STEM OPT ML Research Engineer Jobs
ML Research Engineer roles in deep learning, NLP, and computer vision qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension if your degree is in computer science, electrical engineering, statistics, or a related STEM field. Your employer must be enrolled in E-Verify, and you'll need a signed I-983 training plan before your extension begins.
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Get Access To All JobsSUMMARY
Imagine what you could do here. At Apple, new ideas have a way of becoming extraordinary products, services, and customer experiences very quickly. Bring passion and dedication to your job and there's no telling what you could accomplish. Dynamic, smart people and inspiring, innovative technologies are the norm here. The people who work here have reinvented entire industries with all Apple Hardware products. The same passion for innovation that goes into our products also applies to our practices, strengthening our commitment to leave the world better than we found it. Join us to help deliver the next groundbreaking Apple product. Do you love working on challenges that no one has solved yet? As a member of our dynamic group, you will have the unique and rewarding opportunity to craft upcoming products that will delight and inspire millions of Apple's customers every single day.
DESCRIPTION
Apple's ML Data Operations group is seeking a Data Operations Engineer to support internal data collection efforts powering our next generation of consumer machine learning features. In this role, you will work shoulder-to-shoulder with full-time Apple scientists and engineers, not just coordinating logistics, but developing a genuine technical understanding of the ML experiments you support. You will be responsible for the hands-on bring-up, execution, and quality oversight of internal data collection studies, operating in a highly collaborative and technically demanding cross-functional environment.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s degree in HCI, Cognitive Science, Psychology, Engineering, Operations, or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
- Experience supporting or executing human user studies, behavioral research, or data collection operations in an academic or industry setting.
- Track record of partnering with ML engineers or researchers to define data requirements, quality standards, or collection specifications.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- 3+ years of experience in user research operations, data collection coordination, or a related technical operations role.
- Hands-on familiarity with ML data pipelines, annotation tools, or dataset management practices.
- Experience working directly with engineering and science teams, with comfort reading technical documentation, data schemas, or experiment specifications.
- Familiarity with handling sensitive human data and adhering to strict privacy and consent protocols.
- Highly organized self-starter who can manage multiple concurrent internal studies with minimal oversight.
- Strong interpersonal and written communication skills, with the ability to collaborate fluidly across both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
- Strong attention to detail with the ability to identify data anomalies and inconsistencies during live collection.
COMPENSATION
- Base pay range for this role is between $142,300 and $214,300, and your base pay will depend on your skills, qualifications, experience, and location.
Apple employees also have the opportunity to become an Apple shareholder through participation in Apple’s discretionary employee stock programs. Apple employees are eligible for discretionary restricted stock unit awards, and can purchase Apple stock at a discount if voluntarily participating in Apple’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan. You’ll also receive benefits including: Comprehensive medical and dental coverage, retirement benefits, a range of discounted products and free services, and for formal education related to advancing your career at Apple, reimbursement for certain educational expenses — including tuition. Additionally, this role might be eligible for discretionary bonuses or commission payments as well as relocation.
Note: Apple benefit, compensation and employee stock programs are subject to eligibility requirements and other terms of the applicable plan or program.
Apple is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to inclusion and diversity. We seek to promote equal opportunity for all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, Veteran status, or other legally protected characteristics.
Apple believes accessibility is a fundamental human right. You’ll find that idea reflected in everything here — in our culture, our benefits and our digital tools. By welcoming as many perspectives as possible, we help you build a career where you feel like you belong.
Apple accepts applications to this posting on an ongoing basis.
SUMMARY
Imagine what you could do here. At Apple, new ideas have a way of becoming extraordinary products, services, and customer experiences very quickly. Bring passion and dedication to your job and there's no telling what you could accomplish. Dynamic, smart people and inspiring, innovative technologies are the norm here. The people who work here have reinvented entire industries with all Apple Hardware products. The same passion for innovation that goes into our products also applies to our practices, strengthening our commitment to leave the world better than we found it. Join us to help deliver the next groundbreaking Apple product. Do you love working on challenges that no one has solved yet? As a member of our dynamic group, you will have the unique and rewarding opportunity to craft upcoming products that will delight and inspire millions of Apple's customers every single day.
DESCRIPTION
Apple's ML Data Operations group is seeking a Data Operations Engineer to support internal data collection efforts powering our next generation of consumer machine learning features. In this role, you will work shoulder-to-shoulder with full-time Apple scientists and engineers, not just coordinating logistics, but developing a genuine technical understanding of the ML experiments you support. You will be responsible for the hands-on bring-up, execution, and quality oversight of internal data collection studies, operating in a highly collaborative and technically demanding cross-functional environment.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s degree in HCI, Cognitive Science, Psychology, Engineering, Operations, or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
- Experience supporting or executing human user studies, behavioral research, or data collection operations in an academic or industry setting.
- Track record of partnering with ML engineers or researchers to define data requirements, quality standards, or collection specifications.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- 3+ years of experience in user research operations, data collection coordination, or a related technical operations role.
