Biotech & Pharma F-1 STEM OPT Sponsorship Jobs in Texas
Texas is a major hub for biotech and pharma F-1 STEM OPT sponsorship, anchored by life sciences corridors in Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Austin. Employers like Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca, and Abbott have established operations across the state, hiring research scientists, bioprocess engineers, and regulatory affairs specialists who qualify for STEM OPT extensions.
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Get Access To All JobsABOUT ABBVIE
AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology and neuroscience - and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio.
JOB DESCRIPTION
An engineering professional that works with project owners, subject designers/engineers and other project team members to plan, and complete tasks associated with commissioning, qualification and validation of new and modified equipment, facilities, utilities, product, processes etc. in line with project, operations and quality objectives. Level of responsibility and performance is commensurate with grade level. The main objective is to establish evaluation, testing and documentation for risk management, commissioning and validation applying product and regulatory requirements and risk management to result in robust, high quality products. This includes optimizing systems that support the work in and around this area of responsibility.
Responsibilities
- Work with end-user and project engineer to develop User Requirements Specifications and Functional / Design Specifications for new or modified equipment, facilities, and utilities.
- Support Factory Acceptance Testing in conjunction with Project Engineer to confirm unit is acceptable.
- Identify risk controls, critical elements and traceability of equipment design based on FMEA or other risk assessment.
- Develop and execute commissioning, qualification and validation test protocols to ensure that the unit functions according to specifications.
- Perform minor troubleshooting of issues encountered during commissioning and documentation of unresolved issues.
- Able to support broader aspects of projects at times including: project leadership, developing operational procedures, support training of maintenance/technical staff/operators on new equipment, reviewing new or modified product documentation to ensure compatibility with qualified equipment and implementing changes in equipment parameters or recipes.
- Leads Execution of Risk Management including, periodic review and update per the Validation Master Plan, interface with best practices, establishing team's work practices including overall program, ccRA. Understands risk management principles. Can find and review documentation. Understands controls, impact of change, trace controls, and can estimate ratings using appropriate scale. Timely. Demonstrated success in FMEA authorization/facilitation.
- Qualification as QRM facilitator commensurate with responsibility.
- May supervise contract validation resources in the timely completion of activities in his/her area of responsibility.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, science, or closely related discipline is desired, or equivalent technical experience plus demonstrated competence, with a desired 3+ years of significant engineering and/or operational experience.
- Experience in the development of commissioning, qualification, validation and risk management deliverables including specifications and testing protocols that can stand up to regulatory scrutiny.
- 6+ years of overall experience in Manufacturing, Quality or Engineering including 4 major validation subjects (e.g. Computer, Equipment, Cleaning, Process, etc.) preferred.
- A technical background in health care, nutritional products, laboratory diagnostics, medical devices, pharmaceutical, or similar industries (preferred).
- Strong interpersonal, communication, and negotiation skills with demonstrated ability to work within a team environment.
- Knowledge of quality / compliance management as well as regulations and standards affecting API, Bulk Drug or Finished goods manufacturing preferred.
- Ability to supervise junior or contract team members (prior supervisory experience preferred).
- Ability to manage complex projects and multiple projects (5+) simultaneously.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law:
- The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.
- We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.
- This job is eligible to participate in our short-term incentive programs.
Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law.
AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community. Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled.
US & Puerto Rico only - to learn more, visit
US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation, click here to learn more:
ABOUT ABBVIE
AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology and neuroscience - and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio.
JOB DESCRIPTION
An engineering professional that works with project owners, subject designers/engineers and other project team members to plan, and complete tasks associated with commissioning, qualification and validation of new and modified equipment, facilities, utilities, product, processes etc. in line with project, operations and quality objectives. Level of responsibility and performance is commensurate with grade level. The main objective is to establish evaluation, testing and documentation for risk management, commissioning and validation applying product and regulatory requirements and risk management to result in robust, high quality products. This includes optimizing systems that support the work in and around this area of responsibility.
Responsibilities
- Work with end-user and project engineer to develop User Requirements Specifications and Functional / Design Specifications for new or modified equipment, facilities, and utilities.
- Support Factory Acceptance Testing in conjunction with Project Engineer to confirm unit is acceptable.
- Identify risk controls, critical elements and traceability of equipment design based on FMEA or other risk assessment.
- Develop and execute commissioning, qualification and validation test protocols to ensure that the unit functions according to specifications.
- Perform minor troubleshooting of issues encountered during commissioning and documentation of unresolved issues.
