STEM OPT Software Quality Assurance Jobs
Software Quality Assurance roles qualify for the STEM OPT extension, giving you 24 additional months of work authorization beyond your initial OPT period. Your employer must be enrolled in E-Verify, and your degree must align with an eligible CIP code. Qualifying STEM fields include computer science, information systems, and engineering.
Find STEM OPT Software Quality Assurance JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 185+ Software Quality Assurance jobs
See all 185+ Software Quality Assurance Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Software Quality Assurance roles.
Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
Under minimal supervision, this role performs a wide range of Quality Assurance activities to ensure compliance across manufacturing, facilities, utilities, environmental programs, and quality systems. Responsibilities include review and approval of critical GMP documentation, leading investigations, supporting audits, and providing lot disposition for product release.
Responsibilities
- Review and approve product master records (MPs).
- Approve process validation protocols and reports for manufacturing processes.
- Approve Environmental Characterization reports.
- Approve planned incidents and support incident triage activities.
- Review and approve Work Orders and EMS/BMS alarms.
- Approve nonconformance investigations and CAPA records.
- Approve change controls.
- Provide lot disposition and authorize lots for shipment.
- Own and maintain site quality program procedures.
- Review and assess risk assessments.
- Lead investigations and ensure timely, compliant closure.
- Lead site audits and support internal/external inspections.
- Evaluate compliance issues using advanced data trending and analysis.
- Serve as designee for QA management on local change control review boards (CCRB).
- Support automation, facilities, and environmental programs.
- Represent QA on New Product Introduction (NPI) teams.
- Collaborate with Manufacturing, Process Development, Validation, Quality Control, Engineering, Facilities, Utilities, and Contractors.
- Coordinate with external resources when higher‑level expertise is required.
- Interact effectively with regulatory agencies.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Doctorate OR
- Master’s + 2 years of directly related experience OR
- Bachelor’s + 4 years of directly related experience OR
- Associate’s + 8 years of directly related experience OR
- High School/GED + 10 years of directly related experience
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience performing on‑the‑floor Plant Quality Assurance (PQA) activities, including review, approval, and tracking of cGMP processes, procedures, testing methods, batch records, MES/EBR, SAP, EDMQ, DQMS, and TrackWise.
- Expertise in deviations, CAPAs, change controls, and validation activities.
- Experience with procedural compliance and initiate deviation records during on‑the‑floor triage.
- Experience supporting audits and inspections as part of the audit/inspection management team.
- Experience with computer systems validation or computer systems quality assurance (medical device or consulting background preferred).
- Experience with validation of GxP applications (VMP, IQ, RA/GxP assessment, OQ, PQ, test scripts, summary reports).
- Experience serving as Quality Contact for complex new‑product projects.
- Experience in commissioning and qualification.
- Project management and organizational skills.
BENEFITS
- Non‑Standard Shift
- 6‑month contract with possible extension
INTRODUCTION
Under minimal supervision, this role performs a wide range of Quality Assurance activities to ensure compliance across manufacturing, facilities, utilities, environmental programs, and quality systems. Responsibilities include review and approval of critical GMP documentation, leading investigations, supporting audits, and providing lot disposition for product release.
Responsibilities
- Review and approve product master records (MPs).
- Approve process validation protocols and reports for manufacturing processes.
- Approve Environmental Characterization reports.
- Approve planned incidents and support incident triage activities.
- Review and approve Work Orders and EMS/BMS alarms.
- Approve nonconformance investigations and CAPA records.
- Approve change controls.
- Provide lot disposition and authorize lots for shipment.
- Own and maintain site quality program procedures.
- Review and assess risk assessments.
- Lead investigations and ensure timely, compliant closure.
- Lead site audits and support internal/external inspections.
- Evaluate compliance issues using advanced data trending and analysis.
- Serve as designee for QA management on local change control review boards (CCRB).
- Support automation, facilities, and environmental programs.
- Represent QA on New Product Introduction (NPI) teams.
- Collaborate with Manufacturing, Process Development, Validation, Quality Control, Engineering, Facilities, Utilities, and Contractors.
- Coordinate with external resources when higher‑level expertise is required.
- Interact effectively with regulatory agencies.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Doctorate OR
- Master’s + 2 years of directly related experience OR
- Bachelor’s + 4 years of directly related experience OR
- Associate’s + 8 years of directly related experience OR
- High School/GED + 10 years of directly related experience
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience performing on‑the‑floor Plant Quality Assurance (PQA) activities, including review, approval, and tracking of cGMP processes, procedures, testing methods, batch records, MES/EBR, SAP, EDMQ, DQMS, and TrackWise.
