STEM OPT Quality Engineer Jobs
Quality Engineer roles in manufacturing, medical devices, and aerospace qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension, giving you up to 36 months of F-1 work authorization. Your employer must be enrolled in E-Verify, and your degree in engineering, materials science, or a related STEM field makes you eligible.
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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 a Quality Engineer - II to join our team. The ideal candidate will develop, install, and operate quality systems for controlling incoming material, in-process parts, and finished products.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
Your Priorities
- Prepares advanced quality planning documents and participates in quality planning activities; including FMEA’s, Process Flow Diagrams, Control Charts, and Gage R&R and capability studies.
- Creates necessary documentation for customer initial sample submissions; including AQP, customer documents, and any other required documentation.
- Travels to customers’ facilities to participate in all phases of the customer’s launch activities; including Component Review Team meetings, assembly trials, and SOP activities.
- Performs technical and statistical investigations and analysis on production, quality, process, and equipment issues using standard NAL problem solving method.
- Coordinates the resolution of quality issues and implementation of countermeasures with other NAL departments and suppliers.
The salary range for this position is $75,000 - $100,700 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
- Engineering Degree, plus 2 – 4 years of related manufacturing experience OR
- Bachelor’s Degree, plus 3 – 5 years of experience.
Experience in the quality function within automotive supplier manufacturing working with Japanese and US automakers in launch activities 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: 21471
LOCATION
Location: Muscle Shoals 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 a Quality Engineer - II to join our team. The ideal candidate will develop, install, and operate quality systems for controlling incoming material, in-process parts, and finished products.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
Your Priorities
- Prepares advanced quality planning documents and participates in quality planning activities; including FMEA’s, Process Flow Diagrams, Control Charts, and Gage R&R and capability studies.
- Creates necessary documentation for customer initial sample submissions; including AQP, customer documents, and any other required documentation.
- Travels to customers’ facilities to participate in all phases of the customer’s launch activities; including Component Review Team meetings, assembly trials, and SOP activities.
- Performs technical and statistical investigations and analysis on production, quality, process, and equipment issues using standard NAL problem solving method.
- Coordinates the resolution of quality issues and implementation of countermeasures with other NAL departments and suppliers.
The salary range for this position is $75,000 - $100,700 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
- Engineering Degree, plus 2 – 4 years of related manufacturing experience OR
- Bachelor’s Degree, plus 3 – 5 years of experience.
Experience in the quality function within automotive supplier manufacturing working with Japanese and US automakers in launch activities 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: 21471
LOCATION
Location: Muscle Shoals Plant
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding STEM OPT Authorization as a Quality Engineer
Verify your CIP code before applying
Not every engineering degree automatically qualifies for STEM OPT. Check that your program's Classification of Instructional Programs code appears on the STEM Designated Degree Program list published by ICE before you file your extension with your DSO.
Target manufacturers with E-Verify enrollment
Quality Engineer roles are concentrated in regulated industries like medical devices, automotive, and aerospace. Before accepting an offer, confirm the hiring company is enrolled in E-Verify, since that enrollment is a hard legal requirement for your STEM OPT extension to be valid.
Use Migrate Mate to find verified openings
Searching broadly for Quality Engineer jobs wastes time on employers who won't meet the E-Verify requirement. Migrate Mate filters for employers with active work authorization history so you're only seeing roles where STEM OPT authorization is actually feasible.
Draft your I-983 training plan early
Many employers don't know what a Form I-983 training plan requires until you raise it. Bring a draft to the offer negotiation stage that maps your Quality Engineer duties to specific STEM learning objectives, so your employer isn't surprised after signing the offer letter.
Benchmark your offer against prevailing wage data
STEM OPT doesn't carry a formal prevailing wage mandate the way H-1B does, but underpayment relative to similarly situated workers can create problems. Run your job title and location through the OFLC Wage Search and the Bureau of Labor Statistics before evaluating any offer.
Understand cap-gap timing if H-1B is next
If your employer files an H-1B petition for you before your STEM OPT expires and you're selected in the lottery, cap-gap automatically extends your work authorization through September 30. Coordinate your OPT end date and the H-1B filing timeline with your DSO so there's no gap in authorization.
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Find Quality Engineer JobsFrequently Asked Questions
Does a Quality Engineer role qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
Yes, if your degree is in an eligible STEM field such as industrial engineering, mechanical engineering, materials science, or manufacturing engineering, and your degree's CIP code appears on the ICE STEM Designated Degree Program list. The Quality Engineer role itself must also provide a direct connection to your STEM field of study, which you document in the Form I-983 training plan your employer signs.
Does my Quality Engineer employer need to be enrolled in E-Verify?
Yes, E-Verify enrollment is a mandatory legal requirement for any employer hiring a STEM OPT student. If the employer is not enrolled, your DSO cannot authorize the extension regardless of how well the role fits your degree. Ask your recruiter or HR contact to confirm E-Verify enrollment before you accept an offer, and verify the employer's status directly through the E-Verify employer search tool.
What goes into the I-983 training plan for a Quality Engineer position?
The Form I-983 requires your employer to describe specific learning objectives tied to your STEM degree, identify a supervisor responsible for your training, and confirm the company will report material changes in your role or employment status. For Quality Engineer roles, training objectives typically cover statistical process control, root cause analysis methods, and regulatory compliance systems like ISO 9001 or FDA quality regulations. Both you and your employer sign the form, and your DSO reviews and approves it.
How do I find Quality Engineer jobs where STEM OPT is actually viable?
The two barriers most STEM OPT students hit are employers who aren't enrolled in E-Verify and employers unfamiliar with the I-983 training plan requirement. Migrate Mate surfaces Quality Engineer openings from employers with documented work authorization history, so you can focus your search on companies that already understand the process rather than spending weeks educating HR from scratch.
What happens to my STEM OPT if my employer files an H-1B petition for me?
If your employer files a timely H-1B petition before your STEM OPT end date and USCIS selects you in the lottery, cap-gap protection automatically extends your OPT work authorization through September 30 of that year. If your petition is not selected or not filed in time, your authorization ends with your OPT period. Work with your DSO and your employer well in advance of the filing window to coordinate timing.
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