Electrical and Instrumentation Engineer Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
Electrical and Instrumentation Engineer roles qualify as specialty occupations under the H-1B visa, and employers in energy, manufacturing, and process industries file LCAs regularly for this title. Your degree field matters: a bachelor's in electrical engineering, instrumentation engineering, or a closely related discipline is required for visa sponsorship.
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What You'll Be Doing
Job Scope: Generally responsible for performing all aspects for complete design of complex electrical and instrumentation engineering assignments. This level requires extensive progressive experience in electrical and instrumentation engineering and involves applying advanced engineering techniques and analysis. This work will be performed under general supervision.
Primary responsibilities will include but not be limited to:
- Familiarity with and utilize department design and drafting standards.
- Familiarity with project scope, specifications and design criteria upon assignment to a project task team.
- Recognize and communicate scope and design changes promptly.
- On-site assistance during startup.
- Provide technical guidance to less experienced drafting and engineering personnel in the department.
- Coordinate work activities with other staff members and the discipline lead.
- To perform duties as a discipline lead on a small to mid-sized projects.
- Producing estimate level designs and material take-offs suitable for the level of the estimate being performed on a project.
- Producing detail design calculations and sketches for materials of construction associated with the project. Calculations produced will be neatly prepared and organized for efficient checking by others and efficient use by drafters/designers for preparing drawings and as a deliverable when required.
- Produce 15kV/5kV equipment specifications.
- Produce electrical installation specifications.
- Developing conceptual layouts and cost studies as necessary to determine the simplest, most efficient approach to solving engineering tasks at hand.
- Producing estimate level preliminary designs and material take-offs suitable for the level of the estimate being performed on a project.
- Produce installation details, motor control center single lines, electric room layouts, motor control elementaries, connection diagrams, cable schedules, control panel layouts and grounding, lighting, power and instrumentation plans under general supervision.
- Producing designs with efficient use of construction materials with an overall emphasis on ease of construction and completed product meeting the expectations of the client.
- Checking calculations made by other engineers to ensure accuracy, conformance to codes, specifications, design criteria and conformance to good engineering practice.
- Assisting the drafting group in resolving routine layout and detailing problems. It is your responsibility to furnish sufficient sketches and details necessary for completion of engineering drawings.
- Consulting with design leaders from other disciplines to ensure the smooth flow of vital information necessary for the scheduled completion of the project.
- Advising the senior engineer concerning design or scope changes, which have been identified.
- Assisting other engineers in developing and assembling scopes, drawings and specifications into a “package”, enabling electrical/instrumentation purchase inquiries to be issued for procurement of materials or subcontract pricing.
- Reviewing and checking vendor drawings and other discipline drawings for electrical/instrumentation input.
- Developing construction specifications.
- Reviewing fabrication drawings and other construction submittals for conformance to engineering drawings and specifications.
- Performing fieldwork necessary to gather field data, check tie-ins and provide construction support.
- Knowledgeable of the discipline specific methods, practices and techniques required to engineer design and construct process and manufacturing projects.
- Applying advanced engineering techniques and analysis to complex designs.
- Estimating and scheduling professional service hours and assessing the progress and quality of electrical/instrumentation work.
- Complete understanding of the skills and experience required to perform engineering and design functions.
- Ability to identify and develop work sharing packages for interoffice execution support. Provide leadership to ensure communication and execution of work within scope, schedule and budget.
Ideal Background
Education: Bachelor or Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from an accredited university is required.
Registration: Professional Engineering registration is highly preferred.
Experience: This position requires 6+ years of relevant industrial experience in electrical and instrumentation engineering.
Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Knowledge and application of the current version of the National Electrical Code (NEC).
- Ability to perform lighting level calculations.
- Ability to size wire, conduit and overcurrent protection for both lighting and power applications.
- Ability to perform voltage drop calculations.
- Ability to route conduit and cable tray.
- Ability to calculate tray and conduit fill.
- Ability to determine motor control center loading.
- Familiarity with specifications and installation details of construction bulk materials and equipment.
- Ability to create accurate electrical installation documents from the information found on vendor equipment drawings.
- Ability to determine load center unit substation loading.
- Ability to develop equipment specifications for equipment such as motor control centers, variable frequency drivers, induction and synchronous motors, load center unit substations, etc.
- Knowledge and understanding of schedule constraints and information requirements for the production of all electrical deliverables.
- Ability to produce a 15kV power system single line diagram.
- Familiarity with 15kV power system equipment and installation techniques both above and below ground.
- Ability to develop equipment specifications for 15kV/5kV equipment such as switchgear, load break switches, motor control center and capable of performing calculations for required short circuit and overcurrent protective device ratings.
- Ability to develop electrical installation specifications.
- Ability to accurately estimate completion of assigned tasks.
- Ability to develop a construction cost estimate, a detailed engineering schedule and a man-hour budget for a small project or an area for a larger project.
- Ability to determine construction material quantities.
- Ability to contribute to the development of P&ID’s with respect to measurement and control.
- Ability to develop control narratives.
- Ability to specify process instrumentation and develop installation details.
- Ability to size control valves using appropriate software.
- Ability to develop specifications and data sheets for instrumentation, analyzers, control systems and actuated valves.
