Aerospace & Defense Jobs in Kansas with F-1 OPT Sponsorship
F-1 OPT aerospace & defense jobs in Kansas put you close to some of the country's most active aviation and defense contractors. Wichita anchors the state's aviation manufacturing sector, with companies like Spirit AeroSystems, Textron Aviation, and Garmin operating major facilities there. Many of these employers have established OPT hiring pipelines for engineering and technical graduates.
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INTRODUCTION
This role is at Spirit AeroSystems, Inc. a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company, supporting Spirit’s Commercial Business Units (“Spirit Commercial”). Spirit Commercial designs and builds commercial aerostructures, including for Boeing Commercial Airplanes, one of Boeing’s three business units and the premier manufacturer of commercial jetliners for decades. Spirit Commercial’s core products include fuselages, pylons, nacelles and wing components, with a focus on innovative composite and aluminum manufacturing solutions.
Responsibilities
Position Responsibilities:
- Develops and guides project and configuration management activities necessary to incorporate new products or product changes, in accordance with contractual, customer, program, and regulatory requirements.
- Analyzes sequence of operations and workflow to develop schedules for new products and existing product design changes.
- Has knowledge of the production system (e.g., supply, engineering, manufacturing, support, etc.), reviews and analyzes configuration data to control product changes, and negotiates between organizations to develop incorporation plans and integrated schedules.
- Monitors and ensures compliance with the plans and schedules and reports on status. Interfaces with program management, product design, contracts, tooling, manufacturing engineering, quality assurance, supply chain, component suppliers, assemblers, and product support, in order to develop and maintain configuration incorporation plans and integrated schedules via application of project & configuration management.
- Apply knowledge of project management to develop and maintain plans and schedules which integrate all production activities (e.g., product definition, procurement, manufacturing, testing, delivering, support, etc.).
- Ability to interpret technical work statements, manufacturing plans and program level plans.
- Ability to monitor and analyze the incorporation plan and to resolve plan deviations with the value chain.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor's degree
- 0-2 years of relevant experience
- Experience in project management or similar field
- Detail oriented
- Be able to handle schedule analysis
- Personable, great communication skills
- Adapts well to change
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Basic Microsoft Suite
- Knowledge of SAP
- SAP HANA preferred
- ECM/MCM knowledge is preferred
UNION
This is a union-represented position.
DRUG FREE WORKPLACE
We are a Drug Free Workplace where post offer applicants and employees are subject to testing for marijuana, cocaine, opioids, amphetamines, PCP, and alcohol when criteria is met as outlined in our policies.
PAY & BENEFITS
We strive to deliver a Total Rewards package that will attract, engage and retain the top talent. Elements of the Total Rewards package include competitive base pay and variable compensation opportunities.
We also provide eligible employees with an opportunity to enroll in a variety of benefit programs, generally including health insurance, flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, retirement savings plans, life and disability insurance programs, and a number of programs that provide for both paid and unpaid time away from work.
The specific programs and options available to any given employee may vary depending on eligibility factors such as geographic location, date of hire, and the applicability of collective bargaining agreements.
Pay is based upon candidate experience and qualifications, as well as market and business considerations.
Summary Pay Range – Entry Level (Level 1): $47,100 - $72,200
KANSAS TAX CREDIT: Join Spirit AeroSystems’ Kansas team and you may be eligible for a $5,000 state of Kansas Aviation tax credit for up to five years. Click here for more information on the tax credit.

INTRODUCTION
This role is at Spirit AeroSystems, Inc. a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company, supporting Spirit’s Commercial Business Units (“Spirit Commercial”). Spirit Commercial designs and builds commercial aerostructures, including for Boeing Commercial Airplanes, one of Boeing’s three business units and the premier manufacturer of commercial jetliners for decades. Spirit Commercial’s core products include fuselages, pylons, nacelles and wing components, with a focus on innovative composite and aluminum manufacturing solutions.
Responsibilities
Position Responsibilities:
- Develops and guides project and configuration management activities necessary to incorporate new products or product changes, in accordance with contractual, customer, program, and regulatory requirements.
- Analyzes sequence of operations and workflow to develop schedules for new products and existing product design changes.
- Has knowledge of the production system (e.g., supply, engineering, manufacturing, support, etc.), reviews and analyzes configuration data to control product changes, and negotiates between organizations to develop incorporation plans and integrated schedules.
