STEM OPT Software Developer Jobs
Software Developer roles are among the strongest fits for STEM OPT work authorization. Your STEM degree makes you eligible for the 24-month extension beyond initial OPT, giving you up to 36 months total, and employers must be enrolled in E-Verify to hire you on STEM OPT.
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Want to change the world with Big Data and Analytics? Come join us on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Elastic MapReduce (EMR) team!
EMR is a massively scaled distributed service that gives users fast and predictable Big Data performance with clusters running Hadoop, Hive, Pig, Impala, Spark, Presto, HBase and more, with the ability to effortlessly scale up and down as needed. We run millions of customer clusters, enabling processing on vast datasets.
We are developing innovative new features including the next-generation cluster management system, real-time processing for big data and intuitive ways of interacting with data, and we’re looking for top engineers to build them from the ground up.
This is a hands-on position where you will be doing everything from designing and building extremely stable components and features for the savviest customers in the business to help them get the best results.
You will have a chance to work with the open source community and contribute significant portions of its software to open source projects possibly including Hadoop, Spark, Pig and HBase. You need to not only be a top software developer with excellent programming skills, an understanding of big data and parallelization, and a stellar record of delivery but also excel at leadership and customer obsession and have a real passion for massive-scale computing. If you want to truly test your mettle against the hardest challenges in distributed systems to build solutions for large scale problems in a wide variety of domains, come join our group.
Utility Computing (UC)
AWS Utility Computing (UC) provides product innovations — from foundational services such as Amazon’s Simple Storage Service (S3) and Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2), to consistently released new product innovations that continue to set AWS’s services and features apart in the industry. As a member of the UC organization, you’ll support the development and management of Compute, Database, Storage, Internet of Things (IoT), Platform, and Productivity Apps services in AWS, including support for customers who require specialized security solutions for their cloud services.
Key job responsibilities
- Translation of complex functional and technical requirements into detailed architecture and design
- Deliver systems and features with top-notch quality, on time
- Develop new technologies for monitoring production clusters
- Own the software development process end-to-end, including: working with engineers and product managers to develop requirements; designing, architecting, planning, implementing, and testing new systems and features; deploying, and operating the production EMR systems.
About the team
About AWS
AWS values diverse experiences. Even if you do not meet all of the preferred qualifications and skills listed in the job description, we encourage candidates to apply. If your career is just starting, hasn’t followed a traditional path, or includes alternative experiences, don’t let it stop you from applying.
Why AWS? Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the world’s most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud platform. We pioneered cloud computing and never stopped innovating — that’s why customers from the most successful startups to Global 500 companies trust our robust suite of products and services to power their businesses.
Inclusive Team Culture Here at AWS, it’s in our nature to learn and be curious. Our employee-led affinity groups foster a culture of inclusion that empower us to be proud of our differences. Ongoing events and learning experiences, including our Conversations on Race and Ethnicity (CORE) and AmazeCon conferences, inspire us to never stop embracing our uniqueness.
Mentorship & Career Growth We’re continuously raising our performance bar as we strive to become Earth’s Best Employer. That’s why you’ll find endless knowledge-sharing, mentorship and other career-advancing resources here to help you develop into a better-rounded professional.
Work/Life Balance We value work-life harmony. Achieving success at work should never come at the expense of sacrifices at home, which is why we strive for flexibility as part of our working culture. When we feel supported in the workplace and at home, there’s nothing we can’t achieve in the cloud.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- 3+ years of non-internship professional software development experience
- 2+ years of non-internship design or architecture (design patterns, reliability and scaling) of new and existing systems experience
- Experience programming with at least one software programming language
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- 3+ years of full software development life cycle, including coding standards, code reviews, source control management, build processes, testing, and operations experience
- Bachelor's degree in computer science or equivalent
Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.
