STEM OPT Jobs in Illinois
F-1 STEM OPT jobs in Illinois cluster around Chicago's tech, finance, and healthcare employers, with secondary hubs near the research universities in Urbana-Champaign and Evanston. To qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension, your employer must be E-Verify enrolled and the role must directly apply your STEM-designated degree. Manufacturing and data analytics roles across the state add further depth to the sponsorship market.
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thyssenkrupp is an international industrial and technology group with more than 93,000 employees. In the fiscal year 2024/2025, the company generated sales of around €33 billion in 48 countries. Its business activities are bundled in five segments: Automotive Technology, Decarbon Technologies, Materials Services, Steel Europe and Marine Systems. With extensive technological know-how, outstanding engineering competence and a high level of innovative strength, the group develops solutions for the challenges of the future, especially in the fields of climate protection and energy transition, digital transformation in industry and mobility of the future.
Company Presentation
thyssenkrupp integrated its Forging & Machining and Undercarriage businesses to start the new business unit Forged Technologies. With roughly 7,000 employees at 18 production sites in seven different countries, thyssenkrupp Forged Technologies has sales of over one billion euros and operates over 50 forging press lines and more than 150 machining and assembly lines in seven countries. The product portfolio includes undercarriage systems for heavy machinery as well as crankshafts, connecting rods, pistons, chassis products, transmission systems and rotor shafts for the automotive industry.
Your Responsibilities Maintenance Reliability Engineer for thyssenkrupp Crankshaft Company, LLC in Danville, Illinois.
Duties: Provide ongoing technical support to identify opportunities to improve equipment, assembly, and component performance; provide expertise and direction in implementation of maintenance reliability strategies; address equipment, assembly, or component failures on production line; plan and coordinate equipment or assembly overhauls, and new equipment installations and repairs; support and guide troubleshooting and repair of complex equipment, provide assistance during repairs, and assist and check work of contractors; develop A3 root cause analysis reports for excessive downtime using MTBF and MTBR metrics and determine where component failures need to be addressed; develop Predictive Maintenance program; instruct and train maintenance technicians in methods and procedures; develop standard work procedures for equipment operation and maintenance; and drive 5S results and performance, ensuring area is organized according to 5S standards.
Your Profile Requirements: Bachelor Degree in Electronic, Electrical, or Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent foreign degree. 2 years of experience in an Electrical or Mechanical Engineering occupation with specific forging experience, or in a closely related Engineering role.
Must have 2 years of work experience with each of the following: lifecycle of manufacturing equipment in crankshaft industry, from initial design through maintenance and replacement; implement and manage maintenance plans in crankshaft industry based on data and testing; statistical process control, reliability modeling, and root cause analysis to identify trends and opportunities for improvement in equipment performance; and assess and identify operational risks to minimize hazards and develop plans to address.
Salary Range: $87,386 to $100,000 per year.
Apply online at https://jobs.thyssenkrupp.com/en; reach out to dennis.webb@thyssenkrupp.com with any questions. Please reference Maintenance Reliability Engineer position. EOE.
The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities, or requirements. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Contact Details
We only accept online applications submitted through the 'Apply Now' button on this job posting. You can find all current job openings on our career site at: https://jobs.thyssenkrupp.com/en Thank you for your interest in joining our team!
Notices:
If you are an applicant with a California residency, please click on the following link: California Job Applicant Notice of Collection
thyssenkrupp Notice of Fraudulent Job Offers
Your Benefits With Us
We offer an outstanding Benefits Package that includes:
- Company Tuition Reimbursement Package. Quarterly Bonus Program.
- 401K Match
- 120 hours of Paid Time Off after completion of Probation Period.
- Competitive wage with a Skill Pay Program that includes a work service credit on relative education and experience.
- Comprehensive medical plans with flexible cost options ranging from $4.62 to $57.62 a week. We also have a Preventative Healthcare and Medical Program with additional premium discount on medical insurance premiums.
- Dental plans ranging from $0.48 to $4.15 a week.
- Vision Plans ranging from $0.35 to $3.69 a week.
- Company Paid Life, AD&D, Short Term Disability, & Long Term Disability.
- 11 paid Holidays.
- Exclusive free medical services through our partnership with Everside Healthcare for employees and their dependents 3+ years of age.
