STEM OPT Systems Engineer Jobs
Systems Engineer roles qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension if your degree is in engineering, computer science, or a related STEM field and your employer is enrolled in E-Verify. You'll work under a formal I-983 training plan tied to your engineering responsibilities, giving you up to 36 months total to build U.S. experience and transition to long-term sponsorship.
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Job Summary
Plans, implements, and maintains enterprise systems and software applications, including servers, data storage systems, infrastructure services, and related hardware and software. Manages and maintains data centers, disaster recovery relocation facilities, and services hosted in the cloud.
Representative Duties
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Develops server specifications, performs capacity planning and installation of server hardware and software.
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Installs, configures and maintains server operating systems (OS), applies OS patches and upgrades on a regular basis, uses administrative tools and utilities and adds new services, as necessary.
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Plans, installs and maintains server and application virtualization technologies including VMWare, VMWare View, Citrix, AWS and Azure.
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Develops enterprise storage system specification, provides strategic planning and implementation of storage area network (SAN), network attached storage (NAS) systems, and cloud storage technologies.
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Plans, installs and maintains enterprise back-up systems. Performs daily back-up operations. Ensures all required file systems, databases and applications data are successfully backed up to the appropriate media, recovery tapes or disks are created and media is recycled and sent off site, as necessary.
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Maintains disaster recovery systems for critical City business applications and data. Develops and maintains detailed DR plan documentation, conducts annual DR exercises.
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Plans, installs and maintains enterprise applications including e-mail, unified communications and collaboration, presence and instant messaging systems, including enterprise productivity applications and services hosted in public clouds.
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Plans, installs and maintains email security, SPAM, data loss prevention (DLP), and web filtering appliances. Generates web activity and Internet traffic reports, as requested.
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Plans, installs and maintains mobile device and mobile app management (MDM/MAM) systems, provisions MDM policies for BYOD and City issued devices, ensures secure access to City's information from mobile devices.
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Plans, installs and maintains data center environmental and monitoring equipment including electrical, Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS), cooling, fire suppression and building management systems.
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Responds to and executes electronic discovery tasks for information pertaining legal matters and public records requests.
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Manages and maintains infrastructure services including Active Directory (AD), AD Premium for Azure, ADFS, domain controllers (DC), domain name services (DNS), antivirus and security systems, enterprise printing services, server management and monitoring tools.
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Leads technical research and development to enable continuing innovation within the Information Technology (IT) infrastructure.
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Provides technical supervision to assigned staff, as required by the needs of specific projects.
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Responds to systems outages and critical e-mail alerts, and performs maintenance.
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Manages vendor and consultant activities; evaluates vendors/products; prepares feasibility studies; recommends and establishes program objectives, priorities and schedules.
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Performs other related duties, as assigned.
Requirements
Knowledge, Ability and Skills:
Knowledge of:
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Server hardware and Operating Systems (OS) including Windows Server 2008 through 2016, VMWare, Hyper-V and Linux.
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Storage systems including storage area network (SAN), network-attached storage (NAS) and Internet Small Computer System Interface (iSCSI).
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Enterprise back-up hardware and software including magnetic tape libraries, virtual tape or disk-based libraries, and file/e-mail archiving solutions.
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Information security best practices.
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Network topologies, Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model, Ethernet, Transmission Control Protocol and Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and Fiber-Channel communications.
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Infrastructure services including Active Directory (AD), AD group policies, domain controllers/back-up domain controller (PDC/BDC), Directory Sync and Active Directory Federation Services (ADFS), Domain Name System (DNS), Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), Windows Internet Name Service (WINS), SNPM, Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), Post Office Protocol (POP3) and Internet Message Access Protocol (iMAP).
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E-mail systems and enterprise productivity applications including Microsoft Exchange, Office 365 and SharePoint.
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Unified communications and collaboration solutions including Microsoft Skype for Business.
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Logon scripts, windows command line and PowerShell commands.
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Cloud services including Azure, AWS & EC2, HP Helion or others.
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Effective customer service techniques.
Ability to:
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Investigate and troubleshoot complex technical issues.
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Repair and recover from hardware or software failures.
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Perform system performance tuning and resource optimization.
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Research and recommend innovative, and automated approaches for system administration tasks.
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Prepare request for proposals (RFP) and statement of work (SOW).
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Develop and maintain installation and configuration procedures.
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Develop and maintain system standards and best practices.
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Perform systems administration tasks on servers, storage systems and enterprise applications.
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Implement new IT solutions and services.
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Provide effective customer service.
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Establish and maintain effective and cooperative working relationships with City employees, consultants, vendors, and the general public.
Skill in:
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IT systems administration and implementation.
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Computer systems, software, server hardware configuration, maintenance and troubleshooting.
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Project management.
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Diagnosing complex computer hardware/software problems and implementing solutions.
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Team work and team building.
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Written and verbal communication.
Minimum Qualifications:
Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Management Information Systems or a closely related field.
Three years of recent, paid work experience in provisioning, installation/configuration, operations, and maintenance of enterprise systems hardware and software and related infrastructure.
Licenses and Certificates:
Possession of a valid Class C driver license or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related essential functions.
Supplemental Information
How to Apply:
Applicants must submit a completed on-line City Application along with any required supplemental application materials with the Human Resources Department by the filing deadline. If you do not submit your on-line application by the filing deadline, you will not be considered for this position. Please note, applications may be rejected if incomplete. Resumes, CVs and cover letters are not reviewed as part of the application screening process.
Note: Applicants who indicate that they completed college-level coursework or earned a degree from a foreign institution may be required to provide U.S. credential equivalency verification. Diploma or transcript copies must still be attached for all applicants. To verify degrees from international universities, you may use the IAU database of international institutions at IAU Global Members. If the school is not listed, applicants must still provide U.S. credential equivalency verification.
