Science & Research OPT Jobs in California
California is one of the top states for F-1 OPT science and research jobs, anchored by institutions like UC San Diego, Stanford, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and biotech employers concentrated in the Bay Area and San Diego. OPT students in STEM-designated programs benefit from the 24-month STEM OPT extension, giving employers more flexibility when considering international candidates.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
Physical Intelligence is bringing general-purpose AI into the physical world. We are a team of engineers, scientists, roboticists, and company builders developing foundation models and learning algorithms to power the robots of today and the physically-actuated devices of the future.
The team
This role is part of the Runtime team, but will include deep collaboration with the Research, Hardware, and Fleet teams.
In this role you will:
- Drive the architecture and implementation of embedded firmware for devices crucial to PI’s data collection goals
- Work with hardware and software teams to ensure the new devices we are building work seamlessly with existing and future data pipelines
- Embedded Linux System Bring-up: Lead the integration of embedded Linux devices with real-time sensor processing. This includes developing drivers for high-speed sensors, BSP development and customization, kernel configuration and debugging, hardware bring-up, and performance tuning across the hardware/software boundary.
- Hardware/Software Debugging: Use hardware abstraction tools and laboratory equipment to identify and resolve complex timing issues, race conditions, and hardware-software interface bugs.
- Power Optimization: Analyze and reduce power consumption for battery-operated devices, including on radio sleep states and sensor low-power modes.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- BS/MS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related field.
- Strong software engineering and infrastructure skills, including building data pipelines, evaluation frameworks, and tools for rapid iteration.
- Comfort working hands-on with hardware.
- Strong communication skills for collaborating with hardware, software, and research teams.
- Demonstrated experience leading initiatives from concept to production on aggressive schedules, and turning ambiguous product goals into functional requirements.
- Experience leading initial board bring-up and software design for first-of-their-kind embedded devices.
- Hands-on experience with SPI, I2C, UART, USB, and the ability to debug complex hardware-software interactions.
- Experience architecting, implementing and debugging concurrent and multithreaded firmware services.
- Deep understanding of modern operating systems, computer architecture, and trade-offs between compute, memory, and storage.
- Experience bringing up and integrating sensors on embedded systems; camera system bring-up, integration, and tuning is a plus.
- Proficiency in C++.
- Familiarity with Bash scripting and Python for tooling and automation.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Nice to have: Direct experience with Linux Kernel development, including writing or debugging drivers, managing device trees, or optimizing kernel-space performance.
Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
INTRODUCTION
Physical Intelligence is bringing general-purpose AI into the physical world. We are a team of engineers, scientists, roboticists, and company builders developing foundation models and learning algorithms to power the robots of today and the physically-actuated devices of the future.
The team
This role is part of the Runtime team, but will include deep collaboration with the Research, Hardware, and Fleet teams.
In this role you will:
- Drive the architecture and implementation of embedded firmware for devices crucial to PI’s data collection goals
- Work with hardware and software teams to ensure the new devices we are building work seamlessly with existing and future data pipelines
- Embedded Linux System Bring-up: Lead the integration of embedded Linux devices with real-time sensor processing. This includes developing drivers for high-speed sensors, BSP development and customization, kernel configuration and debugging, hardware bring-up, and performance tuning across the hardware/software boundary.
- Hardware/Software Debugging: Use hardware abstraction tools and laboratory equipment to identify and resolve complex timing issues, race conditions, and hardware-software interface bugs.
- Power Optimization: Analyze and reduce power consumption for battery-operated devices, including on radio sleep states and sensor low-power modes.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- BS/MS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related field.
- Strong software engineering and infrastructure skills, including building data pipelines, evaluation frameworks, and tools for rapid iteration.
- Comfort working hands-on with hardware.
- Strong communication skills for collaborating with hardware, software, and research teams.
- Demonstrated experience leading initiatives from concept to production on aggressive schedules, and turning ambiguous product goals into functional requirements.
- Experience leading initial board bring-up and software design for first-of-their-kind embedded devices.
- Hands-on experience with SPI, I2C, UART, USB, and the ability to debug complex hardware-software interactions.
- Experience architecting, implementing and debugging concurrent and multithreaded firmware services.
- Deep understanding of modern operating systems, computer architecture, and trade-offs between compute, memory, and storage.
- Experience bringing up and integrating sensors on embedded systems; camera system bring-up, integration, and tuning is a plus.
- Proficiency in C++.
- Familiarity with Bash scripting and Python for tooling and automation.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Nice to have: Direct experience with Linux Kernel development, including writing or debugging drivers, managing device trees, or optimizing kernel-space performance.
Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
OPT Science & Research Job Roles in California
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Search Science & Research Jobs in CaliforniaScience & Research OPT Sponsorship Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
Which science and research companies sponsor F-1 OPT visas in California?
Major sponsors include national laboratories like Lawrence Berkeley, SLAC, and Lawrence Livermore, along with biotech and life sciences companies such as Genentech, Gilead Sciences, and Illumina. Large tech firms with research divisions, including Google, Apple, and Meta, also regularly hire OPT candidates. University research centers across the UC system and Stanford are consistent sources of OPT-eligible positions.
Which cities in California have the most science and research F-1 OPT sponsorship jobs?
The San Francisco Bay Area, including San Jose and South San Francisco, leads due to its concentration of biotech firms and tech research labs. San Diego is a major hub for life sciences, genomics, and pharmaceutical research, home to companies like Illumina and the Salk Institute. Los Angeles has a growing presence in aerospace research and bioscience, and Sacramento offers opportunities tied to environmental and agricultural research.
What types of science and research roles typically qualify for F-1 OPT sponsorship in California?
Roles that commonly qualify include research scientist, data scientist, bioinformatics analyst, computational biologist, environmental scientist, chemical engineer, and laboratory research associate. Positions tied to a STEM-designated degree program are eligible for the 24-month STEM OPT extension, which significantly broadens hiring opportunities. Postdoctoral research roles at universities and national laboratories are also frequently open to OPT candidates.
How do I find science & research F-1 OPT sponsorship jobs in California?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for international students and filters science and research jobs in California by visa type, including F-1 OPT. Rather than sorting through general job boards and guessing which employers are open to sponsorship, you can search directly for roles where OPT eligibility is confirmed. This saves time and helps you focus on employers who have a track record of hiring OPT candidates in science and research fields.
Are there any California-specific considerations for F-1 OPT sponsorship in science and research?
California employers must comply with state labor laws that run parallel to federal OPT requirements, so employment terms should align with both. Many research positions are funded through federal grants, which can affect hiring timelines and headcount decisions. STEM OPT positions require a formal training plan submitted through your university's designated school official, and the employer must be E-Verify enrolled, which is a federally mandated requirement for all STEM OPT extensions.