Research Associate Jobs at University of Miami with Visa Sponsorship
Research Associate jobs at University of Miami span across its schools, research centers, and clinical programs, with a consistent track record of supporting international candidates through the sponsorship process. If you're on OPT, holding a J-1 visa, or need H-1B visa sponsorship, UM's research divisions are experienced with both the timelines and the paperwork.
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INTRODUCTION
The University of Miami, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute has an exciting full time opportunity for a Research Associate 3 in Miami, Florida. The Sr. Research Associate 3, SOM conducts highly specialized and complex research in support of the division’s research goals and objectives and assumes responsibility for the successful operations of the laboratory. The incumbent also supervises the activities of all laboratory staff and users and serves as subject matter expert and mentor to less experienced staff.
CORE JOB FUNCTIONS
- Contributes to basic and applied research activities by collecting and analyzing data.
- Understands and interprets research protocols and procedures.
- Maintains an overview of relevant research findings.
- Ensures all research is undertaken according to good research practice.
- Designs, evaluates, and implements methods and protocols for assigned research projects.
- Recommends purchase of new equipment for research projects.
- Writes scientific articles and manuscripts for publication and presentation.
- Oversees and ensures the safe handling of radioactive and hazardous materials.
- Prepares analytical reports relative to research data.
- Adheres to University and unit-level policies and procedures and safeguards University assets.
This list of duties and responsibilities is not intended to be all-inclusive and may be expanded to include other duties or responsibilities as necessary.
CORE QUALIFICATIONS
Education:
Master’s Degree in relevant field
Certification and Licensing:
Not Applicable
Experience:
Minimum 3 years of relevant experience
Department Specific Functions
- Appointees will support research activities at the University and work under the direction of a principal investigator, program director, or designee of the principal investigator or program director, such as Assistant Scientist or above.
- Appointees may be required to supervise Research employees.
- The appointee is responsible for study planning and design, writing SOPs for study tasks, and selecting and recruiting appropriate eligible study patients.
- The position must be able to handle the expanding workload of recent expansion of the number of gene therapy clinical trials as well as neuro-ophthalmology clinical trials.
- The position must be able to contribute to scientific peer-reviewed paper preparations include manuscript writing, revision, locating and citing appropriate references, prepare graphs and tables, and paper submission.
- The appointee is responsible for sample and data collection, development of research protocol, implementation of research protocol and monitoring participant adherence.
- Conduct interviews of patients and control individuals to explain the study, obtain informed consent, and record standardized information. Document eligibility and baseline data from interviews, patient clinic charts and medical records.
- Maintain IRB, HIPPA and other regulatory documents.
- Prepare and submit consent forms and annual reviews to IRB. Notify IRB of protocol amendments, safety reports/serious adverse events, etc. in compliance with applicable regulations.
- Ensure site compliance with the clinical protocol and research guidelines; assures subject rights, safety, and welfare are protected.
- Organize and maintain data collection and analysis systems. Ensure data integrity and consistency in computer database and written records.
- Establish/maintain contact with patients/participants, health care providers, and community agencies.
- Maintain constant communication with the study sponsors on the status of the operation.
- Update appropriate agencies regarding current status of research project.
- Perform ophthalmic testing (e.g. OCT/optical coherence tomography, GDx, etc.) on patients for research studies.
- Obtain papers & other material for grant proposal submission & scientific publication submission.
- Appointees may be expected to contribute to extramural proposals, publications and presentations relevant to the specific area of research.
Department Specific Qualifications
Education:
International MD degree, international ophthalmology residency, and a fellowship in either neuro-ophthalmology or hereditary retinal diseases
Experience:
- At least seven years of work-related (clinical trials) research experience in hereditary retinal degeneration and neuro-ophthalmology.
Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes:
- Experience in research studies in hereditary retinal diseases and neuro-ophthalmic diseases.
- Experience with international MD degree, international ophthalmology residency, and a fellowship in either neuro-ophthalmology or hereditary retinal diseases.
- Expertise in performing ophthalmic tests, such as anomaloscope and GDx, is required.
- Knowing the Spanish and/or Portuguese language is preferred.
- Interpersonal skills are essential; must have the ability to handle confidential and sensitive matters, demonstrate flexibility in dealing with non-routine tasks, and must manage multiple assignments simultaneously.
