Chemicals & Materials OPT Jobs in California
Chemicals and materials F-1 OPT sponsorship jobs in California span the state's leading research corridors, from Bay Area biotechnology and materials science firms to Southern California's specialty chemicals and aerospace materials sectors. Companies like Chevron, Lam Research, and Applied Materials have histories of hiring OPT candidates into roles aligned with STEM degree requirements, extending OPT eligibility up to three years.
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Get Access To All JobsPosition Title: HR Payroll and Process Specialist
Department: Department of Culture & Talent
Reports to: Human Resource Manager
Compensation: Non-Exempt; $25 – $35 per hour; commensurate with skills and experience
Hours: Full-time, Monday – Friday, 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Benefits
- Three weeks paid vacation
- Eight and a half paid holidays per year
- Two paid flexible holidays per year
- ICHRA Health Insurance Reimbursement
- 100% Prestige Urgent Care for employees and dependents
- 100% Employer-paid Dental & Vision Insurance for employees and dependents
- 100% Employer-paid Life Insurance
- Additional benefits accrue over the first 3–24 months, including increased PTO, 401(k) with matching, and quarterly profit share
Place of Work
Corporate Headquarters – 1730 South Street, Redding, CA 96001
Company Overview
Maas Energy Works is the leading developer and operator of agricultural waste-to-energy systems in the United States. The Company designs, develops, constructs, and operates biogas renewable energy generation systems, primarily on dairy farms. Our projects include anaerobic digesters, biogas-powered electric generation, and renewable natural gas upgrading.
Position Description
The Department of Culture & Talent is seeking a highly organized, detail-oriented, and data-driven HR Administrator with strong administrative, analytical, interpersonal, and financial skills. In addition to managing payroll processing, tax compliance, and employee benefits administration, this role will contribute to policy development, foster employee engagement initiatives, and ensure clear, professional communication across the organization.
This position also leverages HR data to inform decisions, generate insights on workforce trends, and enhance HR processes and outcomes. The HR Administrator serves as the primary contact for payroll-related questions, leave management, and retirement plan processing, while supporting compliance and driving a positive workplace culture.
Responsibilities
Payroll Processing: Administer semi-monthly payroll, review timesheets, process pay adjustments, garnishments, and maintain employee payroll benefit elections.
Tax Compliance: Create new tax accounts as needed (federal, state and local), reconcile payments and filings, prepare W-2s, and 1099s as needed.
Audits & Reporting: Provide payroll documentation for internal and external audits, prevailing wage reporting; compile and analyze HR-related data from systems such as Dayforce or Power BI to support reporting and compliance.
Retirement Plans: Process contributions, enrollments, distributions, rollovers, and collaborate with Vanguard to complete compliance testing.
Leave, Disability and State Program Management: Coordinate paid leave, disability, and unemployment claims, ensure compliance with overlapping leave policies, and support employees with forms and return-to-work requirements.
Benefits Administration: Oversee benefit programs including tuition reimbursement, travel fund programs, charitable giving, and other company-supported programs; conduct benefit audits and reconciliations.
Employee Support: Respond to payroll-related inquiries and provide resources and communication regarding pay, benefits, and tax matters.
Onboarding & Offboarding: Process payroll-related documentation for new hires and separating employees, including final paychecks, direct deposits, and termination recordkeeping.
Policy Development: Draft, update, and maintain HR policies and procedures to ensure compliance and clarity across the organization.
Employee Engagement: Support initiatives that promote a positive workplace culture, including recognition programs and engagement activities; analyze engagement data and feedback to identify trends and recommend improvements.
Staff Communication: Create clear, professional communications regarding HR policies, benefits, and organizational updates.
HR Data Analysis & Insights: Collect, structure, and interpret HR data to identify trends, support decision-making, and improve HR processes and strategic outcomes.
Qualifications & Skills
- Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field, OR equivalent work experience.
- 2+ years of experience in payroll, HR administration, accounting, or a similarly detail-heavy administrative role.
- Strong communication skills with the ability to craft clear, professional messaging, collaborate across teams, and present data insights to both technical and non-technical audiences.
- Proficiency with payroll software (Dayforce, ADP, Paylocity, or similar) and HRIS platforms.
