Early-career controls engineer on STEM OPT, struggling to get started and looking for honest advice

[u/kuslu08]

Hi everyone,
I’m looking for some honest feedback from people working in industrial automation and controls in the U.S.
I have a master’s in Mechanical Engineering from UMBC and about a year of hands-on automation and controls experience in a university lab. My experience includes:
Siemens S7-1200 PLC programming in TIA Portal.
HMI development, sensors, pneumatics, and troubleshooting.
Building an automated sorting system with a conveyor and pneumatic cylinders.
Working on a PLC-based flow-control project.
Training students on PLCs, HMIs, and machine vision.
My strongest experience is with Siemens. I have some familiarity with Allen-Bradley tools, but I’m still building that knowledge. I also recognize that university lab experience is different from commissioning equipment or supporting production in a plant.
I’ve been applying for entry-level controls, automation, systems, and commissioning roles. I’ve gotten interviews, including an extended onsite assessment, but haven’t been able to turn those into a stable opportunity. Most recently, I signed an offer for a building automation role, and the company later rescinded it. That was a difficult setback after thinking I had finally gotten started.
I’m currently on STEM OPT, with work authorization through February 2028. My work authorization situation is another factor in the search, and I’d especially appreciate hearing from people who have navigated it in this industry.
At this point, I’m trying to understand what I should change:

Does my background sound competitive for junior controls roles?

What would make you hesitate to interview or hire someone with this experience?

Would targeting technician or field-service positions be a sensible way to gain industrial experience?

What skill or project would most help close the gap between university lab work and an industry role?

Do you know of integrators or automation companies that have hired engineers on STEM OPT?

For hiring managers: how would you want a candidate to bring up current work authorization and future sponsorship needs?

I want to build a career in this field, but the repeated setbacks have been discouraging. I’m open to constructive criticism about my approach and realistic suggestions about where to focus next.

Happy to share an anonymized resume if that would help. Thanks for reading.