Clinical Research Director Jobs at AbbVie with Visa Sponsorship
Clinical Research Director jobs at AbbVie span therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology, and neuroscience, with an established track record of sponsoring work visas for specialized research leadership roles. If you're an international candidate pursuing this level, AbbVie's global clinical footprint makes it a realistic target.
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About AbbVie
AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology and neuroscience - and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.
Job Description
Purpose statement
Own and evolve the clinical process engineering capability within Clinical Development Operations, establishing the methodology, standards, and governance infrastructure that enable scalable, inspection-ready, and operationally excellent processes across the enterprise. The Associate Director, Clinical Process Engineer is the functional authority on process design and engineering practice, operating at the intersection of strategy, compliance, and execution. This role shapes how the discipline works, not just what it delivers, and is accountable for building the infrastructure and talent that sustains the capability long-term. Operates within a multilayered leadership structure and is expected to bring enterprise-level judgment and strong upward credibility.
Major responsibilities
- Define and own the clinical process engineering methodology, standards, and toolset used across Clinical Development Operations; drive adoption and continuous evolution of the practice.
- Serve as the enterprise subject matter authority on clinical process design, advising senior and executive leadership on process strategy, capability investments, and cross-functional process architecture.
- Oversee the design and governance of end-to-end clinical processes across the enterprise; ensure coherence, scalability, and inspection readiness across domains and programs.
- Lead enterprise-level current-state assessments and strategic process analyses; translate findings into capability recommendations and program-level improvement roadmaps for executive audiences.
- Design and lead high-stakes, enterprise-wide process workshops and governance forums; manage executive-level stakeholder dynamics, resolve competing priorities, and drive strategic alignment.
- Establish and own the process compliance, inspection readiness, and quality-by-design frameworks for the function; proactively manage risk and partner with quality and regulatory leadership on emerging expectations.
- Lead and govern complex, cross-enterprise process-to-system programs; accountable for the quality and integrity of process design inputs feeding technology platforms and transformation initiatives.
- Own the process performance measurement framework for the function; define enterprise KPIs, oversee reporting infrastructure, and present insights to senior leadership and governance bodies.
- Set and govern documentation standards, decision record practices, and process governance infrastructure across Clinical Development Operations; responsible for audit readiness at a function-wide level.
- May manage 0–5 direct reports; responsible for team leadership, talent strategy, performance management, and building a differentiated, high-impact process engineering capability.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in engineering, life sciences, business, or a related field required; advanced degree strongly preferred.
- Lean Six Sigma Black Belt or equivalent preferred; Green Belt required.
- Minimum 8 years of demonstrated experience in process design, process engineering, and/or process improvement within a regulated environment (GxP, clinical development, quality systems, or similar), with progressively increasing scope and complexity.
- Deep expertise in clinical development operations and regulatory, inspection, and quality frameworks, including the ability to advise senior leadership on emerging compliance expectations.
- Expert proficiency in process mapping, methodology development, and governance design; demonstrated experience building and scaling process engineering capabilities within a large, regulated organization.
- Proven ability to lead enterprise-level, multi-stakeholder programs and governance forums with executive presence and strong facilitation skills.
- Strategic analytical skills; ability to synthesize complex, multi-variable environments into executive-ready insights and capability recommendations.
- Demonstrated experience leading large-scale process-to-system transformation programs, including stakeholder alignment, risk management, and program governance.
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; experienced presenter to senior and executive leadership.
- Proven track record of leading high-performing teams, building capability, and operating with enterprise-level judgment in a complex, matrixed, global organization.
Key stakeholders
- BPOs, Process Experts, and functional senior leadership.
- Clinical Development Operations executive leadership and governance bodies.
- Process Excellence leadership, process architects, and enterprise governance leads.
- Quality, compliance, regulatory, and inspection readiness leadership.
- Change, learning, and transformation leadership.
- Technology and digital platform leadership.
- Cross-functional program leadership, governance forums, and enterprise initiative sponsors.
Additional Information
Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law:
- The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.
- We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.
- This job is eligible to participate in our long-term incentive programs.
Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law.
AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community. Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled.
US & Puerto Rico only - to learn more, visit https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/equal-employment-opportunity-employer.html
US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation, click here to learn more:
https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/reasonable-accommodations.html
Company Description
About AbbVie
AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology and neuroscience - and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.
Job Description
Purpose statement
Own and evolve the clinical process engineering capability within Clinical Development Operations, establishing the methodology, standards, and governance infrastructure that enable scalable, inspection-ready, and operationally excellent processes across the enterprise. The Associate Director, Clinical Process Engineer is the functional authority on process design and engineering practice, operating at the intersection of strategy, compliance, and execution. This role shapes how the discipline works, not just what it delivers, and is accountable for building the infrastructure and talent that sustains the capability long-term. Operates within a multilayered leadership structure and is expected to bring enterprise-level judgment and strong upward credibility.
Major responsibilities
- Define and own the clinical process engineering methodology, standards, and toolset used across Clinical Development Operations; drive adoption and continuous evolution of the practice.
- Serve as the enterprise subject matter authority on clinical process design, advising senior and executive leadership on process strategy, capability investments, and cross-functional process architecture.
- Oversee the design and governance of end-to-end clinical processes across the enterprise; ensure coherence, scalability, and inspection readiness across domains and programs.
- Lead enterprise-level current-state assessments and strategic process analyses; translate findings into capability recommendations and program-level improvement roadmaps for executive audiences.
- Design and lead high-stakes, enterprise-wide process workshops and governance forums; manage executive-level stakeholder dynamics, resolve competing priorities, and drive strategic alignment.
- Establish and own the process compliance, inspection readiness, and quality-by-design frameworks for the function; proactively manage risk and partner with quality and regulatory leadership on emerging expectations.
- Lead and govern complex, cross-enterprise process-to-system programs; accountable for the quality and integrity of process design inputs feeding technology platforms and transformation initiatives.
- Own the process performance measurement framework for the function; define enterprise KPIs, oversee reporting infrastructure, and present insights to senior leadership and governance bodies.
- Set and govern documentation standards, decision record practices, and process governance infrastructure across Clinical Development Operations; responsible for audit readiness at a function-wide level.
- May manage 0–5 direct reports; responsible for team leadership, talent strategy, performance management, and building a differentiated, high-impact process engineering capability.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in engineering, life sciences, business, or a related field required; advanced degree strongly preferred.
- Lean Six Sigma Black Belt or equivalent preferred; Green Belt required.
- Minimum 8 years of demonstrated experience in process design, process engineering, and/or process improvement within a regulated environment (GxP, clinical development, quality systems, or similar), with progressively increasing scope and complexity.
- Deep expertise in clinical development operations and regulatory, inspection, and quality frameworks, including the ability to advise senior leadership on emerging compliance expectations.
- Expert proficiency in process mapping, methodology development, and governance design; demonstrated experience building and scaling process engineering capabilities within a large, regulated organization.
- Proven ability to lead enterprise-level, multi-stakeholder programs and governance forums with executive presence and strong facilitation skills.
- Strategic analytical skills; ability to synthesize complex, multi-variable environments into executive-ready insights and capability recommendations.
- Demonstrated experience leading large-scale process-to-system transformation programs, including stakeholder alignment, risk management, and program governance.
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; experienced presenter to senior and executive leadership.
- Proven track record of leading high-performing teams, building capability, and operating with enterprise-level judgment in a complex, matrixed, global organization.
Key stakeholders
- BPOs, Process Experts, and functional senior leadership.
- Clinical Development Operations executive leadership and governance bodies.
- Process Excellence leadership, process architects, and enterprise governance leads.
- Quality, compliance, regulatory, and inspection readiness leadership.
- Change, learning, and transformation leadership.
- Technology and digital platform leadership.
- Cross-functional program leadership, governance forums, and enterprise initiative sponsors.
Additional Information
Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law:
- The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.
- We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.
- This job is eligible to participate in our long-term incentive programs.
Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law.
AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community. Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled.
