STEM OPT Junior Software Developer Jobs
Junior Software Developer roles are among the most common STEM OPT placements for F-1 graduates in computer science, software engineering, and related fields. Your 24-month STEM OPT extension applies here, giving you up to 36 months total, provided your employer is enrolled in E-Verify and you maintain a valid I-983 training plan.
Find STEM OPT Junior Software Developer JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 55+ Junior Software Developer jobs
See all 55+ Junior Software Developer Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Junior Software Developer roles.
Get Access To All JobsGeneral Information
Location
Tampa, Florida
Working Schedule
Full-Time
Work Arrangement
Hybrid
Relocation Assistance Available
No
Posted Date
18-Jun-2026
Job ID
18579
Description and Requirements
The Team You Will Join
When you join MetLife’s Global Technology team, you’ll be part of a forward-thinking group dedicated to shaping the future of digital solutions for customers worldwide. You’ll develop, maintain and support technology applications and delivery, leveraging AI, automation, and contemporary ways of working to enhance experiences and drive business outcomes. Your work will simplify complex processes, improve tech resiliency, and ensure high-performing, seamless solutions that power life’s most important moments. In this dynamic environment, you’ll collaborate with talented peers across teams and functions, expanding your skills in impactful ways. Ready to push boundaries and set new industry standards? Join us and help drive the future of technology forward.
The Opportunity
MetLife Investments IT is looking for a curious, motivated Junior Software Engineer to join our Investments IT Global Accounting team in Tampa. This is an exciting opportunity for an early-career technologist or recent graduate who wants to build real-world software, learn modern engineering practices, and work with emerging technologies including AI, automation, cloud-native platforms, and DevSecOps.
In this role, you’ll be supported by experienced engineers and business partners as you grow your technical skills, learn the Investments IT accounting domain, and contribute to solutions that help transform how our business operates. You’ll have opportunities to experiment, solve meaningful problems, collaborate across teams, and bring fresh ideas to a team that values innovation, continuous learning, and practical impact.
You will receive hands-on mentorship, structured onboarding, and opportunities to build confidence as you grow into a full-stack engineering role. The ideal candidate is eager to learn, enjoys solving problems, communicates well, and has hands-on experience from internships, academic projects, personal projects, or early professional work.
Key Responsibilities
- Learn the Investments IT accounting domain, team tools, and development practices while contributing to guided onboarding, documentation, and knowledge-building activities.
- Support the design, development, testing, and maintenance of software solutions under the guidance of senior engineers and product partners.
- Participate in Agile team ceremonies, backlog refinement, and spec-driven development sessions by capturing notes, asking questions, and helping clarify requirements.
- Assist with user stories, acceptance criteria, test cases, documentation updates, and low-risk production support activities to help improve application quality and team delivery.
- Explore opportunities to apply AI, automation, and modern engineering tools to simplify processes, improve team efficiency, and support business transformation.
Required Qualifications
- A Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or a closely related discipline is required.
- Internship or academic project experience in software development or AI/ML.
- Demonstrated ability to quickly learn and apply new skills to deliver high quality software as evidenced by academic or project experience.
- Proficiency in at least one programming language (e.g., .net/C#, swl, Python, Java, JavaScript/TypeScript, etc.).
- Basic understanding of software design principles and coding best practices.
- Familiarity with database concepts, design, and development.
- Basic exposure to cloud-native technologies (e.g., Azure, AWS, GCP).
- Basic knowledge of secure coding practices and automated testing.
- Strong communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.
Preferred Qualifications
Exposure to one or more of the following is a plus but not required:
- Understanding of Agile practices, DevSecOps, and CI/CD pipelines.
- Familiarity with tools like GitHub Copilot, Azure DevOps, Docker, or Kubernetes.
- Exposure to AI/ML and other technology concepts such as:
- Prompt engineering and LLM APIs (e.g., Azure OpenAI)
- AI SDKs and frameworks (e.g., LangChain, Hugging Face, TensorFlow, Semantic Kernel)
- Responsive UI/UX development
- Microservice vs. Monolithic architectures
- Containerization
- Relational vs. NoSQL databases
Location Expectation: This is a hybrid role requiring a minimum of 3 days per week in office.
The expected salary for this position is $76,000. This role may also be eligible for annual short-term incentive compensation and stock-based long-term incentives. All incentives and benefits are subject to the applicable plan terms.
Benefits We Offer
Our U.S. benefits address holistic well-being with programs for physical and mental health, financial wellness, and support for families. We offer a comprehensive health plan that includes medical/prescription drug and vision, dental insurance, and no-cost short- and long-term disability. We also provide company-paid life insurance and legal services, a retirement pension funded entirely by MetLife and 401(k) with employer matching, group discounts on voluntary insurance products including auto and home, pet, critical illness, hospital indemnity, and accident insurance, as well as Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and digital mental health programs, parental leave, paid time off, paid holidays, volunteer time off, tuition assistance and much more!