- Hands-on familiarity with ML data pipelines, annotation tools, or dataset management practices.
- Experience working directly with engineering and science teams, with comfort reading technical documentation, data schemas, or experiment specifications.
- Familiarity with handling sensitive human data and adhering to strict privacy and consent protocols.
- Highly organized self-starter who can manage multiple concurrent internal studies with minimal oversight.
- Strong interpersonal and written communication skills, with the ability to collaborate fluidly across both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
- Strong attention to detail with the ability to identify data anomalies and inconsistencies during live collection.
COMPENSATION
- Base pay range for this role is between $142,300 and $214,300, and your base pay will depend on your skills, qualifications, experience, and location.
Apple employees also have the opportunity to become an Apple shareholder through participation in Apple’s discretionary employee stock programs. Apple employees are eligible for discretionary restricted stock unit awards, and can purchase Apple stock at a discount if voluntarily participating in Apple’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan. You’ll also receive benefits including: Comprehensive medical and dental coverage, retirement benefits, a range of discounted products and free services, and for formal education related to advancing your career at Apple, reimbursement for certain educational expenses — including tuition. Additionally, this role might be eligible for discretionary bonuses or commission payments as well as relocation.
Note: Apple benefit, compensation and employee stock programs are subject to eligibility requirements and other terms of the applicable plan or program.
Apple is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to inclusion and diversity. We seek to promote equal opportunity for all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, Veteran status, or other legally protected characteristics.
Apple believes accessibility is a fundamental human right. You’ll find that idea reflected in everything here — in our culture, our benefits and our digital tools. By welcoming as many perspectives as possible, we help you build a career where you feel like you belong.
Apple accepts applications to this posting on an ongoing basis.
See all 422+ STEM OPT ML Research Engineer Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new STEM OPT ML Research Engineer Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding STEM OPT Authorization as a ML Research Engineer
Verify your degree CIP code first
Check that your institution's program CIP code maps to an approved STEM field before you apply for the extension. Your DSO can confirm the code. Mismatches between your degree field and the STEM OPT list are a common reason extensions get rejected.
Confirm E-Verify enrollment before accepting
Search the E-Verify employer database directly on the E-Verify website before you sign an offer. Many research labs, university spin-outs, and early-stage AI startups are not enrolled, which disqualifies them from hiring you on STEM OPT.
Target your I-983 to ML research deliverables
Your I-983 training plan must describe concrete learning objectives tied to your role. For ML Research Engineer positions, this means listing specific model architectures, research methodologies, or publication goals rather than vague phrases like 'improve machine learning skills.'
Check prevailing wage before negotiating your offer
Run your job title and work location through the OFLC Wage Search to see the DOL wage level for ML Research Engineer roles. This figure sets the floor for what E-Verify employers must pay you, so knowing it strengthens your negotiating position.
Use Migrate Mate to find verified STEM OPT employers
Filter for ML Research Engineer openings on Migrate Mate, which surfaces employers with confirmed E-Verify enrollment. This cuts out the manual verification step and helps you focus your applications on companies that can legally hire you on STEM OPT.
File your extension application before your OPT EAD expires
USCIS must receive your I-765 extension application before your current EAD end date. For ML roles with competitive offer timelines, submit your paperwork as soon as your employer signs the I-983, not after you've accepted the offer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does an ML Research Engineer role qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
ML Research Engineer is classified under computer and information research scientists (SOC code 15-1221) in O*NET, which falls within an approved STEM category. Your degree must be in a qualifying field such as computer science, electrical engineering, applied mathematics, or statistics. Confirm your program's CIP code with your DSO before filing.
What does my employer need to do to hire me on STEM OPT?
Your employer must be enrolled in E-Verify and must sign Form I-983, the training plan that documents your learning objectives and supervision structure. The I-983 must be completed before your extension application is submitted to USCIS. Employers who are not enrolled in E-Verify cannot hire you on STEM OPT, regardless of role or company size.
What goes into the I-983 training plan for an ML Research Engineer?
The I-983 must describe specific goals tied to your ML Research Engineer responsibilities: the techniques you'll learn, the research problems you'll work on, and how your supervisor will evaluate your progress. Generic descriptions get flagged. Tie each objective to a concrete deliverable, such as a published paper, a deployed model, or a research milestone.
How does cap-gap protection apply if I'm on STEM OPT and get selected in the H-1B lottery?
If you're on STEM OPT and your employer files an H-1B visa petition for you before your EAD expires, cap-gap automatically extends your work authorization through September 30 of that year. If your H-1B is approved with an October 1 start date, you're covered continuously. Your employer must file before your EAD end date for cap-gap to apply.
Where can I find ML Research Engineer jobs with employers already enrolled in E-Verify?
Migrate Mate lists ML Research Engineer roles and filters for employers with confirmed E-Verify enrollment, so you don't have to manually check each company before applying. This matters because research labs, university affiliates, and AI startups vary widely in their E-Verify status, and applying to an unenrolled employer wastes your STEM OPT window.