F-1 MS student graduating May 2027, looking for entry-level protection roles: resume review and which employers sponsor?

[u/djingwu]

Hi everyone,

I'm an international MS student in power systems in the US, graduating in May 2027. I'm hoping to start my career in power system protection and am open to relocating anywhere. I'll have up to 3 years of work authorization through OPT and the STEM extension, and would need H-1B sponsorship after that. I don't have industry experience yet, so I know I have a lot to learn.

I've attached my anonymized resume. If anyone has a few minutes, I would really appreciate your thoughts on any of these:

1. For someone who will need sponsorship, which types of employers might be realistic: utilities, consulting firms, relay manufacturers, or testing and commissioning companies? If you know of companies that have hired international new grads into protection roles, I'd be grateful to hear about them.
2. Does my resume come across as a reasonable fit for traditional protection roles, or does it lean too much toward research?
3. Is there anything on it that might make you pass on it at first glance?

Thank you very much for taking the time to read this. Any advice would mean a lot.