Aerospace & Defense OPT Jobs in Washington
Washington is one of the strongest states for aerospace and defense F-1 OPT sponsorship, anchored by Boeing's commercial and defense divisions in Everett and Renton, plus a dense cluster of defense contractors and engineering firms around the Puget Sound region. International students in engineering, computer science, and systems design find consistent demand here, particularly through STEM OPT extensions.
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Get Access To All JobsAt Boeing, we innovate and collaborate to make the world a better place. We’re committed to fostering an environment for every teammate that’s welcoming, respectful and inclusive, with great opportunity for professional growth. Find your future with us.
About us:
At Insitu (a Boeing company), we’re passionate about advancing the state of the art in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). As a global leader in small UAS design and development, we operate in a fast-paced environment where innovation, collaboration, and a commitment to customer success drive our work. Our Flight Sciences team supports a diverse portfolio of Group 2 and Group 3 UAS, delivering cutting-edge solutions for defense, commercial, and civil aviation applications.
Located in the stunning Columbia Gorge, on the border between Washington and Oregon, our team thrives in a natural playground perfect for outdoor enthusiasts. We’re looking for talented engineers who share our passion for technology and innovation to join us in shaping the future of unmanned aviation.
About You:
We’re looking for an innovative and detail-oriented engineer with a passion for unmanned systems and a solid foundation in aerospace principles. In addition to being technically skilled, you are a collaborative and proactive problem solver, able to balance competing priorities and communicate effectively in a team environment. You are eager to contribute to and learn from a dynamic team developing industry-leading autonomous flight technologies.
What You’ll Do:
- Support the design and analysis of enhancements for Group 2 and Group 3 UAS and their derivatives, contributing to optimized aerodynamics, flight performance, and safety, under the guidance of senior engineers.
- Assist in developing and refining flight control, guidance, and navigation algorithms for UAS, including those supporting autonomous flight and new flight modes.
- Contribute to building, validating, and maintaining mathematical models, simulations, and analyses tools used in standalone, Software-In-The-Loop (SIL), and Hardware-In-The-Loop (HIL) simulations.
- Help investigate and mitigate mishaps and failure modes through telemetry analysis, support root cause investigation, and Monte Carlo simulations.
- Support updates and customization of autopilot and simulation software to enable product enhancements and maintain alignment with control system design best practices.
- Collaborate closely with our autopilot supplier to address system integration challenges, improve performance, and design for product effectiveness.
- Stay informed about relevant regulatory trends in unmanned airspace operations and apply that knowledge, with mentoring, to design and analysis tasks.
- Support flight test planning, execution, and data analysis for hardware, software, and systems integration activities.
- Work with engineering, operations, and project management to deliver solutions that meet system performance goals, contributing to a safety-focused, collaborative, and innovative engineering culture.
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Aerospace / Mechanical Engineering, or a related field, with an emphasis on aerodynamics, flight dynamics, and control systems.
- Bachelor’s degree with 3-5 years of relevant industry experience, or
- Master’s degree with 2+ years of experience preferred.
- Understanding of controls, navigation, and guidance methods as applied to air vehicle flight dynamics.
- Proficiency in MATLAB/Simulink for developing and validating models for standalone, SIL, and HIL simulations.
- Exposure to digital-discrete time control laws for air vehicles.
- Demonstrated problem-solving skills, with a track record of developing effective solutions.
- Foundational knowledge of air vehicle performance and design trade-offs, including vehicle layout, propulsion requirements, and stability and control analyses.
- Proficiency in at least one programming language such as C++, with familiarity in implementing and integrating control systems in software environments.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills, as well as the ability to work collaboratively within a multi-disciplinary engineering team.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Familiarity with U.S. airspace regulations and operational environments for unmanned systems, including FAA Part 107 guidelines.
- Knowledge of GPS/INS systems and autopilot requirements and their integration into complete air vehicle systems.
- Experience with numerical programming, Python, Matlab/Simulink, C#, and GIT version control systems.
- Background in unmanned aircraft or drone operations, with consideration given to candidates holding a pilot’s license or drone operator’s license.
- Understanding of unmanned aircraft data links and their operational considerations.
In-Office Requirement Statement:
This position is eligible for hybrid work. It is our strong preference that this position is on-site 1-3 days weekly; and therefore, needs to be within commutable distance from Bingen, WA.
Relocation Statement:
This position is eligible for relocation assistance. Visit our Careers - Insitu page to learn more about our benefits, 9/80 work schedule and flexible work model.
At Insitu, we strive to deliver a Total Rewards package that will attract, engage and retain the top talent. Elements of the Total Rewards package include competitive base pay and variable compensation opportunities.