US & Puerto Rico only - to learn more, visit https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/equal-employment-opportunity-employer.html
US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation, click here to learn more:
https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/reasonable-accommodations.html
See all Clinical Research Director Jobs at AbbVie
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Clinical Research Director Jobs at AbbVie.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Clinical Research Director Jobs at AbbVie
Align your CV to AbbVie's therapeutic focus areas
AbbVie's clinical pipeline centers on immunology, oncology, hematology, and neuroscience. Tailor your CV to highlight direct trial leadership in these areas, as hiring managers filter for therapeutic alignment before reviewing credentials at the director level.
Document your regulatory and IND experience early
Clinical Research Directors at AbbVie are expected to lead FDA-regulated studies end to end. Before applying, compile documentation of your IND submissions, protocol authorship, and cross-functional oversight. Gaps here slow down both the offer process and any subsequent USCIS petition.
Search AbbVie's open Clinical Research Director roles on Migrate Mate
Migrate Mate filters AbbVie's Clinical Research Director postings by visa type, so you can confirm sponsorship eligibility before investing time in an application. It narrows a broad job search to positions where your immigration status is already accounted for.
Understand how AbbVie structures H-1B sponsorship for directors
For senior clinical roles, AbbVie typically sponsors H-1B petitions after extending a formal offer. If you're on F-1 OPT, confirm your OPT expiration date against the H-1B cap-gap window so you can remain authorized during USCIS processing without a gap in employment.
Prepare for PERM labor certification if pursuing permanent residence
Director-level clinical roles at AbbVie often fall under EB-2 or EB-3 sponsorship pathways. The PERM process requires DOL-supervised recruitment, so your employer cannot fast-track it. Align your start date expectations with a multi-year permanent residency timeline from the outset.
Request employer-of-record clarity before signing the offer
AbbVie uses multiple legal entities across its U.S. operations. Confirm which entity will appear on your I-129 petition, because the employer name on your H-1B approval must match your I-9 and E-Verify records exactly to avoid work authorization complications on day one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does AbbVie sponsor H-1B visas for Clinical Research Directors?
Yes. AbbVie sponsors H-1B visas for Clinical Research Directors and has a consistent pattern of filing petitions for senior clinical roles. Sponsorship is typically tied to a formal offer, so the process begins after you clear AbbVie's interview stages. If you're already in H-1B status, AbbVie can file an H-1B transfer without waiting for the annual lottery.
How do I apply for Clinical Research Director jobs at AbbVie?
Applications go through AbbVie's careers portal, where Clinical Research Director roles are posted by therapeutic area and location. Migrate Mate surfaces these postings filtered by visa sponsorship type, which helps you confirm eligibility before applying. At the director level, AbbVie's process typically includes a recruiter screen, a hiring manager interview, and a panel review with cross-functional stakeholders.
Which visa types does AbbVie commonly use for Clinical Research Directors?
AbbVie sponsors H-1B, E-3 visa, H-1B1 visa, TN visa, and J-1 visas for clinical roles, as well as F-1 OPT and CPT for earlier-career positions. For director-level hires, H-1B is the most common nonimmigrant pathway. AbbVie also supports Green Card sponsorship through EB-2 and EB-3 immigrant visa categories for qualifying employees in permanent positions.
What qualifications does AbbVie expect for a Clinical Research Director?
AbbVie typically requires an advanced degree in a life sciences field, such as an M.D., Ph.D., or PharmD, alongside substantial experience leading Phase II through Phase IV clinical trials. Therapeutic area expertise in oncology, immunology, or neuroscience is weighted heavily. Cross-functional leadership experience, including managing CROs and interfacing with regulatory agencies, is expected at the director level rather than preferred.
How long does the visa sponsorship process take for a Clinical Research Director at AbbVie?
For an H-1B transfer or cap-exempt petition, USCIS standard processing runs several months, though premium processing can reduce that to 15 business days. For new H-1B cap-subject cases, the annual lottery in March determines eligibility, with an October 1 start date if selected. PERM-based Green Card sponsorship runs longer, often two to four years depending on your priority date and country of birth.