Food & Beverage OPT Jobs in Virginia
Virginia's food and beverage industry spans corporate food science roles in Northern Virginia, hospitality-driven culinary operations in Arlington and Alexandria, and agricultural processing throughout the Shenandoah Valley. Companies like Mars Incorporated and Nestlé have maintained a presence in the state, and F-1 OPT students in food science, nutrition, and supply chain management find relevant opportunities here.
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Get Access To All JobsAre you an experienced Sales Professional, Restaurant Manager, Culinary Manager or Chef looking for career development opportunities? Join Sysco’s World Class Sales Team and explore all the benefits and perks.
Why you should join our Sales Team:
- Competitive base salary, bonus, plus promotional incentive opportunities
- Car allowance (mileage reimbursement for candidates in CA) and cell phone provided
- Career pathing opportunities for both entry level, and experienced individuals
- Opportunity to be part of a purpose driven organization that supports communities and associates
- Specialized sales training
- Individual as well as team-based selling
- Opportunity to learn different ethnic segments
- Monthly and annual sales rewards and recognition
- Robust benefits package including an Employee Stock Purchase Plan, & 401(k) with automatic matching
JOB SUMMARY
This is an outside sales position responsible for promoting the company's products and services and for building relationships with new and existing accounts. The main focus is to help Sysco customers succeed while achieving sales and profit goals established by the company. This position may require working some non-traditional hours (evening, weekends, and holidays) to successfully meet customers' needs.
Responsibilities
- Develop new business, penetrate existing accounts, and minimize lost business to achieve profitable sales growth and special objectives within assigned territory.
- Seek and qualify prospects following company account stratification goals.
- Research customer business needs and develops a mix of products and service to meet needs.
- Evaluate market trends and recommend products to customers, based on business needs and goals.
- Be informed of market conditions, product innovations, and competitors' products, prices, and sales; share information with customers as part of value-added services provided.
- Answer customers' questions about products, prices, availability, and product use.
- Provide product information and practical training to customer personnel.
- Drive personal vehicle to customer accounts, conventions, company meetings, etc.
- Communicate and collect accounts receivable as necessary, working with the credit department and client; collect all balances due based on approved credit terms.
- Manage deliveries to the routing schedule published by the transportation department; troubleshoot any problems that occur during the order process (for example, out of stock items, special order items, low inventory, etc.).
- Participate in company functions, promotions, customer visits, and customer events.
- Attend and participate in general sales and district meetings.
- Engage in ongoing training sessions.
- Assist with the training of new employees as requested.
- Review and analyze daily and weekly reports such as special-order requests, customer bid files, and sales/gross profit margin data.
- Perform administrative duties, such as preparing sales budgets and reports, maintaining sales records, processing credits, and pick-up requests, preparing sales quotes and menu suggestions, and filing reports.
- Other duties may be assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS
Required Education/Experience
Bachelor's degree in Business, Sales, Marketing, Hospitality, Culinary Arts or related discipline OR HSD/GED and 3 years Restaurant Management, B2B or outside sales experience, or equivalent relatable experience including completion of the Sysco Sales Internship.
Preferred Qualifications
- Bi-Lingual
- Restaurant Management, Foodservice Outside Sales, Chef Experience preferred
Certificates, Licenses, and Registrations
- Valid driver's license with a "clean" driving record (including no multiple DUIs within the last 2 years)
- Current automobile insurance with the following limits of liability: Bodily injury - $100,000 each person and $300,000 each accident; property damage - $100,000 is required
Requirement
- Submit to pre-employment testing (Drug Screen, Background Check).
- Must sign Sysco Protective Covenants Agreement.
- Reside or willing to relocate to the geographical vicinity of territory.
Professional Skills
- Basic PC skills and proficiency with MS Office.
- Ability to read, write, speak English.
Competencies
- Building Trust
- Building Customer Loyalty
- Follow-up
- Sales Ability / Persuasiveness
- Managing Work
- Adaptability
- Communication
Are you an experienced Sales Professional, Restaurant Manager, Culinary Manager or Chef looking for career development opportunities? Join Sysco’s World Class Sales Team and explore all the benefits and perks.
Why you should join our Sales Team:
- Competitive base salary, bonus, plus promotional incentive opportunities
- Car allowance (mileage reimbursement for candidates in CA) and cell phone provided
- Career pathing opportunities for both entry level, and experienced individuals
- Opportunity to be part of a purpose driven organization that supports communities and associates
- Specialized sales training
- Individual as well as team-based selling
- Opportunity to learn different ethnic segments
- Monthly and annual sales rewards and recognition
- Robust benefits package including an Employee Stock Purchase Plan, & 401(k) with automatic matching
JOB SUMMARY
This is an outside sales position responsible for promoting the company's products and services and for building relationships with new and existing accounts. The main focus is to help Sysco customers succeed while achieving sales and profit goals established by the company. This position may require working some non-traditional hours (evening, weekends, and holidays) to successfully meet customers' needs.
