STEM OPT R D Engineer Jobs
R&D Engineer roles qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension when your degree aligns with the position's CIP code and your employer is enrolled in E-Verify. With up to 36 months of total OPT authorization, you have a realistic runway to contribute to research cycles and transition to long-term sponsorship.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
Life Unlimited. At Smith+Nephew we design and manufacture technology that takes the limits off living.
Join a collaborative packaging engineering team where your work directly supports the launch of innovative sports medicine technologies. Based in Mansfield, this role offers the opportunity to design and deliver packaging solutions that protect life changing medical devices and support patients and clinicians around the world.
What will you be doing?
- Designing and developing sterile and non sterile packaging systems for new and existing medical devices
- Supporting new product introductions through packaging design, testing and verification activities
- Defining packaging design inputs and requirements through voice of customer engagement
- Developing protocols and reports for packaging feasibility studies and design verification
- Coordinating packaging activities across cross functional teams including R&D, Quality, Regulatory and Operations
- Working closely with external packaging suppliers to deliver effective and compliant solutions
- Supporting sustaining activities including engineering changes, CAPAs and manufacturing implementation
What will you need to be successful?
- Bachelor’s degree in Packaging Engineering, Packaging Science or a related technical discipline
- Minimum of 2 years of experience in packaging engineering within medical devices, healthcare or a regulated industry
- Knowledge of FDA, GMP and ISO requirements with exposure to ASTM and ISTA test methods
- Proficiency using CAD tools for packaging design, with SolidWorks experience strongly preferred
The anticipated base compensation range for this position is $78,000.00 - $117,000.00 USD annually and the compensation offered will depend on the candidate’s qualifications, job-related knowledge/skills, geographical location. You will be entitled to receive bonus and benefits, which include medical, dental, and vision coverage, 401k, tuition reimbursement, medical leave programs, and a variety of wellness offerings.
Smith & Nephew follows the Pay Transparency and non-discrimination provisions described by local and state policies.
You Unlimited.
We believe in creating the greatest good for society. Our strongest investments are in our people and the patients we serve.
- Inclusion and Belonging- Committed to Welcoming, Celebrating and Thriving on Inclusion and Belonging, Learn more about Employee Inclusion Groups on our website.
- Your Future: 401k Matching Program, 401k Plus Program, Discounted Stock Options, Tuition Reimbursement
- Work/Life Balance: Flexible Personal/Vacation Time Off, Paid Holidays, Flex Holidays, Paid Community Service Day
- Your Wellbeing: Medical, Dental, Vision, Health Savings Account (Employer Contribution of $500+ annually), Employee Assistance Program, Parental Leave, Fertility and Adoption Assistance Program
- Training: Hands-On, Team-Customized, Mentorship
- Extra Perks: Discounts on fitness clubs, travel and more!
LI-ONSITE
LI-SB2
Smith+Nephew provides equal employment opportunities to applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability.
INTRODUCTION
Life Unlimited. At Smith+Nephew we design and manufacture technology that takes the limits off living.
Join a collaborative packaging engineering team where your work directly supports the launch of innovative sports medicine technologies. Based in Mansfield, this role offers the opportunity to design and deliver packaging solutions that protect life changing medical devices and support patients and clinicians around the world.
What will you be doing?
- Designing and developing sterile and non sterile packaging systems for new and existing medical devices
- Supporting new product introductions through packaging design, testing and verification activities
- Defining packaging design inputs and requirements through voice of customer engagement
- Developing protocols and reports for packaging feasibility studies and design verification
- Coordinating packaging activities across cross functional teams including R&D, Quality, Regulatory and Operations
- Working closely with external packaging suppliers to deliver effective and compliant solutions
- Supporting sustaining activities including engineering changes, CAPAs and manufacturing implementation
What will you need to be successful?
- Bachelor’s degree in Packaging Engineering, Packaging Science or a related technical discipline
- Minimum of 2 years of experience in packaging engineering within medical devices, healthcare or a regulated industry
- Knowledge of FDA, GMP and ISO requirements with exposure to ASTM and ISTA test methods
- Proficiency using CAD tools for packaging design, with SolidWorks experience strongly preferred
The anticipated base compensation range for this position is $78,000.00 - $117,000.00 USD annually and the compensation offered will depend on the candidate’s qualifications, job-related knowledge/skills, geographical location. You will be entitled to receive bonus and benefits, which include medical, dental, and vision coverage, 401k, tuition reimbursement, medical leave programs, and a variety of wellness offerings.