Insitu also provides eligible employees with an opportunity to enroll in a variety of benefit programs, generally including health insurance, flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, retirement savings plans, life and disability programs and a number of programs that provide for both paid and unpaid time away from work.
The specific programs and options available to any given employee may vary depending on eligibility factors such as geographic location, date of hire.
Please note that the salary information show below is a general guideline only. Salaries are based upon candidate experience, qualifications and work location.
Typical Hiring Range: 88,000.00 - 121,000.00
Insitu is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic factors, military/veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.
Equal Opportunity Employer:
Boeing is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic factors, military/veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.
Your Benefits
No matter where you are in life, our benefits help prepare you for the present and the future.
- Generous company match to your 401(k).
- Industry-leading tuition assistance program pays your institution directly.
- Fertility, adoption, and surrogacy benefits.
- Up to $10,000 gift match when you support your favorite nonprofit organizations.
These programs are subject to eligibility requirements and other conditions, which may differ for employees of certain subsidiaries or business units, or union-represented employees depending on bargaining agreement terms. If this information conflicts with the program documents, the latter shall control. This material is informational only.
At Boeing, we innovate and collaborate to make the world a better place. We’re committed to fostering an environment for every teammate that’s welcoming, respectful and inclusive, with great opportunity for professional growth. Find your future with us.
About us:
At Insitu (a Boeing company), we’re passionate about advancing the state of the art in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). As a global leader in small UAS design and development, we operate in a fast-paced environment where innovation, collaboration, and a commitment to customer success drive our work. Our Flight Sciences team supports a diverse portfolio of Group 2 and Group 3 UAS, delivering cutting-edge solutions for defense, commercial, and civil aviation applications.
Located in the stunning Columbia Gorge, on the border between Washington and Oregon, our team thrives in a natural playground perfect for outdoor enthusiasts. We’re looking for talented engineers who share our passion for technology and innovation to join us in shaping the future of unmanned aviation.
About You:
We’re looking for an innovative and detail-oriented engineer with a passion for unmanned systems and a solid foundation in aerospace principles. In addition to being technically skilled, you are a collaborative and proactive problem solver, able to balance competing priorities and communicate effectively in a team environment. You are eager to contribute to and learn from a dynamic team developing industry-leading autonomous flight technologies.
What You’ll Do:
- Support the design and analysis of enhancements for Group 2 and Group 3 UAS and their derivatives, contributing to optimized aerodynamics, flight performance, and safety, under the guidance of senior engineers.
- Assist in developing and refining flight control, guidance, and navigation algorithms for UAS, including those supporting autonomous flight and new flight modes.
- Contribute to building, validating, and maintaining mathematical models, simulations, and analyses tools used in standalone, Software-In-The-Loop (SIL), and Hardware-In-The-Loop (HIL) simulations.
- Help investigate and mitigate mishaps and failure modes through telemetry analysis, support root cause investigation, and Monte Carlo simulations.
- Support updates and customization of autopilot and simulation software to enable product enhancements and maintain alignment with control system design best practices.
- Collaborate closely with our autopilot supplier to address system integration challenges, improve performance, and design for product effectiveness.
- Stay informed about relevant regulatory trends in unmanned airspace operations and apply that knowledge, with mentoring, to design and analysis tasks.
- Support flight test planning, execution, and data analysis for hardware, software, and systems integration activities.
- Work with engineering, operations, and project management to deliver solutions that meet system performance goals, contributing to a safety-focused, collaborative, and innovative engineering culture.
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Aerospace / Mechanical Engineering, or a related field, with an emphasis on aerodynamics, flight dynamics, and control systems.
- Bachelor’s degree with 3-5 years of relevant industry experience, or
- Master’s degree with 2+ years of experience preferred.
- Understanding of controls, navigation, and guidance methods as applied to air vehicle flight dynamics.
- Proficiency in MATLAB/Simulink for developing and validating models for standalone, SIL, and HIL simulations.
- Exposure to digital-discrete time control laws for air vehicles.
- Demonstrated problem-solving skills, with a track record of developing effective solutions.
- Foundational knowledge of air vehicle performance and design trade-offs, including vehicle layout, propulsion requirements, and stability and control analyses.
- Proficiency in at least one programming language such as C++, with familiarity in implementing and integrating control systems in software environments.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills, as well as the ability to work collaboratively within a multi-disciplinary engineering team.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Familiarity with U.S. airspace regulations and operational environments for unmanned systems, including FAA Part 107 guidelines.
