Chemicals & Materials OPT Jobs in Michigan
Michigan's chemicals and materials sector spans specialty chemical manufacturers, automotive materials suppliers, and polymer research firms, with major employers like Dow, BASF, and Huntsman operating across Midland, Detroit, and Grand Rapids. F-1 OPT candidates with backgrounds in chemical engineering, materials science, or chemistry will find active hiring at both established corporations and growing specialty manufacturers throughout the state.
Find Chemicals & Materials JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 57+ Chemicals & Materials OPT Jobs in Michigan
See all 57+ Chemicals & Materials OPT Jobs in Michigan
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Chemicals & Materials OPT Jobs in Michigan.
Get Access To All JobsDate: Oct 27, 2026
Location: HOWELL, US, 48843
Company: NOVARES
Novares is looking for its Human Resources department his/her future Human Resources Manager (M/F), located in HOWELL HW-PL.
Join a global organization where our people are at the center of how we work. Novares is seeking a hands-on HR professional for our Howell facility. This opportunity is well suited for a strong Senior HR Generalist who is ready to broaden their leadership scope, or an early-career HR Manager who enjoys partnering closely with employees and operations.
Position Overview
In this role, you will support the day-to-day HR function while helping site leadership strengthen employee relations, staffing, performance, engagement, and HR process execution. You will serve as a trusted resource to employees and supervisors, apply sound HR judgment, and help translate business needs into practical people solutions. The position offers meaningful exposure to plant HR operations without requiring a long history of formal HR management experience.
What You Will Do
- Partner with operations leaders and supervisors to address workforce needs, improve communication, and support key HR and people metrics.
- Coordinate recruiting, onboarding, retention, performance management, and employee development activities for hourly and salaried employees.
- Provide practical guidance to leaders on attendance, performance, coaching, corrective action, workplace concerns, organizational changes, and separations.
- Support employee relations by listening to concerns, conducting appropriate fact-finding, documenting issues, and helping resolve matters consistently and respectfully.
- Review turnover, staffing, absenteeism, engagement, and other workforce information to identify trends and recommend focused actions.
- Maintain reliable HR records and processes while supporting compliance with company policies and applicable US labor requirements.
- Improve the employee experience by strengthening HR tools, standard work, digital processes, and follow-through across the site.
- Promote Novares expected behaviors, reinforcing accountability, teamwork, transparency, and positive employee engagement.
What You Bring
- Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Industrial Relations, or a related field.
- Approximately 4+ years of progressive HR generalist experience; prior lead, supervisor, or manager experience is helpful but not required.
- Working knowledge of employee relations, recruiting, performance management, HR administration, and US labor practices.
- Experience supporting a manufacturing, automotive, or other fast-paced operational environment is strongly preferred.
- Ability to coach supervisors, handle sensitive matters with discretion, and communicate clearly with employees at all levels.
- Comfort using HR data and systems to identify issues, organize priorities, and drive timely follow-up.
- Practical, approachable, and solutions-oriented style with the confidence to work independently and escalate when appropriate.
Who Is Novares?
Novares is a global plastic solutions provider that designs and manufactures complex components and systems for the automotive industry. Headquartered in France, our teams work across production, technical, skill, and customer service locations around the world.
Why Work With Us?
Our eight behaviors guide how we work and how our teams succeed together: Accountability, Ability to Prioritize, Decision Making, Simplification, Teamwork, Leading by Example, Customer Focus, and Integrity. If you are ready to take the next step in your HR career and make a visible impact within a manufacturing site, we encourage you to apply.
Finality
Implement HR Planning/Employee Support/HR Policies and Processes on assigned perimeter of responsibility.
Main Missions
1- Employee Support
Provide proximity support to Employee queries (policies, payroll, training, development...)