- Microsoft Excel skills such as pivot tables, formulas, and data analysis; experience with data visualization tools (e.g., Power BI) is a plus.
- Knowledge of federal, state, and local payroll, labor, and tax regulations; experience with retirement plan administration (401(k), 5500 compliance) is a plus.
- Strong analytical and critical thinking skills, including the ability to identify trends and translate data into actionable insights.
- Ability to troubleshoot payroll discrepancies and reconcile financial data accurately.
- Strong organizational and problem-solving skills with a high level of attention to detail.
- Commitment to maintaining confidentiality and integrity when handling sensitive information.
- Proactive mindset with a willingness to learn, improve processes, and leverage data to drive continuous improvement.
Other Duties
This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive list of activities, duties, or responsibilities required for this role. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
Physical Demand Requirements
Work Environment
This role operates primarily in a professional office environment and routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, and filing systems.
Physical Demands
This is largely a sedentary role with occasional travel required. The position may require the ability to walk stairs and enter, travel in, and exit vehicles and airplanes.
Position Title: HR Payroll and Process Specialist
Department: Department of Culture & Talent
Reports to: Human Resource Manager
Compensation: Non-Exempt; $25 – $35 per hour; commensurate with skills and experience
Hours: Full-time, Monday – Friday, 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Benefits
- Three weeks paid vacation
- Eight and a half paid holidays per year
- Two paid flexible holidays per year
- ICHRA Health Insurance Reimbursement
- 100% Prestige Urgent Care for employees and dependents
- 100% Employer-paid Dental & Vision Insurance for employees and dependents
- 100% Employer-paid Life Insurance
- Additional benefits accrue over the first 3–24 months, including increased PTO, 401(k) with matching, and quarterly profit share
Place of Work
Corporate Headquarters – 1730 South Street, Redding, CA 96001
Company Overview
Maas Energy Works is the leading developer and operator of agricultural waste-to-energy systems in the United States. The Company designs, develops, constructs, and operates biogas renewable energy generation systems, primarily on dairy farms. Our projects include anaerobic digesters, biogas-powered electric generation, and renewable natural gas upgrading.
Position Description
The Department of Culture & Talent is seeking a highly organized, detail-oriented, and data-driven HR Administrator with strong administrative, analytical, interpersonal, and financial skills. In addition to managing payroll processing, tax compliance, and employee benefits administration, this role will contribute to policy development, foster employee engagement initiatives, and ensure clear, professional communication across the organization.
This position also leverages HR data to inform decisions, generate insights on workforce trends, and enhance HR processes and outcomes. The HR Administrator serves as the primary contact for payroll-related questions, leave management, and retirement plan processing, while supporting compliance and driving a positive workplace culture.
Responsibilities
Payroll Processing: Administer semi-monthly payroll, review timesheets, process pay adjustments, garnishments, and maintain employee payroll benefit elections.
Tax Compliance: Create new tax accounts as needed (federal, state and local), reconcile payments and filings, prepare W-2s, and 1099s as needed.
Audits & Reporting: Provide payroll documentation for internal and external audits, prevailing wage reporting; compile and analyze HR-related data from systems such as Dayforce or Power BI to support reporting and compliance.
Retirement Plans: Process contributions, enrollments, distributions, rollovers, and collaborate with Vanguard to complete compliance testing.
Leave, Disability and State Program Management: Coordinate paid leave, disability, and unemployment claims, ensure compliance with overlapping leave policies, and support employees with forms and return-to-work requirements.
Benefits Administration: Oversee benefit programs including tuition reimbursement, travel fund programs, charitable giving, and other company-supported programs; conduct benefit audits and reconciliations.
Employee Support: Respond to payroll-related inquiries and provide resources and communication regarding pay, benefits, and tax matters.
Onboarding & Offboarding: Process payroll-related documentation for new hires and separating employees, including final paychecks, direct deposits, and termination recordkeeping.
Policy Development: Draft, update, and maintain HR policies and procedures to ensure compliance and clarity across the organization.
Employee Engagement: Support initiatives that promote a positive workplace culture, including recognition programs and engagement activities; analyze engagement data and feedback to identify trends and recommend improvements.
