Aerospace & Defense OPT Jobs in Virginia
Virginia's aerospace and defense sector draws F-1 OPT students to employers like Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Leidos, and General Dynamics, with hiring concentrated in Northern Virginia, Hampton Roads, and the Arlington defense corridor. Engineering, systems analysis, and cybersecurity roles here regularly appear with F-1 OPT sponsorship, making Virginia one of the most active states for aerospace-focused international students.
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Get Access To All JobsThis posting is for a contract assignment and is not a full-time employment offer with Boeing. Candidates selected for roles will be employed as contract workers through a Boeing approved 3rd party for the duration of the specified project.
Position Responsibilities
- Act as the primary point of contact for product-related decisions; ensure that the Data Management Office delivers the right data at the right time, with the highest business value while maintaining alignment across the various functions.
- Collaborate with engineering, design, QA, and business stakeholders to define and communicate the product vision and roadmap.
- Maintain, prioritize, and refine the Agile Release Train (ART) and system backlog (features, enablers, systemic improvements).
- Define ART objectives, acceptance criteria, and measurable outcomes. Validate acceptance/readiness for system integrations and releases.
- Balance capacity between Keeping the Lights On (KTLO) and new work and be able to defend value tradeoffs.
- Anticipate and identify cross-team dependencies and systemic risks.
- Provide quantitative inputs for metrics such as predictability, velocity trend, carryover, defect leakage, etc. and make prioritization decisions based on value, risk, and effort.
- Advocate for investments that improve quality, flow, and agile maturity.
- Participate in sprint planning, reviews, and backlog grooming.
- Track product performance and recommend improvements. Translate business demand (A2R, S2P) into actionable backlog items.
- Make critical decisions on feature prioritization based on business demand, ROI, and customer feedback. Define product vision, roadmap, and growth opportunities to align with organizational goals.
- Ensure the team delivers usable data products (datasets, dashboards, insights).
- Define requirements and accept user stories during Scrum meetings, including planning, reviews, and retrospectives.
- Make critical decisions on feature prioritization based on market demand, ROI, and customer feedback. Review deliverables and ensure they meet acceptance criteria.
Key Relationships & Stakeholders
- Enterprise Services Executive Leadership Team.
- Data Science and IT.
- Service Tower Leadership (Indirect Supply Chain, Real Estate, Facilities & Asset Management, Executive Flight).
- Build external relationships with vendors and/or consultant parties.
Basic Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree and 4 years of product or project development experience.
- 5+ years of experience in Business Analytics, Agile methodologies, or Product Management of large scale programs focused on data integration & analytics.
- At least 1 year of experience in Product Management and/or Product Development.
- Proven track record of delivering data driven solutions with a customer-first mindset.
- Established background in launching software or services in partnership with engineering teams and high degree of proficiency in prototyping, iterative development, understanding of Agile principles.
- Experience successfully driving end-to-end delivery of data and intelligence solutions, including a wide variety of mechanisms, e.g. dashboards, APIs, real time alerts, etc.
- Experience with procurement, expense management, and treasury businesses and processes.
- Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
Preferred Qualifications
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
- Ability to demonstrate continuous improvement mindset.
- Ability to take problems, create solutions, and execute to deliver value for customers.
- Ability to effectively mentor and coach employees.
- Experience delivering business and data analytics solutions in the manufacturing, engineering, aviation or energy sector is a plus.
- Ability to collaborate across the globe.
- Ability to travel up to 20% of the time.
Education
Bachelors degree in Business, Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related discipline.
Experience
5+ years of experience in Business Analytics, Agile methodologies, or Product Management of large scale programs focused on data integration & analytics.
other possible locations:
USA - Auburn, WA
USA - Charleston, SC
USA - Mesa, AZ
USA - Renton, WA
USA - Seal Beach, CA
USA - St. Louis City, MO
Pay Rate Range
40 - 45 USD hourly
Benefits Information
- Optional Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, 401K
Tundra Technical Solutions is among North America’s leading providers of Staffing and Consulting Services. Our success and our clients’ success are built on a foundation of service excellence. We are an equal opportunity employer, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or other applicable legally protected characteristic. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with applicable law, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act. Unincorporated LA County workers: we reasonably believe that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship with the following job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of a conditional offer of employment: client provided property, including hardware (both of which may include data) entrusted to you from theft, loss or damage; return all portable client computer hardware in your possession (including the data contained therein) upon completion of the assignment, and; maintain the confidentiality of client proprietary, confidential, or non-public information. In addition, job duties require access to secure and protected client information technology systems and related data security obligations.
This posting is for a contract assignment and is not a full-time employment offer with Boeing. Candidates selected for roles will be employed as contract workers through a Boeing approved 3rd party for the duration of the specified project.
Position Responsibilities
- Act as the primary point of contact for product-related decisions; ensure that the Data Management Office delivers the right data at the right time, with the highest business value while maintaining alignment across the various functions.
- Collaborate with engineering, design, QA, and business stakeholders to define and communicate the product vision and roadmap.
- Maintain, prioritize, and refine the Agile Release Train (ART) and system backlog (features, enablers, systemic improvements).
- Define ART objectives, acceptance criteria, and measurable outcomes. Validate acceptance/readiness for system integrations and releases.
- Balance capacity between Keeping the Lights On (KTLO) and new work and be able to defend value tradeoffs.
- Anticipate and identify cross-team dependencies and systemic risks.
- Provide quantitative inputs for metrics such as predictability, velocity trend, carryover, defect leakage, etc. and make prioritization decisions based on value, risk, and effort.
