Design Engineer Visa Sponsorship Jobs in Tennessee
Tennessee's design engineer market spans automotive manufacturing in Nashville and Chattanooga, aerospace suppliers near Memphis, and industrial equipment firms across Knoxville. Major employers including Volkswagen, Nissan, and Eastman Chemical have established sponsorship track records. International candidates with mechanical, electrical, or systems design backgrounds will find active hiring across both metro and mid-size markets.
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INTRODUCTION
Mesa seeks a Senior Physical Design Engineer to be responsible for supervising the design and checking of deliverables associated with high voltage substation design projects. Candidate must be familiar with the design of One Line Diagrams, Substation Layouts, Foundation Plans, Conduit/Raceway Plans, Grounding Plans, Bills of Materials, and Cable Schedules. The design will be completed using Autodesk products, mainly Inventor and AutoCAD.
Responsibilities
- Provide mentorship and training for junior level team members
- Must be able to complete assignments within budget and schedule with a high degree of accuracy
- Utilize AutoCAD based physical design standards
- Performs technical preparation of deliverables and other project documents
- Ensures deliverables comply with IEEE and/or client standards and meet applicable design requirements
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering (ABET Accredited)
- 8-12 years experience in the design of substation physical design deliverables
- Proficiency in verbal and written communication
- Proficiency with layout designs in 2D
Preferred Qualifications
- Expertise utilizing AutoCAD and/or Inventor
- Knowledge of Power Systems or Substation Design
- Keen interest in learning and using the latest Autodesk software tools, methods, and technologies to develop Power Substation design
- Proficiency with layout designs in 3D
LOCATION
This opportunity is a hybrid arrangement located in Mesa's Knoxville, TN office. A fully remote arrangement may be considered for highly qualified candidates located in the Southeast region of the United States.
Disclaimer: Be cautious and only respond to emails from our “mesainc.com” domain. We will never ask for sensitive information, such as bank account details, SSN, etc., via email. If you receive any communication asking for such information, it is not from Mesa. For any concerns, or to verify the authenticity of a message, please contact us through our official channels.
Notice to External Search Firms: Mesa Associates, Inc. and its subsidiaries do not accept unsolicited resumes and will not be obligated to pay a placement fee for unsolicited resumes. Mesa Associates, Inc. Talent Acquisition engages with approved search firms directly for specific hiring needs.

INTRODUCTION
Mesa seeks a Senior Physical Design Engineer to be responsible for supervising the design and checking of deliverables associated with high voltage substation design projects. Candidate must be familiar with the design of One Line Diagrams, Substation Layouts, Foundation Plans, Conduit/Raceway Plans, Grounding Plans, Bills of Materials, and Cable Schedules. The design will be completed using Autodesk products, mainly Inventor and AutoCAD.
Responsibilities
- Provide mentorship and training for junior level team members
- Must be able to complete assignments within budget and schedule with a high degree of accuracy
- Utilize AutoCAD based physical design standards
- Performs technical preparation of deliverables and other project documents
- Ensures deliverables comply with IEEE and/or client standards and meet applicable design requirements
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering (ABET Accredited)
- 8-12 years experience in the design of substation physical design deliverables
- Proficiency in verbal and written communication
- Proficiency with layout designs in 2D
Preferred Qualifications
- Expertise utilizing AutoCAD and/or Inventor
- Knowledge of Power Systems or Substation Design
- Keen interest in learning and using the latest Autodesk software tools, methods, and technologies to develop Power Substation design
- Proficiency with layout designs in 3D
LOCATION
This opportunity is a hybrid arrangement located in Mesa's Knoxville, TN office. A fully remote arrangement may be considered for highly qualified candidates located in the Southeast region of the United States.
Disclaimer: Be cautious and only respond to emails from our “mesainc.com” domain. We will never ask for sensitive information, such as bank account details, SSN, etc., via email. If you receive any communication asking for such information, it is not from Mesa. For any concerns, or to verify the authenticity of a message, please contact us through our official channels.
Notice to External Search Firms: Mesa Associates, Inc. and its subsidiaries do not accept unsolicited resumes and will not be obligated to pay a placement fee for unsolicited resumes. Mesa Associates, Inc. Talent Acquisition engages with approved search firms directly for specific hiring needs.
Design Engineer Job Roles in Tennessee
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Search Design Engineer Jobs in TennesseeDesign Engineer Jobs in Tennessee: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies sponsor visas for design engineers in Tennessee?
Several large manufacturers and engineering firms in Tennessee have established H-1B sponsorship histories for design engineers. Volkswagen Group of America in Chattanooga, Nissan North America in Smyrna, Eastman Chemical in Kingsport, and Tennessee Valley Authority are among the employers that have filed LCAs for engineering roles. Tier-1 automotive suppliers and defense contractors operating near Nashville and Memphis also sponsor design engineers with some regularity.
Which visa types are most common for design engineer roles in Tennessee?
The H-1B is the most commonly used visa for design engineers in Tennessee, given that most roles require at least a bachelor's degree in mechanical, electrical, or systems engineering. Candidates already authorized under OPT or STEM OPT extension are frequently hired by Tennessee manufacturers while H-1B petitions are pending. The O-1A is an option for engineers with documented exceptional recognition, though the evidentiary bar is significantly higher.
Which cities in Tennessee have the most design engineer sponsorship jobs?
Nashville is the largest market for design engineer roles overall, with a growing advanced manufacturing and technology sector. Chattanooga concentrates automotive and electric vehicle design jobs, driven largely by Volkswagen's operations. Knoxville draws engineering talent through Oak Ridge National Laboratory proximity and university spinoffs. Kingsport and Johnson City, anchored by Eastman Chemical, round out the Tri-Cities corridor as a consistent source of industrial design engineering openings.
How to find design engineer visa sponsorship jobs in Tennessee?
Migrate Mate filters job listings specifically by visa sponsorship availability, so you can search design engineer roles in Tennessee without sorting through employers who don't sponsor. The platform indexes positions from manufacturers, aerospace suppliers, and engineering firms across Nashville, Chattanooga, and Knoxville. Filtering by role type and state helps international candidates quickly identify which Tennessee employers are actively hiring and willing to support H-1B or other work visa petitions.
Are there state-specific considerations for design engineers pursuing sponsorship in Tennessee?
Tennessee's manufacturing-heavy economy means many design engineer roles are classified under DOL occupational codes tied to mechanical or industrial engineering, which affects the prevailing wage determination your employer must meet when filing an LCA. Tennessee also benefits from several engineering programs at the University of Tennessee and Vanderbilt University, which creates OPT pipelines that local employers are familiar with. Candidates should confirm the specific SOC code tied to their offered role, as it directly shapes the H-1B petition structure.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored design engineer jobs in Tennessee?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.
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