Principal Test Engineer Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
Principal Test Engineer roles qualify as specialty occupations under H-1B visa, requiring a bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related field. Employers filing LCAs for quality assurance leadership roles do so regularly, and the position's seniority often supports EB-2 green card pathways without the typical EB-3 experience constraints.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
Celero Communications is seeking a talented DFT Engineer to join our silicon engineering organization. This individual will partner with design, verification, physical design, product, and manufacturing teams to implement robust Design-for-Test methodologies that enable high-quality, high-volume production of complex ASIC and SoC products.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Develop and implement DFT architecture for ASIC and SoC designs.
- Perform scan insertion, scan chain planning, and scan compression implementation.
- Generate and validate ATPG patterns and analyze fault coverage results.
- Implement and verify MBIST, and other on-chip test features.
- Collaborate with RTL, verification, and physical design teams to ensure successful DFT integration.
- Support JTAG and boundary-scan implementation and debug.
- Drive DFT signoff activities and manufacturing test readiness.
- Participate in silicon bring-up, failure analysis, and yield improvement efforts.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field.
- 8+ years of ASIC/SoC DFT experience.
- Strong understanding of scan, ATPG, fault models, and test coverage methodologies.
- Experience with Synopsys TestMAX/TetraMAX, DFT Compiler, Siemens Tessent, Cadence Modus, or equivalent tools.
- Knowledge of Verilog/SystemVerilog and digital design fundamentals.
- Experience in Linux and scripting using Python, Tcl, Perl, or Shell.
- Results-driven engineer with strong debugging abilities.
- Comfortable working in fast-paced cross-functional environments.
- Passion for delivering high-quality silicon products.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience with advanced-node semiconductor technologies.
- Hands-on experience with MBIST, compression architectures, and JTAG.
- Knowledge of timing closure, physical design impacts, and low-power design techniques.
- Experience supporting silicon validation and manufacturing production ramps.
- Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.
INTRODUCTION
Celero Communications is seeking a talented DFT Engineer to join our silicon engineering organization. This individual will partner with design, verification, physical design, product, and manufacturing teams to implement robust Design-for-Test methodologies that enable high-quality, high-volume production of complex ASIC and SoC products.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Develop and implement DFT architecture for ASIC and SoC designs.
- Perform scan insertion, scan chain planning, and scan compression implementation.
- Generate and validate ATPG patterns and analyze fault coverage results.
- Implement and verify MBIST, and other on-chip test features.
- Collaborate with RTL, verification, and physical design teams to ensure successful DFT integration.
- Support JTAG and boundary-scan implementation and debug.
- Drive DFT signoff activities and manufacturing test readiness.
- Participate in silicon bring-up, failure analysis, and yield improvement efforts.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field.
- 8+ years of ASIC/SoC DFT experience.
- Strong understanding of scan, ATPG, fault models, and test coverage methodologies.
- Experience with Synopsys TestMAX/TetraMAX, DFT Compiler, Siemens Tessent, Cadence Modus, or equivalent tools.
- Knowledge of Verilog/SystemVerilog and digital design fundamentals.
- Experience in Linux and scripting using Python, Tcl, Perl, or Shell.
- Results-driven engineer with strong debugging abilities.
- Comfortable working in fast-paced cross-functional environments.
- Passion for delivering high-quality silicon products.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience with advanced-node semiconductor technologies.
- Hands-on experience with MBIST, compression architectures, and JTAG.
- Knowledge of timing closure, physical design impacts, and low-power design techniques.
- Experience supporting silicon validation and manufacturing production ramps.
- Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Visa Sponsorship as a Principal Test Engineer
Align your degree to QA engineering
USCIS scrutinizes whether your specific degree field directly relates to test engineering. A computer science or software engineering degree maps cleanly, but an information systems or physics degree requires a credential evaluation letter explaining the connection to quality assurance work.
Search LCA filings for test leadership roles
Use the OFLC Wage Search to filter certified LCAs by job title containing 'test engineer' or 'quality assurance.' This shows which employers have filed recently for roles at your seniority level, not just junior QA positions that inflate the apparent count.
Target companies with dedicated QA organizations
Employers with large embedded software or hardware teams, such as automotive, semiconductor, and medical device firms, hire Principal Test Engineers at a rate that justifies H-1B sponsorship. Their QA headcount is large enough that one senior hire fits standard budget planning.
Use Migrate Mate to find verified sponsors
Filter your job search on Migrate Mate to Principal Test Engineer roles at employers with confirmed LCA filing history. This cuts out postings at companies that list sponsorship as 'possible' but have no DOL certification record for engineering roles.
Request prevailing wage documentation before signing
Your employer must file an LCA at the correct wage level for your specific location and role. Ask HR to share the wage level determination before you accept the offer so you can verify it reflects your principal-level seniority, not a lower engineer classification.
Front-load your EB-2 case evidence at hire
Principal-level roles frequently meet the EB-2 advanced degree standard. Ask your employer to initiate PERM labor certification within your first year, before internal reorganizations change your job description in ways that could weaken the green card petition's specialty occupation argument.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Principal Test Engineer role qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B?
Yes. USCIS evaluates specialty occupation status by confirming the role requires at least a bachelor's degree in a directly related field. Principal Test Engineer roles consistently qualify because they require formal knowledge in computer science, software engineering, or electrical engineering. Generic QA titles with no degree requirement are the ones that face RFEs, not senior engineering-track positions.
Which visa types realistically cover a Principal Test Engineer?
H-1B is the primary path for employer-sponsored work in this role. Australian citizens can use the E-3 visa, which skips the lottery and has a cap that has never been exhausted. Canadian and Mexican nationals can explore TN visa status under the engineer category. All three require the employer to file an LCA with DOL certifying the prevailing wage before you apply.
How do I find employers who actively sponsor Principal Test Engineers?
Migrate Mate lists employers with verified LCA filing history for engineering roles, so you can focus on companies that have already committed to sponsorship at the senior level rather than those that claim openness to it. Semiconductor, automotive software, and medical device firms appear most frequently in certified filings for principal-level test engineering positions.
Does my degree field matter if I have years of test engineering experience?
Yes, it matters significantly. USCIS requires a degree in a field directly related to the offered position, not just any bachelor's degree. Extensive QA experience helps support your petition but doesn't substitute for the degree field connection. If your degree is adjacent rather than exact, a credential evaluation explaining the academic overlap strengthens your H-1B petition considerably.
Can a Principal Test Engineer self-petition for a green card without employer sponsorship?
In limited cases, yes. The EB-2 National Interest Waiver allows self-petition if you can demonstrate your work benefits the U.S. in a way that justifies waiving the standard labor market test. Most Principal Test Engineers go the employer-sponsored PERM route instead, which is more predictable. The NIW path is realistic for engineers working on defense, infrastructure, or public health systems.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored Principal Test 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.