HR Director Jobs at AbbVie with Visa Sponsorship
HR Director jobs at AbbVie span talent strategy, labor relations, and workforce planning across the company's pharmaceutical and biotech operations for large R&D and commercial divisions. The company has a consistent track record of sponsoring work visas for senior HR professionals, covering both nonimmigrant and immigrant pathways.
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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
Overview
As the scientific thought leader for AbbVie's Respiratory Discovery Research team, the Director, Respiratory Discovery Disease Team (DDT) Lead is tasked with building a vision and team to develop translational immunology insights to drive an exemplary pipeline for the Respiratory disease area. The Director is responsible for defining and implementing a cross-functional strategy aimed at breaking efficacy ceilings for Asthma and COPD. This work involves close collaboration with functions such as Business Development, Precision Medicine, Clinical Development, and Commercial. Under the Director's scientific vision and leadership, the Respiratory Discovery team is expected to generate compelling, data-driven rationales, including developing disease-relevant human complex in vitro models, that support the central role of target pathways. The team aims to build data packages that support the portfolio advancement of innovative molecules into First-In-Human (FIH) studies in respiratory diseases.
Beyond leading the Respiratory Discovery team and driving the development of a Respiratory pipeline and strategy, the Director II is broadly responsible for Immunology Discovery Research. The Respiratory Discovery team is responsible for delivering key data to projects across all phases of drug discovery and utilizing different modalities, such as small molecules, biologic molecules, peptides, and genetic medicine therapies.
This leadership position requires a deep understanding of immunology, with a focus on lung biology, in vivo and complex in vitro model systems, and pharmacology.
Responsibilities
- In this role, the Director acts as both a program and people leader, focusing on supporting key portfolio program milestones, driving the identification of novel targets through partnerships with multiple functional teams and external collaborators, promoting technical excellence in Respiratory Discovery Research, and contributing to the strategic direction of the Respiratory DDT.
- The role involves leading and implementing drug discovery pipeline programs and evaluating and integrating external programs and academic collaborations into the pipeline, aligning with strategic core respiratory disease areas, with a potential extension into IPF.
- The individual will attract and lead a multidisciplinary team of approximately 15+ world-class scientists based at the Cambridge, MA research site.
- Additionally, they will leverage a global network within the research community to establish and direct multiple research collaborations with leading academic and biotech laboratories.
- This individual will join the Immunology DDT Leadership Team, sharing accountability for the success of the Immunology Pipeline at AbbVie.
- They will also provide scientific insights that advance compelling opportunities through the pipeline, including accessing appropriate cellular and animal models, selecting optimal translational strategies, and introducing new technologies.
- The individual will advise on and share accountability for transitions across major drug discovery and development milestones, evaluate the scientific merits of potential biotechnology alliances, extract value from AbbVie's participation in public-private consortia, consider and evaluate both internal pipeline and external licensing opportunities, and guide AbbVie's research alliances and collaboration efforts across defined areas of diseases.
Qualifications
- MD/PhD, PhD or MS in related field
- ~12+ years of experience in Immunology Drug Discovery with specific research interests focused on chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases in the Respiratory area.
- Demonstrated passion and drive to translate molecular genotyping and phenotyping into pathway and target identification and validation using various pharmacological approaches
- Prior pharmaceutical/biotech industry experience including the advancement of innovative new approaches to early development is required
- Track record of impacting disease understanding and portfolio through implementation of innovative disease model approaches
- An extensive network of connections with leading investigators in the global science field actively supporting open exchange of expert opinions and visions of technology.
- Track record of attracting, retaining and developing talent with previous extensive people leadership experience
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Experience in interacting with executive-level management
- The ability to achieve results in accordance with a research plan and timelines without formal authority in a cross-disciplinary academic/industrial environment
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
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding HR Director Jobs at AbbVie
Align your HR credentials to pharma operations
AbbVie's HR Directors typically oversee complex, regulated workforces spanning clinical, manufacturing, and commercial functions. Frame your resume around HRBP experience in FDA-regulated environments, union relations, or large-scale workforce restructuring rather than generalist HR management.
Target roles tied to AbbVie's therapeutic divisions
Postings attached to AbbVie's immunology, oncology, or neuroscience business units often carry more urgency to hire. Filtering your search by division rather than job title alone helps you find openings where sponsorship is a practical, not theoretical, outcome.
Clarify your visa category before the first interview
AbbVie sponsors multiple visa types including H-1B, E-3, TN, and F-1 OPT. Knowing which category fits your nationality and degree avoids late-stage delays. If your OPT expires mid-process, flag your STEM extension eligibility upfront so the recruiting team can plan accordingly.
Use Migrate Mate to surface active HR Director openings
AbbVie posts HR Director roles across multiple divisions and geographies at different times. Use Migrate Mate to filter specifically for AbbVie HR Director positions that include visa sponsorship, so you're applying to live roles rather than sifting through outdated listings.
Prepare for PERM's prevailing wage documentation early
If you're targeting a Green Card through EB-2 or EB-3, AbbVie's legal team will need to run a PERM labor market test through DOL. Get your degree transcripts and international credential evaluations ready before an offer is extended, since PERM timelines run 12 to 18 months from filing.
Negotiate your start date around H-1B cap timing
Cap-subject H-1B petitions can only start on October 1 following a spring lottery. If you're a cap-subject candidate receiving an offer in summer, confirm with AbbVie's immigration counsel whether a cap-exempt or concurrent filing option exists, or whether your start date needs to shift accordingly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does AbbVie sponsor H-1B visas for HR Directors?
Yes, AbbVie sponsors H-1B visas for HR Directors. HR leadership roles at AbbVie typically qualify as specialty occupations under USCIS guidelines given the degree requirements and complexity of the work. If you're subject to the H-1B cap, your petition would go through the annual lottery with an October 1 start date. AbbVie's in-house immigration team manages the filing process once an offer is made.
How do I apply for HR Director jobs at AbbVie?
Applications go through AbbVie's careers portal at abbvie.com/careers. HR Director roles are posted by division and location, so searching by function rather than title alone yields more results. Migrate Mate also surfaces AbbVie HR Director openings filtered for visa sponsorship eligibility, which is useful if you want to confirm a role supports your specific visa category before applying.
Which visa types does AbbVie commonly use for HR Director roles?
AbbVie sponsors a range of visa types for HR Director positions, including H-1B, H-1B1 visa for Chilean and Singaporean nationals, E-3 visa for Australian citizens, TN visa for Canadian and Mexican professionals, J-1 visa for eligible exchange visitors, and F-1 OPT and CPT for recent graduates. For permanent residency, AbbVie supports EB-2 and EB-3 Green Card petitions through the PERM labor certification process via DOL.
What qualifications does AbbVie expect for HR Director candidates requiring sponsorship?
AbbVie generally expects HR Directors to hold a bachelor's degree at minimum, with many postings preferring a master's in HR, business, or a related field. Relevant experience in pharmaceutical, biotech, or life sciences environments carries significant weight, particularly backgrounds in HRBP leadership, organizational design, or workforce planning within regulated industries. SHRM or HRCI certification strengthens your profile but is rarely listed as a hard requirement.
How do I estimate the timeline from application to work authorization at AbbVie?
Timeline depends heavily on your visa category. E-3 and TN visas can be secured in weeks once you have an offer and your employer completes a Labor Condition Application through DOL. H-1B requires the spring lottery plus a wait until October 1, adding several months. Green Card processing through PERM and an I-140 petition typically runs two to four years. Confirming your category with AbbVie's immigration counsel immediately after receiving an offer keeps the process on track.