Research Assistant Jobs at University of Kentucky with Visa Sponsorship
Research Assistant jobs at University of Kentucky span faculty-led labs, grant-funded projects, and graduate research programs across disciplines from biomedical sciences to social policy. UK has an established international hiring process and routinely supports visa sponsorship for qualified Research Assistant candidates, including those on student work authorization and employment-based pathways.
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Get Access To All JobsJob Title: Assistant Professor of Legal Research and Writing
Requisition Number: FE05000
Department Name: 8K100:Law Instruction
Work Location: Lexington, KY
Type of Position: Faculty
Position Time Status: Full-Time
Tenure Track Status: Non-Tenure Track
Required Education
Qualified candidates will have a J.D. degree from an ABA-accredited law school.
Required Related Experience
Qualified candidates will have a distinguished academic record, strong analytical, writing, and research skills, and substantial legal-practice experience.
Required License/Registration/Certification
N/A
Job Summary
THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY ROSENBERG COLLEGE OF LAW invites applications for a full-time faculty member to teach in our Legal Research and Writing (LRW) program beginning in August 2027. The position is in the clinical title series, and thus it is non-tenure eligible. It will be a 9-month appointment corresponding with the University’s fall and spring semesters.
The new faculty member will usually teach two sections of the first-year LRW courses (typical section size ranges from 18 to 22 students). The first-year LRW curriculum involves two in-person courses taught over two semesters, and it covers the fundamentals of legal research, legal analysis, legal writing, and legal citation. The three-credit fall course focuses on predictive writing with a brief introduction to client correspondence, and the three-credit spring course focuses on persuasive writing with a brief introduction to oral advocacy. Each course also includes a legal research component that is taught by a library faculty member. After teaching the first-year LRW courses, the faculty member will have an opportunity to teach upper-level writing courses (typical section size is 16), depending on class size and program needs.
The LRW program is a director-led program that values faculty collaboration and independence. That means that while faculty who teach in the program work together on curriculum design for the first-year LRW courses, they are encouraged to bring their own teaching styles and ideas to their classrooms and learners. As such, we are especially interested in student-focused colleagues who are committed to excellence in teaching legal writing, enjoy working collaboratively, and wish to contribute to curricular innovation discussions, including in connection with a recent increase in credit hours for the first-year LRW courses (from four to six total hours).
The position offers an initial appointment as Assistant Professor of Legal Research and Writing for a term not to exceed three years. After the initial appointment period and a review process, the successful candidate will be eligible for a renewable, five-year appointment. While the primary distribution of effort is teaching, the position also includes engaging in professional activity and service. Clinical title series faculty receive a Faculty Development Allowance for expenses related to professional development efforts, including travel and registration expenses associated with academic conferences. They are also eligible to receive grants for summer research pending available funds.
The Rosenberg College of Law is an important part of a major research university and offers a collegial and supportive atmosphere for its faculty, staff, and students. Applicants should have a J.D. or equivalent law degree, a record of high academic achievement, strong analytical and writing skills, and legal-practice and/or teaching experience that demonstrates the potential for excellence in teaching legal analysis and legal writing. Salary for this position will be commensurate with experience.
To receive consideration for this position, applicants must apply through the University of Kentucky’s Integrated Employment System, where they should submit the following: a letter of interest, a resume or CV, a list of three professional references with contact information, and a writing sample (appropriate samples include publications in legal or academic journals, legal briefs that are edited for confidentiality as needed, or other similar works that showcase analytical and writing skills). This position will remain open until filled. For best consideration, please submit a complete application by Friday, October 9, 2026.
Please send any questions to Faculty Appointments Committee Chair John Blevins, jbl272@uky.edu, or by mail at the University of Kentucky Rosenberg College of Law, 620 South Limestone, Lexington, KY 40506-0048.
Skills / Knowledge / Abilities
Candidates must also possess a commitment to students and to teaching in the legal writing field, which involves significant student interaction and evaluation of students’ written work.
Does this position have supervisory responsibilities? No
Preferred Education/Experience
Substantial legal-practice is strongly preferred.
Deadline to Apply
Open Until Filled: Yes
Our University Community
We value the well-being of each of our employees and are dedicated to creating a healthy place for everyone to work, learn and live. In the interest of maintaining a safe and healthy environment for our students, employees, patients and visitors, the University of Kentucky is a Tobacco & Drug Free campus.
