Energy OPT Jobs in California
California leads the U.S. in renewable energy development, making it one of the strongest states for F-1 OPT energy jobs. Companies like NextEra Energy, Chevron, and Pacific Gas and Electric regularly hire international students in engineering, data analytics, and sustainability roles across Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose, and Sacramento.
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Requisition ID # 175412
Job Category: Maintenance / Construction / Operations
Job Level: Individual Contributor
Business Unit: Energy Delivery
Work Type: Hybrid
Job Location: Antioch
Department Overview:
Over 6,500 coworkers in Electric T&D ensure the delivery of clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy to nearly 16 million people in Northern and Central California. The Electric T&D Team is responsible for ensuring the electric grid's reliability and resiliency through the ongoing maintenance and operations of PG&E's 100,000 miles of distribution lines and over 18,000 miles of Transmission lines. Coworkers in Electric T&D's actively engage in the Lean Methodology through the use of Visual Management in Operating Reviews to cross-functionally identify and solve problems, and create standard work. By working together as One Electric. One Team. We are delivering for our hometowns.
Position Summary:
The Construction Manager is responsible for construction and improvement projects in the Substation Construction system. The Construction Manager identifies contract worthy projects, consults on project feasibility and project site details, coordinates with construction crews, oversees project inspectors, and on a project specific basis performs construction oversight. The incumbent may also prepare job packages and construction estimates, conduct job walks, and meet with bidders, contractors, and governing agencies. The Construction Manager ensures projects are completed per company standards, engineering design, regulatory guidelines, permits and schedule.
This position is hybrid, working from your remote office and your assigned location based on business need.
PG&E is providing the salary range that the company in good faith believes it might pay for this position at the time of the job posting. This compensation range is specific to the locality of the job. The actual salary paid to an individual will be based on multiple factors, including, but not limited to, specific skills, education, licenses or certifications, experience, market value, geographic location, and internal equity. Although we estimate the successful candidate hired into this role will be placed towards the middle or entry point of the range, the decision will be made on a case-by-case basis related to these factors.
A reasonable salary range is:
Bay Area Minimum: $105,000.00
Bay Area Maximum: $169,000.00
This job is also eligible to participate in PG&E’s discretionary incentive compensation programs.
Responsibilities:
- Applies advanced knowledge of professional and technical concepts tied to electrical substation clearance writing processes for transmission and distribution with experience in Advanced Distribution Management System (ADMS) program or similar program.
- Attends job scope walk downs w/PG&E Engineers and Project Managers, leads job scope discussions with Substation Construction Management (SCM) Supervisors, conducts preliminary job site visits, solicits input on the constructability and contractibility of proposed projects.
- Interprets, designs, and writes work specific scope documentation and contributes to the decision-making process with Project Managers and SCM Supervisors related to contract work.
- Reviews RFPs to confirm financial data submitted from the contractor matches the job scope.
- Attends and leads formal job walk downs and 30/60/90 design reviews by Engineering with Project Managers and/or SCM Supervisors to review the IFC (Issued For Construction) drawings and discuss scope, schedule and target dates.
- Compiles internal drawings and relevant data for the RFP and contract processes.
- Addresses all communication with contractors.
- Conducts meetings at the job site allowing contractors to review the design and ask questions.
- Utilizes workload management database and update assigned projects.
- Assists career level employees with system usage and begin reviewing workload analysis reports.
- Ensures contractors follow their approved site-specific safety plans.
- Enforces project environmental/land permit conditions and all safety regulations.
- Performs as Incident Commander and Lead PG&E Representative in the field.
- Assists in the pre-construction project cycle, accompanies team on project walks and offer constructability reports when tasked.
- Coordinates both construction project kick off meetings, PG&E procured material deliveries, and meets with governing agencies/municipalities to manage and enlist compliance with permitting regulations.
- Ensures accurate documentation of contractor billing, manage change orders and the close out of project field records.
- Leads weekly electrical substation construction clearance and progress meetings and publishes meeting notes with field records on a project basis.
- Maintains a positive relationship with construction superintendents and project managers updating them as part of the project construction team.
- On a limited basis, and as designated, provides mentoring to Associate and Career level employees.
Qualifications:
Minimum Qualifications:
Bachelor's Degree in Construction Management, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or equivalent experience
5 years of experience in the field of Industrial engineering or Construction
Travel approximately 50% with occasional overnight stays
Desired Qualifications:
Bachelors Degree in Electrical Engineering
7 years of working experience in the field of Industrial Engineering or Substation Construction
5 years of experience in writing Electrical Substation Transmission and/or Distribution clearances
Working knowledge of Advanced Distribution Management System (ADMS) program for electrical substation clearances software, or similar software
Demonstrated abilities in cost accounting, contract administration, and project scheduling
Demonstrated abilities in project inspection and quality control
Demonstrated knowledge in Electrical Substation Construction; with knowledge of 12KV – 500KV substations facilities or similar complex facility construction
Specialized knowledge of electrical substations and complex electrical clearance writing
Familiarity with the processes and orientation of construction contracting firms
Strong project and people management skills
Ability to understand, interpret and communicate electrical substation civil/mechanical construction procedures, process instrumentation, work methods, standards, policies, and guidelines
Demonstrate skill in achieving cooperation from others in order to achieve a goal
Knowledge of California and Federal regulatory requirements such as Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
OPT Energy Job Roles in California
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Search Energy Jobs in CaliforniaEnergy OPT Sponsorship Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
Which energy companies sponsor F-1 OPT visas in California?
California-based energy employers that have historically hired F-1 OPT candidates include Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), Southern California Edison, Chevron, Shell, Bloom Energy, and SunPower. Renewable energy developers and grid technology companies in the Bay Area and Los Angeles region also participate in OPT hiring, particularly for engineering and analytical roles where recent graduates meet specific technical requirements.
Which cities in California have the most energy F-1 OPT sponsorship jobs?
San Jose and the broader Bay Area concentrate the most clean energy and grid technology employers, particularly in solar and battery storage. Los Angeles is a hub for utility-scale renewable developers and energy efficiency firms. Sacramento attracts candidates interested in policy-adjacent technical roles given its proximity to state energy regulators, while San Diego has a growing cluster of clean technology and microgrid companies.
What types of energy roles typically qualify for F-1 OPT sponsorship?
Roles that commonly qualify include electrical engineering, power systems analysis, energy data analytics, grid modeling, environmental engineering, and renewable energy project development. California's emphasis on clean energy transition also creates openings in battery storage research, EV infrastructure engineering, and sustainability operations. Most qualifying positions require a degree directly related to the job function, which is a standard F-1 OPT eligibility requirement.
How do I find energy F-1 OPT sponsorship jobs in California?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for international students searching for F-1 OPT-eligible roles and filters listings by visa type and industry. For California energy jobs, you can search by the Energy category and filter to F-1 OPT to see employers actively open to OPT candidates. Migrate Mate surfaces roles from companies with a track record of sponsoring international students, which saves significant time compared to manually vetting listings.
Are there California-specific considerations for F-1 OPT candidates in the energy sector?
California's aggressive renewable energy mandates and its Independent System Operator (CAISO) create technical roles not common in other states, which can benefit OPT candidates with specialized coursework in power systems or grid operations. State environmental regulations also drive demand for candidates with environmental science or engineering backgrounds. Because OPT authorization is time-limited, beginning your job search well before your program end date is particularly important in a competitive market like California.