AI Program Manager Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
AI Program Managers oversee the delivery of machine learning and AI initiatives, making them strong H-1B visa candidates. Employers routinely sponsor this role, and a bachelor's degree in computer science, engineering, or a related technical field typically satisfies specialty occupation requirements. For detailed occupation requirements, see the O*NET profile.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
Edmund Optics is seeking a Senior Director of Artificial Intelligence to lead the strategy, development, and deployment of AI initiatives across the organization. This role will define the enterprise AI roadmap, and build and mentor a high-performing team. This role will partner with the continuous improvement team to determine areas within the organization that can benefit the most from AI, as well as working with the analytics team on the development and rollout of AI-driven solutions for Edmund Optics. This role will partner with engineering, manufacturing, sales, and IT leadership to embed AI into core business processes. The ideal candidate combines deep technical expertise with strong business acumen and the ability to translate AI capabilities into measurable value for a global optics and photonics manufacturer.
Responsibilities
- Strategy & Vision: Define and drive the company-wide AI strategy, identifying high-impact opportunities across manufacturing, HR, quality control, supply chain, R&D, sales, and customer service.
- Leadership & Team Building: Recruit, develop, and lead a team of new to industry AI designers and project managers to implement major AI projects. Work with the analytics team to establish best practices for model development, deployment, and governance. Move towards a hub-and-spoke operating model, with a centralized team of specialists defining standards and practices while working closely with embedded teams across the business.
- Cross-Functional Partnership: Collaborate with continuous improvement and with major functional areas such as optical engineering, manufacturing operations, IT, and commercial teams to identify use cases for advancement (e.g., computer vision for defect detection, predictive maintenance, generative AI for design/quoting tools, customer-facing chat/support tools).
- Solution Delivery: Be accountable for the full lifecycle of AI projects — from proof of concept through production deployment and monitoring — ensuring scalability, reliability, and ROI.
- Data Infrastructure: Partner with IT, analytics, and cybersecurity to ensure the organization has the data pipelines, infrastructure, and governance needed to support AI initiatives.
- Innovation & Emerging Tech: Stay current on advances in AI (including large language models, computer vision, generative AI, agentic AI, and industrial AI applications) and assess applicability to optics manufacturing and photonics R&D.
- Responsible AI & Governance: Establish policies for data privacy, model risk, security, and ethical use of AI across the enterprise.
- Executive Communication: Report to senior leadership on AI initiative progress, business impact, budget, and risk; build the business case for continued AI investment.
- Vendor & Partnership Management: Evaluate and manage relationships with AI technology vendors, cloud providers, and external research partners.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
To perform this position successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable Accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Required Skills & Abilities
- Proven track record of deploying AI and/or ML solutions at scale in a manufacturing, industrial, or engineering-driven environment.
- Strong knowledge of machine learning, computer vision, agentic AI, and/or generative AI techniques and their practical business applications.
- Strong change management skills, especially implementing AI solutions in major functional areas of a large organization.
- Experience building and leading technical teams.
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to translate technical concepts for non-technical executive stakeholders.
- Experience managing budgets and demonstrating ROI on technology investments.
- Comply with federal, state, and company policies, procedures, and regulations.
Education/Experience
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Engineering, or related field (Master's or PhD preferred).
- 5+ years of experience in AI, ML, data science, or related technical fields, with 5+ years in a leadership role adjacent to AI (computer science, engineering, data analytics or other related fields).
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience in optics, photonics, precision manufacturing, or a related technical industry.
- Experience with cloud AI or ML platforms, especially agentic AI tools.
- Experience with AI data platforms, especially Snowflake.
Physical Requirements
Ability to operate office equipment such as a copier; ability to see details at a close range; ability to sit at desk or PC for long periods of time; work in office setting.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.
Think you meet some of the requirements but not all? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs for which they do not meet every qualification. If you see a role that interests you, we encourage you to apply, regardless of whether or not your experience is completely aligned with the job description. Edmund Optics is committed to becoming the most diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace within the Optics and Photonics Industry and beyond. You may be a great candidate for this role or others within Edmund Optics.
COMPENSATION RANGE TRANSPARENCY
At Edmund Optics, we are committed to transparency and equity in our hiring practices. The posted salary range for this role reflects the expected base pay. The actual offer will be based on multiple factors, including but not limited to relevant skills, education, work experience, business needs, and geographic location.