- Expertise in deviations, CAPAs, change controls, and validation activities.
- Experience with procedural compliance and initiate deviation records during on‑the‑floor triage.
- Experience supporting audits and inspections as part of the audit/inspection management team.
- Experience with computer systems validation or computer systems quality assurance (medical device or consulting background preferred).
- Experience with validation of GxP applications (VMP, IQ, RA/GxP assessment, OQ, PQ, test scripts, summary reports).
- Experience serving as Quality Contact for complex new‑product projects.
- Experience in commissioning and qualification.
- Project management and organizational skills.
BENEFITS
- Non‑Standard Shift
- 6‑month contract with possible extension
See all 185+ STEM OPT Software Quality Assurance Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new STEM OPT Software Quality Assurance Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding STEM OPT Authorization in Software Quality Assurance
Verify your CIP code before applying
Check your degree's Classification of Instructional Programs code against the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List before you accept any offer. Computer science, software engineering, and information systems degrees typically qualify, but the exact CIP code on your transcript determines eligibility.
Filter roles by E-Verify enrollment status
Before spending time on any application, confirm the employer is actively enrolled in E-Verify, not just registered. Use Migrate Mate to search Software Quality Assurance roles filtered to E-Verify-enrolled employers so you're not discovering deal-breakers after an offer.
Target employers with active QA LCA filings
Search OFLC disclosure data for employers who have filed Labor Condition Applications under QA-related SOC codes. Employers with recent LCA filings for quality assurance or software testing roles have already cleared the DOL prevailing-wage process and understand STEM OPT onboarding requirements.
Draft your I-983 training plan before your start date
Your employer and DSO must sign the I-983 before your STEM OPT extension begins. Map your QA responsibilities, including test planning, defect tracking, and automation tasks, to specific learning objectives in the form. Vague descriptions of duties are a common reason DSOs push back on approval.
Ask hiring managers about E-Verify timing upfront
Some employers are E-Verify-enrolled at the corporate level but haven't activated it at the specific site or subsidiary where you'd work. Confirm the enrolling entity matches the location on your offer letter before your DSO updates your I-20 for the extension.
Use O*NET to align your job description with your degree
The O*NET occupation profile for Software Quality Assurance Engineers lists the knowledge domains and skills USCIS expects to see reflected in your role. If your offer letter uses vague language like 'testing support,' reframe your duties using O*NET terminology to strengthen your I-983 training plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Software Quality Assurance role qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
Yes, if your degree is in a STEM-designated field such as computer science, software engineering, electrical engineering, or information systems, and your employer is enrolled in E-Verify. The role itself must also provide practical training related to your degree. USCIS reviews both the degree CIP code and the I-983 training plan to confirm that your QA responsibilities connect directly to your field of study.
What STEM degrees make you eligible for the STEM OPT extension in a QA role?
Eligibility depends on your degree's Classification of Instructional Programs code appearing on the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List. Computer science, software engineering, information technology, electrical engineering, and applied mathematics degrees commonly qualify. A general business or communications degree typically does not, even if your job involves software testing. Your DSO can confirm whether your specific CIP code is on the list.
What does the I-983 training plan need to include for a Software Quality Assurance position?
Your I-983 must describe how your QA duties, such as writing test cases, performing regression testing, using defect-tracking tools, or developing automation scripts, directly relate to your STEM degree. Goals must be specific and measurable, not generic. USCIS or your DSO may reject vague plans that list duties without explaining the educational connection. Both you and a company supervisor with hiring authority must sign the form.
How do I confirm my employer is enrolled in E-Verify before accepting a QA offer?
Ask the recruiter or HR contact directly whether the company is enrolled in E-Verify and whether enrollment covers the specific office location or subsidiary where you would work. You can also search the E-Verify employer search tool by company name to verify active participation. Enrollment at the parent company level does not automatically extend to subsidiaries or acquired entities, so location-level confirmation matters.
Where can I find Software Quality Assurance jobs that are open to STEM OPT candidates?
Migrate Mate lists Software Quality Assurance roles filtered to employers enrolled in E-Verify, which is the baseline requirement for any STEM OPT extension. Searching on Migrate Mate lets you focus on companies already equipped to support your authorization rather than filtering that out manually after applications are underway. Your 24-month STEM OPT extension gives you a meaningful runway, and targeting the right employers from the start protects it.