Advises management on best approaches to manage team
Answer requests from union representatives locally and participates into the maintaining of a good working climate
2 - HR Planning
Prepares HR indicators and presentations as required by Site HR Manager
Defines and validates headcount / working hours needs with managers in line with local activity plan / planning
Liaise with Recruiting to ensure efficient selection process
Identifies key skills and prepares a development plan
Identifies key contributors and propose reward / low performers and defines action plan
Accompany management in defining most efficient organization
Prepares Training plan in line with managers
3 - HR Policies
Ensure proper implementation of Group values and standard of Ethics and train employees/mgrs
Controls implementation of HR policies and Labour law requirements and train managers
Defines salary packages requests (Annual, Promotions,...) in line with applicable policy
Participates into the preparation of new policies
4 - HR Processes and payroll
Controls reality of variable elements and payroll consistency in line with Payroll and Admin Assistant
Prepares contracts, notice letters and any necessary HR documentation
Purpose
Essential job functions
Abilities
Candidate Profile:
Level of Experience: Mid-Career
Type of Contract: ATW - At Will Contract
Required Travel: N/A
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, political orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status.
Date: Oct 27, 2026
Location: HOWELL, US, 48843
Company: NOVARES
Novares is looking for its Human Resources department his/her future Human Resources Manager (M/F), located in HOWELL HW-PL.
Join a global organization where our people are at the center of how we work. Novares is seeking a hands-on HR professional for our Howell facility. This opportunity is well suited for a strong Senior HR Generalist who is ready to broaden their leadership scope, or an early-career HR Manager who enjoys partnering closely with employees and operations.
Position Overview
In this role, you will support the day-to-day HR function while helping site leadership strengthen employee relations, staffing, performance, engagement, and HR process execution. You will serve as a trusted resource to employees and supervisors, apply sound HR judgment, and help translate business needs into practical people solutions. The position offers meaningful exposure to plant HR operations without requiring a long history of formal HR management experience.
What You Will Do
- Partner with operations leaders and supervisors to address workforce needs, improve communication, and support key HR and people metrics.
- Coordinate recruiting, onboarding, retention, performance management, and employee development activities for hourly and salaried employees.
- Provide practical guidance to leaders on attendance, performance, coaching, corrective action, workplace concerns, organizational changes, and separations.
- Support employee relations by listening to concerns, conducting appropriate fact-finding, documenting issues, and helping resolve matters consistently and respectfully.
- Review turnover, staffing, absenteeism, engagement, and other workforce information to identify trends and recommend focused actions.
- Maintain reliable HR records and processes while supporting compliance with company policies and applicable US labor requirements.
- Improve the employee experience by strengthening HR tools, standard work, digital processes, and follow-through across the site.
- Promote Novares expected behaviors, reinforcing accountability, teamwork, transparency, and positive employee engagement.
What You Bring
- Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Industrial Relations, or a related field.
- Approximately 4+ years of progressive HR generalist experience; prior lead, supervisor, or manager experience is helpful but not required.
- Working knowledge of employee relations, recruiting, performance management, HR administration, and US labor practices.
- Experience supporting a manufacturing, automotive, or other fast-paced operational environment is strongly preferred.
- Ability to coach supervisors, handle sensitive matters with discretion, and communicate clearly with employees at all levels.
- Comfort using HR data and systems to identify issues, organize priorities, and drive timely follow-up.
- Practical, approachable, and solutions-oriented style with the confidence to work independently and escalate when appropriate.
Who Is Novares?
Novares is a global plastic solutions provider that designs and manufactures complex components and systems for the automotive industry. Headquartered in France, our teams work across production, technical, skill, and customer service locations around the world.
Why Work With Us?
Our eight behaviors guide how we work and how our teams succeed together: Accountability, Ability to Prioritize, Decision Making, Simplification, Teamwork, Leading by Example, Customer Focus, and Integrity. If you are ready to take the next step in your HR career and make a visible impact within a manufacturing site, we encourage you to apply.
Finality
Implement HR Planning/Employee Support/HR Policies and Processes on assigned perimeter of responsibility.