About MetLife
Recognized on Fortune magazine's list of the "World's Most Admired Companies", Fortune World’s 25 Best Workplaces™, as well as the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For®, MetLife, through its subsidiaries and affiliates, is one of the world’s leading financial services companies; providing insurance, annuities, employee benefits and asset management to individual and institutional customers. With operations in more than 40 markets, we hold leading positions in the United States, Latin America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
Our purpose is simple - to help our colleagues, customers, communities, and the world at large create a more confident future. United by purpose and guided by our core values - Win Together, Do the Right Thing, Deliver Impact Over Activity, and Think Ahead - we’re inspired to transform the next century in financial services. At MetLife, it’s #AllTogetherPossible. Join us!
MetLife is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All employment decisions are made without regards to race, color, national origin, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, marital or domestic/civil partnership status, genetic information, citizenship status (although applicants and employees must be legally authorized to work in the United States), uniformed service member or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law (“protected characteristics”). If you need an accommodation due to a disability, please email us at accommodations@metlife.com. This information will be held in confidence and used only to determine an appropriate accommodation for the application process.
MetLife maintains a drug-free workplace.
General Information
Location
Tampa, Florida
Working Schedule
Full-Time
Work Arrangement
Hybrid
Relocation Assistance Available
No
Posted Date
18-Jun-2026
Job ID
18579
Description and Requirements
The Team You Will Join
When you join MetLife’s Global Technology team, you’ll be part of a forward-thinking group dedicated to shaping the future of digital solutions for customers worldwide. You’ll develop, maintain and support technology applications and delivery, leveraging AI, automation, and contemporary ways of working to enhance experiences and drive business outcomes. Your work will simplify complex processes, improve tech resiliency, and ensure high-performing, seamless solutions that power life’s most important moments. In this dynamic environment, you’ll collaborate with talented peers across teams and functions, expanding your skills in impactful ways. Ready to push boundaries and set new industry standards? Join us and help drive the future of technology forward.
The Opportunity
MetLife Investments IT is looking for a curious, motivated Junior Software Engineer to join our Investments IT Global Accounting team in Tampa. This is an exciting opportunity for an early-career technologist or recent graduate who wants to build real-world software, learn modern engineering practices, and work with emerging technologies including AI, automation, cloud-native platforms, and DevSecOps.
In this role, you’ll be supported by experienced engineers and business partners as you grow your technical skills, learn the Investments IT accounting domain, and contribute to solutions that help transform how our business operates. You’ll have opportunities to experiment, solve meaningful problems, collaborate across teams, and bring fresh ideas to a team that values innovation, continuous learning, and practical impact.
You will receive hands-on mentorship, structured onboarding, and opportunities to build confidence as you grow into a full-stack engineering role. The ideal candidate is eager to learn, enjoys solving problems, communicates well, and has hands-on experience from internships, academic projects, personal projects, or early professional work.
Key Responsibilities
- Learn the Investments IT accounting domain, team tools, and development practices while contributing to guided onboarding, documentation, and knowledge-building activities.
- Support the design, development, testing, and maintenance of software solutions under the guidance of senior engineers and product partners.
- Participate in Agile team ceremonies, backlog refinement, and spec-driven development sessions by capturing notes, asking questions, and helping clarify requirements.
- Assist with user stories, acceptance criteria, test cases, documentation updates, and low-risk production support activities to help improve application quality and team delivery.
- Explore opportunities to apply AI, automation, and modern engineering tools to simplify processes, improve team efficiency, and support business transformation.
Required Qualifications
- A Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or a closely related discipline is required.
- Internship or academic project experience in software development or AI/ML.
- Demonstrated ability to quickly learn and apply new skills to deliver high quality software as evidenced by academic or project experience.
- Proficiency in at least one programming language (e.g., .net/C#, swl, Python, Java, JavaScript/TypeScript, etc.).
- Basic understanding of software design principles and coding best practices.
- Familiarity with database concepts, design, and development.
- Basic exposure to cloud-native technologies (e.g., Azure, AWS, GCP).
- Basic knowledge of secure coding practices and automated testing.
- Strong communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.
Preferred Qualifications
Exposure to one or more of the following is a plus but not required:
- Understanding of Agile practices, DevSecOps, and CI/CD pipelines.
- Familiarity with tools like GitHub Copilot, Azure DevOps, Docker, or Kubernetes.
- Exposure to AI/ML and other technology concepts such as:
- Prompt engineering and LLM APIs (e.g., Azure OpenAI)
- AI SDKs and frameworks (e.g., LangChain, Hugging Face, TensorFlow, Semantic Kernel)
- Responsive UI/UX development
- Microservice vs. Monolithic architectures
- Containerization
- Relational vs. NoSQL databases
Location Expectation: This is a hybrid role requiring a minimum of 3 days per week in office.
The expected salary for this position is $76,000. This role may also be eligible for annual short-term incentive compensation and stock-based long-term incentives. All incentives and benefits are subject to the applicable plan terms.
Benefits We Offer
Our U.S. benefits address holistic well-being with programs for physical and mental health, financial wellness, and support for families. We offer a comprehensive health plan that includes medical/prescription drug and vision, dental insurance, and no-cost short- and long-term disability. We also provide company-paid life insurance and legal services, a retirement pension funded entirely by MetLife and 401(k) with employer matching, group discounts on voluntary insurance products including auto and home, pet, critical illness, hospital indemnity, and accident insurance, as well as Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and digital mental health programs, parental leave, paid time off, paid holidays, volunteer time off, tuition assistance and much more!
