STEM OPT Reliability Engineer Jobs
Reliability Engineer roles in manufacturing, energy, and defense align directly with STEM degrees in mechanical, electrical, and industrial engineering. Your 24-month STEM OPT extension gives you up to 36 months of work authorization, but your employer must be enrolled in E-Verify before you can activate it.
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INTRODUCTION
Xcel Energy (NASDAQ: XEL) is a leading energy provider and Fortune 500 company, dedicated to serving millions of electricity and natural gas customers across eight states: Minnesota, Colorado, Wisconsin, Michigan, North Dakota, South Dakota, New Mexico and Texas. We make energy work better for our customers, helping them thrive every day. That means always raising the bar - delivering better service and providing more reliable, resilient, and sustainable energy.
Xcel Energy is a place where you’ll have opportunities to grow, expand your skills, and help lead the clean energy transition. We offer meaningful rewards, recognition, and support to help you build your career and make an impact - both on the job and beyond. Most importantly, it means you’ll be joining a company that knows employees are the driving force behind its success and is committed to helping you be your best.
Xcel Energy supports a hybrid work model to enable collaboration and flexibility. Many roles are expected to work onsite three days per week (Tuesday–Thursday); however, work location expectations vary based on role, team, and business needs. The below job summary and responsibilities reflect the senior engineer level role. The successfully chosen candidate will be placed at a level that is commensurate with their skills and experience as different skills and/or experience will be required at the entry, staff, and principal engineer levels.
Position Summary
Applies extensive technical expertise in renewable substation engineering and electrical balance-of-plant equipment. Performs as a staff advisor and consultant in renewable plant substations, collection systems, protective relaying, and other high and medium voltage equipment reliability. Carries out complex or innovative assignments requiring the development of new or improved techniques and procedures related to asset health, equipment performance, maintenance strategies, troubleshooting, and reliability improvement initiatives. Work is expected to result in the development of new/improved techniques and procedures or new/refined equipment, materials, processes, products, and/or scientific methods.
Represents the organization as the prime technical contact on substation reliability projects, equipment failures, root cause investigations, and major capital project initiatives. Interacts with senior external personnel on significant technical matters often requiring coordination between organizations. Work is performed without appreciable direction and considerable latitude is exercised in determining technical objectives of assignment. Guidance relates largely to overall objectives, critical issues, new concepts and policy matters. Completed work is reviewed from a relatively long-term perspective, for desired results. May assign tasks to and direct engineers, technicians, craft personnel and administrative staff, including coordination and review of work assignments. Responsible for (and may lead) multiple projects of moderate to large size or portions of major projects.
Essential Responsibilities
- Uses and applies technical standards, principles, theories, concepts, and techniques to perform activities/assignments of limited scope.
- Supports the development of technical documentation (including but not limited to designs, testing, calculations, reports, standards, etc.) Utilizes and may assist with the development of procedures.
- Provides ongoing technical support for project activities within areas such as Operations, Maintenance, Testing/diagnostics, Regulatory, etc. May provide field engineering oversight for activities such as commissioning, testing, inspections etc. under direct supervision.
- Coordinates/leads projects or portions of projects (including phases such as research, design, equipment selection, procurement support, installation and commissioning), under the direction of a higher level engineer or supervisor.
- Under the direction of a higher level engineer/supervisor, supports bid/evaluation processes by performing basic analysis and calculations on existing documentation and materials that support the preparation of bid documents. In completing segments of technical evaluations for proposals may need to effectively communicate with other business areas of the company following appropriate processes.
- Effectively exchanges information in all formats, on matters having a wide range of importance and complexity both inter-organizationally and with outside customer/vendors.
- May coordinate the work of interns, drafters, technicians, and/or others and provides guidance and mentoring to less experienced engineers. Responsible for continuous self development of technical skills and competencies.
- May perform activities such as budgeting, estimating, forecasting, accounting, work order management, in support of engineering projects.