Responsibilities
- Develop new business, penetrate existing accounts, and minimize lost business to achieve profitable sales growth and special objectives within assigned territory.
- Seek and qualify prospects following company account stratification goals.
- Research customer business needs and develops a mix of products and service to meet needs.
- Evaluate market trends and recommend products to customers, based on business needs and goals.
- Be informed of market conditions, product innovations, and competitors' products, prices, and sales; share information with customers as part of value-added services provided.
- Answer customers' questions about products, prices, availability, and product use.
- Provide product information and practical training to customer personnel.
- Drive personal vehicle to customer accounts, conventions, company meetings, etc.
- Communicate and collect accounts receivable as necessary, working with the credit department and client; collect all balances due based on approved credit terms.
- Manage deliveries to the routing schedule published by the transportation department; troubleshoot any problems that occur during the order process (for example, out of stock items, special order items, low inventory, etc.).
- Participate in company functions, promotions, customer visits, and customer events.
- Attend and participate in general sales and district meetings.
- Engage in ongoing training sessions.
- Assist with the training of new employees as requested.
- Review and analyze daily and weekly reports such as special-order requests, customer bid files, and sales/gross profit margin data.
- Perform administrative duties, such as preparing sales budgets and reports, maintaining sales records, processing credits, and pick-up requests, preparing sales quotes and menu suggestions, and filing reports.
- Other duties may be assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS
Required Education/Experience
Bachelor's degree in Business, Sales, Marketing, Hospitality, Culinary Arts or related discipline OR HSD/GED and 3 years Restaurant Management, B2B or outside sales experience, or equivalent relatable experience including completion of the Sysco Sales Internship.
Preferred Qualifications
- Bi-Lingual
- Restaurant Management, Foodservice Outside Sales, Chef Experience preferred
Certificates, Licenses, and Registrations
- Valid driver's license with a "clean" driving record (including no multiple DUIs within the last 2 years)
- Current automobile insurance with the following limits of liability: Bodily injury - $100,000 each person and $300,000 each accident; property damage - $100,000 is required
Requirement
- Submit to pre-employment testing (Drug Screen, Background Check).
- Must sign Sysco Protective Covenants Agreement.
- Reside or willing to relocate to the geographical vicinity of territory.
Professional Skills
- Basic PC skills and proficiency with MS Office.
- Ability to read, write, speak English.
Competencies
- Building Trust
- Building Customer Loyalty
- Follow-up
- Sales Ability / Persuasiveness
- Managing Work
- Adaptability
- Communication
OPT Food & Beverage Job Roles in Virginia
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Search Food & Beverage Jobs in VirginiaFood & Beverage OPT Sponsorship Jobs in Virginia: Frequently Asked Questions
Which food and beverage companies sponsor F-1 OPT visas in Virginia?
Virginia hosts a mix of large food manufacturers and hospitality groups that have historically hired F-1 OPT students. Mars Incorporated operates facilities in the state, and major food distributors and restaurant chains headquartered in the Northern Virginia and Richmond corridors have posted OPT-eligible roles in food science, quality assurance, and supply chain. Sponsorship practices vary by employer and role, so confirming eligibility directly with each company is important.
Which cities in Virginia have the most food and beverage F-1 OPT sponsorship jobs?
Northern Virginia cities like Arlington, Alexandria, and McLean offer food and beverage corporate roles tied to the broader D.C. metro economy, including positions in food policy, nutrition, and hospitality management. Richmond has a growing craft food and beverage sector with openings in production and operations. Virginia Beach and Norfolk also generate hospitality and food service roles that occasionally qualify for OPT, particularly in management and culinary science functions.
What types of food and beverage roles typically qualify for F-1 OPT sponsorship?
F-1 OPT authorization is tied to your degree field, so qualifying roles in food and beverage are generally those directly related to your major. Food science graduates often qualify for roles in product development, quality control, and regulatory affairs. Nutrition degree holders may qualify in clinical nutrition or dietetics. Supply chain and business graduates can qualify in procurement or operations roles within food companies. Purely entry-level service roles without a clear degree connection typically do not qualify.
How do I find food & beverage F-1 OPT sponsorship jobs in Virginia?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for international students and filters job listings by visa type, including F-1 OPT, and by industry, so you can search directly for food and beverage roles in Virginia without sorting through positions that do not support OPT. Because sponsorship status changes frequently, Migrate Mate keeps listings current and focused on employers actively open to F-1 OPT candidates in the food and beverage sector.
Are there any Virginia-specific considerations for F-1 OPT sponsorship in food and beverage?
Virginia's proximity to federal regulatory agencies in Washington, D.C. means food and beverage employers in Northern Virginia sometimes seek candidates with an understanding of FDA or USDA compliance, which can align well with food science or nutrition OPT authorizations. Virginia also has active agricultural and beverage processing industries in its rural regions, though those roles may be further from university OPT support resources. STEM OPT extensions apply only if your degree is in a designated STEM field such as food science or agricultural engineering.