Research Jobs at Columbia University with Visa Sponsorship
Research jobs at Columbia University span positions from research staff scientist to postdoctoral fellow across its schools, institutes, and affiliated medical centers. The university has an established international hiring process and sponsors multiple work visa categories for qualified Research candidates.
Find Research Jobs at Columbia UniversityOverview
Showing 5 of 53+ Research Jobs at Columbia University


Have you applied for this role?


Have you applied for this role?


Have you applied for this role?


Have you applied for this role?


Have you applied for this role?
See all 53+ Research Jobs at Columbia University
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Research Jobs at Columbia University.
Get Access To All Jobs
Job Type: Officer of Administration
Regular/Temporary: Regular
Hours Per Week: 35
Salary Range: $130,000.00 - $150,000.00
The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.
Position Summary
The Clinical Research Manager (CRM) oversees operational management of clinical research studies conducted within the CICET Cell & Gene Therapy Trials Management (CGTM) at Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC).
Reporting to the CICET CGTM Senior Research Nurse Manager, the CRM leads the coordination and execution of investigator-initiated and industry-sponsored clinical trials, ensuring compliance with Good Clinical Practice (GCP), FDA regulations, institutional policies, and sponsor requirements.
The CRM supervises clinical research coordinators, manages study operations across multiple trials, and collaborates with investigators, regulatory teams, research pharmacy, and clinical departments to ensure the successful implementation of complex cell and gene therapy clinical trials. This role supports high-quality data collection, regulatory compliance, patient-centered research operations, and efficient study execution across CICET clinical programs.
Responsibilities
Clinical Trial Operations and Study Management
- Manage the operational execution of multiple clinical research studies, including participant recruitment, consent, enrollment, and follow-up activities.
- Coordinate cross-functional collaboration between clinical research teams and institutional departments, including apheresis, cell therapy laboratories, interventional radiology, research pharmacy, inpatient units, and outpatient clinics.
- Coordinate clinical research visits, study procedures, and specimen collection in accordance with protocol requirements.
- Support study feasibility assessments, start-up activities, and operational planning for new cell and gene therapy clinical trials.
- Develop new and optimize existing study workflows, operational tools, and standard operating procedures to support efficient research operations.
- Run regular internal clinical research meetings across the multidisciplinary research team regarding new and existing study activities.
Regulatory Compliance and Quality Oversight
- Ensure compliance with Good Clinical Practice (GCP), HIPAA, IRB, sponsor, and institutional regulatory requirements.
- Ensure research compliance with Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT) guidelines.
- Act as liaison with internal institutional partners (Office of Human Research Protection and Institutional Review Board (IRB)).
- Startup, management, and closing of cell therapy clinical trials. Review participant eligibility, consent documentation, and study data to ensure protocol adherence.
- Monitor and document protocol deviations, adverse events, and regulatory issues as required.
- Support corrective and preventive action (CAPA) processes and maintain readiness for internal and external audits.
- Coordinate investigational product management and documentation in collaboration with pharmacy and clinical teams.
Data Management and Reporting
- Maintain accurate and complete research documentation and regulatory records.
- Track study activities and milestones using clinical trial management systems (CTMS) and regulatory platforms.
- Prepare study progress reports, sponsor updates, and institutional reporting documentation.
- Support data collection and reporting for IRB submissions, sponsor requirements, and feasibility assessments.
- Support monitoring visits, sponsor audits, and regulatory inspections.
Financial and Administrative Management
- Assist in tracking clinical trial budgets, participant payments, and study-related expenses.
- Monitor CTMS billing activities and collaborate with research finance teams and Clinical Trials Office (CTO) finance to resolve discrepancies.
- Track study financial performance, including enrollment-driven revenue.
- Assist in the management of pre-award, post-award, and close-out of all sponsored resources.
- Support administrative processes related to study start-up, monitoring visits, and sponsor communications.
Staff Supervision and Team Leadership
- Provide direct supervision and mentorship to Clinical Research Coordinators.
- Conduct performance appraisals, provide ongoing feedback, and support professional development.
- Manage staff scheduling and time-off approvals in accordance with institutional policies.
- Address performance concerns in collaboration with Human Resources when necessary.
- Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and supportive team environment.
Stakeholder Collaboration
- Build and maintain effective relationships with investigators, clinical teams, research administrators, and sponsors.
- Serve as a liaison with regulatory, CTO finance, research pharmacy, apheresis, cell therapy labs, infusion center, inpatient, and outpatient service to ensure efficient study execution.
- Contextualize institutional workflows with external study sponsors and investigators.
- Support continuous improvement of research workflows and operational processes within CICET clinical research programs.
Other Duties
- Participate in on-call or off-hours responsibilities when required by study activities.
- Perform additional duties as assigned to support CICET research and institutional objectives.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in health sciences, life sciences, public health, nursing, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Minimum 4 years of clinical research experience, preferably in an academic medical center or regulated clinical research environment.
