STEM OPT Senior Data Center Engineer Jobs
Senior Data Center Engineer roles qualify for STEM OPT when your degree falls under an eligible CIP code in computer science, electrical engineering, or a related field. Your employer must be enrolled in E-Verify, and the 24-month extension gives you up to 36 months total to build experience in infrastructure, systems reliability, and data center operations.
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SUMMARY
Do you want to help build some of the largest and most consequential enterprise and customer technology systems in the world? Join Apple’s Information Systems and Technology (IS&T) organization. IS&T is the engine behind everything Apple does for customers and for the people who build for them. It’s Apple’s central nervous system. Supporting 2.5 billion active Apple devices, processing billions of secure transactions, and keeping the technology that defines modern life running flawlessly, IS&T makes the impossible feel effortless. Do you love building solutions to handle global complexity and immense scale? Imagine what you could do here. Infrastructure Services is part of IS&T and the foundation of Apple's global network operations — managing data center equipment and systems to deliver compute, storage, and networking services for teams across Apple, including its internal developer community. From individual facilities to a worldwide network, Infrastructure Services ensures the technology underneath everything works without question. The Data Center Deployment team is dedicated to driving the global infrastructure readiness to support the latest innovations in Apple’s product and service offerings. The team is seeking a driven and dynamic individual passionate in making Apple’s infrastructure goals a reality. You'll play a pivotal role in aligning Data Center team deliverables with critical timelines for the introduction of these new products and services.
DESCRIPTION
The Data Center Deployment Planner leads the end-to-end planning, allocation, and physical delivery of our global server and compute/storage fleet. In this role, you will bridge the gap between business demand, hardware supply chain, facilities, and on-site operations across multiple campuses and partner-operated facilities. Rather than turning wrenches on the floor, you will conceptualize, document, and orchestrate complex deployment programs to accelerate time-to-first-compute.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- 4+ years of experience in data center, networking, or infrastructure fields, including capacity planning or deployment management for hyperscale enterprise fleets
- 3+ years of technical program or project management experience with a track record of delivering complex, large-scale data center programs
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology, Management Information Systems, Networking, or a related field; OR, equivalent job-related experience
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Understanding of both physical and logical networking fundamentals. Experience with different types of switches, connectors, patch panels and cables. Knowledge of basic network architecture such as TCP/IP and L2/L3 topologies and functions such as DHCP, DNS and kickstart.
- 5+ years of experience in a UNIX-based data center environment, with proficiency working in command line (CLI) shells on servers and network appliances, remote administration, and basic scripting with bash and/or perl.
- Teammate with the ability to build peer, and external relationships
- Able to provide detailed instructions for partners to follow and execute
- 5+ years experience in project management of infrastructure services or related technical domains with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously
- Experience with GPU/accelerator or high-density liquid-cooled infrastructure.
- Effective collaborator with excellent communication skills; able to articulate complex ideas in a direct, concise way.
- Develop and seek process improvements and strategies to further automate and streamline deployment processes.
- Demonstrated ability to manage high-stakes customer expectations, negotiate deployment trade-offs during supply chain or site delays, and maintain customer confidence through proactive communication and milestone transparency.
COMPENSATION
- Base pay range for this role is between $175,500 and $311,700, 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.
At Apple, we believe 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.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding STEM OPT Authorization as a Senior Data Center Engineer
Verify your CIP code before applying
Cross-reference your degree's CIP code against the DHS STEM OPT designated degree list before targeting roles. Computer Engineering (14.09), Computer Science (11.07), and Electrical Engineering (14.10) are common qualifying fields for data center engineering work.
Confirm E-Verify enrollment before accepting offers
Ask hiring managers directly whether their company is enrolled in E-Verify before you spend time on technical rounds. Public companies and federal contractors are often enrolled, but smaller colocation operators or managed service providers may not be, which disqualifies them as STEM OPT employers.
Target infrastructure-heavy employers with USCIS filing history
Cloud hyperscalers, telecom carriers, and large financial institutions run physical data center operations at scale and have established STEM OPT hiring processes. Use Migrate Mate to filter for employers with verified E-Verify enrollment and active infrastructure job postings.
Build your I-983 training plan around specific competencies
Your I-983 must connect your STEM degree to your day-to-day role. For Senior Data Center Engineer positions, map your coursework in networking, power systems, or hardware architecture to job duties like capacity planning, cooling optimization, or redundancy design before your DSO signs off.
Use OFLC Wage Search to benchmark your prevailing wage tier
Senior Data Center Engineer roles are typically classified under SOC code 17-2061 or 15-1244 depending on the employer's focus. Pull the relevant prevailing wage level from the OFLC Wage Search so you can identify whether an offer meets the wage floor your employer will need to certify.
Start your extension paperwork 90 days before OPT expires
USCIS requires you to apply for the STEM OPT extension before your initial OPT EAD expires. File Form I-765 with your DSO-endorsed I-20 no later than 90 days out. A late filing voids your cap-gap protection and can create a gap in work authorization mid-employment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Senior Data Center Engineer role qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
It depends on your employer's job classification and your degree's CIP code. If the role is classified under a STEM SOC code such as 17-2061 (Computer Hardware Engineers) or 15-1244 (Computer Network Architects), and your degree appears on the DHS STEM designated degree list, you qualify. Your DSO confirms eligibility when endorsing your I-20 for the extension application.
What E-Verify requirement applies to STEM OPT employers for this role?
Any employer hiring you on STEM OPT must be enrolled in E-Verify at the specific worksite where you'll work. E-Verify enrollment at the corporate headquarters doesn't automatically cover subsidiary locations or separate worksites. Confirm your hiring site's enrollment status directly with HR before signing an offer, since a non-enrolled worksite disqualifies the position.
What should the I-983 training plan include for a Senior Data Center Engineer?
Your I-983 must describe learning objectives that connect to your STEM degree. For this role, include specific technical goals such as mastering power distribution unit configuration, improving network redundancy protocols, or leading capacity planning projects. USCIS expects the training plan to show a direct relationship between your academic background in engineering or computer science and your on-the-job responsibilities.
How does cap-gap protection work if I transition from STEM OPT to H-1B?
If your employer files an H-1B visa petition on your behalf before your STEM OPT EAD expires and you're selected in the lottery, your work authorization automatically extends through September 30 of that fiscal year under cap-gap rules. You can continue working as a Senior Data Center Engineer during this period without an updated EAD. USCIS confirmation of your timely filed petition is what triggers the protection.
Where can I find Senior Data Center Engineer jobs with verified E-Verify employers?
Migrate Mate filters job listings specifically for STEM OPT-eligible students, surfacing Senior Data Center Engineer roles at employers enrolled in E-Verify. You can search by role type and work authorization status so you're not wasting time on applications at companies that can't legally hire you on STEM OPT authorization.