- Monitors and ensures compliance with the plans and schedules and reports on status. Interfaces with program management, product design, contracts, tooling, manufacturing engineering, quality assurance, supply chain, component suppliers, assemblers, and product support, in order to develop and maintain configuration incorporation plans and integrated schedules via application of project & configuration management.
- Apply knowledge of project management to develop and maintain plans and schedules which integrate all production activities (e.g., product definition, procurement, manufacturing, testing, delivering, support, etc.).
- Ability to interpret technical work statements, manufacturing plans and program level plans.
- Ability to monitor and analyze the incorporation plan and to resolve plan deviations with the value chain.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor's degree
- 0-2 years of relevant experience
- Experience in project management or similar field
- Detail oriented
- Be able to handle schedule analysis
- Personable, great communication skills
- Adapts well to change
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Basic Microsoft Suite
- Knowledge of SAP
- SAP HANA preferred
- ECM/MCM knowledge is preferred
UNION
This is a union-represented position.
DRUG FREE WORKPLACE
We are a Drug Free Workplace where post offer applicants and employees are subject to testing for marijuana, cocaine, opioids, amphetamines, PCP, and alcohol when criteria is met as outlined in our policies.
PAY & BENEFITS
We strive to deliver a Total Rewards package that will attract, engage and retain the top talent. Elements of the Total Rewards package include competitive base pay and variable compensation opportunities.
We also provide eligible employees with an opportunity to enroll in a variety of benefit programs, generally including health insurance, flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, retirement savings plans, life and disability insurance programs, and a number of programs that provide for both paid and unpaid time away from work.
The specific programs and options available to any given employee may vary depending on eligibility factors such as geographic location, date of hire, and the applicability of collective bargaining agreements.
Pay is based upon candidate experience and qualifications, as well as market and business considerations.
Summary Pay Range – Entry Level (Level 1): $47,100 - $72,200
KANSAS TAX CREDIT: Join Spirit AeroSystems’ Kansas team and you may be eligible for a $5,000 state of Kansas Aviation tax credit for up to five years. Click here for more information on the tax credit.
Job Roles in Aerospace & Defense in Kansas
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Get Access To All JobsFrequently Asked Questions
Which aerospace & defense companies sponsor F-1 OPT visas in Kansas?
Spirit AeroSystems, Textron Aviation, and Garmin are among the larger Kansas-based aerospace and defense employers with documented histories of hiring international students on OPT. Smaller defense contractors and aviation suppliers in the Wichita area also participate in OPT hiring, particularly for engineering and technical roles. Sponsorship practices vary by company, role, and hiring year, so confirming directly with each employer is essential.
Which cities in Kansas have the most aerospace & defense F-1 OPT sponsorship jobs?
Wichita is by far the most active city for aerospace and defense OPT hiring in Kansas. Known historically as the Air Capital of the World, Wichita hosts a dense cluster of aviation manufacturers, MRO facilities, and defense suppliers. Smaller opportunities exist around Kansas City and near Fort Leavenworth-adjacent defense support contractors, but Wichita accounts for the large majority of the state's aerospace employment concentration.
What types of aerospace & defense roles typically qualify for F-1 OPT sponsorship?
Roles that most commonly qualify are those requiring a specific technical or engineering degree: aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer science, and systems engineering are the most frequently sponsored fields. Positions in avionics, structural design, propulsion, manufacturing engineering, and software development for flight systems tend to align well with OPT eligibility. Purely administrative or general business roles are less commonly sponsored within aerospace and defense environments.
How do I find aerospace & defense F-1 OPT sponsorship jobs in Kansas?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for international students and filters jobs by visa type, including F-1 OPT, so you can browse aerospace and defense openings in Kansas without sifting through listings that don't sponsor. The platform aggregates roles from employers with known sponsorship activity, which is particularly useful in a specialized sector like Kansas aviation manufacturing where not every posting clearly states sponsorship availability.
Are there any state-specific or industry-specific considerations for F-1 OPT in Kansas aerospace & defense?
Kansas aerospace and defense roles frequently involve work on defense contracts, which can trigger export control requirements under ITAR and EAR. Some positions require that employees be U.S. persons, which excludes F-1 OPT holders regardless of technical qualifications. This is a significant factor unique to the defense sector: always confirm whether a role is ITAR-restricted before applying, as this affects eligibility independent of standard OPT authorization.
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