- Gym Membership Reimbursement.
We Value Diversity
thyssenkrupp Crankshaft Co., LLC is an equal opportunity employer, including people with disabilities and veterans.
Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act and certain state or local laws. For those requiring assistance completing the application or the application process and request information relating to the need for accommodation, please contact reasonableaccommodation@thyssenkrupp.com.
Job Reference: US_RS_08476
Group Presentation
thyssenkrupp is an international industrial and technology group with more than 93,000 employees. In the fiscal year 2024/2025, the company generated sales of around €33 billion in 48 countries. Its business activities are bundled in five segments: Automotive Technology, Decarbon Technologies, Materials Services, Steel Europe and Marine Systems. With extensive technological know-how, outstanding engineering competence and a high level of innovative strength, the group develops solutions for the challenges of the future, especially in the fields of climate protection and energy transition, digital transformation in industry and mobility of the future.
Company Presentation
thyssenkrupp integrated its Forging & Machining and Undercarriage businesses to start the new business unit Forged Technologies. With roughly 7,000 employees at 18 production sites in seven different countries, thyssenkrupp Forged Technologies has sales of over one billion euros and operates over 50 forging press lines and more than 150 machining and assembly lines in seven countries. The product portfolio includes undercarriage systems for heavy machinery as well as crankshafts, connecting rods, pistons, chassis products, transmission systems and rotor shafts for the automotive industry.
Your Responsibilities Maintenance Reliability Engineer for thyssenkrupp Crankshaft Company, LLC in Danville, Illinois.
Duties: Provide ongoing technical support to identify opportunities to improve equipment, assembly, and component performance; provide expertise and direction in implementation of maintenance reliability strategies; address equipment, assembly, or component failures on production line; plan and coordinate equipment or assembly overhauls, and new equipment installations and repairs; support and guide troubleshooting and repair of complex equipment, provide assistance during repairs, and assist and check work of contractors; develop A3 root cause analysis reports for excessive downtime using MTBF and MTBR metrics and determine where component failures need to be addressed; develop Predictive Maintenance program; instruct and train maintenance technicians in methods and procedures; develop standard work procedures for equipment operation and maintenance; and drive 5S results and performance, ensuring area is organized according to 5S standards.
Your Profile Requirements: Bachelor Degree in Electronic, Electrical, or Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent foreign degree. 2 years of experience in an Electrical or Mechanical Engineering occupation with specific forging experience, or in a closely related Engineering role.
Must have 2 years of work experience with each of the following: lifecycle of manufacturing equipment in crankshaft industry, from initial design through maintenance and replacement; implement and manage maintenance plans in crankshaft industry based on data and testing; statistical process control, reliability modeling, and root cause analysis to identify trends and opportunities for improvement in equipment performance; and assess and identify operational risks to minimize hazards and develop plans to address.
Salary Range: $87,386 to $100,000 per year.
Apply online at https://jobs.thyssenkrupp.com/en; reach out to dennis.webb@thyssenkrupp.com with any questions. Please reference Maintenance Reliability Engineer position. EOE.
The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities, or requirements. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Contact Details
We only accept online applications submitted through the 'Apply Now' button on this job posting. You can find all current job openings on our career site at: https://jobs.thyssenkrupp.com/en Thank you for your interest in joining our team!
Notices:
If you are an applicant with a California residency, please click on the following link: California Job Applicant Notice of Collection
thyssenkrupp Notice of Fraudulent Job Offers
Your Benefits With Us
We offer an outstanding Benefits Package that includes:
- Company Tuition Reimbursement Package. Quarterly Bonus Program.
- 401K Match
- 120 hours of Paid Time Off after completion of Probation Period.
- Competitive wage with a Skill Pay Program that includes a work service credit on relative education and experience.
- Comprehensive medical plans with flexible cost options ranging from $4.62 to $57.62 a week. We also have a Preventative Healthcare and Medical Program with additional premium discount on medical insurance premiums.
- Dental plans ranging from $0.48 to $4.15 a week.
- Vision Plans ranging from $0.35 to $3.69 a week.
- Company Paid Life, AD&D, Short Term Disability, & Long Term Disability.
- 11 paid Holidays.
- Exclusive free medical services through our partnership with Everside Healthcare for employees and their dependents 3+ years of age.
- Gym Membership Reimbursement.
