STEM OPT Drafting Technician Jobs
Drafting Technician roles in CAD, civil, mechanical, and electrical design qualify for STEM OPT because they sit under accredited engineering technology CIP codes. Your STEM degree gives you up to 36 months of work authorization, provided your employer is enrolled in E-Verify and you file a valid I-983 training plan with your DSO.
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Get Access To All JobsCompany Description
We are Olsson. We engineer and design solutions that improve the world around us. As a company, we promise to always be responsive, transparent, and focused on results – for our people, our clients, and our company.
We're a people-centric firm, so it's no surprise our greatest asset is our people. The impact this creates is an environment that encourages our people to grow and be creative with their talents. This approach builds a culture that is uniquely Olsson. It allows us to grow our people as we grow our business. This, in turn, creates a lasting impact on the world around us.
Job Description
Olsson offers its clients a full spectrum of water and wastewater services, including a complete line of planning, design, permitting, and construction phase services. Maintaining water quality is Olsson's number one concern, and we are able to respond to a broad set of client demands in a timely and cost-effective manner.
As a Technician on our Water/Wastewater team, you will perform standard techniques and procedures and apply knowledge of established methods, practices, and programs to prepare engineering and design plans. You will work closely with technical staff to find the best approach to solve engineering and design needs. You will work closely with other team members and engineers on wastewater collection and treatment projects, along with water supply, storage, treatment, and distribution. This can include sanitary sewer piping, wastewater pump stations, wastewater treatment facilities, water piping, water supply wells, water storage tanks, and water treatment facilities.
Qualifications
You are passionate about:
- Working collaboratively with others.
- Having ownership in the work you do.
- Using your talents to positively affect communities.
You bring to the team:
- Strong communication skills.
- Ability to contribute and work well on a team.
- Associate's degree in drafting or related field preferred.
- 2-7 years of experience is preferred.
- Proficiency in AutoCAD Civil 3D and/or Revit.
- Solid interpersonal, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
Additional Information
Olsson specializes in engineering and design, client advisory services, planning, field services, and environmental. Improving the world has been our mindset from the very beginning, back when Olsson first opened for business in 1956. And it will be our mindset for years to come.
As an Olsson employee, you will:
- Receive a competitive 401(k) match
- Be empowered to build your career with tailored development paths
- Have the possibility for flexible work arrangements
- Engage in work that has a positive impact on communities
- Participate in a wellness program promoting balanced lifestyles
In addition, full-time employees will receive our traditional benefits package (health care, vision, dental, paid time off, etc.) and the opportunity to participate in a bonus system that rewards performance.
Olsson is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We encourage qualified minority, female, veteran, and disabled candidates to apply and be considered for open positions. We do not discriminate against any applicant for employment or any employee because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender, disability, age, military status, or other protected status.
Olsson understands the importance of privacy and is committed to protecting job applicants' personal information. Pursuant to the California Consumer Privacy Act, as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act (collectively, the "CCPA"), this notice explains Olsson's practices regarding the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information for job applicants residing in California. Please read this Notice carefully to understand our privacy practices.
For more information about the types of information we collect and how we use it in connection with your general access and use of our website, please review our general California Privacy Notice here.
Company Description
We are Olsson. We engineer and design solutions that improve the world around us. As a company, we promise to always be responsive, transparent, and focused on results – for our people, our clients, and our company.
We're a people-centric firm, so it's no surprise our greatest asset is our people. The impact this creates is an environment that encourages our people to grow and be creative with their talents. This approach builds a culture that is uniquely Olsson. It allows us to grow our people as we grow our business. This, in turn, creates a lasting impact on the world around us.
Job Description
Olsson offers its clients a full spectrum of water and wastewater services, including a complete line of planning, design, permitting, and construction phase services. Maintaining water quality is Olsson's number one concern, and we are able to respond to a broad set of client demands in a timely and cost-effective manner.
As a Technician on our Water/Wastewater team, you will perform standard techniques and procedures and apply knowledge of established methods, practices, and programs to prepare engineering and design plans. You will work closely with technical staff to find the best approach to solve engineering and design needs. You will work closely with other team members and engineers on wastewater collection and treatment projects, along with water supply, storage, treatment, and distribution. This can include sanitary sewer piping, wastewater pump stations, wastewater treatment facilities, water piping, water supply wells, water storage tanks, and water treatment facilities.
Qualifications
You are passionate about:
- Working collaboratively with others.
- Having ownership in the work you do.
- Using your talents to positively affect communities.
You bring to the team:
- Strong communication skills.
- Ability to contribute and work well on a team.