ENTRY ENGINEER LEVEL (Salary Range: $70,000-$88,667)
Minimum Requirements
- Required bachelor's degree in engineering from ABET accredited curriculum. Preferred Electrical Engineering degree.
- 0+ years relevant engineering experience Ability to demonstrate the unique technical skills and core competencies for this engineering level established & documented by the organization.
- Preferred EIT/FE (Engineer in Training/Fundamentals of Engineering) preferred.
STAFF ENGINEER LEVEL (Salary Range: $81,000-106,267)
Minimum Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering from ABET accredited. Preferred Electrical Engineering degree.
- 2+ years relevant engineering experience. Demonstrated broad knowledge & proficiency in specialty area, knowledge of related specialties, & general knowledge of other related disciplines.
- Ability to demonstrate the unique technical skills & core competencies for this engineering level established & documented by the organization.
- EIT/FE (Engineer in Training/Fundamentals of Engineering) strongly preferred.
SENIOR ENGINEER LEVEL (Salary Range: $97,000-$129,267)
Minimum Requirements
- Required bachelor’s degree in engineering from ABET accredited curriculum. Preferred Electrical Engineering degree.
- 5+ years relevant engineering experience with EIT/FE (Engineer in Training/Fundamentals of Engineering) required; 7+ years relevant engineering experience without EIT/FE.
- Ability to demonstrate the unique technical skills and core competencies for this engineering level established & documented by the organization.
- Preferred PE (Professional Engineer) registration may be required depending on business need.
PRINCIPAL ENGINEER (Salary Range: $112,000-$156,600)
Minimum Requirements
- Required bachelor’s degree in engineering from ABET accredited curriculum, Preferred Electrical Engineering degree.
- 9+ years relevant engineering experience with PE (Professional Engineer) registration required; 15+ years relevant engineering experience without PE.
- Ability to demonstrate the unique technical skills and core competencies for this engineering level established & documented by the organization.
Our culture is grounded in shared values and employee commitments that guide how we work, support one another, and grow together.
Our Values
Connected, Committed, Trustworthy, Safe
Our Employee Commitments
- Work that makes a difference
- A team you can count of
- Opportunities to grow
- Rewards that help you thrive
Xcel Energy provides job applicants reasonable accommodations for disabilities throughout the application process. If you are in need of an accommodation to complete the application process, now or at any time in the future, please complete the Applicant Accommodation Request Form.
Non-Bargaining
The anticipated starting base pay for this position is: $70,000.00 to $156,600.00 per year
This position is eligible for the following benefits: Annual Incentive Program, Medical/Pharmacy Plan, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account, Health Care Flexible Spending Account, Health Savings Account (HSA) (if enrolled in eligible health plan), Limited-Purpose FSA (if enrolled in eligible health plan and HSA), Transportation Reimbursement Account, Short-term disability (STD), Long-term disability (LTD), Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Fitness Center Reimbursement (if enrolled in eligible health plan), Tuition reimbursement, Transit programs, Employee recognition program, Pension, 401(k) plan, Paid time off (PTO), Holidays, Volunteer Paid Time Off (VPTO), Parental Leave
Benefit plans are subject to change and Xcel Energy has the right to end, suspend, or amend any of its plans, at any time, in whole or in part.
In any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information including but not limited to dates of school attendance and graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.
Deadline to Apply: 11/17/26
EEO is the Law (PDF) | Equal Opportunity Statement (PDF) | Employee Rights (PDF)
All Xcel Energy employees and contractors share responsibility for protecting the company's information and systems by adhering to cybersecurity policies, standards, and best practices, recognizing that cybersecurity is everyone's responsibility.
