STEM OPT Data Infrastructure Engineer Jobs
Data Infrastructure Engineer roles in cloud platforms, distributed systems, and data pipeline architecture qualify for the STEM OPT 24-month extension if your degree falls under an eligible CIP code. Your employer must be enrolled in E-Verify. With 36 months of total OPT work authorization, you have real runway to grow into senior engineering roles while pursuing H-1B sponsorship.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
Engineering a world of possibilities
ABOUT THE JOB
Postdoctoral Scholar - Mines NIST PREP Lead Data Infrastructure Engineer
The Opportunity:
Colorado School of Mines and the Statistical Engineering Division at the National Institute of Standards and Technology are seeking immediate applications for a post-doctoral position focusing on leading the development of scientific computing applications and tools. The tools will include both public-facing web infrastructure and code bases used by bench scientists for data collection and analysis. A primary focus will be establishing a central, high-resolution data repository for international clock and frequency standard measurements, providing essential data and collaborative infrastructure for the upcoming redefinition of the second.
The Professional Research Experience Program (PREP) is a cooperative partnership between the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and Colorado School of Mines (Mines). Through PREP, Mines undergraduate and graduate students—as well as researchers holding a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD—have the opportunity to conduct cutting-edge research in NIST laboratories while working closely with both NIST scientists and a Mines faculty advisor. This dual mentorship ensures participants gain not only hands-on technical expertise but also guidance in connecting their NIST research to Mines’ academic and professional pathways. All hires made through the NIST PREP program at Mines are employed by Colorado School of Mines.
Research Title:
Postdoctoral Scholar / PREP0004023 / Lead Data Infrastructure Software Engineer
Research Location:
In Boulder, CO at the NIST campus with the Applied and Computational Statistics Group in the Information Technology Lab and in Golden, CO on the campus of Colorado School of Mines
YOUR ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The candidate’s primary responsibilities may include:
- Leading the development of scientific computing applications and tools by partnering with domain experts, understanding the fundamental physics and meaning of the data, understanding stakeholder goals, and translating those goals into actionable software development plans and requirements.
- Guiding the creation and deployment of a data repository to store, maintain, and share results of interlaboratory measurements and analyses.
- Guiding and performing the data curation and data engineering work to transform raw data into machine actionable datasets as guided by the FAIR data principles.
- Managing and consolidating data streams originating from atomic clocks and the associated network components including, e.g., optical fiber links and optical frequency combs.
- Developing methodology for collating complex datasets involving multimodal data or heterogeneous processing pathways.
- Guiding and extracting information from the curated data using statistical techniques and/or AI approaches.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
The ideal candidate will have the following skills, experience, and/or qualifications:
- Doctoral degree in at least one of the following fields: computer science, systems engineering, statistics, physics, or a closely-related discipline.
- Proven leadership in cross-disciplinary environments; able to guide collaborative teams and provide strong scientific communication.
- Experience in scientific computing, workflow development and data management.
- Applied machine learning / data science.
- Reproducible research and production/dissemination of archival datasets.
- Enthusiasm for learning about diverse measurement science techniques.
- US Citizen Preferred.
NIST sponsor / advisor: Amanda Koepke, Mathematical Statistician
Mines sponsor / advisor: Gabe Fierro, Associate Professor of Computer Science
Anticipated start: May 2026
COMPENSATION
- Salary: $71,000 annual salary rate
Mines takes into consideration a combination of candidate’s education, training and experience as well as the position’s scope and complexity, the discretion and latitude required in the role, work location, and external market and internal value when determining a salary level for potential new employees.
Colorado School of Mines offers a robust portfolio of benefits for all employees. For this role, that includes:
- Flexible health and dental care options (receive at a minimum with EE only coverage, $10,308 in medical benefits until July 1, 2026)
- Generous sick/vacation time: 13 paid holidays per year – including a week-long winter break for entire campus.
