Construction STEM OPT Jobs in Illinois
Construction F-1 STEM OPT sponsorship jobs in Illinois are concentrated in Chicago and its suburbs, where firms like Skanska, Turner Construction, and AECOM regularly hire civil, structural, and environmental engineers. Illinois's $45 billion infrastructure pipeline and ongoing transit expansion create consistent demand for STEM-qualified international graduates across project management, geotechnical, and construction technology roles.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
STRUCTURAL TECHNOLOGIES develops and integrates products, engineering support, repair and maintenance services to provide value-added solutions to owners, engineers and contractors. We provide specialty contracting services through our contracting companies, and state-of-the-art proprietary products and engineering support services through our technologies company. With over 2,500 employees working from locations nationwide and in select international markets, we serve the Commercial, Public, Transportation Industrial, and Power markets to tackle the toughest construction challenges. STRUCTURAL TECHNOLOGIES is the in-house engineering business line of Structural Group.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Experienced Structural Engineer - Chicago, IL
Are you a structural engineer who enjoys solving complex problems and seeing your designs put into action? At STRUCTURAL TECHNOLOGIES, you will help assess, design, and deliver repair solutions that keep critical infrastructure strong, safe, and operating for owners in industrial, power generation, and other key markets.
Position Overview
We are seeking an experienced Civil/Structural Engineer for our Chicago office. This role is ideal for an engineer with approximately 4 to 10 years of relevant experience who wants a blend of technical design, assessment of existing structures, construction support, field investigation, and project coordination. The role may be leveled based on the selected candidate's experience, technical capability, licensure, and ability to independently deliver engineering work.
The successful candidate will support structural assessment, repair, strengthening, and rehabilitation projects while collaborating with engineers, drafters, technicians, project managers, construction teams, clients, and contractors.
What You Will Do
- Evaluate existing structures for deterioration, damage, serviceability issues, and compliance with applicable codes and standards.
- Develop structural repair and retrofit concepts for concrete, steel, and other structural systems used in industrial, power generation, and infrastructure environments.
- Prepare and review engineering calculations, sketches, drawings, specifications, letters, and technical reports.
- Perform structural analysis and design using hand calculations and common engineering software.
- Collaborate with construction teams to integrate repair solutions with field conditions, constructability, sequencing, safety, schedule, and budget requirements.
- Perform site visits, field investigations, condition assessments, and construction support activities; document observations and communicate findings clearly.
- Respond to changed field conditions and support design updates, RFIs, and repair implementation decisions.
- Coordinate with internal teams, clients, contractors, suppliers, and other stakeholders to drive successful project outcomes.
- Assist with project planning, scope definition, schedule, budget tracking, and coordination of engineering deliverables.
- Support junior engineers, designers, drafters, and technicians as appropriate for the candidate's experience level.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, or a related field.
- Approximately 4 to 10 years of relevant structural engineering experience.
- Experience with assessment, repair, strengthening, rehabilitation, or construction support for existing structures preferred.
- Engineering Intern / Engineer-in-Training certification preferred for earlier-career experienced candidates; Professional Engineer (PE) license strongly preferred and required for higher-level consideration.
- Working knowledge of structural codes and standards, such as ACI, IBC, ASCE, AISC, AWS, ICRI, or similar industry standards.
- Experience with reinforced concrete design, structural steel design and repair, structural analysis/modeling, shoring, formwork, or related structural practice areas.
- Proficiency with one or more tools such as SAP2000, STAAD.Pro, RISA, ETABS, RAM Concept, Mathcad, SPColumn, TEDDS, ADAPT, AutoCAD, Revit, Bluebeam, or similar software.
- Strong technical writing skills, verbal communication skills, and attention to detail.
- Ability to manage personal tasks, deadlines, and priorities while contributing to broader project objectives.
- Willingness to travel for site visits, field investigations, and project support as needed; ability to gain access to client facilities, including industrial and power generation sites.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Master's degree in Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, or a related field.
- Licensed Professional Engineer (PE), Licensed Structural Engineer (SE), or ability to obtain PE licensure in the near term.
- Experience with concrete repair, concrete degradation mechanisms, structural steel connections, temporary structures, equipment foundations, environmental containment, silos, chimneys, cooling towers, or similar project types.
- Experience preparing complete drawing packages, calculations, specifications, or other construction documents.
- Experience interpreting field investigation results to identify root causes and develop practical repair recommendations.
