Energy OPT Jobs in Minnesota
F-1 OPT energy jobs in Minnesota span utilities, renewable power, and energy engineering, with employers like Xcel Energy, Great Plains Energy, and national consulting firms hiring OPT candidates in the Twin Cities and beyond. Minnesota's growing clean energy sector and presence of major grid operators create real opportunities for international students on OPT authorization.
Find Energy JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 25+ Energy OPT Jobs in Minnesota










See all Energy OPT Jobs in Minnesota
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Energy OPT Jobs in Minnesota.
Get Access To All Jobs
INTRODUCTION
Xcel Energy (NASDAQ: XEL) is a leading energy provider and Fortune 500 company, dedicated to serving millions of electricity and natural gas customers across eight states: Minnesota, Colorado, Wisconsin, Michigan, North Dakota, South Dakota, New Mexico and Texas. We make energy work better for our customers, helping them thrive every day. That means always raising the bar - delivering better service and providing more reliable, resilient, and sustainable energy.
Xcel Energy is a place where you’ll have opportunities to grow, expand your skills, and help lead the clean energy transition. We offer meaningful rewards, recognition, and support to help you build your career and make an impact - both on the job and beyond. Most importantly, it means you’ll be joining a company that knows employees are the driving force behind its success and is committed to helping you be your best.
Xcel Energy supports a hybrid work model to enable collaboration and flexibility. Many roles are expected to work onsite three days per week (Tuesday–Thursday); however, work location expectations vary based on role, team, and business needs.
Position Summary
Accounting Analyst II (Min $64,100 | Max $90,967)
Perform general accounting processes to ensure accurate and timely accounting close cycles and the development of subsequent internal and external financial statements and reports, including entries, analysis and reconciliation of accounting ledgers and other accounts and preparation of inter-company billings, property valuations, required regulatory reporting forms and tax filings.
Essential Responsibilities
- Participate in and support accurate month-end, quarter-end and year-end accounting close cycles and development of subsequent internal and external financial statements, required regulatory reporting forms and tax filings.
- Collect and analyze financial data in order to perform some or all of the following accounting processes: reconcile assigned accounts, analyze financial data and prepare accounting ledger entries, prepare internal and external reports, settle inter-company receivables and payables, prepare property valuation. Identify and resolve moderate to complex issues. Analyze financial data to identify adverse trends and recommend solutions to mitigate financial impact.
- Participate in and support special projects as assigned. May include, but not limited to testing system upgrades or enhancements, rate case support, conducting financial analysis and developing special reports and process improvement initiatives.
- Provide timely and accurate assistance to clients within supported business area. Assistance includes, but is not limited to interpretation of account codes or financial reports, providing project status reports, and guidance about accounting policies. Prepare presentations, statistical reports, schedules and other information on operating results for management and outside parties. May train other analysts.
- Stay current with new or proposed local, state, federal rules and regulations and internal and external financial reporting requirements. Applies knowledge of accounting and GAAP principles, practices, rules, processes, operations and company policies and procedures to resolve a variety of issues.
Minimum Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance or related degree or equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
- Minimum two years general financial accounting and reporting experience with an emphasis on accounting issues and processes.
- CPA or CMA certification preferred.
- Intermediate skills with Microsoft Office applications required.
- Demonstrated knowledge of and ability to apply GAAP principles, knowledge of business and legal principles, and analytical and communication skills.
Sr Accounting Analyst (Min $73,700 | Max $104,633)
Perform general accounting processes to ensure accurate and timely accounting close cycles and the development of subsequent internal and external financial statements and reports, including entries, analysis and reconciliation of accounting ledgers and other accounts and preparation of inter-company billings, property valuations, required regulatory reporting forms and tax filings.
Essential Responsibilities
- Participate in and support accurate month-end, quarter-end and year-end accounting close cycles and development of subsequent internal and external financial statements, required regulatory reporting forms and tax filings. May assume a lead role, responsible for the accurate and timely analysis and reporting of various business cycles.
- Collect and analyze a variety of complex financial data in order to perform some or all of the following accounting processes: reconcile assigned accounts, analyze financial data and prepare complex accounting ledger entries, prepare reports, settle inter-company receivables and payables, and prepare property valuations. Select methods and techniques to analyze financial data to identify adverse trends and recommend solutions to mitigate financial impact.
- Participate in or lead special projects as assigned. Projects may include, but are not limited to testing system upgrades or enhancements, rate case support, conducting financial analysis and developing ad hoc reports and process improvement initiatives.
- Provide timely and accurate assistance and consultation to clients within supported business area, including, but not limited to interpretation of account codes or financial reports, providing project status reports, and work order resolution. Prepare presentations, statistical reports, schedules and other information on operating results for management and outside parties. Consult with co-workers, clients and management on technical accounting or system-related matters.
- Stay current with new or proposed local, state, federal rules and regulations and internal and external financial reporting requirements. Uses broad understanding of accounting and GAAP practices to resolve a wide range of complex issues in creative ways.
- May provide work direction and training to other analysts.
Minimum Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance or related business degree or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
- CPA or CMA certification preferred and may be required for some positions.
