STEM OPT Equipment Engineer Jobs
Equipment Engineer roles in semiconductor, aerospace, and medical device manufacturing are strong fits for STEM OPT students with degrees in mechanical, electrical, or materials engineering. Your 24-month STEM OPT extension applies here, and employers must be enrolled in E-Verify to hire you under this authorization.
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Get Access To All JobsJOB SUMMARY
Who We Are
North American Lighting Inc., member of the Koito Group of Companies, is the largest tier one automotive exterior lighting manufacturer in North America. As the market share leader in exterior automotive lighting, NAL provides advanced lighting technology, engineering design expertise, and state-of-the-art production capabilities to auto makers based in North America and around the world.
Our Opportunity
North American Lighting (NAL) is looking for an Equipment Engineer - I to join our team. The ideal candidate will design, develop, and set-up equipment required to support production, and provides technical support to engineering and manufacturing in order to establish and maintain production processes.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Your Priorities
- Studies product design feasibility and provides feedback to project core team.
- Assists in establishing process designs for new lamp manufacturing processes.
- Reviews and approves concept drawings for new equipment.
- Develops specifications for new equipment required for new product manufacturing.
- Establishes recommendations for capital equipment budget requirements.
- Establishes detailed timing to design, build, run-off, and deliver new equipment.
The salary range for this position is $66,000 - $88,700 per year. Final compensation will be determined by location, skills, experience, qualifications, and the career level at which the position is filled.
REQUIREMENTS
Your Background
BS in Engineering, Industrial Technology, or a related discipline, plus 0 to 2 years of experience in a manufacturing environment.
- Experience in automotive parts manufacturing is preferred.
AT NORTH AMERICAN LIGHTING
Team Member Benefits
- World class health insurance plans
- Award winning 401k plan
- Relocation assistance
- Paid time off (vacation, sick, holidays, etc)
- Supplier discounts (wireless, computer, vehicle, etc.)
- Company sponsored wellness program including gym reimbursement
Diversity at NAL:
The mission of NAL’s Diversity Committee is to facilitate NAL’s ongoing and continuing efforts to foster a culture and atmosphere of mutual respect, for the benefit of all Team Members from different backgrounds, perspectives, and abilities that represent our communities.
You can learn more about NAL and our opportunities at jobs.nal.com.
All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, genetic information, and veteran status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.
Requisition ID: 21928
LOCATION
Location: Salem Plant
JOB SUMMARY
Who We Are
North American Lighting Inc., member of the Koito Group of Companies, is the largest tier one automotive exterior lighting manufacturer in North America. As the market share leader in exterior automotive lighting, NAL provides advanced lighting technology, engineering design expertise, and state-of-the-art production capabilities to auto makers based in North America and around the world.
Our Opportunity
North American Lighting (NAL) is looking for an Equipment Engineer - I to join our team. The ideal candidate will design, develop, and set-up equipment required to support production, and provides technical support to engineering and manufacturing in order to establish and maintain production processes.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Your Priorities
- Studies product design feasibility and provides feedback to project core team.
- Assists in establishing process designs for new lamp manufacturing processes.
- Reviews and approves concept drawings for new equipment.
- Develops specifications for new equipment required for new product manufacturing.
- Establishes recommendations for capital equipment budget requirements.
- Establishes detailed timing to design, build, run-off, and deliver new equipment.
The salary range for this position is $66,000 - $88,700 per year. Final compensation will be determined by location, skills, experience, qualifications, and the career level at which the position is filled.
REQUIREMENTS
Your Background
BS in Engineering, Industrial Technology, or a related discipline, plus 0 to 2 years of experience in a manufacturing environment.
- Experience in automotive parts manufacturing is preferred.
AT NORTH AMERICAN LIGHTING
Team Member Benefits
- World class health insurance plans
- Award winning 401k plan
- Relocation assistance
- Paid time off (vacation, sick, holidays, etc)
- Supplier discounts (wireless, computer, vehicle, etc.)