- Knowledge of GPS/INS systems and autopilot requirements and their integration into complete air vehicle systems.
- Experience with numerical programming, Python, Matlab/Simulink, C#, and GIT version control systems.
- Background in unmanned aircraft or drone operations, with consideration given to candidates holding a pilot’s license or drone operator’s license.
- Understanding of unmanned aircraft data links and their operational considerations.
In-Office Requirement Statement:
This position is eligible for hybrid work. It is our strong preference that this position is on-site 1-3 days weekly; and therefore, needs to be within commutable distance from Bingen, WA.
Relocation Statement:
This position is eligible for relocation assistance. Visit our Careers - Insitu page to learn more about our benefits, 9/80 work schedule and flexible work model.
At Insitu, we strive to deliver a Total Rewards package that will attract, engage and retain the top talent. Elements of the Total Rewards package include competitive base pay and variable compensation opportunities.
Insitu also provides eligible employees with an opportunity to enroll in a variety of benefit programs, generally including health insurance, flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, retirement savings plans, life and disability programs and a number of programs that provide for both paid and unpaid time away from work.
The specific programs and options available to any given employee may vary depending on eligibility factors such as geographic location, date of hire.
Please note that the salary information show below is a general guideline only. Salaries are based upon candidate experience, qualifications and work location.
Typical Hiring Range: 88,000.00 - 121,000.00
Insitu is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic factors, military/veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.
Equal Opportunity Employer:
Boeing is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic factors, military/veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.
Your Benefits
No matter where you are in life, our benefits help prepare you for the present and the future.
- Generous company match to your 401(k).
- Industry-leading tuition assistance program pays your institution directly.
- Fertility, adoption, and surrogacy benefits.
- Up to $10,000 gift match when you support your favorite nonprofit organizations.
These programs are subject to eligibility requirements and other conditions, which may differ for employees of certain subsidiaries or business units, or union-represented employees depending on bargaining agreement terms. If this information conflicts with the program documents, the latter shall control. This material is informational only.
OPT Aerospace & Defense Job Roles in Washington
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Search Aerospace & Defense Jobs in WashingtonAerospace & Defense OPT Sponsorship Jobs in Washington: Frequently Asked Questions
Which aerospace and defense companies sponsor F-1 OPT visas in Washington?
Boeing is the largest aerospace employer in Washington and has historically hired F-1 OPT students across engineering and technical disciplines. Other active sponsors in the state include Northrop Grumman, L3Harris, Raytheon (RTX), and a range of defense-focused subcontractors and engineering services firms concentrated in the greater Seattle and Everett areas. Sponsorship practices vary by role, team, and hiring cycle, so researching individual job postings is essential.
Which cities in Washington have the most aerospace and defense F-1 OPT sponsorship jobs?
Everett and Renton are the primary hubs, driven by Boeing's major manufacturing and engineering campuses. Seattle supports a broader aerospace supply chain and defense technology sector. Bellevue and Redmond also have defense-adjacent technology employers. Tacoma and its surrounding area host additional defense contractors tied to nearby military installations, including Joint Base Lewis-McChord, which generates demand for defense systems and logistics engineering roles.
What types of aerospace and defense roles typically qualify for F-1 OPT sponsorship in Washington?
Roles that regularly qualify include aerospace systems engineering, avionics and electrical engineering, mechanical and structural engineering, software development for flight and defense systems, manufacturing engineering, and quality assurance. Many of these fall under STEM-designated fields, making F-1 students eligible for a 24-month STEM OPT extension beyond the standard 12 months. Positions requiring active U.S. security clearances are generally not accessible to F-1 visa holders.
How do I find aerospace and defense F-1 OPT sponsorship jobs in Washington?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for international students and filters aerospace and defense jobs in Washington by visa type, including F-1 OPT and STEM OPT. Rather than sorting through postings that exclude international applicants, Migrate Mate surfaces roles where employers have indicated sponsorship willingness. Focusing your search on STEM-designated roles in Everett, Seattle, and Renton gives you the strongest starting point for OPT-eligible positions in this industry.
Are there any Washington-specific or industry-specific considerations for F-1 OPT in aerospace and defense?
Washington's aerospace and defense sector has a high concentration of defense-contract work that requires U.S. government security clearances, which F-1 visa holders are generally ineligible to obtain. This narrows the pool of accessible roles to commercial aerospace, unclassified defense engineering, and software-heavy positions. Students should confirm a role's clearance requirements before applying. Additionally, STEM OPT employers in Washington must be enrolled in E-Verify, a standard requirement for most large aerospace employers in the state.