STEM OPT Validation Engineer Jobs
Validation Engineer roles in medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and manufacturing qualify for STEM OPT work authorization, including the 24-month extension beyond your initial 12 months. Your employer must be enrolled in E-Verify, and your degree must fall under an eligible STEM CIP code. With 36 total months of authorization, you have a strong runway to secure H-1B visa sponsorship.
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Get Access To All JobsJOB TITLE: Validation Engineer
LOCATION: Foster City, CA
PAY RANGE: $49 - 59/hr.
DURATION: 6 Months
Position Summary:
The Component and System Hardware Validation team is responsible for ensuring our components and subsystems on the robotaxi meet all functional and reliability targets needed to facilitate our autonomous mobility service. Our team has an action-biased culture marked by integrity, humility, competence, and passion for the mission and the systems we design. We are building real products here and are looking for doers to join us. As a validation engineer supporting interior trim and seating, you will be responsible for establishing and executing a robust and rigorous validation process from requirements development through report approval. This will include managing internal and external testing resources as well as supplier-led validation activities that ensure durability, reliability, and safety targets are satisfied. You will work closely with cross-functional teams to understand root causes of failures, identify mitigation strategies, and incorporate learnings into new designs.
Responsibilities:
- Develop and manage test plans to validate mechanical, electrical, and environmental failure modes around our interior trim and seating systems
- Collaborate with design engineers to ensure that requirements are clearly defined and captured within the validation plan
- Identify appropriate test assets, data acquisition systems, and sensors to ensure high-quality test data
- Analyze test data to provide clear and concise reporting of test results
- Support DFMEA activities to ensure that all potential failure modes are adequately covered within the validation plan
- Support root cause failure analysis activities during development, validation, and deployment
- Design test fixtures necessary to complete testing
- Manage validation schedule to ensure appropriate test assets are available and critical path items are identified
QUALIFICATIONS/TECHNICAL SKILLS:
- 2+ years of test or validation experience related to interior automotive trims and seats
- Experience with failure and root cause analysis
- Experience generating and managing DFMEAs
- Experience with requirements management tools (Polarion or equiv.)
- Experience with automotive test standards
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Familiarity with 3D design tools. CATIA 3DX or CATIA V5 or SolidWorks preferred
- Experience with passive safety systems
Education:
- BS or MS in mechanical engineering, or a related relevant field
BENEFITS SUMMARY:
Individual compensation is determined by skills, qualifications, experience, and location. Compensation details listed in this posting reflect the base hourly rate or annual salary only, unless otherwise stated. In addition to base compensation, full-time roles are eligible for Medical, Dental, Vision, Commuter and 401K benefits with company matching.
IND123
JOB TITLE: Validation Engineer
LOCATION: Foster City, CA
PAY RANGE: $49 - 59/hr.
DURATION: 6 Months
Position Summary:
The Component and System Hardware Validation team is responsible for ensuring our components and subsystems on the robotaxi meet all functional and reliability targets needed to facilitate our autonomous mobility service. Our team has an action-biased culture marked by integrity, humility, competence, and passion for the mission and the systems we design. We are building real products here and are looking for doers to join us. As a validation engineer supporting interior trim and seating, you will be responsible for establishing and executing a robust and rigorous validation process from requirements development through report approval. This will include managing internal and external testing resources as well as supplier-led validation activities that ensure durability, reliability, and safety targets are satisfied. You will work closely with cross-functional teams to understand root causes of failures, identify mitigation strategies, and incorporate learnings into new designs.
Responsibilities:
- Develop and manage test plans to validate mechanical, electrical, and environmental failure modes around our interior trim and seating systems
- Collaborate with design engineers to ensure that requirements are clearly defined and captured within the validation plan
- Identify appropriate test assets, data acquisition systems, and sensors to ensure high-quality test data
- Analyze test data to provide clear and concise reporting of test results
- Support DFMEA activities to ensure that all potential failure modes are adequately covered within the validation plan
- Support root cause failure analysis activities during development, validation, and deployment
- Design test fixtures necessary to complete testing
- Manage validation schedule to ensure appropriate test assets are available and critical path items are identified
QUALIFICATIONS/TECHNICAL SKILLS:
- 2+ years of test or validation experience related to interior automotive trims and seats
- Experience with failure and root cause analysis
- Experience generating and managing DFMEAs
- Experience with requirements management tools (Polarion or equiv.)