- Fully vested retirement plan on first day of employment, with generous employer contribution (you will receive 12% from Mines in a MDCP averaging $8,640 a year)
- Tuition benefits (6 credits per year for employees, 50 percent discount for dependents)
- Free RTD Ecopass for regional bus and light rail transportation
All Mines employees also have access to discount programs through the State of Colorado and free tickets for Mines Athletics home games, as well as access to the state of the art Recreation Center (fitness classes and training, swimming pool and more) and equipment rentals through the Outdoor Rec Center. We are proud to have recently opened an on campus daycare center. For more details about benefits at Mines, visit mines.edu/human-resources/benefits.
How to Apply:
Review of applications will begin on April 1st and continue until filled. Applicants must complete an online application (personal information, demographic information, veteran status) and upload the following:
- CV including publication list
- Letter of interest with description of qualifications
- Contact information for three references
Applicants will notice on the application form, there is only one location to upload all required materials. Further, once submitted, the applicant will not be able to edit their application. Applicants may submit their application as one combined document or as separate documents. Successful completion of a background investigation is required for this position. This posting may be used to fill multiple openings. Contact Kathleen Feighny in HR with any questions at kfeighny@mines.edu. We appreciate your interest in Mines!
Keywords:
Python, DevOps, Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Bash, Amazon Web Services, JSON, XML, HTML, JavaScript, CSS
Additional Information and Reasonable Accommodation Requests
It is the intent of Mines to comply with the applicable requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008, and their implementation rules and regulations, in support of equal opportunities for qualified applicants with disabilities. To meet this goal, Mines will make reasonable accommodations during the employment selection process and within our working environment.
If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you may request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to access job openings or apply for a job on our site as a result of your disability. You can request a reasonable accommodation by contacting our Human Resources team at hr@mines.edu or 303.273.3250 for assistance.
Successful completion of a background investigation is required for this position.
Equal Opportunity
Colorado School of Mines is committed to equal opportunity for all persons. Mines does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, gender (including gender identity and gender expression), ancestry, creed, marital status, race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran status or current military service. Further, Mines does not retaliate against community members for filing complaints regarding or implicating any of these protected statuses.
Mines’ commitment to nondiscrimination, equal opportunity and equal access is reflected in the administration of its policies, procedures, programs and activities and in its efforts to achieve a talented student body and workforce.
Through its policies, procedures and resources, Mines complies with federal law, Colorado state law, administrative regulations, executive orders and other legal requirements to prevent discrimination (including harassment or retaliation) within the Mines campus community and to address potential allegations of inequality or concerns for safety.
INTRODUCTION
Engineering a world of possibilities
ABOUT THE JOB
Postdoctoral Scholar - Mines NIST PREP Lead Data Infrastructure Engineer
The Opportunity:
Colorado School of Mines and the Statistical Engineering Division at the National Institute of Standards and Technology are seeking immediate applications for a post-doctoral position focusing on leading the development of scientific computing applications and tools. The tools will include both public-facing web infrastructure and code bases used by bench scientists for data collection and analysis. A primary focus will be establishing a central, high-resolution data repository for international clock and frequency standard measurements, providing essential data and collaborative infrastructure for the upcoming redefinition of the second.
The Professional Research Experience Program (PREP) is a cooperative partnership between the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and Colorado School of Mines (Mines). Through PREP, Mines undergraduate and graduate students—as well as researchers holding a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD—have the opportunity to conduct cutting-edge research in NIST laboratories while working closely with both NIST scientists and a Mines faculty advisor. This dual mentorship ensures participants gain not only hands-on technical expertise but also guidance in connecting their NIST research to Mines’ academic and professional pathways. All hires made through the NIST PREP program at Mines are employed by Colorado School of Mines.
Research Title:
Postdoctoral Scholar / PREP0004023 / Lead Data Infrastructure Software Engineer
Research Location:
In Boulder, CO at the NIST campus with the Applied and Computational Statistics Group in the Information Technology Lab and in Golden, CO on the campus of Colorado School of Mines
YOUR ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The candidate’s primary responsibilities may include:
- Leading the development of scientific computing applications and tools by partnering with domain experts, understanding the fundamental physics and meaning of the data, understanding stakeholder goals, and translating those goals into actionable software development plans and requirements.