- Associate's degree in drafting or related field preferred.
- 2-7 years of experience is preferred.
- Proficiency in AutoCAD Civil 3D and/or Revit.
- Solid interpersonal, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
Additional Information
Olsson specializes in engineering and design, client advisory services, planning, field services, and environmental. Improving the world has been our mindset from the very beginning, back when Olsson first opened for business in 1956. And it will be our mindset for years to come.
As an Olsson employee, you will:
- Receive a competitive 401(k) match
- Be empowered to build your career with tailored development paths
- Have the possibility for flexible work arrangements
- Engage in work that has a positive impact on communities
- Participate in a wellness program promoting balanced lifestyles
In addition, full-time employees will receive our traditional benefits package (health care, vision, dental, paid time off, etc.) and the opportunity to participate in a bonus system that rewards performance.
Olsson is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We encourage qualified minority, female, veteran, and disabled candidates to apply and be considered for open positions. We do not discriminate against any applicant for employment or any employee because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender, disability, age, military status, or other protected status.
Olsson understands the importance of privacy and is committed to protecting job applicants' personal information. Pursuant to the California Consumer Privacy Act, as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act (collectively, the "CCPA"), this notice explains Olsson's practices regarding the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information for job applicants residing in California. Please read this Notice carefully to understand our privacy practices.
For more information about the types of information we collect and how we use it in connection with your general access and use of our website, please review our general California Privacy Notice here.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding STEM OPT Authorization as a Drafting Technician
Verify your CIP code qualifies
Check that your degree's CIP code appears on the STEM Designated Degree Program List published by ICE. Engineering technology, mechanical engineering technology, and computer-aided design programs typically qualify, but check your specific code before applying.
Confirm E-Verify enrollment before accepting offers
Any employer hiring you on STEM OPT must be enrolled in E-Verify. Ask the recruiter or HR contact directly, and cross-check the employer's status through the official E-Verify employer search before you sign anything.
Target firms with active LCA drafting filings
Use Migrate Mate to filter employers by LCA filing history for drafting and engineering technician roles. Firms that have filed LCAs for these roles have already navigated STEM OPT paperwork and are far less likely to withdraw an offer over authorization concerns.
Tailor your I-983 to your specific drafting duties
Your training plan must map STEM OPT learning objectives to real tasks like AutoCAD modeling, tolerancing, or drawing revision workflows. A generic training plan that could describe any technical role invites DSO rejection and delays your extension.
Research prevailing wages for your drafting specialty
Look up the wage level for your specific drafting SOC code using OFLC Wage Search before negotiating your offer. Employers filing an LCA must pay at least the prevailing wage, so knowing that floor strengthens your position and flags underpaying employers early.
Drafting Technician jobs are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Drafting Technician JobsFrequently Asked Questions
Does a Drafting Technician role qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
Yes, if your underlying degree carries an eligible CIP code. Drafting Technician positions typically sit under engineering technology or mechanical engineering technology programs, which appear on the STEM Designated Degree Program List. Your degree must be from a SEVP-accredited institution and the job duties must align with that STEM field for USCIS to approve the extension.
What does my employer need to do to hire me on STEM OPT?
Your employer must be enrolled in E-Verify and must co-sign your I-983 training plan before your DSO can recommend the STEM OPT extension. They also need to report any material changes to your training plan and conduct a formal evaluation at the midpoint and end of each 24-month period. Employers unfamiliar with these obligations sometimes withdraw offers, so confirm all of this upfront.
How do I find Drafting Technician employers enrolled in E-Verify?
Migrate Mate filters employer listings by E-Verify enrollment status and LCA filing history, so you can focus only on firms already set up to hire STEM OPT students. You can also verify any specific employer directly through the E-Verify employer search tool before committing to an application or interview process.
What should my I-983 training plan include for a Drafting Technician position?
Your I-983 must describe how the role develops STEM skills tied to your degree field. For a Drafting Technician, that means documenting specific learning goals around CAD software proficiency, technical drawing standards, geometric dimensioning and tolerancing, or design review processes. Vague descriptions like 'gaining work experience' are insufficient. Your DSO can reject a plan that doesn't clearly connect daily tasks to your STEM degree program.
Does cap-gap protection apply if my employer files an H-1B petition while I'm on STEM OPT?
Yes. If your STEM OPT is still valid when your employer files a timely H-1B cap-subject petition for the following fiscal year, cap-gap extends your work authorization automatically through September 30 of that year if your petition is selected. You don't need to take any separate action, but your employer must maintain E-Verify enrollment and your I-983 remains in effect throughout the cap-gap period.
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