Salary Range:
$190,000 - $235,000 per year
BENEFITS:
- Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
- Life, AD&D, Short and Long-Term Disability Insurance
- Generous Paid Time Off (PTO)
- Tuition Reimbursement
- 401(k) Retirement Plan with Company Match up to 3%
- Daycare and Gym Reimbursement
- Paid Parental Leave and New Mother Benefits
- Training and Development Opportunities
Availability of these benefits may depend on the country and employment type.
INTRODUCTION
Edmund Optics is seeking a Senior Director of Artificial Intelligence to lead the strategy, development, and deployment of AI initiatives across the organization. This role will define the enterprise AI roadmap, and build and mentor a high-performing team. This role will partner with the continuous improvement team to determine areas within the organization that can benefit the most from AI, as well as working with the analytics team on the development and rollout of AI-driven solutions for Edmund Optics. This role will partner with engineering, manufacturing, sales, and IT leadership to embed AI into core business processes. The ideal candidate combines deep technical expertise with strong business acumen and the ability to translate AI capabilities into measurable value for a global optics and photonics manufacturer.
Responsibilities
- Strategy & Vision: Define and drive the company-wide AI strategy, identifying high-impact opportunities across manufacturing, HR, quality control, supply chain, R&D, sales, and customer service.
- Leadership & Team Building: Recruit, develop, and lead a team of new to industry AI designers and project managers to implement major AI projects. Work with the analytics team to establish best practices for model development, deployment, and governance. Move towards a hub-and-spoke operating model, with a centralized team of specialists defining standards and practices while working closely with embedded teams across the business.
- Cross-Functional Partnership: Collaborate with continuous improvement and with major functional areas such as optical engineering, manufacturing operations, IT, and commercial teams to identify use cases for advancement (e.g., computer vision for defect detection, predictive maintenance, generative AI for design/quoting tools, customer-facing chat/support tools).
- Solution Delivery: Be accountable for the full lifecycle of AI projects — from proof of concept through production deployment and monitoring — ensuring scalability, reliability, and ROI.
- Data Infrastructure: Partner with IT, analytics, and cybersecurity to ensure the organization has the data pipelines, infrastructure, and governance needed to support AI initiatives.
- Innovation & Emerging Tech: Stay current on advances in AI (including large language models, computer vision, generative AI, agentic AI, and industrial AI applications) and assess applicability to optics manufacturing and photonics R&D.
- Responsible AI & Governance: Establish policies for data privacy, model risk, security, and ethical use of AI across the enterprise.
- Executive Communication: Report to senior leadership on AI initiative progress, business impact, budget, and risk; build the business case for continued AI investment.
- Vendor & Partnership Management: Evaluate and manage relationships with AI technology vendors, cloud providers, and external research partners.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
To perform this position successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable Accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Required Skills & Abilities
- Proven track record of deploying AI and/or ML solutions at scale in a manufacturing, industrial, or engineering-driven environment.
- Strong knowledge of machine learning, computer vision, agentic AI, and/or generative AI techniques and their practical business applications.
- Strong change management skills, especially implementing AI solutions in major functional areas of a large organization.
- Experience building and leading technical teams.
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to translate technical concepts for non-technical executive stakeholders.
- Experience managing budgets and demonstrating ROI on technology investments.
- Comply with federal, state, and company policies, procedures, and regulations.
Education/Experience
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Engineering, or related field (Master's or PhD preferred).
- 5+ years of experience in AI, ML, data science, or related technical fields, with 5+ years in a leadership role adjacent to AI (computer science, engineering, data analytics or other related fields).
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience in optics, photonics, precision manufacturing, or a related technical industry.
- Experience with cloud AI or ML platforms, especially agentic AI tools.
- Experience with AI data platforms, especially Snowflake.
Physical Requirements
Ability to operate office equipment such as a copier; ability to see details at a close range; ability to sit at desk or PC for long periods of time; work in office setting.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.
Think you meet some of the requirements but not all? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs for which they do not meet every qualification. If you see a role that interests you, we encourage you to apply, regardless of whether or not your experience is completely aligned with the job description. Edmund Optics is committed to becoming the most diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace within the Optics and Photonics Industry and beyond. You may be a great candidate for this role or others within Edmund Optics.