SELECTION PROCESS:
All applicants must submit clear, concise and complete information regarding their qualifications for the position. All applicants will be reviewed and only those candidates determined to be most qualified on the basis of experience and education, as submitted, will be invited to participate further in the selection process.
Testing may consist of the following and is subject to change as needs dictate:
Training & Experience Evaluation - Qualifying
Oral Interview - 100%
NOTE: If three or more qualified City employees apply and pass the examination, a promotional list will be established in addition to an open-competitive list. If fewer than three qualified City employees pass the examination, the appointing authority, in accordance with the City's civil service rules and regulations, can decline to use a promotional list, in which case a promotional list will not be established for this position.
BACKGROUND INVESTIGATIONS:
Candidates who have successfully completed all prior phases of the selection process will be subject to a thorough background investigation. The City of Santa Monica is a progressive, inclusive and culturally-rich community. As leaders in public service, we strive to be an employer of choice by attracting and retaining a highly-talented workforce where people of diverse races, religions, cultures and lifestyles thrive. Our goal is to create a welcoming and inclusive environment where our staff are empowered to perform at their highest level and where their differences make a positive impact.
The City is an equal opportunity employer and strives to build balanced teams from all walks of life without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religion, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, ancestry, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state and/or local law. We aim to create a workplace that celebrates and embraces the diversity of our employees. Join us!
Special assistance with the application and examination process is available, upon request, for persons with disabilities. Call (310) 458-8246, TDD (310) 458-8696 (Hearing Impaired Only).
Please note the request for reasonable accommodations must be made to Human Resources at least three work days prior to the examination.
WORKING CONDITIONS
Work is regularly performed indoors in a home or office environment, in accordance with the City’s Telework/Flexible Workplace Policy, with frequent interruptions. Contact with the public and meeting deadlines is frequently required. Physical demands include sitting, standing, kneeling, bending, reaching, and walking. May occasionally attend meetings after regular work hours and/or weekends.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding STEM OPT Authorization as a Systems Engineer
Verify your CIP code before applying
Check that your degree's Classification of Instructional Programs code maps to an approved STEM field on the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List. Engineering and computer science degrees typically qualify, but interdisciplinary programs sometimes need a second look from your DSO.
Confirm E-Verify enrollment before accepting offers
Ask hiring managers directly whether the company is enrolled in E-Verify before signing anything. Government contractors are often already enrolled, but many mid-size engineering firms are not, which would disqualify them as STEM OPT employers regardless of role fit.
Build your I-983 training plan around engineering deliverables
Your I-983 must list specific learning objectives tied to your systems engineering responsibilities, not just a job description. Frame objectives around measurable engineering outcomes like system architecture reviews or integration testing milestones to satisfy USCIS compliance requirements.
Target defense and aerospace contractors for E-Verify certainty
Federal contractors and subcontractors working on government projects are legally required to use E-Verify, making them reliable STEM OPT employers. Systems Engineer roles at these organizations also tend to align closely with STEM degree requirements, reducing the risk of a mismatched LCA.
Use Migrate Mate to filter roles by verified STEM OPT employers
Search for Systems Engineer openings on Migrate Mate, which surfaces employers with confirmed E-Verify enrollment and active STEM OPT hiring history. This cuts out the manual legwork of vetting each company's eligibility before you invest time in an application.
File your STEM OPT extension at least 90 days early
Submit your I-765 extension application to USCIS no later than 90 days before your initial OPT expires. If your application is pending when OPT ends, your cap-gap protection covers you only if an H-1B visa petition is also filed on your behalf for the upcoming fiscal year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Systems Engineer role qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
Yes, if your degree is in an approved STEM field such as electrical engineering, computer engineering, systems engineering, or computer science, and the role requires applying that technical knowledge directly. Your DSO will confirm your CIP code maps to the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List before authorizing the extension. Roles that are purely administrative or managerial without a technical engineering component may not qualify.
What must be in the I-983 training plan for a Systems Engineer position?
Your I-983 must include specific, measurable learning objectives that connect your day-to-day systems engineering work to the technical skills your STEM degree prepared you for. Generic job descriptions don't satisfy USCIS requirements. Think in terms of concrete engineering deliverables: system design reviews, requirements traceability matrices, integration and verification testing, or architecture documentation. Both you and your employer must sign the plan, and it must be updated every 12 months or whenever your role changes materially.
How do I confirm my employer is enrolled in E-Verify before my start date?
Ask your HR contact or recruiter directly and request the company's E-Verify employer ID number as confirmation. You can also search the E-Verify employer search tool, which is publicly accessible through the E-Verify program, to verify enrollment status. If the employer isn't enrolled, they cannot legally employ you under STEM OPT, and no amount of goodwill or role fit changes that requirement. Get this confirmed before you resign from any current position.
How does cap-gap protection work if I'm a Systems Engineer waiting on H-1B selection?
If your employer files an H-1B petition on your behalf before your OPT EAD expires and USCIS selects it in the lottery, your STEM OPT authorization automatically extends through September 30 of that fiscal year under the cap-gap rule. You can keep working as a Systems Engineer during this bridge period even if your EAD physically expires. USCIS provides guidance on cap-gap eligibility, and your DSO can issue a cap-gap I-20 to document your continued authorization.
Where can I find Systems Engineer jobs from employers that support STEM OPT?
Migrate Mate lists Systems Engineer openings from employers with verified E-Verify enrollment and a track record of hiring STEM OPT students, so you're not wasting applications on companies that can't legally onboard you. Filtering by STEM OPT eligibility upfront also helps you prioritize roles where the engineering responsibilities are likely to support a strong I-983 training plan and a clear path toward H-1B sponsorship after your authorization period ends.