- Minimum four years general financial accounting and reporting experience, with an emphasis on complex accounting issues, processes and multiple company accounting.
- Intermediate to advanced skills with Microsoft Office applications.
- Demonstrated knowledge of and ability to apply GAAP.
- Demonstrated knowledge of business and legal principles, analytical and communication skills.
- Knowledge of and experience working with SAP highly desirable.
Our culture is grounded in shared values and employee commitments that guide how we work, support one another, and grow together.
Our Values
Connected, Committed, Trustworthy, Safe
Our Employee Commitments
- Work that makes a difference
- A team you can count of
- Opportunities to grow
- Rewards that help you thrive
Xcel Energy provides job applicants reasonable accommodations for disabilities throughout the application process. If you are in need of an accommodation to complete the application process, now or at any time in the future, please complete the Applicant Accommodation Request Form.
Non-Bargaining
The anticipated starting base pay for this position is: $64,100.00 to $104,633.00 per year
This position is eligible for the following benefits: Annual Incentive Program, Medical/Pharmacy Plan, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account, Health Care Flexible Spending Account, Health Savings Account (HSA) (if enrolled in eligible health plan), Limited-Purpose FSA (if enrolled in eligible health plan and HSA), Transportation Reimbursement Account, Short-term disability (STD), Long-term disability (LTD), Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Fitness Center Reimbursement (if enrolled in eligible health plan), Tuition reimbursement, Transit programs, Employee recognition program, Pension, 401(k) plan, Paid time off (PTO), Holidays, Volunteer Paid Time Off (VPTO), Parental Leave
Benefit plans are subject to change and Xcel Energy has the right to end, suspend, or amend any of its plans, at any time, in whole or in part.
In any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information including but not limited to dates of school attendance and graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.
Deadline to Apply: 11/15/26
EEO is the Law (PDF) | Equal Opportunity Statement (PDF) | Employee Rights (PDF)
All Xcel Energy employees and contractors share responsibility for protecting the company's information and systems by adhering to cybersecurity policies, standards, and best practices, recognizing that cybersecurity is everyone's responsibility.
Accessibility Statement
Xcel Energy endeavors to make https://www.xcelenergy.com and https://jobs.xcelenergy.com accessible to any and all users. If you are in need of an accommodation to complete the application process, now or at any time in the future, please complete the Applicant Accommodation Request Form. For any other application related questions, including application follow-ups or technical issues, please use our Recruiting Assistance, Electra, for assistance. Electra can be found in the lower right-hand corner of our Xcel Energy Careers site.
OPT Energy Job Roles in Minnesota
See all Energy OPT Jobs in Minnesota
Sign up for free to filter by visa type, set job alerts, and find employers with verified sponsorship history.
Search Energy Jobs in MinnesotaEnergy OPT Sponsorship Jobs in Minnesota: Frequently Asked Questions
Which energy companies sponsor F-1 OPT visas in Minnesota?
Xcel Energy, headquartered in Minneapolis, is one of the most active energy employers in Minnesota and has historically hired international candidates on OPT for engineering and analyst roles. National engineering and consulting firms with Minnesota offices, including Black & Veatch and Burns & McDonnell, also frequently work with OPT candidates. Smaller renewable energy developers and grid management organizations in the state also participate, though sponsorship practices vary by role and team.
Which cities in Minnesota have the most energy F-1 OPT sponsorship jobs?
Minneapolis and Saint Paul account for the largest share of energy OPT jobs in Minnesota, largely because corporate headquarters, regional offices, and grid management operations are concentrated in the metro area. Rochester has some energy engineering activity tied to infrastructure development. Duluth occasionally has roles connected to transmission and renewable project development in northern Minnesota, but the Twin Cities metro remains the primary hiring hub for OPT-eligible candidates.
What types of energy roles typically qualify for F-1 OPT sponsorship?
Roles that align directly with a STEM degree field qualify most cleanly for OPT, including electrical engineering, power systems engineering, energy data analysis, environmental engineering, and renewable energy project development. Positions requiring specialized technical knowledge, such as grid modeling, energy storage systems, or sustainability analytics, are common fits. Roles in operations, regulatory affairs, or project management may qualify depending on degree alignment, but the connection between the job and the degree field must be demonstrable.
How do I find energy F-1 OPT sponsorship jobs in Minnesota?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for international students and filters jobs by visa type, including F-1 OPT, and by industry, so you can search directly for energy roles in Minnesota without sorting through listings that don't offer sponsorship. Beyond Migrate Mate, targeting employers with established international hiring programs and applying directly through company career pages can improve your chances, since not all sponsoring companies advertise OPT eligibility prominently in job listings.
Are there any Minnesota-specific considerations for F-1 OPT in the energy sector?
Minnesota has a state-level renewable energy standard requiring utilities to source a significant share of power from renewable sources, which has driven steady hiring in wind, solar, and grid modernization roles that can be well-suited to OPT candidates with relevant degrees. Many energy projects in the state involve federal funding or federal permitting, which can sometimes affect hiring eligibility for certain roles, so it is worth confirming with each employer whether security clearance or citizenship requirements apply to the specific position.