- Able to support broader aspects of projects at times including: project leadership, developing operational procedures, support training of maintenance/technical staff/operators on new equipment, reviewing new or modified product documentation to ensure compatibility with qualified equipment and implementing changes in equipment parameters or recipes.
- Leads Execution of Risk Management including, periodic review and update per the Validation Master Plan, interface with best practices, establishing team's work practices including overall program, ccRA. Understands risk management principles. Can find and review documentation. Understands controls, impact of change, trace controls, and can estimate ratings using appropriate scale. Timely. Demonstrated success in FMEA authorization/facilitation.
- Qualification as QRM facilitator commensurate with responsibility.
- May supervise contract validation resources in the timely completion of activities in his/her area of responsibility.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, science, or closely related discipline is desired, or equivalent technical experience plus demonstrated competence, with a desired 3+ years of significant engineering and/or operational experience.
- Experience in the development of commissioning, qualification, validation and risk management deliverables including specifications and testing protocols that can stand up to regulatory scrutiny.
- 6+ years of overall experience in Manufacturing, Quality or Engineering including 4 major validation subjects (e.g. Computer, Equipment, Cleaning, Process, etc.) preferred.
- A technical background in health care, nutritional products, laboratory diagnostics, medical devices, pharmaceutical, or similar industries (preferred).
- Strong interpersonal, communication, and negotiation skills with demonstrated ability to work within a team environment.
- Knowledge of quality / compliance management as well as regulations and standards affecting API, Bulk Drug or Finished goods manufacturing preferred.
- Ability to supervise junior or contract team members (prior supervisory experience preferred).
- Ability to manage complex projects and multiple projects (5+) simultaneously.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law:
- The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.
- We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.
- This job is eligible to participate in our short-term incentive programs.
Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law.
AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community. Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled.
US & Puerto Rico only - to learn more, visit
US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation, click here to learn more:
Biotech & Pharma Job Roles in Texas
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Search Biotech & Pharma Jobs in TexasBiotech & Pharma Jobs in Texas: Frequently Asked Questions
Which biotech and pharma companies sponsor F-1 STEM OPT visas in Texas?
Texas hosts a wide range of biotech and pharma employers with documented STEM OPT sponsorship activity, including Abbott Laboratories in Austin, AstraZeneca in Fort Worth, and numerous medical device and contract research organizations in the Houston Medical Center area. Mid-size CROs and biologics manufacturers along the I-35 corridor also regularly hire F-1 STEM OPT candidates for laboratory, regulatory, and manufacturing roles.
Which cities in Texas have the most biotech and pharma F-1 STEM OPT sponsorship jobs?
Houston leads Texas for biotech and pharma sponsorship jobs, driven by the Texas Medical Center, one of the largest medical complexes in the world. Dallas-Fort Worth follows closely, with pharma and medical device companies concentrated in suburbs like Irving and Fort Worth. Austin is growing quickly in life sciences, particularly in health tech and bioprocess startups, making it a strong secondary market for STEM OPT candidates.
What types of biotech and pharma roles typically qualify for F-1 STEM OPT sponsorship in Texas?
Roles that qualify for STEM OPT in biotech and pharma typically fall under SOC codes classified as STEM occupations by the Department of Homeland Security. In Texas, these commonly include biochemist, microbiologist, biomedical engineer, clinical data analyst, regulatory affairs specialist, and pharmaceutical scientist positions. The role must be directly related to the student's qualifying STEM degree program, and the employer must be enrolled in E-Verify.
How do I find biotech and pharma F-1 STEM OPT sponsorship jobs in Texas?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for international students seeking STEM OPT sponsorship and lets you filter biotech and pharma jobs in Texas by employer E-Verify enrollment and DOL Labor Condition Application filing history, two key indicators of sponsorship readiness. Unlike general job boards, Migrate Mate surfaces only employers who have previously supported international candidates, saving you time and helping you target your applications strategically within Texas's life sciences sector.
Are there any Texas-specific considerations for F-1 STEM OPT sponsorship in biotech and pharma?
Texas does not impose state-level licensing barriers specific to F-1 STEM OPT candidates in most biotech and pharma roles, but some positions requiring professional credentials, such as a pharmacy license, involve state board requirements separate from STEM OPT eligibility. Texas's lack of a state income tax can make total compensation more competitive. STEM OPT extensions still require the employer to submit a formal training plan (Form I-983) to your DSO regardless of state.