- Company sponsored wellness program including gym reimbursement
Diversity at NAL:
The mission of NAL’s Diversity Committee is to facilitate NAL’s ongoing and continuing efforts to foster a culture and atmosphere of mutual respect, for the benefit of all Team Members from different backgrounds, perspectives, and abilities that represent our communities.
You can learn more about NAL and our opportunities at jobs.nal.com.
All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, genetic information, and veteran status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.
Requisition ID: 21928
LOCATION
Location: Salem Plant
See all 110+ STEM OPT Equipment Engineer Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new STEM OPT Equipment Engineer Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding STEM OPT Authorization as an Equipment Engineer
Verify your CIP code covers equipment engineering
Check that your degree's Classification of Instructional Programs code maps to an approved STEM field before applying. Mechanical, electrical, and materials engineering degrees qualify, but interdisciplinary programs sometimes carry non-STEM CIP codes that disqualify the extension.
Confirm E-Verify enrollment before accepting offers
Ask hiring managers directly whether their company is enrolled in E-Verify before your final interview. Many small-to-midsize equipment manufacturers are not enrolled, which legally bars them from employing STEM OPT students regardless of their willingness to hire.
Target industries with high E-Verify adoption rates
Semiconductor fabs, aerospace primes, and defense contractors are subject to federal contract requirements that mandate E-Verify enrollment. Focusing your search on these sectors cuts the risk of landing deep in a hiring process with a non-compliant employer.
Build your I-983 training plan around measurable goals
Equipment Engineer roles must tie your training plan to specific technical outcomes, such as qualifying production tools or reducing equipment downtime by a defined metric. Vague plans draw DSO scrutiny and can delay your extension approval.
Search STEM OPT jobs on Migrate Mate by E-Verify status
Filter Equipment Engineer listings on Migrate Mate to surface only employers with verified E-Verify enrollment. This eliminates the most common early-stage mismatch and lets you focus outreach on roles where your authorization is actually viable.
Time your extension filing to cover offer start dates
Submit your STEM OPT extension application to USCIS at least 90 days before your initial OPT expires. Equipment Engineer onboarding often runs four to six weeks, so late filing creates a gap that voids your authorization before your first day on the tool floor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my engineering degree qualify me for the STEM OPT extension as an Equipment Engineer?
Degrees in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, materials science, and industrial engineering all carry STEM-designated CIP codes that qualify for the 24-month extension. Check your degree's exact CIP code against the official STEM Designated Degree Program List published by DHS. If your program was interdisciplinary or had a non-engineering concentration, confirm with your DSO before applying to Equipment Engineer roles.
Does my Equipment Engineer employer need to be enrolled in E-Verify?
Yes. E-Verify enrollment is a hard legal requirement for any employer hiring a STEM OPT student. Your employer must also sign the I-983 training plan before your DSO can authorize the extension. Ask for proof of E-Verify enrollment before you receive a formal offer, not after, since pulling out late in the process creates timeline problems for both sides.
What should my I-983 training plan include for an Equipment Engineer role?
The I-983 must connect your daily responsibilities to the learning objectives of your STEM degree. For Equipment Engineer positions, this typically means documenting goals around process qualification, failure analysis, preventive maintenance protocol development, or tool performance optimization. Generic descriptions like 'support engineering operations' are insufficient. Your supervisor and DSO must both sign the plan, and it must be updated if your role or employer changes.
How does the cap-gap rule protect me if my H-1B is selected while I'm working as an Equipment Engineer?
If your H-1B visa petition is filed before your OPT EAD expires and your registration is selected in the lottery, the cap-gap provision automatically extends your OPT work authorization through September 30 of that fiscal year. You can continue working in your Equipment Engineer role during this period without interruption. USCIS issues no separate document for cap-gap; your original EAD plus the I-20 extension notation from your DSO serves as proof.
Where can I find Equipment Engineer jobs where the employer is already set up for STEM OPT?
Migrate Mate filters Equipment Engineer listings by E-Verify enrollment status, so you can identify employers who are already compliant with STEM OPT requirements before you apply. This matters in equipment-intensive industries like semiconductor manufacturing, where smaller contract manufacturers often lack E-Verify enrollment despite having strong technical roles.