- Experience with automotive test standards
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Familiarity with 3D design tools. CATIA 3DX or CATIA V5 or SolidWorks preferred
- Experience with passive safety systems
Education:
- BS or MS in mechanical engineering, or a related relevant field
BENEFITS SUMMARY:
Individual compensation is determined by skills, qualifications, experience, and location. Compensation details listed in this posting reflect the base hourly rate or annual salary only, unless otherwise stated. In addition to base compensation, full-time roles are eligible for Medical, Dental, Vision, Commuter and 401K benefits with company matching.
IND123
See all 135+ STEM OPT Validation Engineer Jobs
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding STEM OPT Authorization as a Validation Engineer
Verify your degree qualifies under STEM CIP codes
Check your degree's Classification of Instructional Programs code against the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List before applying. Engineering disciplines like biomedical, chemical, and electrical engineering typically qualify, but computer science degrees used for validation roles need specific confirmation.
Confirm E-Verify enrollment before accepting an offer
Your employer must be enrolled in E-Verify to sponsor your STEM OPT extension. Search the E-Verify employer database by company name before signing any offer letter. Regulated industries like medical devices often already participate, but contract manufacturers and smaller CROs may not.
Build a validation-specific I-983 training plan early
Your I-983 must list concrete learning objectives tied to your STEM degree, not just your job duties. For validation roles, document how your work on IQ/OQ/PQ protocols or 21 CFR Part 11 compliance directly applies skills from your engineering coursework.
Target employers filing LCAs in validation-heavy industries
Use Migrate Mate to filter Validation Engineer roles by employers with active Labor Condition Application filing history. Companies in FDA-regulated industries routinely file work visa paperwork and are structured to support the E-Verify and I-983 requirements your STEM OPT extension demands.
Understand cap-gap protection if your OPT expires during H-1B adjudication
If your STEM OPT end date falls between April 1 and October 1 during an H-1B petition year, cap-gap protection extends your work authorization automatically. USCIS issues guidance each cycle confirming the exact extension mechanism, so confirm your EAD end date against petition filing timelines.
Use O*NET to align your resume to SOC classification standards
Validation Engineer maps to specific Standard Occupational Classification codes that DOL uses to determine prevailing wage tiers. Cross-reference the O*NET occupation profile for your target role to ensure your resume reflects the core tasks and tools that validate your degree-to-role fit for adjudicators.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Validation Engineer role qualify for the STEM OPT 24-month extension?
Yes, if your degree is on the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List. Engineering degrees in biomedical, chemical, mechanical, and industrial disciplines commonly support Validation Engineer roles. Your DSO will confirm CIP code eligibility when you apply for the extension through your school. The role itself must also represent a direct application of your STEM degree, which validation work in regulated industries typically satisfies.
Does my employer have to be E-Verify enrolled for my STEM OPT extension to be approved?
Yes, E-Verify enrollment is a hard requirement for STEM OPT extensions. Your employer must be actively enrolled, not just registered. You can confirm enrollment through the E-Verify employer search tool before accepting an offer. If the company acquired another entity recently, verify that your specific hiring entity, not just a parent company, is enrolled. USCIS will not approve a STEM OPT extension without confirmed E-Verify participation.
What should my I-983 training plan include for a Validation Engineer position?
Your I-983 must document specific learning objectives that connect your engineering degree to your daily validation work. For Validation Engineer roles, list tasks like developing validation protocols, executing IQ/OQ/PQ testing, or maintaining compliance under FDA or ISO standards, and explain how each draws on coursework from your degree program. Generic job descriptions copied from the offer letter are insufficient. Your DSO reviews the plan, and USCIS can audit it.
How does cap-gap protection work if my STEM OPT expires before October 1?
If your employer files an H-1B petition on your behalf before April 1 and you're selected in the lottery, cap-gap protection automatically extends your STEM OPT work authorization through September 30. USCIS confirms the mechanism each fiscal year. You don't file anything separately; your EAD is extended by operation of law. You can continue working at the same employer in the same role during this bridge period without interruption.
Where can I find Validation Engineer jobs where the employer already understands STEM OPT requirements?
Migrate Mate filters Validation Engineer listings by employers with documented work visa filing history, so you're not starting from scratch explaining STEM OPT to an HR team that's never encountered it. Companies in FDA-regulated industries like medical devices and pharmaceuticals tend to have established compliance infrastructure, making them better positioned to complete the E-Verify enrollment and I-983 approval process your extension requires.