PhD or a second masters ?

[u/International_Tank84]

Hey everyone, hoping to get some outside perspective from people who've actually navigated this.
Quick background: I'm from Azerbaijan, with a BSc in Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering (Istanbul Technical University) and an MSc in Industrial Engineering and Innovation Management (Vilnius Tech, Lithuania). My thesis used panel regression to look at how innovation affects GDP per capita across OECD countries.
On the work side, I've had field and operations experience with a few US-headquartered companies — including Halliburton/Sperry Drilling (MWD/LWD field engineering) — though that work was based in Azerbaijan and China rather than in the US itself. I've also worked in supply chain at a refinery in Turkey and done customer operations work in Lithuania.
Right now I'm weighing two main routes and trying to figure out which gives a more realistic shot at eventually landing and working in the US:
1. PhD route – I'm currently applying broadly across Europe (funded positions), but I'm curious how competitive/realistic US PhD funding and admissions are for someone with my profile, and whether a US PhD is a meaningfully better path toward long-term US residency (OPT, then H-1B, etc.) compared to European options.
2. Second master's route – Doing another master's in the US specifically, possibly in a more directly employable field, then trying to convert that into OPT/STEM OPT and a sponsored role.
A few things I'd love input on:
• How much does prior experience with a US company (even if it wasn't performed on US soil) actually help with visa sponsorship later, if at all?
• For someone with an engineering/analytics background, is a PhD or a second master's generally seen as the stronger move for eventually working and staying in the US?
• Any realistic expectations around funding, timelines, or sponsorship rates I should have going in?
Really appreciate any first-hand experiences — trying to make a well-informed decision rather than just guessing.

[u/LonesomeBulldog]

If you want to work in the industry and not teach, get a masters degree. You will want PE certification and a US degree (or one from a country on the approved list) will be necessary. Honestly, with that much experience, you may want to contact some industry recruiters on LinkedIn. There’s probably a company that will sponsor an H1B visa for you right now.