Staff Communication: Create clear, professional communications regarding HR policies, benefits, and organizational updates.
HR Data Analysis & Insights: Collect, structure, and interpret HR data to identify trends, support decision-making, and improve HR processes and strategic outcomes.
Qualifications & Skills
- Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field, OR equivalent work experience.
- 2+ years of experience in payroll, HR administration, accounting, or a similarly detail-heavy administrative role.
- Strong communication skills with the ability to craft clear, professional messaging, collaborate across teams, and present data insights to both technical and non-technical audiences.
- Proficiency with payroll software (Dayforce, ADP, Paylocity, or similar) and HRIS platforms.
- Microsoft Excel skills such as pivot tables, formulas, and data analysis; experience with data visualization tools (e.g., Power BI) is a plus.
- Knowledge of federal, state, and local payroll, labor, and tax regulations; experience with retirement plan administration (401(k), 5500 compliance) is a plus.
- Strong analytical and critical thinking skills, including the ability to identify trends and translate data into actionable insights.
- Ability to troubleshoot payroll discrepancies and reconcile financial data accurately.
- Strong organizational and problem-solving skills with a high level of attention to detail.
- Commitment to maintaining confidentiality and integrity when handling sensitive information.
- Proactive mindset with a willingness to learn, improve processes, and leverage data to drive continuous improvement.
Other Duties
This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive list of activities, duties, or responsibilities required for this role. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
Physical Demand Requirements
Work Environment
This role operates primarily in a professional office environment and routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, and filing systems.
Physical Demands
This is largely a sedentary role with occasional travel required. The position may require the ability to walk stairs and enter, travel in, and exit vehicles and airplanes.
OPT Chemicals & Materials Job Roles in California
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Search Chemicals & Materials Jobs in CaliforniaChemicals & Materials OPT Sponsorship Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
Which chemicals and materials companies sponsor F-1 OPT visas in California?
California-based employers with documented patterns of hiring F-1 OPT candidates in chemicals and materials include Chevron, Lam Research, Applied Materials, Henkel, and W.R. Grace. Companies in the semiconductor materials space around San Jose and Santa Clara, as well as specialty chemical producers in the Los Angeles Basin, frequently post roles open to OPT candidates given the STEM-eligible nature of most positions in those fields.
Which cities in California have the most chemicals and materials F-1 OPT sponsorship jobs?
The San Francisco Bay Area, particularly San Jose and Santa Clara, concentrates semiconductor and advanced materials employers. Los Angeles and Long Beach host specialty chemical manufacturers and aerospace materials suppliers. San Diego has a notable cluster of materials science companies tied to its biotech and defense sectors. Sacramento and the Central Valley have chemical processing and agricultural chemistry employers, though at lower volumes than coastal metros.
What types of chemicals and materials roles typically qualify for F-1 OPT sponsorship?
Roles that qualify for F-1 OPT, including the 24-month STEM OPT extension, generally require a direct connection to your degree field. In chemicals and materials, this includes process engineer, materials scientist, chemical engineer, R&D chemist, polymer scientist, quality engineer, and failure analysis engineer positions. The key requirement is that the role must provide practical training directly related to your qualifying STEM degree program.
How do I find chemicals and materials F-1 OPT sponsorship jobs in California?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for F-1 OPT job seekers and filters chemicals and materials roles in California by visa sponsorship availability, saving you time spent identifying which employers actually hire OPT candidates. You can search by industry, location, and OPT eligibility in one place. Beyond Migrate Mate, targeting employers with established university partnerships at Caltech, UC Berkeley, and UCLA can also surface OPT-friendly hiring pipelines in this sector.
Are there any California-specific considerations for F-1 OPT sponsorship in the chemicals and materials industry?
California's strict environmental regulations under CalEPA and CARB mean chemicals employers often prioritize candidates with knowledge of state-specific compliance frameworks, which can strengthen your application. Additionally, California's dense university research ecosystem means many employers are familiar with OPT timelines and I-983 training plan requirements. Some defense-adjacent materials roles may require security clearances that are unavailable to F-1 visa holders, so confirming clearance requirements before applying is important.