The University follows both the federal and state Constitutions as well as all applicable federal and state laws on nondiscrimination. The University provides equal opportunities for qualified persons in all aspects of institutional operations and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnic origin, religion, creed, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, uniformed service, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information or social or economic status or whether the person is a smoker or nonsmoker, as long as the person complies with University regulation concerning smoking.
Any candidate offered a position may be required to pass pre-employment screenings as mandated by University of Kentucky Human Resources. These screenings may include a national background check and/or drug screen.
Job Title: Assistant Professor of Legal Research and Writing
Requisition Number: FE05000
Department Name: 8K100:Law Instruction
Work Location: Lexington, KY
Type of Position: Faculty
Position Time Status: Full-Time
Tenure Track Status: Non-Tenure Track
Required Education
Qualified candidates will have a J.D. degree from an ABA-accredited law school.
Required Related Experience
Qualified candidates will have a distinguished academic record, strong analytical, writing, and research skills, and substantial legal-practice experience.
Required License/Registration/Certification
N/A
Job Summary
THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY ROSENBERG COLLEGE OF LAW invites applications for a full-time faculty member to teach in our Legal Research and Writing (LRW) program beginning in August 2027. The position is in the clinical title series, and thus it is non-tenure eligible. It will be a 9-month appointment corresponding with the University’s fall and spring semesters.
The new faculty member will usually teach two sections of the first-year LRW courses (typical section size ranges from 18 to 22 students). The first-year LRW curriculum involves two in-person courses taught over two semesters, and it covers the fundamentals of legal research, legal analysis, legal writing, and legal citation. The three-credit fall course focuses on predictive writing with a brief introduction to client correspondence, and the three-credit spring course focuses on persuasive writing with a brief introduction to oral advocacy. Each course also includes a legal research component that is taught by a library faculty member. After teaching the first-year LRW courses, the faculty member will have an opportunity to teach upper-level writing courses (typical section size is 16), depending on class size and program needs.
The LRW program is a director-led program that values faculty collaboration and independence. That means that while faculty who teach in the program work together on curriculum design for the first-year LRW courses, they are encouraged to bring their own teaching styles and ideas to their classrooms and learners. As such, we are especially interested in student-focused colleagues who are committed to excellence in teaching legal writing, enjoy working collaboratively, and wish to contribute to curricular innovation discussions, including in connection with a recent increase in credit hours for the first-year LRW courses (from four to six total hours).
The position offers an initial appointment as Assistant Professor of Legal Research and Writing for a term not to exceed three years. After the initial appointment period and a review process, the successful candidate will be eligible for a renewable, five-year appointment. While the primary distribution of effort is teaching, the position also includes engaging in professional activity and service. Clinical title series faculty receive a Faculty Development Allowance for expenses related to professional development efforts, including travel and registration expenses associated with academic conferences. They are also eligible to receive grants for summer research pending available funds.
The Rosenberg College of Law is an important part of a major research university and offers a collegial and supportive atmosphere for its faculty, staff, and students. Applicants should have a J.D. or equivalent law degree, a record of high academic achievement, strong analytical and writing skills, and legal-practice and/or teaching experience that demonstrates the potential for excellence in teaching legal analysis and legal writing. Salary for this position will be commensurate with experience.
To receive consideration for this position, applicants must apply through the University of Kentucky’s Integrated Employment System, where they should submit the following: a letter of interest, a resume or CV, a list of three professional references with contact information, and a writing sample (appropriate samples include publications in legal or academic journals, legal briefs that are edited for confidentiality as needed, or other similar works that showcase analytical and writing skills). This position will remain open until filled. For best consideration, please submit a complete application by Friday, October 9, 2026.
Please send any questions to Faculty Appointments Committee Chair John Blevins, jbl272@uky.edu, or by mail at the University of Kentucky Rosenberg College of Law, 620 South Limestone, Lexington, KY 40506-0048.
Skills / Knowledge / Abilities
Candidates must also possess a commitment to students and to teaching in the legal writing field, which involves significant student interaction and evaluation of students’ written work.
Does this position have supervisory responsibilities? No
Preferred Education/Experience
Substantial legal-practice is strongly preferred.
