STEM OPT Senior Software Developer Jobs
Senior Software Developer roles qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension if your degree falls under an eligible CIP code and your employer is enrolled in E-Verify. With up to 36 months of total OPT work authorization, you have a realistic runway to contribute at a senior level and build toward H-1B visa sponsorship.
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Get Access To All JobsAt Apple, we tackle large-scale engineering challenges to deliver products that are intuitive, reliable, and built to last. Our engineering teams operate at the intersection of CI systems, software architecture, data analytics, build engineering, and developer tooling - owning the systems and workflows that enable complex, large-scale projects to move fast, scale, and ship with confidence.
Description
As a Systems Software Developer, you will work closely with cross-functional teams to understand the project goals and develop systematic solutions, workflows, and approaches to achieve those goals. This would include contributing to projects in low-level software and algorithms, building CI/CD pipelines and workflows, and developing infrastructure and tooling to help deliver innovative Apple technologies and products.
Responsibilities
- Design, build, and maintain CI/CD pipelines and automated workflows with a focus on reliability, traceability, and data analytics.
- Develop instrumentation and reporting systems that surface build health, test failure trends, and developer productivity metrics.
- Debug and resolve failures across build, test, and deployment infrastructure; improve signal-to-noise across CI reporting.
- Identify and drive adoption of AI-assisted and agentic workflows to accelerate development and validation cycles.
- Collaborate with engineering teams to inform project structure, dependency architecture, and build/test capabilities.
- Build and maintain internal tools and APIs that integrate with Apple's engineering stack, including Xcode and Swift-based workflows.
- Partner with cross-functional teams to translate system requirements into robust, maintainable infrastructure, processes, and workflows.
Minimum Qualifications
- BS and a minimum of 3 years relevant industry experience.
- 3+ years of experience designing, building, and maintaining production software systems and applications.
- Experience building or maintaining CI/CD pipelines and automated build or test workflows.
- Experience working with relational databases such as PostgreSQL in production environments.
- Demonstrated use of AI engineering tools and AI-assisted strategies in day-to-day development.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience developing large-scale internal APIs or developer-facing tooling.
- Proficiency in Python and shell scripting to build automation and workflow tooling.
- Experience with technologies such as Docker and Kubernetes.
- Experience with CI platforms such as Jenkins, Buildkite, or equivalent systems.
- Experience developing with Swift, Xcode, or other Apple platform technologies.
- Familiarity with software observability, metrics systems, or developer productivity analytics.
- Experience working across multiple concurrent projects in a fast-paced, cross-functional engineering environment.
- Demonstrated ability to communicate technical concepts and project plans clearly across engineering and non-engineering stakeholders.
- Experience leveraging and integrating AI thoughtfully in large-scale production workflows to improve engineering throughput.
- Experience with Xcode and CMake are a bonus.
- Experience with computer vision, video processing, and/or machine learning data infrastructure is a bonus.
Pay & Benefits
At Apple, base pay is one part of our total compensation package and is determined within a range. This provides the opportunity to progress as you grow and develop within a role. The base pay range for this role is between $150,400 and $277,600, 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. Learn more about Apple Benefits
Note: Apple benefit, compensation and employee stock programs are subject to eligibility requirements and other terms of the applicable plan or program.
At Apple, we tackle large-scale engineering challenges to deliver products that are intuitive, reliable, and built to last. Our engineering teams operate at the intersection of CI systems, software architecture, data analytics, build engineering, and developer tooling - owning the systems and workflows that enable complex, large-scale projects to move fast, scale, and ship with confidence.
Description
As a Systems Software Developer, you will work closely with cross-functional teams to understand the project goals and develop systematic solutions, workflows, and approaches to achieve those goals. This would include contributing to projects in low-level software and algorithms, building CI/CD pipelines and workflows, and developing infrastructure and tooling to help deliver innovative Apple technologies and products.
Responsibilities
- Design, build, and maintain CI/CD pipelines and automated workflows with a focus on reliability, traceability, and data analytics.
- Develop instrumentation and reporting systems that surface build health, test failure trends, and developer productivity metrics.
- Debug and resolve failures across build, test, and deployment infrastructure; improve signal-to-noise across CI reporting.
- Identify and drive adoption of AI-assisted and agentic workflows to accelerate development and validation cycles.
- Collaborate with engineering teams to inform project structure, dependency architecture, and build/test capabilities.
- Build and maintain internal tools and APIs that integrate with Apple's engineering stack, including Xcode and Swift-based workflows.
- Partner with cross-functional teams to translate system requirements into robust, maintainable infrastructure, processes, and workflows.
Minimum Qualifications
- BS and a minimum of 3 years relevant industry experience.
- 3+ years of experience designing, building, and maintaining production software systems and applications.