- Knowledge of the standards that apply to instrumentation and controls (ISA).
- Ability to act as discipline engineer of record for projects that require professional engineering certification.
- Knowledge and application of company engineering design and CAD drafting standards.
- Programming experience with Programmable Logic controller (PLC), Human Machine Interface (HMI), and/or Distributed Control System (DCS) equipment.
- Ability to lead a small team to deliver on commitments.
- Ability to deliver presentations of Hargrove Engineers & Constructors services.
- Working knowledge of CAD software, either AutoCAD, Microstation or both.
- Proficient in the use of Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook.
- Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
- Excellent presentation skills.
- Virtual team skills and cross divisional relationships are developed, and able to provide interoffice execution leadership and support.
Physical Requirements
- Ability to sit, stand, or walk for long periods of time.
Hargrove Culture
We work to create an environment founded on trust, personal integrity, and a “team mentality” so that each person understands the value of their contributions both on a project and company-wide level. We know that each person on our team contributes to the success of our company by pairing expertise and passion to meet and exceed the needs of the clients we serve across the globe.
Our safety culture protects and promotes the well-being of every person who works with us and every person touched by our work.
As a 100% Teammate owned company, we proudly offer a comprehensive benefits package including, paid holidays, personal paid time off, medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance, 401(k), and other benefits to eligible Teammates.
Equal Opportunity Employment Statement
Hargrove is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, color, national origin, religion, age, sex (including gender, sexual orientation, pregnancy, sexual identity, marital or family status), disability, military service or obligations, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Hargrove is a drug-free workplace.
The selected candidate must be authorized to work in the United States.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Visa Sponsorship as an Electrical and Instrumentation Engineer
Align your degree to the role
Consular officers and USCIS scrutinize whether your degree field directly matches the job. An electrical engineering or instrumentation engineering degree is the clearest fit. A general engineering degree may require supporting documentation linking your coursework to the specific role.
Check the prevailing wage tier before applying
Use the OFLC Wage Search to look up the prevailing wage for Electrical and Instrumentation Engineer roles in your target metro area. Employers must certify wages at or above this level in the LCA, so knowing the tier helps you evaluate whether an offer is compliant before you accept.
Target industries with active LCA filing histories
Oil and gas, chemical processing, utilities, and heavy manufacturing employers file LCAs for this title far more frequently than general tech firms. Narrowing your search to these sectors increases your odds of finding employers already familiar with the sponsorship process for your specific occupation.
Find verified sponsors on Migrate Mate
Search Migrate Mate to browse employers with verified LCA filing history for Electrical and Instrumentation Engineer roles. This cuts out guesswork and surfaces companies already set up to sponsor your visa, searchable by location and role type.
Clarify the PE license question early
Some employers list a Professional Engineer license as preferred or required. If you hold a foreign PE credential, confirm with the employer whether a U.S. state license is mandatory before the offer stage. Requiring a U.S.-only license can complicate or delay sponsorship for international candidates.
Understand the LCA timeline relative to H-1B cap dates
Your employer must file a certified LCA with DOL before submitting your H-1B petition to USCIS. DOL certifies most LCAs within seven business days. Build this into your timeline so the LCA is certified well before the H-1B registration window opens each spring.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does an Electrical and Instrumentation Engineer role qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B purposes?
Yes. Electrical and Instrumentation Engineer roles consistently qualify as specialty occupations because they require at least a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, instrumentation engineering, or a directly related field. USCIS evaluates whether the specific duties require that theoretical and practical application of highly specialized knowledge, and this title routinely meets that standard across energy, manufacturing, and process control industries.
Which visa types can sponsor an Electrical and Instrumentation Engineer?
The H-1B is the most common path, covering specialty occupation roles and requiring employer sponsorship and an annual lottery. Australian citizens can use the E-3 visa, which has no lottery and a cap that has never been exhausted. Canadian and Mexican nationals may qualify under the TN visa if the role fits the USMCA engineer category. For permanent residence, most candidates pursue an EB-2 or EB-3 green card through PERM labor certification.
How do I find employers who actively sponsor Electrical and Instrumentation Engineers?
Search Migrate Mate to browse employers with verified sponsorship history for this role. The platform shows companies with active LCA filing records for Electrical and Instrumentation Engineer positions, so you can focus your applications on employers already set up to sponsor rather than starting from scratch with companies unfamiliar with the process.
Does my degree field matter, or is any engineering degree sufficient?
Your degree field matters significantly. USCIS looks for a direct relationship between the degree and the job duties. An electrical engineering or instrumentation engineering degree is the clearest match. Degrees in mechanical or general engineering may be accepted if your coursework covered control systems, instrumentation, or electrical design, but the employer may need to provide additional documentation justifying the connection.
Can I transfer my H-1B to a new employer mid-project without losing status?
Yes. Under H-1B portability rules, you can begin working for a new employer as soon as the new H-1B petition is filed with USCIS, provided you're currently in valid H-1B status. You don't need to wait for approval before starting. This is particularly relevant for contract-to-hire roles common in the instrumentation and process engineering sector, where employer transitions happen mid-project.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored Electrical and Instrumentation 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.