- Finite element analysis experience using tools such as ANSYS, SAP2000, STAAD.Pro, or equivalent.
- Active participation in professional organizations such as ASCE, ACI, AMPP, SEI, or ICRI.
WHY JOIN US?
- Opportunity to work on complex and meaningful repair projects that directly impact the safety and longevity of critical infrastructure.
- Close collaboration with construction teams, giving you the chance to see your engineering solutions implemented in the field.
- Career growth and professional development opportunities within a structured engineering career path.
- Collaborative, supportive, and team-oriented work environment.
- Competitive compensation and benefits package, including medical and dental insurance, 401(k), paid holidays and vacation, tuition reimbursement, and career development opportunities.
READY TO BUILD SOMETHING STRONGER?
Our ideal candidate is a positively focused professional who wants to grow as a technical resource in Civil/Structural Engineering while helping deliver industry-leading repair solutions. If you enjoy technical problem solving, collaboration, and practical engineering that improves real structures, we would like to hear from you.
Structural Technologies is proud of a company culture that promotes 24/7 safety and quality.
EOE/M/F/D/V
INTRODUCTION
STRUCTURAL TECHNOLOGIES develops and integrates products, engineering support, repair and maintenance services to provide value-added solutions to owners, engineers and contractors. We provide specialty contracting services through our contracting companies, and state-of-the-art proprietary products and engineering support services through our technologies company. With over 2,500 employees working from locations nationwide and in select international markets, we serve the Commercial, Public, Transportation Industrial, and Power markets to tackle the toughest construction challenges. STRUCTURAL TECHNOLOGIES is the in-house engineering business line of Structural Group.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Experienced Structural Engineer - Chicago, IL
Are you a structural engineer who enjoys solving complex problems and seeing your designs put into action? At STRUCTURAL TECHNOLOGIES, you will help assess, design, and deliver repair solutions that keep critical infrastructure strong, safe, and operating for owners in industrial, power generation, and other key markets.
Position Overview
We are seeking an experienced Civil/Structural Engineer for our Chicago office. This role is ideal for an engineer with approximately 4 to 10 years of relevant experience who wants a blend of technical design, assessment of existing structures, construction support, field investigation, and project coordination. The role may be leveled based on the selected candidate's experience, technical capability, licensure, and ability to independently deliver engineering work.
The successful candidate will support structural assessment, repair, strengthening, and rehabilitation projects while collaborating with engineers, drafters, technicians, project managers, construction teams, clients, and contractors.
What You Will Do
- Evaluate existing structures for deterioration, damage, serviceability issues, and compliance with applicable codes and standards.
- Develop structural repair and retrofit concepts for concrete, steel, and other structural systems used in industrial, power generation, and infrastructure environments.
- Prepare and review engineering calculations, sketches, drawings, specifications, letters, and technical reports.
- Perform structural analysis and design using hand calculations and common engineering software.
- Collaborate with construction teams to integrate repair solutions with field conditions, constructability, sequencing, safety, schedule, and budget requirements.
- Perform site visits, field investigations, condition assessments, and construction support activities; document observations and communicate findings clearly.
- Respond to changed field conditions and support design updates, RFIs, and repair implementation decisions.
- Coordinate with internal teams, clients, contractors, suppliers, and other stakeholders to drive successful project outcomes.
- Assist with project planning, scope definition, schedule, budget tracking, and coordination of engineering deliverables.
- Support junior engineers, designers, drafters, and technicians as appropriate for the candidate's experience level.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, or a related field.
- Approximately 4 to 10 years of relevant structural engineering experience.
- Experience with assessment, repair, strengthening, rehabilitation, or construction support for existing structures preferred.
- Engineering Intern / Engineer-in-Training certification preferred for earlier-career experienced candidates; Professional Engineer (PE) license strongly preferred and required for higher-level consideration.
- Working knowledge of structural codes and standards, such as ACI, IBC, ASCE, AISC, AWS, ICRI, or similar industry standards.
- Experience with reinforced concrete design, structural steel design and repair, structural analysis/modeling, shoring, formwork, or related structural practice areas.
- Proficiency with one or more tools such as SAP2000, STAAD.Pro, RISA, ETABS, RAM Concept, Mathcad, SPColumn, TEDDS, ADAPT, AutoCAD, Revit, Bluebeam, or similar software.
- Strong technical writing skills, verbal communication skills, and attention to detail.
- Ability to manage personal tasks, deadlines, and priorities while contributing to broader project objectives.