- Guiding the creation and deployment of a data repository to store, maintain, and share results of interlaboratory measurements and analyses.
- Guiding and performing the data curation and data engineering work to transform raw data into machine actionable datasets as guided by the FAIR data principles.
- Managing and consolidating data streams originating from atomic clocks and the associated network components including, e.g., optical fiber links and optical frequency combs.
- Developing methodology for collating complex datasets involving multimodal data or heterogeneous processing pathways.
- Guiding and extracting information from the curated data using statistical techniques and/or AI approaches.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
The ideal candidate will have the following skills, experience, and/or qualifications:
- Doctoral degree in at least one of the following fields: computer science, systems engineering, statistics, physics, or a closely-related discipline.
- Proven leadership in cross-disciplinary environments; able to guide collaborative teams and provide strong scientific communication.
- Experience in scientific computing, workflow development and data management.
- Applied machine learning / data science.
- Reproducible research and production/dissemination of archival datasets.
- Enthusiasm for learning about diverse measurement science techniques.
- US Citizen Preferred.
NIST sponsor / advisor: Amanda Koepke, Mathematical Statistician
Mines sponsor / advisor: Gabe Fierro, Associate Professor of Computer Science
Anticipated start: May 2026
COMPENSATION
- Salary: $71,000 annual salary rate
Mines takes into consideration a combination of candidate’s education, training and experience as well as the position’s scope and complexity, the discretion and latitude required in the role, work location, and external market and internal value when determining a salary level for potential new employees.
Colorado School of Mines offers a robust portfolio of benefits for all employees. For this role, that includes:
- Flexible health and dental care options (receive at a minimum with EE only coverage, $10,308 in medical benefits until July 1, 2026)
- Generous sick/vacation time: 13 paid holidays per year – including a week-long winter break for entire campus.
- Fully vested retirement plan on first day of employment, with generous employer contribution (you will receive 12% from Mines in a MDCP averaging $8,640 a year)
- Tuition benefits (6 credits per year for employees, 50 percent discount for dependents)
- Free RTD Ecopass for regional bus and light rail transportation
All Mines employees also have access to discount programs through the State of Colorado and free tickets for Mines Athletics home games, as well as access to the state of the art Recreation Center (fitness classes and training, swimming pool and more) and equipment rentals through the Outdoor Rec Center. We are proud to have recently opened an on campus daycare center. For more details about benefits at Mines, visit mines.edu/human-resources/benefits.
How to Apply:
Review of applications will begin on April 1st and continue until filled. Applicants must complete an online application (personal information, demographic information, veteran status) and upload the following:
- CV including publication list
- Letter of interest with description of qualifications
- Contact information for three references
Applicants will notice on the application form, there is only one location to upload all required materials. Further, once submitted, the applicant will not be able to edit their application. Applicants may submit their application as one combined document or as separate documents. Successful completion of a background investigation is required for this position. This posting may be used to fill multiple openings. Contact Kathleen Feighny in HR with any questions at kfeighny@mines.edu. We appreciate your interest in Mines!
Keywords:
Python, DevOps, Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Bash, Amazon Web Services, JSON, XML, HTML, JavaScript, CSS
Additional Information and Reasonable Accommodation Requests
It is the intent of Mines to comply with the applicable requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008, and their implementation rules and regulations, in support of equal opportunities for qualified applicants with disabilities. To meet this goal, Mines will make reasonable accommodations during the employment selection process and within our working environment.
If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you may request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to access job openings or apply for a job on our site as a result of your disability. You can request a reasonable accommodation by contacting our Human Resources team at hr@mines.edu or 303.273.3250 for assistance.
Successful completion of a background investigation is required for this position.
Equal Opportunity
Colorado School of Mines is committed to equal opportunity for all persons. Mines does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, gender (including gender identity and gender expression), ancestry, creed, marital status, race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran status or current military service. Further, Mines does not retaliate against community members for filing complaints regarding or implicating any of these protected statuses.