Los Angeles County applicants: Job duties for this position include: work safely and cooperatively with other employees, supervisors, and staff; adhere to standards of excellence despite stressful conditions; communicate effectively and respectfully with employees, supervisors, and staff to ensure exceptional customer service; and follow all federal, state, and local laws and Company policies. Criminal history may have a direct, adverse, and negative relationship with some of the material job duties of this position. These include the duties and responsibilities listed above, as well as the abilities to adhere to company policies, exercise sound judgment, effectively manage stress and work safely and respectfully with others, exhibit trustworthiness and professionalism, and safeguard business operations and the Company’s reputation. Pursuant to the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.
The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits.
LOCATION
USA, CA, East Palo Alto - 165,200.00 - 223,600.00 USD annually
DESCRIPTION
Want to change the world with Big Data and Analytics? Come join us on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Elastic MapReduce (EMR) team!
EMR is a massively scaled distributed service that gives users fast and predictable Big Data performance with clusters running Hadoop, Hive, Pig, Impala, Spark, Presto, HBase and more, with the ability to effortlessly scale up and down as needed. We run millions of customer clusters, enabling processing on vast datasets.
We are developing innovative new features including the next-generation cluster management system, real-time processing for big data and intuitive ways of interacting with data, and we’re looking for top engineers to build them from the ground up.
This is a hands-on position where you will be doing everything from designing and building extremely stable components and features for the savviest customers in the business to help them get the best results.
You will have a chance to work with the open source community and contribute significant portions of its software to open source projects possibly including Hadoop, Spark, Pig and HBase. You need to not only be a top software developer with excellent programming skills, an understanding of big data and parallelization, and a stellar record of delivery but also excel at leadership and customer obsession and have a real passion for massive-scale computing. If you want to truly test your mettle against the hardest challenges in distributed systems to build solutions for large scale problems in a wide variety of domains, come join our group.
Utility Computing (UC)
AWS Utility Computing (UC) provides product innovations — from foundational services such as Amazon’s Simple Storage Service (S3) and Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2), to consistently released new product innovations that continue to set AWS’s services and features apart in the industry. As a member of the UC organization, you’ll support the development and management of Compute, Database, Storage, Internet of Things (IoT), Platform, and Productivity Apps services in AWS, including support for customers who require specialized security solutions for their cloud services.
Key job responsibilities
- Translation of complex functional and technical requirements into detailed architecture and design
- Deliver systems and features with top-notch quality, on time
- Develop new technologies for monitoring production clusters
- Own the software development process end-to-end, including: working with engineers and product managers to develop requirements; designing, architecting, planning, implementing, and testing new systems and features; deploying, and operating the production EMR systems.
About the team
About AWS
AWS values diverse experiences. Even if you do not meet all of the preferred qualifications and skills listed in the job description, we encourage candidates to apply. If your career is just starting, hasn’t followed a traditional path, or includes alternative experiences, don’t let it stop you from applying.
Why AWS? Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the world’s most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud platform. We pioneered cloud computing and never stopped innovating — that’s why customers from the most successful startups to Global 500 companies trust our robust suite of products and services to power their businesses.
Inclusive Team Culture Here at AWS, it’s in our nature to learn and be curious. Our employee-led affinity groups foster a culture of inclusion that empower us to be proud of our differences. Ongoing events and learning experiences, including our Conversations on Race and Ethnicity (CORE) and AmazeCon conferences, inspire us to never stop embracing our uniqueness.
Mentorship & Career Growth We’re continuously raising our performance bar as we strive to become Earth’s Best Employer. That’s why you’ll find endless knowledge-sharing, mentorship and other career-advancing resources here to help you develop into a better-rounded professional.
Work/Life Balance We value work-life harmony. Achieving success at work should never come at the expense of sacrifices at home, which is why we strive for flexibility as part of our working culture. When we feel supported in the workplace and at home, there’s nothing we can’t achieve in the cloud.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- 3+ years of non-internship professional software development experience
- 2+ years of non-internship design or architecture (design patterns, reliability and scaling) of new and existing systems experience
- Experience programming with at least one software programming language
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- 3+ years of full software development life cycle, including coding standards, code reviews, source control management, build processes, testing, and operations experience
- Bachelor's degree in computer science or equivalent
Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.
