STEM OPT Regional Planner Jobs
Regional Planner roles in urban development, transportation, and environmental planning qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension when your degree aligns with an approved CIP code. Your employer must be enrolled in E-Verify, and you'll need a signed I-983 training plan before your extension starts.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
Building a career at Granite may be the most valuable thing you could do. Find your dream job today, and be part of something great. Our most powerful partnership is the one we have with our employees. Our people are our most valued asset and the foundation of Granite’s century-old success. We’re building more than infrastructure; we are building your future.
GENERAL SUMMARY
Granite Construction is seeking an energetic and technically curious Regional Technology Associate to operate out of our Coastal field office and serve as a hands-on technology liaison between regional operations and the Granite Systems Division (GSD). This junior-level role is ideal for an early-career technologist who is eager to learn civil construction operations, work closely with field teams, and help turn regional ideas into deployable, pilot-ready technology solutions.
This role will develop a working understanding of Granite’s construction processes, and act as a conduit for identifying, shaping, and advancing technology-enabled improvements that drive efficiency, safety, quality, and cost performance.
ESSENTIAL JOB RESPONSIBILITIES
Regional Engagement & Discovery:
- Learn Granite’s regional operations, business processes, and civil construction workflows through direct field engagement.
- Actively mine, document, and catalog technology opportunities surfaced by project teams and regional leadership.
- Observe pain points and inefficiencies and translate them into clearly defined problem statements and solution concepts.
Technology Development & Enablement:
- Design, prototype, and develop lightweight applications, tools, or analytics to move ideas into a pilotable state.
- Support rapid experimentation, testing, and iteration of solutions in close collaboration with end users.
- Assist with release planning, versioning, testing, and deployment of early-stage solutions.
Coordination & Communication:
- Serve as a day-to-day conduit between regional teams and Granite Services Division leadership.
- Package regional ideas, pilots, and learnings into concise briefings and artifacts suitable for leadership review.
- Support transition of validated solutions from regional pilots into enterprise pathways, where appropriate.
Governance & Quality:
- Follow Granite technology standards, governance, and security guidelines.
- Document solutions, assumptions, test results, and lessons learned to support scalability and reuse.
DESIRED SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS
Technical Skills:
- Exposure to or working knowledge of full-stack development (frontend, backend, APIs, databases).
- Experience with statistical or analytical programming (e.g., Python, R, SQL).
- Understanding of software testing, quality assurance, and basic release management practices.
- Familiarity with modern development tools, cloud platforms, low-code and AI-assisted development solutions is a plus.
Professional Attributes:
- High energy, enthusiasm, and genuine curiosity about how things work in the field.
- Strong communication skills and ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical audiences, connecting users’ needs to technical solutions.
- Comfortable working in ambiguity, learning on the job, and iterating quickly.
- Self-starter mindset with a bias toward action and contribution.
EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science, or a related field preferred.
- Internship, co-op, or early professional experience in software development, analytics, or applied technology encouraged.
- Interest in construction, infrastructure, or industrial environments is a strong plus.
OUR BENEFITS AT A GLANCE:
Building tomorrow starts with you, and Granite knows that you can excel only if we support you in and out of the workplace. That is why we offer a broad benefits package that includes paid holidays, sick leave, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability insurance, flexible spending plans, as well as special programs for musculoskeletal health, mental wellness, and more.
Salaried employees may choose from two PPO medical plans through Anthem BlueCross, including our most popular plan, for which 100% of the premium is paid by Granite for eligible employees and dependents. Employees can also opt into a Health Savings Account (HSA) or a Flexible Spending Account (FSA).
As part of our investment in your future outside of the workplace, Granite provides a 100% match on the first 6% of eligible compensation that salaried employees defer into their 401(k) plans, which vests immediately.
Benefits may vary for positions located outside of the continental United States.
BASE SALARY RANGE:
$63,481.00 - $115,742.00
Pay may vary based upon relevant experience, skills, location, and education among other factors.
ABOUT GRANITE CONSTRUCTION INCORPORATED
Granite Construction Incorporated is a member of the S&P 400 Index and is the parent company of Granite Construction Company, one of the nation's largest heavy civil contractors and construction materials producers. Granite is a Drug-Free Workplace and Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. We consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in accordance with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, and other applicable laws.
For additional information on applicant/employee rights please click here.