Mines’ commitment to nondiscrimination, equal opportunity and equal access is reflected in the administration of its policies, procedures, programs and activities and in its efforts to achieve a talented student body and workforce.
Through its policies, procedures and resources, Mines complies with federal law, Colorado state law, administrative regulations, executive orders and other legal requirements to prevent discrimination (including harassment or retaliation) within the Mines campus community and to address potential allegations of inequality or concerns for safety.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding STEM OPT Authorization as a Data Infrastructure Engineer
Verify your CIP code before applying
Check that your degree's CIP code maps to an eligible STEM field on the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List. Computer science, information systems, and electrical engineering codes commonly support Data Infrastructure Engineer roles, but your DSO confirms the match before you file Form I-983.
Confirm E-Verify enrollment during interviews
Ask recruiters directly whether the company is enrolled in E-Verify before you accept an offer. If they're unsure, look up the employer in the E-Verify employer search tool. Hiring a STEM OPT student without E-Verify enrollment puts your status at risk.
Build your I-983 training plan around measurable engineering goals
Your I-983 must show a genuine learning relationship between your work and your STEM degree. For data infrastructure roles, document specific skills you'll develop, such as distributed query optimization or container orchestration, rather than listing generic job duties.
Use Migrate Mate to target employers with STEM OPT hiring history
Filter your job search on Migrate Mate to surface Data Infrastructure Engineer roles at companies that have actively hired STEM OPT students. This saves time over cold-applying to employers who haven't navigated the E-Verify and I-983 process before.
Understand cap-gap protection before your OPT expires
If your employer files an H-1B petition before your STEM OPT end date and you're selected in the lottery, cap-gap automatically extends your work authorization through September 30. USCIS grants this protection without any additional action on your part, so filing timing matters.
Benchmark your offer against OFLC prevailing-wage data
Run your job title and location through the OFLC Wage Search before negotiating. For data infrastructure roles, the wage level your employer selects on the LCA affects your H-1B petition later, so verify the offered salary meets at least Level I or Level II rates for your metro area.
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Find Data Infrastructure Engineer JobsFrequently Asked Questions
Does a Data Infrastructure Engineer role qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
It depends on your degree, not the job title alone. Your degree's CIP code must appear on the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List. Computer science, computer engineering, information technology, and electrical engineering degrees commonly support this role. Your DSO reviews your academic transcript and confirms eligibility before endorsing your I-20 for the extension. The job itself must also provide practical training directly related to your STEM field.
What E-Verify requirement applies to my STEM OPT employer?
Every employer who hires you on a STEM OPT extension must be enrolled in E-Verify and remain enrolled for the duration of your authorization period. This is a federal requirement under the STEM OPT rule, not an optional step. If your employer loses E-Verify access or withdraws from the program after you start, you and your DSO must be notified within five business days, and your authorization is at risk.
What goes into the I-983 training plan for a data infrastructure role?
Your I-983 must describe specific technical skills you'll develop that connect to your STEM degree, not just your daily job duties. For a Data Infrastructure Engineer, this means naming technologies, learning objectives, and mentorship structures, such as designing fault-tolerant pipelines, implementing data lake architectures, or mastering infrastructure-as-code tools. Both you and your employer sign the form, and your DSO must endorse it before your extension begins.
How does cap-gap work if my STEM OPT is expiring during H-1B season?
If your employer files an H-1B petition on your behalf before your STEM OPT end date and USCIS selects you in the lottery, cap-gap protection automatically extends your work authorization through September 30 of that year. You don't file separately for cap-gap. If your petition isn't selected, your STEM OPT end date controls, so confirm your employer's filing timeline well before the April 1 registration window.
Where can I find Data Infrastructure Engineer jobs at employers that support STEM OPT?
Migrate Mate surfaces Data Infrastructure Engineer roles filtered for employers with active STEM OPT and E-Verify hiring history. This is more efficient than applying broadly and discovering after an offer that the employer isn't enrolled in E-Verify or hasn't navigated the I-983 process. You can also cross-reference O*NET to understand which skills and degree fields align with this occupation code when assessing whether a role supports your extension.
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