you begin working, and post-completion OPT cannot start until your program end date. You can apply up to 90 days before graduation, but your work cannot begin before both your OPT start date and your degree completion. Working before authorization is granted is a serious status violation with long-term immigration consequences.
What happens to my OPT if I switch TPM roles during my authorized period?
You can change employers during OPT, but every new job must directly relate to your degree field and be reported to your DSO within 10 days of the change. There is no grace period for unemployment beyond 90 cumulative days across your entire OPT period. If a TPM contract ends unexpectedly, your 90-day unemployment clock resumes immediately, so having a transition plan matters.
How should I explain my OPT timeline to a hiring manager for a TPM role?
Be direct and specific. Tell them your OPT end date, whether you qualify for the STEM extension, and when H-1B sponsorship would need to begin. For most STEM OPT holders, you are presenting a two-to-three year window before sponsorship becomes necessary. Hiring managers at companies with sponsorship programs understand this structure. Vague answers about authorization create more uncertainty than the actual timeline does.