Engineering Lead Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
Engineering Lead roles qualify for H-1B visa sponsorship as a specialty occupation requiring a bachelor's degree in engineering or a closely related field. Many employers also support EB-2 and EB-3 green card pathways. No lottery exemption exists, but the annual cap includes a 20,000-slot advanced degree allocation.
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Get Access To All JobsJOB SUMMARY/PRIMARY FUNCTIONS:
Responsible for leading Electrical and Instrumentation engineering activities for integrated steel plant projects including DRI, EAF, Rolling Mill, Utilities, and Balance of Plant facilities. Ensures reliable power distribution, instrumentation integration, and effective coordination across engineering disciplines throughout project execution.
REQUIRED TOOLS:
All tools necessary to perform work are provided by the company.
SAFETY:
All required personal protective equipment required to perform work is provided by the company. The intern is required to follow all prescribed safety standards and rules.
Physical Requirements:
- Employees must be able to reach continuously and occasionally reach above the shoulders
- Employees must use hands for occasional simple grasping, frequent firm grasping, and occasional fine manipulation
- Employees must frequently bend/stoop, squat, kneel and climb
- Employees must move head/neck: occasional rotation, occasional extension, and frequent flexion
- Employees must communicate with other employees and management and be able to hear instructions/ directives and be alert to workplace hazards
- Employees must see near, far and with depth perception
- Employees must work up to 40 hours per work week
- Employees are required to work in a noise-filled manufacturing plant environment that can be loud
- Employees are required to work in a manufacturing plant environment with varying temperatures and climates
- Employees must lift 35 pounds occasionally
- Employee must push/pull frequently 40-50 pounds of force
- Must be able to work up to 12-hour shifts
Certain physical and environmental requirements may vary depending on the assigned department and internship location.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS & RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Lead Electrical and Instrumentation engineering for DRI, EAF, Rolling Mill, Utility, and infrastructure facilities.
- Coordinate design and integration of power systems, substations, switchgear, transformers, MCCs, and plant distribution networks.
- Review and approve single-line diagrams, load lists, cable schedules, equipment specifications, and instrumentation architecture.
- Coordinate instrumentation systems, field devices, analyzers, and control system interfaces.
- Manage electrical system studies including load flow, short circuit, protection coordination, and earthing studies.
- Interface with technology licensors, equipment vendors, EPC contractors, and project stakeholders.
- Conduct technical reviews, design reviews, and interdisciplinary engineering coordination meetings.
- Ensure compliance with applicable international standards and project requirements.
- Support procurement activities including technical bid evaluations and vendor document reviews.
- Provide engineering support during construction, energization, commissioning, start-up, and performance testing.
- Monitor project progress and proactively resolve technical and interface issues.
DEMONSTRATES AND SUPPORTS CULTURAL BELIEFS:
- Teamwork
- Agility
- Ownership
- Everyone has a voice.
- Everyone has a role.
- Together, we are building what comes next.
REQUIRED EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, SKILLS AND/OR APTITUDES:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- BS in Electrical Engineering, Instrumentation Engineering, or related discipline.
- 15–20 years of experience in Electrical and Instrumentation engineering for integrated steel plants, metals, power, mining, or heavy industrial EPC projects.
- Proven experience with substations, power distribution systems, MCCs, electrical utilities, and industrial instrumentation.
- Minimum 5 years' experience in an Engineering Lead or Discipline Lead role.
- Strong understanding of IEC, IEEE, NFPA, and applicable industrial standards.
- Experience in multidisciplinary engineering coordination and project execution.
- Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
WORKING CONDITIONS:
- Based in the United States, dedicated full-time to the Mesabi ISP Project.
- On-site presence required, with willingness to undertake extensive travel to site locations worldwide.
Mesabi Metallics is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable law.
JOB SUMMARY/PRIMARY FUNCTIONS:
Responsible for leading Electrical and Instrumentation engineering activities for integrated steel plant projects including DRI, EAF, Rolling Mill, Utilities, and Balance of Plant facilities. Ensures reliable power distribution, instrumentation integration, and effective coordination across engineering disciplines throughout project execution.
REQUIRED TOOLS:
All tools necessary to perform work are provided by the company.
SAFETY:
All required personal protective equipment required to perform work is provided by the company. The intern is required to follow all prescribed safety standards and rules.
Physical Requirements:
- Employees must be able to reach continuously and occasionally reach above the shoulders
- Employees must use hands for occasional simple grasping, frequent firm grasping, and occasional fine manipulation
- Employees must frequently bend/stoop, squat, kneel and climb
- Employees must move head/neck: occasional rotation, occasional extension, and frequent flexion
- Employees must communicate with other employees and management and be able to hear instructions/ directives and be alert to workplace hazards
- Employees must see near, far and with depth perception
- Employees must work up to 40 hours per work week
- Employees are required to work in a noise-filled manufacturing plant environment that can be loud
- Employees are required to work in a manufacturing plant environment with varying temperatures and climates
- Employees must lift 35 pounds occasionally
- Employee must push/pull frequently 40-50 pounds of force
- Must be able to work up to 12-hour shifts
Certain physical and environmental requirements may vary depending on the assigned department and internship location.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS & RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Lead Electrical and Instrumentation engineering for DRI, EAF, Rolling Mill, Utility, and infrastructure facilities.