The University of Miami offers competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, tuition remission and more.
UHealth-University of Miami Health System, South Florida's only university-based health system, provides leading-edge patient care powered by the ground breaking research and medical education at the Miller School of Medicine. As an academic medical center, we are proud to serve South Florida, Latin America and the Caribbean. Our physicians represent more than 100 specialties and sub-specialties, and have more than one million patient encounters each year. Our tradition of excellence has earned worldwide recognition for outstanding teaching, research and patient care. We're the challenge you've been looking for.
The University of Miami is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applicants and employees are protected from discrimination based on certain categories protected by Federal law.
Job Status:
Full time
Employee Type:
Staff
Tips for Finding Research Associate Jobs at University of Miami
Align your degree to the posted role
University of Miami Research Associate postings typically specify a required field of study. USCIS requires a direct connection between your degree and the specialty occupation, so a mismatch between your transcript and the job description is one of the most common H-1B RFE triggers.
Target department-specific research postings
UM posts Research Associate roles across medicine, marine science, law, and engineering. Applying within the department that matches your dissertation or published work gives you a stronger specialty occupation argument and makes the sponsorship conversation more straightforward from the first interview.
Use Migrate Mate to filter open Research Associate roles
UM regularly lists Research Associate positions across multiple departments. Migrate Mate lets you filter specifically for visa-sponsoring employers so you can focus your applications on roles where sponsorship is already confirmed rather than asking cold in early interviews.
Start OPT paperwork before your program ends
If you're finishing a graduate program and planning to work at UM on F-1 OPT, your DSO needs to recommend OPT in SEVIS before USCIS can process the EAD. Filing at the 90-day earliest window protects your start date if processing runs long.
Ask about H-1B cap-exempt status early
Universities are cap-exempt institutions under USCIS rules, meaning UM can file an H-1B petition for you at any time of year without entering the annual lottery. Confirm this directly with UM's international faculty services office during the offer stage, not after you've signed.
Prepare your PERM documentation if EB-2 is on the table
UM sponsors employment-based Green Cards for long-term Research Associates in some departments. The PERM labor certification requires DOL to verify no qualified U.S. worker was displaced, so your publication record and specialized expertise need to be clearly documented before the process begins.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does University of Miami sponsor H-1B visas for Research Associates?
Yes. As a university, University of Miami qualifies as a cap-exempt institution under USCIS rules, which means it can file H-1B petitions at any point in the year without being subject to the annual lottery or the April filing window. This is a significant advantage for Research Associates who need to start on a specific date tied to a grant cycle or academic term.
How do I apply for Research Associate jobs at University of Miami?
Positions are posted through UM's careers portal. You can also browse open Research Associate roles at University of Miami filtered by visa sponsorship through Migrate Mate, which surfaces active listings and confirms sponsorship eligibility upfront. When applying, tailor your CV to the specific department and research focus area listed in the posting, as UM's hiring is decentralized across schools and institutes.
Which visa types does University of Miami commonly use for Research Associates?
UM sponsors a range of visa types for Research Associates depending on the candidate's situation. H-1B is the most common path for long-term employment. F-1 OPT and CPT are available for current students or recent graduates. J-1 is used for exchange researchers and visiting scholars. TN visa is an option for Canadian and Mexican nationals in qualifying research roles. EB-2 and EB-3 Green Card sponsorship is available in some departments for longer-term positions.
What qualifications does University of Miami expect for Research Associate roles?
Most Research Associate postings at UM require at least a master's degree in a relevant field, and roles tied to clinical or funded research programs often expect a Ph.D. or equivalent. For H-1B sponsorship, USCIS requires that the role is a specialty occupation, meaning a specific bachelor's degree or higher in a directly related field is the standard minimum. Relevant publications, lab skills, or prior grant experience strengthen both your application and the sponsorship case.
How long does the visa sponsorship process take at University of Miami?
Timeline depends on the visa type. For H-1B, since UM is cap-exempt, petitions can be filed year-round and standard USCIS processing takes three to five months, with premium processing available for a faster decision. For PERM-based Green Card sponsorship, the DOL labor certification stage alone typically takes 12 to 18 months before the I-140 petition can be filed. Factor these timelines into your start date negotiation with the hiring department.