STEM OPT Cloud Data Engineer Jobs
Cloud Data Engineer roles in cloud infrastructure, pipeline development, and data architecture qualify for STEM OPT's 24-month extension when your degree falls under an eligible CIP code. Your employer must be enrolled in E-Verify, and you'll need a signed I-983 training plan before your extension starts.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
Kunai builds full-stack technology solutions for banks, credit and payment networks, infrastructure providers, and their customers. Together, we are changing the world’s relationship with financial services. At Kunai, we help our clients modernize, capitalize on emerging trends, and evolve their business for the coming decades by remaining tech-agnostic and human-centered. This is a chance to work at the center of a complex and consequential cloud transformation for a major financial services org. We are looking for sharp, delivery-focused data consultants to lead the migration of a large data platform from Google Cloud Platform to AWS. You will not be reviewing architecture diagrams from the sidelines; you will be building the pipelines, designing the schemas, and making the hard calls that keep petabytes of critical financial data moving accurately and on schedule. If you thrive in technically demanding environments, love solving gnarly data problems, and want your fingerprints on an enterprise-scale transformation, this engagement is for you.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
What You Will Do
- Own end-to-end data migration execution: Drive the full OLAP/OLTP migration from GCP to AWS: data mapping, schema conversion, and hands-on lift-and-shift execution.
- Build rock-solid synchronization pipelines: Design and implement data sync pipelines with tight SLAs for latency, consistency, and error recovery. Zero ambiguity on failure modes.
- Bring the target architecture to life: Implement the AWS data architecture end to end, including driver personalization engines and production-grade dashboarding solutions.
- Migrate historical and time-series data at scale: Execute large-volume historical data migrations with rigorous integrity checks and minimal disruption to live operations.
- Build observability from the ground up: Create monitoring, alerting, and reconciliation frameworks that give the team real-time confidence in cross-cloud data fidelity.
- Elevate the team around you: Share your expertise freely. Mentor peers, unblock blockers, and raise the technical floor of the whole engagement.
- Partner closely with the client: Work shoulder-to-shoulder with stakeholders to nail data governance, access patterns, and analytics requirements.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
What You Bring
Data Migration
- BigQuery to Redshift, Cloud SQL to Aurora/RDS: you have done this before and have the scars to prove it
- Data mapping, schema conversion, and ETL/ELT pipeline design at enterprise scale
OLAP and OLTP Systems
- Dimensional modeling: star and snowflake schemas, done right
- Transactional database optimization and time-series data migration
Data Synchronization
- CDC (Change Data Capture), real-time replication, latency tuning
- Strong opinions on eventual vs. strong consistency, and when each applies
- Battle-tested error handling and retry strategies
AWS Data Services
- Redshift, Aurora PostgreSQL, DMS, Glue, Kinesis, MSK (Kafka), Lambda, S3, Lake Formation
Analytics and Personalization
- Amazon QuickSight, Grafana, dashboarding frameworks, driver personalization engines
GCP
- BigQuery, Cloud Spanner, Dataflow, Pub/Sub, Cloud SQL: you know the terrain you are leaving
Infrastructure as Code and CI/CD
- Terraform, CloudFormation, and automated CI/CD for data pipelines
Certifications
Cloud certifications are a plus but are not required. Any of the following, or equivalent credentials from a major cloud provider, are valued:
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect (Associate or Professional)
- AWS Certified Data Analytics Specialty or Database Specialty
- Google Professional Cloud Architect or Cloud Data Engineer
Minimum Degree Required:
- Bachelor’s Degree, in lieu of a degree, demonstrating in addition to the minimum years of experience required for the role, three years of specialized training and/or progressively responsible work experience in technology for each missing year of college is required.
Our success over the past 20 years is rooted in our exceptional team, which thrives in a culture of collaboration, creativity, and continuous learning. We are proud to offer our employees a range of benefits, including competitive compensation, professional development opportunities, and flexible work arrangements, all designed to help them thrive. As we continue to expand, we remain committed to cultivating an environment where people feel valued, have a voice, and are given the tools to grow—both personally and professionally—while pushing the boundaries of innovation in the fintech industry.
INTRODUCTION
Kunai builds full-stack technology solutions for banks, credit and payment networks, infrastructure providers, and their customers. Together, we are changing the world’s relationship with financial services. At Kunai, we help our clients modernize, capitalize on emerging trends, and evolve their business for the coming decades by remaining tech-agnostic and human-centered. This is a chance to work at the center of a complex and consequential cloud transformation for a major financial services org. We are looking for sharp, delivery-focused data consultants to lead the migration of a large data platform from Google Cloud Platform to AWS. You will not be reviewing architecture diagrams from the sidelines; you will be building the pipelines, designing the schemas, and making the hard calls that keep petabytes of critical financial data moving accurately and on schedule. If you thrive in technically demanding environments, love solving gnarly data problems, and want your fingerprints on an enterprise-scale transformation, this engagement is for you.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
What You Will Do
- Own end-to-end data migration execution: Drive the full OLAP/OLTP migration from GCP to AWS: data mapping, schema conversion, and hands-on lift-and-shift execution.
- Build rock-solid synchronization pipelines: Design and implement data sync pipelines with tight SLAs for latency, consistency, and error recovery. Zero ambiguity on failure modes.
- Bring the target architecture to life: Implement the AWS data architecture end to end, including driver personalization engines and production-grade dashboarding solutions.
- Migrate historical and time-series data at scale: Execute large-volume historical data migrations with rigorous integrity checks and minimal disruption to live operations.
- Build observability from the ground up: Create monitoring, alerting, and reconciliation frameworks that give the team real-time confidence in cross-cloud data fidelity.