Los Angeles County applicants: Job duties for this position include: work safely and cooperatively with other employees, supervisors, and staff; adhere to standards of excellence despite stressful conditions; communicate effectively and respectfully with employees, supervisors, and staff to ensure exceptional customer service; and follow all federal, state, and local laws and Company policies. Criminal history may have a direct, adverse, and negative relationship with some of the material job duties of this position. These include the duties and responsibilities listed above, as well as the abilities to adhere to company policies, exercise sound judgment, effectively manage stress and work safely and respectfully with others, exhibit trustworthiness and professionalism, and safeguard business operations and the Company’s reputation. Pursuant to the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.
The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits.
LOCATION
USA, CA, East Palo Alto - 165,200.00 - 223,600.00 USD annually
See all 2,670+ STEM OPT Software Developer Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new STEM OPT Software Developer Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding STEM OPT Authorization as a Software Developer
Confirm your CIP code maps correctly
Check that your degree's Classification of Instructional Programs code aligns with a STEM-designated field before you apply. Computer Science, Computer Engineering, and Information Science CIP codes qualify, but some interdisciplinary degrees need DSO verification to confirm eligibility.
Filter job listings by E-Verify status
Every employer hiring you on STEM OPT must be enrolled in E-Verify. Ask recruiters directly before any offer stage, or search Migrate Mate, which filters Software Developer roles by employers enrolled in E-Verify.
Research prevailing wage before negotiating
Use the OFLC Wage Search to look up the Level I through Level IV wage for Software Developers in your target city. Knowing the DOL wage floor strengthens your negotiating position and helps you spot offers that may not meet STEM OPT compliance thresholds.
Draft your I-983 training plan early
Start building your I-983 training plan before you receive a written offer. Outline the technical skills, tools, and project responsibilities the role will develop. Employers unfamiliar with STEM OPT often delay onboarding when the I-983 lands without warning.
Target employers with active H-1B filing history
Software Developer roles at companies with consistent H-1B visa LCA filings signal that the employer understands visa compliance and has an established immigration infrastructure. DOL LCA disclosure data lets you verify this history by job title and location before you apply.
Apply 90 days before your OPT expiration date
USCIS requires your STEM OPT extension application to be filed before your initial OPT EAD expires. Submit your I-765 to USCIS no later than 90 days out so your work authorization continues uninterrupted during adjudication.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Software Developer role qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
Yes, Software Developer is a qualifying occupation under STEM OPT provided your underlying degree is in a STEM-designated field such as Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related discipline with an eligible CIP code. Your DSO can confirm whether your specific degree program qualifies before you file. The role itself must also be directly related to your degree field.
How do I verify that a Software Developer employer is enrolled in E-Verify?
E-Verify enrollment is a legal requirement for any employer hiring a STEM OPT student. You can ask the recruiter or HR contact directly for the company's E-Verify Company ID. Employers should be able to provide this without hesitation. Migrate Mate surfaces Software Developer roles at E-Verify-enrolled employers, so you can confirm enrollment before you invest time in the application process.
What goes into the I-983 training plan for a Software Developer position?
The I-983 must describe the specific learning objectives, technical competencies, and supervision structure your employer will provide. For Software Developer roles this typically includes programming languages, software development methodologies, system design skills, and any tools or frameworks you'll work with. Both you and your employer sign the form, and your DSO must recommend the extension in SEVIS before USCIS will process your I-765.
What happens to my work authorization if my employer files an H-1B petition during my STEM OPT?
If your employer files a timely H-1B cap-subject petition before your STEM OPT EAD expires and USCIS selects it in the lottery, cap-gap protection extends your work authorization through September 30 of that fiscal year. You can continue working as a Software Developer throughout the cap-gap period without interruption, as long as your employer remains E-Verify enrolled and your status is otherwise maintained.
Can I work as a contractor or on a project basis as a Software Developer on STEM OPT?
STEM OPT requires a bona fide employer-employee relationship, meaning the E-Verify-enrolled employer must direct and supervise your work. Staffing arrangements where a third-party client controls your day-to-day tasks can create compliance issues under USCIS guidance. If a Software Developer role involves client site work, confirm with your DSO that the primary employer, not the end client, maintains supervisory authority and E-Verify enrollment.