Main Missions
1- Employee Support
Provide proximity support to Employee queries (policies, payroll, training, development...)
Advises management on best approaches to manage team
Answer requests from union representatives locally and participates into the maintaining of a good working climate
2 - HR Planning
Prepares HR indicators and presentations as required by Site HR Manager
Defines and validates headcount / working hours needs with managers in line with local activity plan / planning
Liaise with Recruiting to ensure efficient selection process
Identifies key skills and prepares a development plan
Identifies key contributors and propose reward / low performers and defines action plan
Accompany management in defining most efficient organization
Prepares Training plan in line with managers
3 - HR Policies
Ensure proper implementation of Group values and standard of Ethics and train employees/mgrs
Controls implementation of HR policies and Labour law requirements and train managers
Defines salary packages requests (Annual, Promotions,...) in line with applicable policy
Participates into the preparation of new policies
4 - HR Processes and payroll
Controls reality of variable elements and payroll consistency in line with Payroll and Admin Assistant
Prepares contracts, notice letters and any necessary HR documentation
Purpose
Essential job functions
Abilities
Candidate Profile:
Level of Experience: Mid-Career
Type of Contract: ATW - At Will Contract
Required Travel: N/A
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, political orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status.
OPT Chemicals & Materials Job Roles in Michigan
See all 57+ Chemicals & Materials OPT Jobs in Michigan
Sign up for free to filter by visa type, set job alerts, and find employers with verified sponsorship history.
Search Chemicals & Materials Jobs in MichiganChemicals & Materials OPT Sponsorship Jobs in Michigan: Frequently Asked Questions
Which chemicals & materials companies sponsor F-1 OPT visas in Michigan?
Michigan-based employers that have historically supported F-1 OPT workers in chemicals and materials include Dow Chemical in Midland, BASF's Michigan operations, Huntsman Corporation, and automotive materials suppliers such as PPG Industries and Henkel. Smaller specialty chemical manufacturers and polymer compounders across the state also hire OPT candidates, particularly those with hands-on laboratory or process engineering experience from U.S. universities.
Which cities in Michigan have the most chemicals & materials F-1 OPT sponsorship jobs?
Midland is the top city for chemicals and materials OPT roles given Dow's global headquarters there. Detroit and its surrounding metro, including Auburn Hills and Dearborn, concentrate automotive coatings, adhesives, and advanced materials positions tied to the auto industry. Grand Rapids attracts specialty chemical and polymer employers, while Kalamazoo has a presence in pharmaceutical-adjacent chemical manufacturing. Each city reflects a distinct sub-sector of the broader industry.
What types of chemicals & materials roles typically qualify for F-1 OPT sponsorship?
Roles that commonly qualify include process engineer, materials scientist, R&D chemist, polymer chemist, quality engineer, and analytical chemist. Positions requiring a degree in chemical engineering, materials science, chemistry, or polymer science generally meet OPT work authorization requirements since the job directly relates to the field of study. Regulatory affairs and applications engineering roles tied to chemical products may also qualify depending on the degree alignment.
How do I find chemicals & materials F-1 OPT sponsorship jobs in Michigan?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for international students on F-1 OPT and filters jobs by visa type, industry, and state, making it straightforward to browse chemicals and materials openings in Michigan that are open to OPT candidates. Rather than sorting through thousands of general listings, Migrate Mate surfaces roles where employers have demonstrated willingness to support work authorization, saving significant time during a period when OPT timelines are tight.
Are there any Michigan-specific or industry-specific considerations for F-1 OPT in chemicals & materials?
Michigan's chemicals and materials sector is heavily integrated with the automotive industry, so OPT hiring often follows automotive production cycles and model-year planning timelines. Many larger employers like Dow are E-Verify participants, which is required for OPT STEM extension eligibility. Candidates with STEM degrees in chemical engineering or materials science can apply for a 24-month STEM OPT extension, significantly extending the window for employer-sponsored visa transitions in this industry.