- Coordinate design and integration of power systems, substations, switchgear, transformers, MCCs, and plant distribution networks.
- Review and approve single-line diagrams, load lists, cable schedules, equipment specifications, and instrumentation architecture.
- Coordinate instrumentation systems, field devices, analyzers, and control system interfaces.
- Manage electrical system studies including load flow, short circuit, protection coordination, and earthing studies.
- Interface with technology licensors, equipment vendors, EPC contractors, and project stakeholders.
- Conduct technical reviews, design reviews, and interdisciplinary engineering coordination meetings.
- Ensure compliance with applicable international standards and project requirements.
- Support procurement activities including technical bid evaluations and vendor document reviews.
- Provide engineering support during construction, energization, commissioning, start-up, and performance testing.
- Monitor project progress and proactively resolve technical and interface issues.
DEMONSTRATES AND SUPPORTS CULTURAL BELIEFS:
- Teamwork
- Agility
- Ownership
- Everyone has a voice.
- Everyone has a role.
- Together, we are building what comes next.
REQUIRED EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, SKILLS AND/OR APTITUDES:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- BS in Electrical Engineering, Instrumentation Engineering, or related discipline.
- 15–20 years of experience in Electrical and Instrumentation engineering for integrated steel plants, metals, power, mining, or heavy industrial EPC projects.
- Proven experience with substations, power distribution systems, MCCs, electrical utilities, and industrial instrumentation.
- Minimum 5 years' experience in an Engineering Lead or Discipline Lead role.
- Strong understanding of IEC, IEEE, NFPA, and applicable industrial standards.
- Experience in multidisciplinary engineering coordination and project execution.
- Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
WORKING CONDITIONS:
- Based in the United States, dedicated full-time to the Mesabi ISP Project.
- On-site presence required, with willingness to undertake extensive travel to site locations worldwide.
Mesabi Metallics is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable law.
See all 2,772+ Engineering Lead Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Engineering Lead roles.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Engineering Lead Jobs
Document your technical leadership scope
Your I-129 petition lives or dies on how clearly the job duties map to a specialty occupation. Write a detailed duty statement that distinguishes Engineering Lead responsibilities from general management, emphasizing the engineering degree requirement for each core function.
Verify prevailing wage before accepting offers
Use the OFLC Wage Search to confirm the Level I through IV wage tier your employer intends to certify. Engineering Leads often fall at Level III or IV, and a mismatch between offered salary and LCA wage level can trigger a USCIS Request for Evidence.
Target employers with green card pipeline history
Find Engineering Lead roles at companies that have filed PERM labor certifications for similar titles. PERM filings signal an employer already understands the multi-year sponsorship commitment, which matters more for lead-level roles than entry-level ones.
Use Migrate Mate to surface active sponsors
Search Engineering Lead positions on Migrate Mate, which lists employers with verified LCA filing history by role and location. This cuts out companies that post jobs without any sponsorship infrastructure behind the listing.
Clarify H-1B portability before resigning
If you're already in H-1B status, you can start with a new employer once the new I-129 petition is filed. You don't need USCIS approval before your first day, but confirm your new employer files immediately to keep your status protected under portability rules.
Align your degree field to the posted requirements
An Engineering Lead role that lists computer science, electrical engineering, or mechanical engineering as required will face less specialty occupation scrutiny than one that lists any technical degree. Check O*NET to see how the occupation's typical education requirements are described before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does an Engineering Lead role qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B purposes?
Yes, in most cases. USCIS evaluates whether the role normally requires at least a bachelor's degree in a directly related engineering field. Engineering Lead positions that involve technical architecture, hands-on code review, or domain-specific system design typically satisfy this standard. Roles that have shifted heavily toward people management with minimal technical duties can face more scrutiny, so the job description language matters.
What degree do I need to sponsor an Engineering Lead visa?
Most employers require a bachelor's degree or higher in computer science, electrical engineering, software engineering, or a closely related field. USCIS also accepts three years of qualifying work experience as a substitute for each year of missing formal education, so a two-year degree plus six years of relevant hands-on experience can satisfy the requirement in some cases.
How do I find Engineering Lead jobs that offer visa sponsorship?
Search Engineering Lead roles on Migrate Mate, which shows employers with verified sponsorship filing history. This saves time by filtering out postings from companies that haven't demonstrated a track record of actually filing for work visas.
Can an Engineering Lead role support a green card application?
Yes. Engineering Lead positions commonly support EB-2 green card petitions, which require an advanced degree or exceptional ability, and EB-3 petitions for skilled workers. Most employers must complete PERM labor certification through DOL before filing the immigrant petition. Country of birth affects wait times significantly, with per-country backlogs stretching years for applicants born in India or China.
What happens to my H-1B status if my Engineering Lead role changes significantly after I'm approved?
A material change in job duties, location, or employer can require an amended H-1B petition filed with USCIS before the change takes effect. If your role shifts from hands-on engineering to primarily administrative management, the specialty occupation basis could weaken. Notify your employer's immigration counsel before accepting a role restructuring, a site transfer to a new worksite, or a title change that removes the technical core from your duties.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored Engineering Lead 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.