- Demonstrated experience coordinating complex clinical trials from study start-up through close-out.
- Strong knowledge of Good Clinical Practice (GCP), HIPAA, IRB processes, and clinical research regulatory requirements.
- Excellent organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills with the ability to manage multiple concurrent projects.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to collaborate effectively across multidisciplinary teams.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Teams, OneDrive, and SharePoint.
- Ability to learn and utilize clinical research systems and databases.
- Commitment to fostering equitable and inclusive research environments.
- Advanced knowledge of medical terminology and procedures.
- Willingness to obtain Clinical Research Coordinator certification from ACRP, SOCRA, or equivalent organization.
Preferred Qualifications
- Master’s degree in Health Sciences with 6 years of related clinical research experience or equivalent.
- Supervisory or leadership experience managing clinical research staff.
- Experience supporting cell and gene therapy clinical trials or complex biologics studies.
- Familiarity with Columbia University research and clinical systems.
- Experience with research platforms such as Epic, REDCap, Qualtrics, iLab, or OpenSpecimen.
- Clinical research certification (ACRP, SOCRA, or equivalent) or obtained within one year of hire.
- Bilingual proficiency in Spanish and English.
- Phlebotomy certification from a nationally recognized organization. (e.g., NHA)
- BLS or ACLS certification from a nationally recognized organization.
Other Requirements
- Medical clearance and participation in the medical surveillance program.
- Direct patient contact and/or interaction with human research subjects.
- Potential exposure to bloodborne pathogens.
- Successful completion of all required compliance and systems training.
Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran
Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.
Tips for Finding Research Jobs at Columbia University
Align your credentials with Columbia's research focus
Columbia Research roles typically require specialization in a defined field. Match your CV to the specific department's active grants and publication areas, not just the job title. Sponsored roles almost always require an advanced degree in the exact discipline.
Target department-level hiring not central HR
Most Research positions at Columbia originate within individual labs or institutes. Reaching out directly to principal investigators whose work aligns with your background puts you in front of the hiring decision-maker before a job is formally posted.
Confirm your visa category matches the role structure
Columbia sponsors H-1B, E-3, TN, and F-1 OPT depending on nationality and role type. Postdoctoral positions are sometimes structured as J-1 exchange appointments instead, which affects your long-term status options. Clarify which category the department intends to use before accepting an offer.
Time your OPT start date around Columbia's filing calendar
If you're transitioning from F-1 OPT to H-1B at Columbia, USCIS requires the H-1B petition to be filed before your OPT expires. Columbia's international office has internal deadlines weeks ahead of the USCIS cap-gap window, so coordinate early.
Use Migrate Mate to filter open Research roles by visa type
Columbia posts Research openings across multiple portals and hiring moves quickly in competitive departments. Migrate Mate lets you filter Columbia's Research jobs by the specific visa category you need, so you're only applying to roles where sponsorship is confirmed.
Prepare your PERM documentation for permanent research positions
For tenure-track or senior Research staff roles leading to Green Card sponsorship via EB-2 or EB-3, Columbia initiates the DOL PERM labor certification process. Gather prior employer records, transcripts, and publication lists before your offer stage, as PERM preparation begins immediately after hiring.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Columbia University sponsor H-1B visas for Research roles?
Yes, Columbia University sponsors H-1B visas for Research positions that qualify as specialty occupations, which typically means roles requiring at least a bachelor's degree in a specific academic field. Most Research scientist, staff scientist, and senior researcher roles meet this threshold. The university's international students and scholars office manages the petition process on behalf of the hiring department.
How do I apply for Research jobs at Columbia University?
Research positions at Columbia are posted through the university's central jobs portal, but many lab-based roles are also filled through direct outreach to faculty. Start by identifying departments or principal investigators whose research aligns with your background, then apply formally through the Columbia careers site. You can also browse open Research roles at Columbia filtered by visa type on Migrate Mate.
Which visa types does Columbia University commonly use for Research staff?
Columbia uses H-1B for most full-time Research staff, E-3 visa for Australian nationals, and TN visa for Canadian and Mexican researchers in qualifying occupational categories. F-1 OPT and CPT are available for current students. Some postdoctoral positions are offered under J-1 visa exchange visitor status through Columbia's research programs, which has different work authorization rules than H-1B.
What qualifications does Columbia University expect for sponsored Research roles?
Most sponsored Research roles require a master's or doctoral degree in a field directly relevant to the position, such as biomedical sciences, public health, computer science, or social research disciplines. Practical lab skills, publication records, and experience with grant-funded projects strengthen your application. Senior roles may also require demonstrated project management or independent research experience alongside formal academic credentials.
How long does the visa sponsorship process take for a Columbia Research role?
Timeline depends on visa type. H-1B petitions filed under the annual cap must be submitted in April for an October 1 start date, so offers need to be in place months earlier. Cap-exempt Research roles at Columbia, which many university positions qualify for, can be filed year-round with standard USCIS processing taking two to four months. Premium processing shortens that to around two weeks.