Accessibility Statement
Xcel Energy endeavors to make https://www.xcelenergy.com and https://jobs.xcelenergy.com accessible to any and all users. If you are in need of an accommodation to complete the application process, now or at any time in the future, please complete the Applicant Accommodation Request Form. For any other application related questions, including application follow-ups or technical issues, please use our Recruiting Assistance, Electra, for assistance. Electra can be found in the lower right-hand corner of our Xcel Energy Careers site.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding STEM OPT Authorization as a Reliability Engineer
Verify your degree's CIP code eligibility
Cross-check your degree's Classification of Instructional Programs code against the DHS STEM OPT designated degree list before applying. Mechanical, industrial, and systems engineering degrees qualify, but adjacent programs like engineering technology vary by institution and CIP code.
Confirm E-Verify enrollment before accepting offers
Ask HR directly whether the company is enrolled in E-Verify before you sign. An employer who isn't enrolled cannot sponsor your STEM OPT extension, regardless of role fit, so this check belongs before the offer stage, not after.
Target companies with active reliability engineering LCA filings
Search Migrate Mate to find employers who've filed Labor Condition Applications for Reliability Engineer roles. This signals both E-Verify enrollment and a documented history of sponsoring similar positions, narrowing your list to companies already familiar with the process.
Build your I-983 training plan around measurable reliability metrics
Your I-983 training plan must connect your degree's learning objectives to specific job duties. For reliability roles, tie your mechanical or systems engineering background to quantifiable outcomes like mean time between failures analysis, root cause investigation, or predictive maintenance program development.
Research prevailing wages using OFLC Wage Search before negotiating
Look up the wage level for Reliability Engineer under the relevant Standard Occupational Classification code using OFLC Wage Search. Knowing the Level I through Level IV range for your metro area lets you assess whether an offer meets the threshold your employer will certify when filing.
Time your extension request to cover the cap-gap window
If your employer plans to file an H-1B visa petition on your behalf, make sure your STEM OPT extension application is filed with USCIS before your initial OPT expires. The cap-gap provision bridges your authorization through October 1 if the petition is selected in the lottery.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my engineering degree qualify me for the STEM OPT extension as a Reliability Engineer?
Most reliability engineering roles accept degrees in mechanical, electrical, industrial, or systems engineering, all of which appear on the DHS STEM OPT designated degree list. The qualifying factor is your degree's CIP code, not your job title. Check the list against the exact CIP code on your transcript, and confirm with your DSO before filing the extension request with USCIS.
Does a Reliability Engineer employer need to be enrolled in E-Verify?
Yes. E-Verify enrollment is a hard requirement for any employer hiring a STEM OPT student. The employer must be enrolled before your extension is approved and must remain enrolled throughout your authorization period. If an employer is not enrolled, your STEM OPT extension cannot be activated regardless of how well the role matches your degree. Verify enrollment directly with HR during the offer process.
What goes into the I-983 training plan for a Reliability Engineer role?
Your I-983 must document specific learning objectives that connect your STEM degree to your day-to-day responsibilities. For a Reliability Engineer, this typically means linking mechanical or electrical engineering coursework to duties like failure mode analysis, reliability-centered maintenance, or equipment life cycle modeling. Both you and your supervisor sign it, and your DSO must receive it before the extension is approved. USCIS may audit the plan, so specificity matters.
How does cap-gap protection apply if my employer files an H-1B petition while I'm on STEM OPT?
If your initial OPT or STEM OPT extension is active when your employer files an H-1B petition and you're selected in the lottery, cap-gap automatically extends your work authorization through September 30 of that year. If the petition is approved, your H-1B status begins October 1. You must remain employed by the petitioning employer throughout the cap-gap period to stay in valid status.
Where can I find Reliability Engineer jobs where employers are already familiar with STEM OPT?
Migrate Mate filters reliability engineering roles by employers with verified E-Verify enrollment and LCA filing history, so you're not cold-applying to companies that have never sponsored a STEM OPT student. You can search by job title, location, and industry sector, and review each employer's sponsorship track record before reaching out. This significantly shortens the time between application and a qualified offer.