Automotive OPT Jobs in California

California is one of the top states for automotive F-1 OPT sponsorship jobs, anchored by Tesla's Fremont manufacturing hub, Rivian's engineering presence, and dozens of Tier 1 suppliers and mobility startups across the Bay Area, Los Angeles, and Silicon Valley. Engineering, software, and data roles in the automotive sector align well with OPT-eligible STEM degrees.

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Overview

Open Jobs206+
Work Type87% On-site
Top LocationFoster City, CA
Most JobsZoox

Showing 5 of 206+ Automotive OPT Jobs in California

Advanced Structural Technologies
Junior Accountant
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Advanced Structural Technologies
Added 1d ago
Junior Accountant
Advanced Structural Technologies
Oxnard, California
Finance
Accounting
Tax
Audit
$30 - $35/hr
On-Site
Bachelor's

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AutoZone
Regional Commercial Sales Manager
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AutoZone
Added 4d ago
Regional Commercial Sales Manager
AutoZone
Rancho Cordova, California
Sales
Partnerships & Business Development
Customer Service & Support
Account Management
Business Development
Customer Service
On-Site
Bachelor's
10,000+

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Eldorado National California
Bid Analyst
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Eldorado National California
Added 5d ago
Bid Analyst
Eldorado National California
Riverside, California
Business Analysis
Project & Program Management
Procurement & Supply Chain
Business Analyst
Procurement & Purchasing
$82k - $90k/yr
On-Site
Bachelor's

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Zoox
Software Development Engineer in Test
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Zoox
Added 5d ago
Software Development Engineer in Test
Zoox
Foster City, California
Software Engineering
Quality Assurance & Testing (QA Testing)
Data Science & Analytics
AI (Artificial Intelligence)
ML (Machine Learning)
$180k - $225k/yr
On-Site
Doctorate
1,001-5,000

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Ford Motor Company
Senior Technical Program Manager
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Ford Motor Company
Added 1w ago
Senior Technical Program Manager
Ford Motor Company
Palo Alto, California
Technical Product & Program Management
Project & Program Management
Specialized Engineering
Technical Program Management
Project Management
Engineering (Non-Software)
$139k - $233k/yr
Hybrid
Bachelor's
10,000+

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OPT Automotive Job Roles in California

Software Engineering94 jobs
Specialized Engineering41 jobs
Engineering (Non-Software)39 jobs
Data Science & Analytics36 jobs
AI (Artificial Intelligence)34 jobs
Data Science33 jobs
Backend Engineering31 jobs
Embedded Systems Engineering28 jobs
Project & Program Management26 jobs
Sales19 jobs

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Automotive OPT Sponsorship Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions

Which automotive companies sponsor F-1 OPT visas in California?

Tesla, Rivian, Lucid Motors, and Waymo are among the California-based automotive employers that have hired F-1 OPT workers. Tier 1 suppliers like Aptiv and Continental also maintain California engineering offices. Sponsorship patterns vary by role and business need, and not every open position at these companies includes OPT sponsorship, so confirming sponsorship eligibility per listing is important.

Which cities in California have the most automotive F-1 OPT sponsorship jobs?

The San Francisco Bay Area, including Fremont, Palo Alto, and San Jose, leads due to Tesla's Fremont factory and the concentration of autonomous vehicle and EV startups. Los Angeles and the Irvine corridor are also active, with Rivian's software operations and a strong cluster of mobility tech firms. Sacramento sees some manufacturing-adjacent roles as well.

What types of automotive roles typically qualify for F-1 OPT sponsorship?

Roles requiring a bachelor's degree or higher in engineering, computer science, data science, or a related STEM field are most commonly OPT-eligible in the automotive sector. Common titles include software engineer, electrical engineer, systems engineer, data analyst, and autonomous systems researcher. These positions fall under STEM OPT, which allows eligible graduates to extend their work authorization to 24 months beyond the standard 12-month OPT period.

How do I find automotive F-1 OPT sponsorship jobs in California?

Migrate Mate is built specifically for international students and visa holders, with filters for visa type, state, and industry. Searching for automotive F-1 OPT jobs in California on Migrate Mate surfaces listings from employers that have indicated sponsorship willingness, saving significant time compared to manually screening general job boards. Checking listings regularly matters, as new automotive roles in California's EV and mobility sector are posted frequently.

Are there state-specific considerations for F-1 OPT sponsorship in California's automotive industry?

California's strong STEM university pipeline, including UC Berkeley, UCLA, and UC San Diego, means employers in the state are generally familiar with hiring F-1 OPT candidates. California also has no state-level barrier to OPT employment, but federal OPT rules still govern work authorization timing, employer registration with E-Verify for STEM OPT extensions, and the requirement that the role directly relate to your degree field.