NOTICE TO STAFFING AGENCIES
Granite Construction, Inc. and its subsidiaries ("Granite") will not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than directly from a candidate. Any unsolicited resumes sent to Granite, including unsolicited resumes sent to a Granite mailing address, fax machine or email address, directly to Granite employees, or to Granite's resume database will be considered Granite property. Granite will NOT pay a fee for any placement resulting from the receipt of an unsolicited resume. Granite will consider any candidate for whom an Agency has submitted an unsolicited resume to have been referred by the Agency free of any charges or fees. Agencies must obtain advance written approval from Granite's recruiting function to submit resumes, and then only in conjunction with a valid fully-executed contract for service and in response to a specific job opening. Granite will not pay a fee to any Agency that does not have such agreement in place. Agency agreements will only be valid if in writing and signed by Granite's Human Resources Representative or his/her designee. No other Granite employee is authorized to bind Granite to any agreement regarding the placement of candidates by Agencies.
INTRODUCTION
Building a career at Granite may be the most valuable thing you could do. Find your dream job today, and be part of something great. Our most powerful partnership is the one we have with our employees. Our people are our most valued asset and the foundation of Granite’s century-old success. We’re building more than infrastructure; we are building your future.
GENERAL SUMMARY
Granite Construction is seeking an energetic and technically curious Regional Technology Associate to operate out of our Coastal field office and serve as a hands-on technology liaison between regional operations and the Granite Systems Division (GSD). This junior-level role is ideal for an early-career technologist who is eager to learn civil construction operations, work closely with field teams, and help turn regional ideas into deployable, pilot-ready technology solutions.
This role will develop a working understanding of Granite’s construction processes, and act as a conduit for identifying, shaping, and advancing technology-enabled improvements that drive efficiency, safety, quality, and cost performance.
ESSENTIAL JOB RESPONSIBILITIES
Regional Engagement & Discovery:
- Learn Granite’s regional operations, business processes, and civil construction workflows through direct field engagement.
- Actively mine, document, and catalog technology opportunities surfaced by project teams and regional leadership.
- Observe pain points and inefficiencies and translate them into clearly defined problem statements and solution concepts.
Technology Development & Enablement:
- Design, prototype, and develop lightweight applications, tools, or analytics to move ideas into a pilotable state.
- Support rapid experimentation, testing, and iteration of solutions in close collaboration with end users.
- Assist with release planning, versioning, testing, and deployment of early-stage solutions.
Coordination & Communication:
- Serve as a day-to-day conduit between regional teams and Granite Services Division leadership.
- Package regional ideas, pilots, and learnings into concise briefings and artifacts suitable for leadership review.
- Support transition of validated solutions from regional pilots into enterprise pathways, where appropriate.
Governance & Quality:
- Follow Granite technology standards, governance, and security guidelines.
- Document solutions, assumptions, test results, and lessons learned to support scalability and reuse.
DESIRED SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS
Technical Skills:
- Exposure to or working knowledge of full-stack development (frontend, backend, APIs, databases).
- Experience with statistical or analytical programming (e.g., Python, R, SQL).
- Understanding of software testing, quality assurance, and basic release management practices.
- Familiarity with modern development tools, cloud platforms, low-code and AI-assisted development solutions is a plus.
Professional Attributes:
- High energy, enthusiasm, and genuine curiosity about how things work in the field.
- Strong communication skills and ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical audiences, connecting users’ needs to technical solutions.
- Comfortable working in ambiguity, learning on the job, and iterating quickly.
- Self-starter mindset with a bias toward action and contribution.
EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science, or a related field preferred.
- Internship, co-op, or early professional experience in software development, analytics, or applied technology encouraged.
- Interest in construction, infrastructure, or industrial environments is a strong plus.
OUR BENEFITS AT A GLANCE:
Building tomorrow starts with you, and Granite knows that you can excel only if we support you in and out of the workplace. That is why we offer a broad benefits package that includes paid holidays, sick leave, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability insurance, flexible spending plans, as well as special programs for musculoskeletal health, mental wellness, and more.
Salaried employees may choose from two PPO medical plans through Anthem BlueCross, including our most popular plan, for which 100% of the premium is paid by Granite for eligible employees and dependents. Employees can also opt into a Health Savings Account (HSA) or a Flexible Spending Account (FSA).
As part of our investment in your future outside of the workplace, Granite provides a 100% match on the first 6% of eligible compensation that salaried employees defer into their 401(k) plans, which vests immediately.
Benefits may vary for positions located outside of the continental United States.
BASE SALARY RANGE:
$63,481.00 - $115,742.00
Pay may vary based upon relevant experience, skills, location, and education among other factors.