- Willingness to travel for site visits, field investigations, and project support as needed; ability to gain access to client facilities, including industrial and power generation sites.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Master's degree in Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, or a related field.
- Licensed Professional Engineer (PE), Licensed Structural Engineer (SE), or ability to obtain PE licensure in the near term.
- Experience with concrete repair, concrete degradation mechanisms, structural steel connections, temporary structures, equipment foundations, environmental containment, silos, chimneys, cooling towers, or similar project types.
- Experience preparing complete drawing packages, calculations, specifications, or other construction documents.
- Experience interpreting field investigation results to identify root causes and develop practical repair recommendations.
- Finite element analysis experience using tools such as ANSYS, SAP2000, STAAD.Pro, or equivalent.
- Active participation in professional organizations such as ASCE, ACI, AMPP, SEI, or ICRI.
WHY JOIN US?
- Opportunity to work on complex and meaningful repair projects that directly impact the safety and longevity of critical infrastructure.
- Close collaboration with construction teams, giving you the chance to see your engineering solutions implemented in the field.
- Career growth and professional development opportunities within a structured engineering career path.
- Collaborative, supportive, and team-oriented work environment.
- Competitive compensation and benefits package, including medical and dental insurance, 401(k), paid holidays and vacation, tuition reimbursement, and career development opportunities.
READY TO BUILD SOMETHING STRONGER?
Our ideal candidate is a positively focused professional who wants to grow as a technical resource in Civil/Structural Engineering while helping deliver industry-leading repair solutions. If you enjoy technical problem solving, collaboration, and practical engineering that improves real structures, we would like to hear from you.
Structural Technologies is proud of a company culture that promotes 24/7 safety and quality.
EOE/M/F/D/V
STEM OPT Construction Job Roles in Illinois
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Search Construction Jobs in IllinoisConstruction STEM OPT Sponsorship Jobs in Illinois: Frequently Asked Questions
Which construction companies sponsor F-1 STEM OPT visas in Illinois?
Large engineering and construction firms with established Illinois presences, including Turner Construction, Skanska, AECOM, Jacobs Engineering, and Walsh Group, have documented histories of hiring STEM OPT candidates in technical roles. These companies typically have HR infrastructure to manage OPT authorization and STEM extension paperwork. Mid-size specialty contractors and infrastructure consultancies in the Chicago metropolitan area also hire for STEM-eligible positions, particularly in civil and environmental engineering.
Which cities in Illinois have the most construction F-1 STEM OPT sponsorship jobs?
Chicago accounts for the largest share of construction STEM OPT opportunities in Illinois, driven by its concentration of major contractors, transit infrastructure projects, and engineering consultancies. The suburbs of Schaumburg, Rosemont, and Oak Brook host regional offices for national firms that recruit STEM OPT graduates. Peoria and Champaign-Urbana also see demand, particularly for roles tied to industrial construction and university-adjacent infrastructure development.
What types of construction roles typically qualify for F-1 STEM OPT sponsorship?
Roles qualifying for STEM OPT in construction are those mapped to STEM-designated Classification of Instructional Programs codes. In practice, this includes civil engineering, structural engineering, environmental engineering, construction management with an engineering degree, geotechnical analysis, and building information modeling. Project manager and site superintendent roles generally do not qualify unless the underlying degree is in a STEM field and the job duties are technical in nature, which employers must document.
How do I find construction F-1 STEM OPT sponsorship jobs in Illinois?
Migrate Mate lets you filter construction job listings in Illinois specifically for F-1 STEM OPT eligibility, showing employers with verified sponsorship histories rather than relying on job descriptions that may not accurately reflect a company's authorization to hire OPT workers. For construction roles, filtering by civil, structural, or environmental engineering job titles in the Chicago and greater Illinois area surfaces the most relevant opportunities. Cross-referencing with DOL Labor Condition Application records can further confirm which employers have sponsored similar roles.
Are there state-specific considerations for F-1 STEM OPT sponsorship in Illinois construction?
Illinois does not impose additional state-level visa sponsorship requirements beyond federal USCIS and DOL rules, but construction employers in Illinois must comply with the state's prevailing wage law on public projects, which can affect how employers structure compensation for OPT workers on public contracts. Illinois also has active E-Verify participation requirements for public works contractors, which is relevant since STEM OPT employers must be E-Verify enrolled. Candidates should confirm employer E-Verify status before accepting an offer.