Deadline to Apply
Open Until Filled: Yes
Our University Community
We value the well-being of each of our employees and are dedicated to creating a healthy place for everyone to work, learn and live. In the interest of maintaining a safe and healthy environment for our students, employees, patients and visitors, the University of Kentucky is a Tobacco & Drug Free campus.
The University follows both the federal and state Constitutions as well as all applicable federal and state laws on nondiscrimination. The University provides equal opportunities for qualified persons in all aspects of institutional operations and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnic origin, religion, creed, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, uniformed service, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information or social or economic status or whether the person is a smoker or nonsmoker, as long as the person complies with University regulation concerning smoking.
Any candidate offered a position may be required to pass pre-employment screenings as mandated by University of Kentucky Human Resources. These screenings may include a national background check and/or drug screen.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Research Assistant Jobs at University of Kentucky
Align your degree field to the research area
UK Research Assistant postings typically require a degree directly related to the lab or project focus. A biomedical engineering degree supports a life sciences role; an economics degree supports a policy research position. Match matters more than rank when USCIS evaluates specialty occupation.
Target faculty-posted positions over HR-only listings
Many UK Research Assistant openings are driven by individual principal investigators with active grants. Reaching out to faculty whose published work aligns with your background can surface positions before they appear on the central careers portal.
Use OPT early to build your UK employment record
Starting as a Research Assistant on F-1 OPT gives UK's international office time to build your sponsorship file before your OPT window closes. STEM OPT extensions allow up to 36 months total, creating a realistic runway for H-1B cap registration.
Confirm grant funding status before accepting an offer
UK Research Assistant roles are often tied to external grant cycles. A position funded through a multi-year NIH or NSF grant is more likely to support a full H-1B petition and PERM process than one funded on a single-year departmental budget.
File H-1B registration in October for an April start
USCIS opens H-1B cap registration each March. Coordinate with UK's Visa and Immigration Services office by October the prior year so your employer registration, prevailing wage determination, and Labor Condition Application are ready before the window opens.
Search Research Assistant openings through Migrate Mate
UK posts Research Assistant roles across multiple systems and departments. Use Migrate Mate to filter for currently open positions at UK that are eligible for visa sponsorship, so you're applying to roles already structured to support international candidates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does University of Kentucky sponsor H-1B visas for Research Assistants?
Yes. University of Kentucky sponsors H-1B visas for Research Assistant positions where the role qualifies as a specialty occupation and funding supports the full petition process. UK's Visa and Immigration Services office coordinates the Labor Condition Application with the DOL and files the I-129 petition with USCIS. Roles tied to long-term grant funding are the most consistent pathway to H-1B sponsorship.
How do I apply for Research Assistant jobs at University of Kentucky?
Applications go through UK's central careers portal at uky.edu/hr/jobs, where Research Assistant openings are listed by department and funding source. Some positions are posted by individual faculty labs and may require a direct expression of interest alongside the formal application. Migrate Mate also aggregates UK Research Assistant roles filtered by sponsorship eligibility, which simplifies the search if you need work authorization support.
Which visa types does University of Kentucky commonly use for Research Assistant roles?
UK supports several visa categories for Research Assistant hires. F-1 OPT and CPT are common entry points for current students and recent graduates. J-1 visa exchange visitor status is used for research scholars in specific programs. H-1B is the primary path for longer-term employment. For roles leading to permanent positions, UK has supported EB-2 and EB-3 Green Card sponsorship, and TN visa status is available for Canadian and Mexican nationals in qualifying research fields.
What qualifications are expected for Research Assistant roles at University of Kentucky?
Requirements vary by department, but most Research Assistant roles expect at least a relevant bachelor's degree, with graduate-level positions typically requiring active enrollment in or completion of a master's or doctoral program. Lab-specific technical skills, familiarity with research methodologies in the relevant field, and prior research experience, whether through coursework, capstone projects, or previous lab work, are weighted heavily in the selection process.
How do I time my application if I need H-1B sponsorship to start a Research Assistant role at UK?
The H-1B cap registration opens each March for an October 1 start date. To meet that timeline, you need an offer and a completed Labor Condition Application filed with the DOL several weeks before USCIS registration opens. Starting conversations with UK's Visa and Immigration Services office by the prior fall gives enough lead time. F-1 OPT can bridge the gap if your work authorization allows you to begin before cap-subject H-1B status takes effect.