We Value Diversity
thyssenkrupp Crankshaft Co., LLC is an equal opportunity employer, including people with disabilities and veterans.
Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act and certain state or local laws. For those requiring assistance completing the application or the application process and request information relating to the need for accommodation, please contact reasonableaccommodation@thyssenkrupp.com.
Job Reference: US_RS_08476
Search F-1 STEM OPT Jobs by Industry in Illinois
Tips for Finding STEM OPT Jobs in Illinois
Confirm Your Role Aligns With Your STEM Degree
USCIS requires the job to be directly related to your STEM-designated degree, with the link documented on Form I-983. Use O*NET to pull typical duties for your target job title and check how they apply your coursework. Engineering, computer science, and data science roles typically have a clean match to qualifying STEM degrees, even before you reach the offer stage.
Target E-Verify enrolled Illinois employers directly
STEM OPT requires your employer to be enrolled in E-Verify, and not every Illinois company is. Filter your search to E-Verify participants from the start so you don't spend weeks pursuing roles that can't legally sponsor you.
Use Sponsorship History to Find Real Illinois Employers
Identifying which Illinois employers have actually sponsored international workers tells you far more than a recruiter's vague answer. Migrate Mate surfaces Chicago-area and Downstate employers with recent visa sponsorship activity, so you can target companies that already understand the process and have a documented track record.
Ask about the training plan in your first interview
USCIS requires a signed Form I-983 training plan before your STEM OPT extension is approved. Raise this in early conversations with Illinois employers so hiring managers aren't caught off guard, which is a common sticking point at mid-size firms outside Chicago.
Align your application timeline with your OPT expiration
The STEM OPT extension application must reach USCIS before your initial OPT EAD expires. If you're starting a new role at an Illinois employer mid-OPT, confirm your DSO has enough lead time. USCIS allows filing up to 90 days before your initial OPT expires.
See all 1,000+ F-1 STEM OPT jobs in Illinois
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Get Access To All JobsF-1 STEM OPT Jobs in Illinois: Frequently Asked Questions
Which industries in Illinois sponsor the most F-1 STEM OPT roles?
Technology, financial services, and healthcare consistently lead F-1 STEM OPT sponsorship activity in Illinois. Chicago's concentration of fintech firms, management consulting companies, and large hospital systems generates substantial demand for software engineers, data scientists, biostatisticians, and quantitative analysts. Manufacturing and agri-tech employers in Central and Southern Illinois also sponsor STEM OPT roles, particularly in process engineering and supply chain analytics.
Which cities in Illinois have the most F-1 STEM OPT sponsorship jobs?
Chicago and its suburbs, including Schaumburg, Naperville, and Deerfield, account for the overwhelming majority of F-1 STEM OPT sponsorship jobs in Illinois. Champaign-Urbana is a secondary hub, with employers near the University of Illinois campus actively hiring STEM OPT candidates in software development and engineering. Rockford and Peoria offer smaller but active manufacturing and healthcare sponsorship markets.
What types of roles typically qualify for F-1 STEM OPT sponsorship in Illinois?
Roles qualify for F-1 STEM OPT in Illinois when they directly apply your STEM-designated degree. The DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List sets which degrees qualify, while Form I-983 documents how the job applies your coursework. Common qualifying positions in Illinois include software developer, data analyst, electrical engineer, biomedical researcher, and financial analyst roles. Use O*NET to check whether a job title's typical duties align with your degree.
How do I find F-1 STEM OPT jobs in Illinois that actually sponsor?
Look for Illinois employers with a documented history of sponsoring international workers, since prior sponsorship is the strongest signal they'll do it again. Migrate Mate lists Illinois employers by visa sponsorship activity, so you can confirm an employer has hired international engineers and analysts before applying. Filter for E-Verify enrolled employers separately, since enrollment is required for STEM OPT.
Are there any Illinois-specific considerations for F-1 STEM OPT sponsorship?
Illinois does not impose state-level restrictions on STEM OPT employment, but Chicago's competitive tech and finance labor market means many employers receive applications from both domestic and international candidates. Smaller Illinois employers outside the Chicago metro, particularly in manufacturing, may be unfamiliar with Form I-983 training plan requirements, so proactively sharing USCIS guidance on the training plan obligation can accelerate their decision to sponsor.