ABOUT GRANITE CONSTRUCTION INCORPORATED
Granite Construction Incorporated is a member of the S&P 400 Index and is the parent company of Granite Construction Company, one of the nation's largest heavy civil contractors and construction materials producers. Granite is a Drug-Free Workplace and Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. We consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in accordance with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, and other applicable laws.
For additional information on applicant/employee rights please click here.
NOTICE TO STAFFING AGENCIES
Granite Construction, Inc. and its subsidiaries ("Granite") will not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than directly from a candidate. Any unsolicited resumes sent to Granite, including unsolicited resumes sent to a Granite mailing address, fax machine or email address, directly to Granite employees, or to Granite's resume database will be considered Granite property. Granite will NOT pay a fee for any placement resulting from the receipt of an unsolicited resume. Granite will consider any candidate for whom an Agency has submitted an unsolicited resume to have been referred by the Agency free of any charges or fees. Agencies must obtain advance written approval from Granite's recruiting function to submit resumes, and then only in conjunction with a valid fully-executed contract for service and in response to a specific job opening. Granite will not pay a fee to any Agency that does not have such agreement in place. Agency agreements will only be valid if in writing and signed by Granite's Human Resources Representative or his/her designee. No other Granite employee is authorized to bind Granite to any agreement regarding the placement of candidates by Agencies.
See all STEM OPT Regional Planner Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new STEM OPT Regional Planner Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding STEM OPT Authorization as a Regional Planner
Verify your CIP code before applying
Check that your STEM degree maps to an approved CIP code covering urban, regional, or environmental planning fields. Your DSO confirms the match on your I-20 before you file the STEM OPT extension with USCIS.
Confirm E-Verify enrollment before accepting offers
Ask hiring managers whether the organization is actively enrolled in E-Verify, not just registered. Government agencies and nonprofits sometimes let enrollment lapse, which disqualifies them as STEM OPT employers regardless of job fit.
Build your I-983 training plan around planning competencies
Your I-983 must connect your STEM degree to on-the-job learning goals. Frame objectives around GIS analysis, land-use modeling, or data-driven policy work so the plan demonstrates direct application of your technical training.
Target MPO and state DOT postings specifically
Metropolitan Planning Organizations and state transportation departments regularly hire STEM OPT candidates for data and modeling roles. These public agencies are E-Verify enrolled by law, which removes a common verification step from your checklist.
Search for Regional Planner roles on Migrate Mate
Migrate Mate filters Regional Planner listings by employers verified for STEM OPT hiring, so you spend time on roles where your 24-month extension is actually workable, not chasing postings from employers who can't sponsor you.
Negotiate your start date around extension processing time
USCIS recommends filing the STEM OPT extension up to 90 days before your initial OPT expires. Align your offer letter start date with that window so your authorization stays continuous and your employer isn't waiting on paperwork.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Regional Planner role qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
It depends on your degree, not the job title alone. Regional planning positions qualify when your underlying STEM degree maps to an approved CIP code, such as urban and regional planning or environmental science. Check your I-20 with your DSO to confirm the CIP code match before filing your extension with USCIS.
Does my Regional Planner employer have to be enrolled in E-Verify?
Yes. E-Verify enrollment is a hard requirement for every STEM OPT employer, with no exceptions. Before you sign an offer, ask the HR team to confirm active E-Verify enrollment and request the company's E-Verify employer ID. Government agencies at the federal, state, and local level are typically enrolled by mandate, making them reliable targets.
What goes into the I-983 training plan for a planning role?
Your I-983 must document specific learning goals that connect your STEM degree to your daily work. For Regional Planner positions, strong training objectives include GIS-based spatial analysis, quantitative transportation modeling, environmental impact assessment, or data-driven community planning. Generic descriptions like 'support planning projects' won't satisfy the requirement, so be precise about the technical skills you'll develop.
How does cap-gap protection work if I'm applying for H-1B during my STEM OPT period?
If your employer files an H-1B visa petition on your behalf before your STEM OPT expires and you're selected in the lottery, cap-gap rules automatically extend your work authorization through September 30 of that year. You can keep working in your Regional Planner role during this period without interruption, even if your EAD card has technically expired.
Where can I find Regional Planner jobs where employers already understand STEM OPT?
Migrate Mate is built for this search. It surfaces Regional Planner listings from employers with verified STEM OPT hiring history, so you're not cold-applying and then explaining your work authorization from scratch. Filtering by STEM OPT compatibility at the start saves significant time during a period when your authorization window is fixed.