STEM OPT Senior Test Engineer Jobs

Senior Test Engineer roles in software quality, embedded systems, and hardware validation qualify for the STEM OPT 24-month 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 begins.

Find STEM OPT Senior Test Engineer Jobs

Overview

Open Jobs450+
Work Type89% On-site
Top LocationSunnyvale, CA
Most JobsHewlett Packard Enterprise | HPE

Showing 5 of 450+ Senior Test Engineer jobs

Hydraulic Test Engineer
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New 28m ago
Hydraulic Test Engineer
Cintal, Inc.
Chillicothe, Illinois
Specialized Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering
Engineering (Non-Software)
Manufacturing Engineering
$60k - $70k/yr
On-Site
Bachelor's

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Test Engineer II
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New 32m ago
Test Engineer II
Form Energy
Berkeley, California
Specialized Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering
Engineering (Non-Software)
Manufacturing Engineering
$97k - $122k/yr
On-Site
Bachelor's
501-1,000

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Software Development Engineer in Test II
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New 1h ago
Software Development Engineer in Test II
Panasonic
Irvine, California
Quality Assurance & Testing (QA Testing)
Software Engineering
Automation QA
$39 - $66/hr
Hybrid
Bachelor's
10,000+

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System Validation Test Engineer
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New 2h ago
System Validation Test Engineer
Wipro
Santa Clara, California
Quality Assurance & Testing (QA Testing)
Specialized Engineering
Technical Product & Program Management
Engineering (Non-Software)
$60k - $140k/yr
On-Site
Bachelor's
10,000+

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Staff Engineer, FW & Product Test Eng
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New 4h ago
Staff Engineer, FW & Product Test Eng
Micron Technology
Longmont, Colorado
Software Engineering
Quality Assurance & Testing (QA Testing)
Data Science & Analytics
$137k - $232k/yr
On-Site
Bachelor's
10,000+

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Tips for Finding STEM OPT Authorization as a Senior Test Engineer

Verify your degree's CIP code eligibility

Cross-reference your degree program against the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List before applying. Computer science, electrical engineering, and systems engineering CIP codes all commonly support Senior Test Engineer roles, but software technology variants sometimes don't.

Confirm E-Verify enrollment before accepting offers

Check a company's E-Verify participation status through the E-Verify employer search tool before signing anything. Employers who aren't enrolled can't legally employ STEM OPT workers, and re-negotiating after an offer is awkward and delays your start date.

Align your I-983 training plan to the role

Draft your I-983 training plan with learning objectives tied specifically to test architecture, defect lifecycle management, or automation frameworks you'll use on the job. Generic plans draw DSO scrutiny and can delay your OPT extension approval.

Target employers with active quality engineering LCA filings

Use Migrate Mate to filter for employers who have filed Labor Condition Applications for test engineering or quality assurance roles. Employers with LCA history in this occupation already understand STEM OPT onboarding and are less likely to stall on compliance paperwork.

Use O*NET to validate your role qualifies

Pull the O*NET occupation profile for Senior Quality Engineers or Software Test Engineers and confirm the listed entry requirements specify a STEM bachelor's degree. If your job description diverges significantly from O*NET, your training plan justification becomes harder to defend.

File your extension request 90 days before OPT expires

USCIS requires your STEM OPT extension application to be submitted before your current EAD expires. File through your DSO at least 90 days out so processing delays don't create an unauthorized work gap between your initial 12 months and the 24-month extension period.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a Senior Test Engineer role qualify for the STEM OPT extension?

It depends on your degree field, not just the job title. Senior Test Engineer roles in software quality assurance, embedded systems, and hardware validation typically qualify when paired with a degree in computer science, electrical engineering, or a related STEM field on the DHS Designated Degree Program List. Review your degree's CIP code with your DSO to confirm eligibility before applying for the extension.

What E-Verify requirement applies to my STEM OPT employer?

Every employer who hires you on a STEM OPT extension must be actively enrolled in E-Verify at the work site where you'll perform your duties. Enrollment at the company's headquarters doesn't automatically cover a separate location. Confirm site-specific enrollment with HR before your start date, and check E-Verify's employer search to verify the enrollment independently.

What goes into the I-983 training plan for a test engineering role?

Your I-983 training plan must describe specific goals and skills you'll develop, tied directly to your test engineering duties. For this role, that means detailing objectives around test strategy design, automation tooling, defect analysis, or systems validation. Both you and your employer must sign the plan before your DSO can recommend the extension, and it must be updated if your role changes materially.

How does cap-gap protection work if I'm transitioning 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, cap-gap automatically extends your work authorization through September 30 of that fiscal year. Your STEM OPT status and employment authorization remain valid during this gap without any additional filing. Confirm the petition was filed and receipted before your EAD end date to activate cap-gap coverage.

Where can I find Senior Test Engineer jobs with employers who hire STEM OPT students?

Migrate Mate filters Senior Test Engineer openings by employers who have E-Verify enrollment and a history of filing for engineering roles, so you're not cold-applying to companies that have never hired on OPT. You can search by role, location, and employer filing activity to focus your time on opportunities where the compliance infrastructure is already in place.