Automation and Controls Engineer Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship

Automation and Controls Engineer roles qualify as specialty occupations under H-1B visa, making them strong candidates for visa sponsorship. Employers in manufacturing, oil and gas, and advanced robotics regularly file LCAs for these positions. Your degree in electrical, mechanical, or systems engineering is the foundation sponsors need.

Find Automation and Controls Engineer Jobs

Overview

Open Jobs62+
Top Visa TypeTN
Work Type94% On-site
Top LocationKansas City, MO
Most JobsBurns & McDonnell

Showing 5 of 62+ Automation and Controls Engineer jobs

Automation and Controls Engineer
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Added 1d ago
Automation and Controls Engineer
Trane Technologies
Haslet, Texas
Specialized Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Engineering (Non-Software)
$85k - $119k/yr
Hybrid
Bachelor's
10,000+

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Senior Automation Controls Engineer
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Added 4d ago
Senior Automation Controls Engineer
La-Z-Boy
Monroe, Michigan
Specialized Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Project & Program Management
Engineering (Non-Software)
Project Management
On-Site
Bachelor's
10,000+

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Automation Controls Engineer
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Added 5d ago
Automation Controls Engineer
Carlisle Construction Materials
Tooele, Utah
Specialized Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering
Engineering (Non-Software)
Manufacturing Engineering
On-Site
Bachelor's
1,001-5,000

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Controls and Automation Engineer
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Added 6d ago
Controls and Automation Engineer
Phoenix Tailings
Rochester, New York
Specialized Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Engineering (Non-Software)
$80k - $150k/yr
On-Site
Bachelor's
11-50

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Manager, Controls and Automation Engineer
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Added 6d ago
Manager, Controls and Automation Engineer
Callaway Golf
Chicopee, Massachusetts
Specialized Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering
Engineering (Non-Software)
Manufacturing Engineering
$113k - $170k/yr
On-Site
Bachelor's
1,001-5,000

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Tips for Finding Visa Sponsorship as an Automation and Controls Engineer

Align your degree to PLC and SCADA roles

Specialty occupation status depends on a direct link between your degree field and the role. A degree in electrical engineering, control systems, or mechatronics maps cleanly to Automation and Controls Engineer job descriptions and strengthens the LCA filing.

Target industries with active LCA filing histories

Manufacturing, automotive, oil and gas, and semiconductor fabrication companies file LCAs for Controls Engineers far more consistently than general engineering firms. Focusing your search on these verticals puts you in front of employers already familiar with the sponsorship process.

Use Migrate Mate to find verified sponsors

Search Migrate Mate's job board to identify employers with verified LCA filing history for Automation and Controls Engineer roles, filtered by location and industry. That filing history signals the employer has already navigated DOL certification for this exact specialty occupation.

Check prevailing wage tiers before accepting offers

Your employer's LCA must certify a wage at or above the DOL prevailing wage for your role, level, and location. Use the OFLC Wage Search to verify which wage level your offer falls under before you sign, since Level I filings can flag experience mismatches during USCIS review.

Get OEM certifications documented before interviews

Rockwell Automation, Siemens, and Allen-Bradley certifications aren't visa requirements, but they reinforce the specialty occupation argument in RFE responses. Having these credentials on file speeds up the employer's ability to respond if USCIS questions whether the role genuinely requires a specialized degree.

Clarify H-1B transfer timing with your new employer

If you're already in H-1B status, you can start with a new Controls Engineering employer once the new I-129 petition is filed, without waiting for USCIS approval. Confirm the employer's HR team understands this portability rule before your start date to avoid unnecessary gaps.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does an Automation and Controls Engineer role qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B sponsorship?

Yes. Automation and Controls Engineer positions consistently qualify as specialty occupations because they typically require at least a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, control systems engineering, or a closely related field. USCIS evaluates the degree-to-role connection in every petition, so job descriptions that explicitly list a required degree in a specific engineering discipline strengthen the filing significantly.

Which visa types are realistic for Automation and Controls Engineers seeking U.S. sponsorship?

H-1B is the most common path, covering specialty occupation roles across manufacturing, energy, and advanced robotics. Canadian and Mexican nationals can pursue TN visa status under the USMCA engineer category, which requires no USCIS petition and no lottery. Australian nationals may qualify for the E-3 visa, which has a separate annual cap and no lottery. Each route requires a U.S. job offer before you can apply.

Where can I find employers who actively sponsor Automation and Controls Engineers?

Migrate Mate lists employers with verified LCA sponsorship history for Automation and Controls Engineer roles, searchable by city and industry. Manufacturers, semiconductor fabs, automotive suppliers, and utilities are the most consistent sponsors for this specialty, so focusing your search on those sectors gives you the strongest starting point.

Does a three-year engineering degree from outside the U.S. satisfy the specialty occupation requirement?

It can, but it requires a credential evaluation. USCIS accepts foreign degrees that are equivalent to a U.S. bachelor's degree in a directly related field. A three-year degree combined with progressive work experience in control systems or industrial automation can meet the threshold, but your employer's immigration attorney will need to document the equivalency in the I-129 petition.

How does the PERM labor certification process affect green card sponsorship for Controls Engineers?

Most employer-sponsored EB-2 and EB-3 green cards for Automation and Controls Engineers require PERM labor certification, where DOL verifies that no qualified U.S. worker is available for the role. The PERM process can take six months or longer before the I-140 petition is even filed. Priority date backlogs vary significantly by country of birth, so starting the green card conversation early with your employer matters.

What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored Automation and Controls Engineer 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.