- Advocate for investments that improve quality, flow, and agile maturity.
- Participate in sprint planning, reviews, and backlog grooming.
- Track product performance and recommend improvements. Translate business demand (A2R, S2P) into actionable backlog items.
- Make critical decisions on feature prioritization based on business demand, ROI, and customer feedback. Define product vision, roadmap, and growth opportunities to align with organizational goals.
- Ensure the team delivers usable data products (datasets, dashboards, insights).
- Define requirements and accept user stories during Scrum meetings, including planning, reviews, and retrospectives.
- Make critical decisions on feature prioritization based on market demand, ROI, and customer feedback. Review deliverables and ensure they meet acceptance criteria.
Key Relationships & Stakeholders
- Enterprise Services Executive Leadership Team.
- Data Science and IT.
- Service Tower Leadership (Indirect Supply Chain, Real Estate, Facilities & Asset Management, Executive Flight).
- Build external relationships with vendors and/or consultant parties.
Basic Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree and 4 years of product or project development experience.
- 5+ years of experience in Business Analytics, Agile methodologies, or Product Management of large scale programs focused on data integration & analytics.
- At least 1 year of experience in Product Management and/or Product Development.
- Proven track record of delivering data driven solutions with a customer-first mindset.
- Established background in launching software or services in partnership with engineering teams and high degree of proficiency in prototyping, iterative development, understanding of Agile principles.
- Experience successfully driving end-to-end delivery of data and intelligence solutions, including a wide variety of mechanisms, e.g. dashboards, APIs, real time alerts, etc.
- Experience with procurement, expense management, and treasury businesses and processes.
- Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
Preferred Qualifications
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
- Ability to demonstrate continuous improvement mindset.
- Ability to take problems, create solutions, and execute to deliver value for customers.
- Ability to effectively mentor and coach employees.
- Experience delivering business and data analytics solutions in the manufacturing, engineering, aviation or energy sector is a plus.
- Ability to collaborate across the globe.
- Ability to travel up to 20% of the time.
Education
Bachelors degree in Business, Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related discipline.
Experience
5+ years of experience in Business Analytics, Agile methodologies, or Product Management of large scale programs focused on data integration & analytics.
other possible locations:
USA - Auburn, WA
USA - Charleston, SC
USA - Mesa, AZ
USA - Renton, WA
USA - Seal Beach, CA
USA - St. Louis City, MO
Pay Rate Range
40 - 45 USD hourly
Benefits Information
- Optional Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, 401K
Tundra Technical Solutions is among North America’s leading providers of Staffing and Consulting Services. Our success and our clients’ success are built on a foundation of service excellence. We are an equal opportunity employer, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or other applicable legally protected characteristic. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with applicable law, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act. Unincorporated LA County workers: we reasonably believe that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship with the following job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of a conditional offer of employment: client provided property, including hardware (both of which may include data) entrusted to you from theft, loss or damage; return all portable client computer hardware in your possession (including the data contained therein) upon completion of the assignment, and; maintain the confidentiality of client proprietary, confidential, or non-public information. In addition, job duties require access to secure and protected client information technology systems and related data security obligations.
Aerospace & Defense Job Roles in Virginia
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Search Aerospace & Defense Jobs in VirginiaAerospace & Defense Jobs in Virginia: Frequently Asked Questions
Which aerospace and defense companies in Virginia sponsor F-1 OPT visas?
Several major defense contractors operating in Virginia have documented F-1 OPT sponsorship histories, including Northrop Grumman, Leidos, General Dynamics, Raytheon Technologies, Booz Allen Hamilton, and SAIC. These companies maintain large engineering and technical workforces in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads and regularly hire international students for OPT-eligible roles in systems engineering, software development, and intelligence analysis.
Which cities in Virginia have the most aerospace and defense F-1 OPT sponsorship jobs?
Northern Virginia, particularly the Arlington-Tysons-Reston corridor, concentrates the highest volume of defense and aerospace OPT-eligible positions due to its proximity to the Pentagon and federal contracting hubs. Hampton Roads, anchored by Norfolk and Virginia Beach, supports significant naval and aerospace activity. Chantilly, Herndon, and McLean also host numerous defense contractors with active OPT sponsorship patterns.
What types of aerospace and defense roles typically qualify for F-1 OPT sponsorship in Virginia?
Roles that commonly qualify include systems engineer, aerospace engineer, software engineer, data scientist, cybersecurity analyst, signals intelligence analyst, and mechanical engineer. These positions typically require a degree in engineering, computer science, physics, or a related technical field. STEM-designated degree programs may also support a 24-month STEM OPT extension, giving candidates in these roles additional time to transition to longer-term sponsorship.
How do I find aerospace and defense F-1 OPT sponsorship jobs in Virginia?
Migrate Mate lets you filter specifically for aerospace and defense roles in Virginia that are open to F-1 OPT candidates, using verified employer sponsorship data rather than self-reported listings. This helps you identify contractors and agencies with active OPT hiring histories in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads, so you can focus your applications on employers already familiar with the OPT authorization process rather than spending time on companies that may not accommodate it.
Are there any Virginia-specific or industry-specific considerations for F-1 OPT sponsorship in aerospace and defense?
Many Virginia-based defense positions require U.S. security clearances, which F-1 OPT students are generally not eligible to obtain as non-U.S. persons. This narrows the pool of immediately available roles, so targeting unclassified engineering, research, and commercial aerospace positions is often more practical for OPT candidates. Employers working on non-classified government contracts or commercial aviation and space programs are typically more accessible entry points.