Smith & Nephew follows the Pay Transparency and non-discrimination provisions described by local and state policies.
You Unlimited.
We believe in creating the greatest good for society. Our strongest investments are in our people and the patients we serve.
- Inclusion and Belonging- Committed to Welcoming, Celebrating and Thriving on Inclusion and Belonging, Learn more about Employee Inclusion Groups on our website.
- Your Future: 401k Matching Program, 401k Plus Program, Discounted Stock Options, Tuition Reimbursement
- Work/Life Balance: Flexible Personal/Vacation Time Off, Paid Holidays, Flex Holidays, Paid Community Service Day
- Your Wellbeing: Medical, Dental, Vision, Health Savings Account (Employer Contribution of $500+ annually), Employee Assistance Program, Parental Leave, Fertility and Adoption Assistance Program
- Training: Hands-On, Team-Customized, Mentorship
- Extra Perks: Discounts on fitness clubs, travel and more!
LI-ONSITE
LI-SB2
Smith+Nephew provides equal employment opportunities to applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability.
See all 105+ R D Engineer jobs
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding STEM OPT Authorization as a R D Engineer
Verify your CIP code matches the role
Pull your degree's CIP code from your I-20 and confirm it maps to the R&D Engineer occupation on O*NET before applying. A mismatch between your field of study and the job's STEM classification will get your extension denied.
Check E-Verify enrollment before accepting offers
Search the E-Verify employer database to confirm enrollment before any offer advances. R&D teams at subsidiaries and joint ventures sometimes operate under a separate EIN from the parent company, so verify the specific hiring entity.
Document your training plan with project milestones
Your I-983 must link training objectives to your STEM degree, not just list job duties. For R&D roles, map each research milestone to a learning outcome so your DSO and employer can sign off without revision requests.
Target labs with active H-1B filing history
Use the OFLC Wage Search to identify employers who have filed Labor Condition Applications for R&D Engineer roles in your target metro. Consistent LCA filings signal that a company has the HR infrastructure to sponsor beyond OPT.
Use Migrate Mate to find verified R&D sponsors
Search R&D Engineer roles on Migrate Mate to surface employers with confirmed E-Verify enrollment and LCA filing history. Filtering by those signals cuts the time you'd otherwise spend vetting each company's sponsorship capacity individually.
R D Engineer jobs are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find R D Engineer JobsFrequently Asked Questions
Does my STEM degree qualify me for the 24-month STEM OPT extension in an R&D Engineer role?
Your degree qualifies if its CIP code falls on the STEM Designated Degree Program List published by the Department of Homeland Security and if the R&D Engineer role is directly related to that field of study. Engineering degrees in mechanical, electrical, chemical, computer, and materials disciplines typically satisfy both conditions. Your DSO confirms the CIP code match when recommending the extension on your I-20.
What E-Verify requirement applies to employers hiring me for an R&D Engineer position?
Any employer who wants to employ you during the 24-month STEM OPT extension must be enrolled in E-Verify for every hiring site where you will work. This is a federal requirement under the STEM OPT regulations, not an optional step. If the R&D lab operates under a different EIN than the parent company, that specific entity must hold its own E-Verify enrollment. Confirm enrollment before signing an offer.
What goes into the I-983 training plan for an R&D Engineer on STEM OPT?
The I-983 must describe specific learning objectives tied to your STEM degree, the supervisory structure at the R&D site, how the employer will evaluate your progress, and how the training relates to your long-term career goals. For R&D Engineer roles, this means naming research projects, lab methodologies, or product development stages you will contribute to, not just restating your job description. Your employer and DSO must both sign the form before your extension begins.
Can I keep working as an R&D Engineer if my H-1B is selected in the lottery but not yet approved?
Yes, the cap-gap provision automatically extends your OPT work authorization if your employer files an H-1B petition on your behalf before your OPT expires and that petition is timely filed for the October 1 start date. Your STEM OPT authorization continues through September 30 of the fiscal year the H-1B takes effect, provided the petition remains pending or approved. USCIS issues updated I-20 documentation reflecting the cap-gap period.
Where can I find R&D Engineer jobs where the employer is already set up to hire STEM OPT students?
Migrate Mate filters R&D Engineer listings by employers with verified E-Verify enrollment and LCA filing history, so you can see which companies have already sponsored STEM workers in similar roles. That data comes from DOL disclosure records, which means you're not relying on employer self-reporting. Start your search there to avoid spending application cycles on employers who haven't built out the compliance infrastructure STEM OPT requires.
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