- Experience building or maintaining CI/CD pipelines and automated build or test workflows.
- Experience working with relational databases such as PostgreSQL in production environments.
- Demonstrated use of AI engineering tools and AI-assisted strategies in day-to-day development.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience developing large-scale internal APIs or developer-facing tooling.
- Proficiency in Python and shell scripting to build automation and workflow tooling.
- Experience with technologies such as Docker and Kubernetes.
- Experience with CI platforms such as Jenkins, Buildkite, or equivalent systems.
- Experience developing with Swift, Xcode, or other Apple platform technologies.
- Familiarity with software observability, metrics systems, or developer productivity analytics.
- Experience working across multiple concurrent projects in a fast-paced, cross-functional engineering environment.
- Demonstrated ability to communicate technical concepts and project plans clearly across engineering and non-engineering stakeholders.
- Experience leveraging and integrating AI thoughtfully in large-scale production workflows to improve engineering throughput.
- Experience with Xcode and CMake are a bonus.
- Experience with computer vision, video processing, and/or machine learning data infrastructure is a bonus.
Pay & Benefits
At Apple, base pay is one part of our total compensation package and is determined within a range. This provides the opportunity to progress as you grow and develop within a role. The base pay range for this role is between $150,400 and $277,600, 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. Learn more about Apple Benefits
Note: Apple benefit, compensation and employee stock programs are subject to eligibility requirements and other terms of the applicable plan or program.
See all 1,910+ STEM OPT Senior Software Developer Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new STEM OPT Senior Software Developer Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding STEM OPT Authorization as a Senior Software Developer
Verify your CIP code before applying
Pull your transcript and confirm your degree's CIP code appears on the USCIS STEM Designated Degree Program List. Computer Science, Software Engineering, and Information Systems codes qualify, but interdisciplinary or business-adjacent tech degrees sometimes don't.
Filter job postings by E-Verify status
Confirm every employer is enrolled in E-Verify before you spend time on an application. STEM OPT is void if your employer isn't enrolled, and many small software studios or early-stage startups skip enrollment even when hiring internationally.
Negotiate your I-983 training plan early
Get the I-983 signed before your first day, not after an offer expires. Senior Software Developer training plans need to name specific learning objectives tied to your STEM degree, so draft the technical goals section yourself to speed up HR approval.
Target employers with active H-1B filing history
Use Migrate Mate to identify companies that have filed H-1B petitions for Software Developer roles, so your STEM OPT runway overlaps with employers already set up to sponsor the transition before your authorization ends.
Cross-check your offered wage against OFLC Wage Search
Look up the prevailing wage for Senior Software Developer under your employer's location using the OFLC Wage Search before accepting. A wage below the DOL prevailing level can create LCA problems if your employer later files for H-1B sponsorship.
File your OPT extension well before your EAD expires
Submit your STEM OPT extension application at least 90 days before your initial OPT EAD expires. USCIS processing can take several months, and late filing eliminates the automatic 180-day cap-gap bridge that protects your status during an H-1B transition.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Senior Software Developer role qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
Yes, if your degree carries an eligible CIP code from the USCIS STEM Designated Degree Program List and the role directly relates to that field. Computer Science, Software Engineering, and Computer Information Systems degrees routinely qualify. Your DSO confirms eligibility and updates your I-20 before you file the extension with USCIS.
What does the I-983 training plan need to include for this role?
Your I-983 must connect your daily engineering responsibilities to your STEM degree, list specific learning goals such as system design, distributed architecture, or performance optimization, and identify how the employer will supervise your progress. Both you and your employer's authorized representative sign it. Your DSO reviews it before your STEM OPT extension takes effect, and you must update it whenever your role or employer changes.
How do I confirm my employer is enrolled in E-Verify?
Ask your recruiter or HR contact directly for the company's E-Verify Company ID or E-Verify enrollment confirmation. E-Verify enrollment is a legal condition of STEM OPT, and you're responsible for confirming it before your extension begins. Companies that complete federal contracts are often required to enroll, making them reliable targets, though you should still verify directly rather than assume.
What happens to my STEM OPT if I receive an H-1B selection during my extension?
If USCIS selects your H-1B registration and your employer files a timely cap-subject petition, the cap-gap provision automatically extends your STEM OPT work authorization through September 30 of the fiscal year the H-1B takes effect. You can continue working at the same employer during that period without interruption, as long as your I-983 training plan remains active and your employer stays enrolled in E-Verify.
Where can I find Senior Software Developer jobs at E-Verify enrolled employers?
Migrate Mate lists Senior Software Developer roles filtered for employers with E-Verify enrollment and H-1B filing history, so you can identify companies already set up to hire and eventually sponsor STEM OPT students. Searching there lets you focus your applications on employers who understand the I-983 requirement and have a track record of supporting international engineers through the sponsorship process.