COMPENSATION RANGE TRANSPARENCY
At Edmund Optics, we are committed to transparency and equity in our hiring practices. The posted salary range for this role reflects the expected base pay. The actual offer will be based on multiple factors, including but not limited to relevant skills, education, work experience, business needs, and geographic location.
Salary Range:
$190,000 - $235,000 per year
BENEFITS:
- Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
- Life, AD&D, Short and Long-Term Disability Insurance
- Generous Paid Time Off (PTO)
- Tuition Reimbursement
- 401(k) Retirement Plan with Company Match up to 3%
- Daycare and Gym Reimbursement
- Paid Parental Leave and New Mother Benefits
- Training and Development Opportunities
Availability of these benefits may depend on the country and employment type.
See all 6,138+ AI Program Manager Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new AI Program Manager roles.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Visa Sponsorship as an AI Program Manager
Target companies with active AI investments
Companies scaling AI products, not just experimenting with them, are far more likely to sponsor. Look for employers with dedicated AI divisions, recent model launches, or published research, as their hiring timelines and sponsorship infrastructure are already in place.
Frame your technical depth clearly
H-1B visa approval for program managers hinges on demonstrating the role requires specialized knowledge. Emphasize your direct involvement in ML pipelines, model deployment decisions, or AI architecture reviews, not just coordination or stakeholder management duties.
Secure a technical degree match
USCIS scrutinizes program manager roles more than pure engineering titles. A degree in computer science, data science, or systems engineering provides the clearest specialty occupation link. Unrelated degrees require strong evidence of progressive technical experience to compensate.
Get the job description right before filing
The LCA and H-1B petition must reflect a role requiring a specific technical degree. Generic program manager descriptions that omit AI-specific duties raise RFE risk. Work with your employer to ensure the posting accurately captures the technical scope of your work.
Understand the E-3 and TN alternatives if eligible
Australian citizens can pursue the E-3 visa for this role without entering the H-1B lottery. Canadians and Mexicans may qualify under TN visa if the position maps cleanly to a covered professional category. Both paths offer faster timelines and no lottery risk.
Use Migrate Mate to find sponsors efficiently
Not every employer advertising AI Program Manager roles will sponsor visas. Migrate Mate filters specifically for sponsoring employers, so you spend time applying to companies already set up to file petitions rather than discovering sponsorship limitations late in the process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an AI Program Manager get H-1B sponsorship?
Yes, but USCIS scrutinizes program manager roles more than engineering titles because the specialty occupation standard requires a direct link between the degree and job duties. AI Program Managers with a technical degree in computer science, engineering, or a related field, and whose duties involve ML systems oversight or AI architecture decisions, have a strong case. Generic management-heavy job descriptions with minimal technical content carry higher RFE risk.
What degree do I need to qualify for visa sponsorship as an AI Program Manager?
A bachelor's degree or higher in computer science, software engineering, data science, or a closely related technical field is the most defensible basis for a specialty occupation claim. Degrees in business or general management are harder to link to AI-specific duties, though substantial technical experience in AI or ML development can help bridge the gap if documented thoroughly in the petition.
Which companies sponsor H-1B visas for AI Program Managers?
Companies with large AI divisions, including technology firms, cloud providers, and AI-native startups, are the most consistent sponsors for this role. DOL LCA disclosure data shows consistent filings for AI and ML program management positions at major technology employers. Migrate Mate lets you filter specifically for employers who are actively sponsoring this role, saving significant research time during your job search.
What is the H-1B approval rate for AI Program Manager roles?
USCIS does not publish approval rates broken down by specific job title. However, program manager roles in technology sectors have historically faced higher RFE rates than pure engineering positions because officers question whether the role requires a specific degree rather than a general one. A well-documented petition that ties AI-specific duties directly to the degree field significantly improves outcomes.
Are there visa options besides H-1B for AI Program Managers?
Yes. Australian citizens can apply for the E-3 visa, which has no lottery and a 10,500 annual cap that has never been fully used. Canadian and Mexican nationals may qualify under the TN visa if the role is classifiable under an eligible professional category. Candidates with extraordinary recognition in the AI field may also qualify for the O-1A visa, which requires documented national or international acclaim.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored AI Program Manager jobs?
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.