About MetLife
Recognized on Fortune magazine's list of the "World's Most Admired Companies", Fortune World’s 25 Best Workplaces™, as well as the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For®, MetLife, through its subsidiaries and affiliates, is one of the world’s leading financial services companies; providing insurance, annuities, employee benefits and asset management to individual and institutional customers. With operations in more than 40 markets, we hold leading positions in the United States, Latin America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
Our purpose is simple - to help our colleagues, customers, communities, and the world at large create a more confident future. United by purpose and guided by our core values - Win Together, Do the Right Thing, Deliver Impact Over Activity, and Think Ahead - we’re inspired to transform the next century in financial services. At MetLife, it’s #AllTogetherPossible. Join us!
MetLife is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All employment decisions are made without regards to race, color, national origin, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, marital or domestic/civil partnership status, genetic information, citizenship status (although applicants and employees must be legally authorized to work in the United States), uniformed service member or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law (“protected characteristics”). If you need an accommodation due to a disability, please email us at accommodations@metlife.com. This information will be held in confidence and used only to determine an appropriate accommodation for the application process.
MetLife maintains a drug-free workplace.
See all 55+ STEM OPT Junior Software Developer Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new STEM OPT Junior Software Developer Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding STEM OPT Authorization as a Junior Software Developer
Verify your CIP code qualifies first
Check that your degree's Classification of Instructional Programs code appears on DHS's STEM Designated Degree Program List. Computer Science (11.0701) and Software Engineering (14.0903) both qualify, but some interdisciplinary programs don't. Confirm with your DSO before applying.
Confirm E-Verify enrollment before accepting offers
Any employer hiring you on STEM OPT must be actively enrolled in E-Verify, not just registered. Search the E-Verify employer search tool by company name to verify current enrollment status before you sign anything.
Use Migrate Mate to target STEM OPT-ready employers
Filter your Junior Software Developer search on Migrate Mate to surface companies with verified E-Verify enrollment and a history of hiring STEM OPT students, cutting out roles where you'd have to educate the recruiter from scratch.
Draft your I-983 training plan before the offer stage
Prepare a working I-983 draft that maps your Junior Software Developer duties to specific learning objectives tied to your STEM degree. Employers unfamiliar with STEM OPT often stall at this step, so arriving with a draft accelerates the process significantly.
Benchmark your offer against the prevailing wage
Look up the Level 1 Software Developer wage for your metro area using the OFLC Wage Search before evaluating any offer. STEM OPT doesn't require prevailing wage compliance the way H-1B visa does, but underpayment relative to peers can raise red flags if you later pursue H-1B sponsorship.
Time your application window around cap-gap protection
If your OPT expires before October 1 and your employer files an H-1B petition on your behalf, cap-gap automatically extends your work authorization. Apply for Junior Software Developer roles no later than late February so there's enough runway for H-1B registration in March.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Junior Software Developer role qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
Yes, provided your degree is in a STEM-designated field such as computer science, software engineering, or a related discipline with an eligible CIP code. The role itself must also be directly related to your degree. Your DSO will confirm eligibility when you request the STEM OPT recommendation on your I-20, so verify the connection between your job duties and your degree field before submitting that request.
What E-Verify obligation does my employer have for STEM OPT?
Your employer must be enrolled in E-Verify at the time you begin work on the STEM OPT extension, not just at the time of hiring. If your employer is not enrolled, they cannot legally employ you under STEM OPT. You can check current enrollment status through the E-Verify employer search before accepting an offer. Enrollment is the employer's responsibility, but confirming it protects your status.
What goes into the I-983 training plan for a Junior Software Developer?
The I-983 must identify specific learning objectives tied to your STEM degree and map them to actual job duties you'll perform as a Junior Software Developer. Generic descriptions like 'write code' aren't sufficient. The plan should reference concrete skills such as software design patterns, version control workflows, or systems architecture that connect directly to your coursework. Both you and your employer supervisor sign it, and your DSO must approve it before your STEM OPT start date.
How does cap-gap work if my employer wants to sponsor my H-1B?
If your OPT EAD expires between April 1 and September 30 and USCIS receives a timely H-1B petition on your behalf before your OPT end date, cap-gap automatically extends your work authorization through September 30. For Junior Software Developer roles, this means your employer needs to commit to H-1B sponsorship and file during the March registration window. Missing that window means a gap in authorization with no cap-gap bridge available until the following fiscal year.
Where can I find Junior Software Developer jobs where employers already understand STEM OPT?
Migrate Mate lists Junior Software Developer roles filtered for employers with verified E-Verify enrollment and prior STEM OPT hiring experience. Targeting these employers directly reduces the back-and-forth of explaining STEM OPT mechanics to HR teams unfamiliar with the I-983 process or the 24-month extension timeline. You can browse currently open roles and filter by location or company size to match your preferences.