- Elevate the team around you: Share your expertise freely. Mentor peers, unblock blockers, and raise the technical floor of the whole engagement.
- Partner closely with the client: Work shoulder-to-shoulder with stakeholders to nail data governance, access patterns, and analytics requirements.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
What You Bring
Data Migration
- BigQuery to Redshift, Cloud SQL to Aurora/RDS: you have done this before and have the scars to prove it
- Data mapping, schema conversion, and ETL/ELT pipeline design at enterprise scale
OLAP and OLTP Systems
- Dimensional modeling: star and snowflake schemas, done right
- Transactional database optimization and time-series data migration
Data Synchronization
- CDC (Change Data Capture), real-time replication, latency tuning
- Strong opinions on eventual vs. strong consistency, and when each applies
- Battle-tested error handling and retry strategies
AWS Data Services
- Redshift, Aurora PostgreSQL, DMS, Glue, Kinesis, MSK (Kafka), Lambda, S3, Lake Formation
Analytics and Personalization
- Amazon QuickSight, Grafana, dashboarding frameworks, driver personalization engines
GCP
- BigQuery, Cloud Spanner, Dataflow, Pub/Sub, Cloud SQL: you know the terrain you are leaving
Infrastructure as Code and CI/CD
- Terraform, CloudFormation, and automated CI/CD for data pipelines
Certifications
Cloud certifications are a plus but are not required. Any of the following, or equivalent credentials from a major cloud provider, are valued:
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect (Associate or Professional)
- AWS Certified Data Analytics Specialty or Database Specialty
- Google Professional Cloud Architect or Cloud Data Engineer
Minimum Degree Required:
- Bachelor’s Degree, in lieu of a degree, demonstrating in addition to the minimum years of experience required for the role, three years of specialized training and/or progressively responsible work experience in technology for each missing year of college is required.
Our success over the past 20 years is rooted in our exceptional team, which thrives in a culture of collaboration, creativity, and continuous learning. We are proud to offer our employees a range of benefits, including competitive compensation, professional development opportunities, and flexible work arrangements, all designed to help them thrive. As we continue to expand, we remain committed to cultivating an environment where people feel valued, have a voice, and are given the tools to grow—both personally and professionally—while pushing the boundaries of innovation in the fintech industry.
See all STEM OPT Cloud Data Engineer Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new STEM OPT Cloud Data Engineer Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding STEM OPT Authorization as a Cloud Data Engineer
Verify your CIP code before applying
Check that your STEM degree's CIP code appears on the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List. Computer science, information systems, and data science codes commonly support Cloud Data Engineer roles, but exact coverage depends on your program's classification.
Confirm E-Verify enrollment before accepting offers
An employer must be actively enrolled in E-Verify before your STEM OPT extension is approved. Ask recruiters directly, or search the E-Verify employer search tool before your offer stage to avoid late-process surprises.
Map your training plan to cloud engineering tasks
Your I-983 must describe specific learning objectives tied to your actual role. For Cloud Data Engineer positions, list concrete skills like pipeline orchestration, cloud warehouse administration, or ETL framework development rather than generic software engineering goals.
Target employers with active LCA filings for data roles
Use Migrate Mate to filter Cloud Data Engineer postings by employers who have filed Labor Condition Applications for data engineering roles, giving you a verifiable signal of prior sponsorship activity before you invest time in any application.
Request the prevailing wage tier before negotiating
Look up the wage level for your target SOC code and metro area using the OFLC Wage Search before salary conversations. Employers filing an LCA must meet the prevailing wage, so knowing Level I through Level IV thresholds strengthens your negotiating position.
Apply 90 days before your OPT end date
USCIS requires your STEM OPT extension application to be filed while your initial OPT EAD is still valid. Submit your I-765 at least 90 days before expiration so any processing delay doesn't create an authorization gap between your initial and extended EAD.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Cloud Data Engineer role qualify for STEM OPT?
Cloud Data Engineer positions typically qualify when your employer classifies the role under a STEM-eligible SOC code and your degree falls under an approved CIP code on the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List. Degrees in computer science, information systems, data science, and related engineering fields most commonly meet the requirement. Confirm the SOC code with your employer before filing.
What does the I-983 training plan need to include for this role?
Your I-983 must outline specific learning goals directly connected to your Cloud Data Engineer duties. Describe concrete technical skills you'll develop, such as designing distributed data pipelines, managing cloud storage systems, or building data models in a cloud warehouse. Vague objectives like 'gain industry experience' are insufficient. Both you and your employer sign the form, and your DSO must approve it before USCIS processes your extension.
How do I confirm my employer is enrolled in E-Verify?
You can search the E-Verify employer search tool by company name to confirm active enrollment. E-Verify participation is a hard requirement for STEM OPT approval. If your employer isn't enrolled, they must complete enrollment before your DSO can recommend the extension. Starting this conversation early in the offer process prevents delays after you've accepted a position.
What happens to my STEM OPT if my H-1B is selected in the lottery?
If your H-1B visa is selected and your employer files the petition before your STEM OPT expires, cap-gap protection extends your work authorization through September 30 of that fiscal year. You can continue working as a Cloud Data Engineer during this period without interruption. USCIS confirms cap-gap coverage through the petition receipt. Your EAD does not need to be reissued for cap-gap protection to apply.
Where can I find Cloud Data Engineer jobs that accept STEM OPT students?
Migrate Mate lists Cloud Data Engineer roles specifically filtered for employers enrolled in E-Verify, which is the foundational requirement for STEM OPT eligibility. You can search by role, location, and sponsorship history to identify employers who have previously supported OPT students through the extension process, reducing the risk of discovering mid-offer that an employer can't support your authorization.