E-3 Visa Postdoctoral Associate Jobs
Postdoctoral Associate roles at U.S. research universities and institutions qualify as E-3 visa specialty occupations, making them a strong fit for Australian scientists seeking visa sponsorship. The E-3 has no lottery and no cap, so you can apply as soon as you have an offer and a certified Labor Condition Application from your employer.
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ST. LOUIS, MO 63110
Position Summary
A Postdoctoral Researcher position is available in the tumor immunology laboratory of Dr. Sana Karam, Professor of Radiation Oncology at WashU Medicine. Situated within the world-renowned WashU Bursky Center for Human Immunology ecosystem, our federally funded research program is fundamentally rooted in basic immunology and cancer biology. We rigorously investigate systemic immunity, the tumor microenvironment (TME), and the mechanistic drivers of resistance to radiation and immunotherapy utilizing advanced pre-clinical models of head/neck and pancreatic cancers.
While our core identity is grounded in fundamental, mechanistic discovery, we possess the rare and privileged ability to directly translate our bench findings into real-time clinical trials. The Karam Lab has a proven, established track record of mentoring postdoctoral fellows into successful independent research careers. We are seeking our next scientific leader.
As our basic science and pre-clinical research programs continue to expand, we are specifically seeking a candidate with rigorous, formal training in fundamental immunology to drive the in vivo and molecular arm of our lab. While the PI remains deeply engaged in the strategic vision and intellectual mentorship of the laboratory, we operate on a model of high-level scientific partnership rather than traditional bench-level micromanagement. You are expected to bring deep mechanistic insight, drive the scientific narrative, and leverage our robust pre-clinical models—complemented by our clinical trial multi-omic data—to build your own high-impact portfolio. This position is designed as a launchpad for an ambitious postdoc intending to build their own independent laboratory.
We are seeking a highly driven, intellectually rigorous, and fiercely curious scientist. The successful candidate must possess a deep hunger for scientific discovery, the ability to think critically and independently, and the ambition to push the boundaries of current oncologic paradigms. Supported by in-house computational biologists and top-tier institutional core facilities, your primary mandate will be high-level hypothesis generation, designing and executing complex mechanistic in vivo models, and driving science forward to high-impact publication.
Job Description
Primary Duties & Responsibilities:
Information on being a postdoc at WashU in St. Louis can be found at https://postdoc.wustl.edu/prospective-postdocs-2/.
Trains under the supervision of a faculty mentor including (but not limited to):
- Intellectual Leadership: Independently formulate hypotheses regarding systemic immune responses, TME reprogramming, macrophage polarization, and T-cell exhaustion to overcome treatment resistance.
- Self-Directed Scientific Execution: This laboratory operates on a model of high autonomy and intellectual partnership. The successful candidate will not wait for directives; rather, they are expected to independently identify scientific gaps, propose robust experimental designs, and drive projects forward to completion. You will act as the intellectual engine for our mechanistic immunology studies.
- Advanced Execution: Design and execute highly complex, fundamental basic science and translational experiments utilizing orthotopic models, targeted radiation platforms (SARRP), and advanced immunological assays.
- Scientific Communication: Take aggressive ownership of your projects. Analyze data rigorously, draft high-impact manuscripts, and write grant applications (e.g., K99/R00, F32, or foundational grants).
- Collaborative Mentorship: Engage in high-level scientific discourse with our senior scientists, computational biologists, and graduate students to elevate the overall intellectual rigor of the lab.
- Elite Mentorship & Team Science: Serve as the day-to-day scientific sounding board and technical mentor for top-tier MSTP and PhD students. You will guide these trainees in advanced immunological techniques and experimental design, effectively acting as a team leader to multiply your own scientific output.
Working Conditions:
This position works in a laboratory environment with potential exposure to biological and chemical hazards. The individual must be physically able to wear protective equipment and to provide standard care to research animals.
Salary Range:
Base pay is commensurate with experience.
Applicant Special Instructions:
Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Required application materials:
- A specialized cover letter explicitly detailing your most significant scientific intellectual contribution to date, your career ambitions, and a description of why you thrive in a highly independent environment that values peer-level scientific discourse over day-to-day directive instructions.
- Curriculum Vitae (CV) including a full list of publications.
- Contact information for three professional references.
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all job duties performed by the personnel so classified. Management reserves the right to revise or amend duties at any time.
Required Qualifications
Education:
Ph.D., M.D. Or Equivalent Terminal Or Doctoral Degree.
Certifications /Professional Licenses:
No specific certification/professional license is required for this position.
Work Experience:
No specific work experience is required for this position.
Skills:
Not Applicable
Driver's License:
A driver's license is not required for this position.
More About This Job
Preferred Qualifications:
- Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D. with deep, formal, and rigorous training in Immunology.
- A demonstrable track record of operating completely independently. We are seeking a thinker who proposes solutions rather than asking for instructions.
- A demonstrable track record of productivity and critical thinking, evidenced by first-author publications in peer-reviewed journals.
- Deep conceptual and technical expertise in advanced immunology: high-parameter flow cytometry, adoptive transfer models, and T-cell/myeloid assays.
- Extensive experience in executing complex in vivo rodent tumor models.
- An uncompromising commitment to scientific excellence and the ability to work highly independently.
- Prior experience in tumor immunology, radiation biology, or radio-immunotherapy.
- A strong conceptual understanding of bioinformatics (while we have dedicated bioinformaticians, you must be able to "speak their language" and translate data into bench experiments).
Preferred Qualifications
Education:
No additional education unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.
Certifications /Professional Licenses:
No additional certification/professional licenses unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.
Work Experience:
No additional work experience unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.
Skills:
Collaboration, Data Analysis, Data Interpretations, Experimentation, Laboratory Operations, Laboratory Techniques, Researching, Results Reporting, Scientific Writing
Questions
For frequently asked questions about the application process, please refer to our External Applicant FAQ.
Accommodation
If you are unable to use our online application system and would like an accommodation, please email CandidateQuestions@wustl.edu or call the dedicated accommodation inquiry number at 314-935-1149 and leave a voicemail with the nature of your request.
All qualified individuals must be able to perform the essential functions of the position satisfactorily and, if requested, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship.
Pre-Employment Screening
All external candidates receiving an offer for employment will be required to submit to pre-employment screening for this position. The screenings will include criminal background check and, as applicable for the position, other background checks, drug screen, an employment and education or licensure/certification verification, physical examination, certain vaccinations and/or governmental registry checks. All offers are contingent upon successful completion of required screening.
Benefits Statement
Washington University in St. Louis is committed to providing a comprehensive and competitive benefits package to our employees. Benefits eligibility is subject to employment status, full-time equivalent (FTE) workload, and weekly standard hours. Please visit our website at https://hr.wustl.edu/benefits/ to view a summary of benefits.
EEO Statement
Washington University in St. Louis is committed to the principles and practices of equal employment opportunity. It is the University’s policy to provide equal opportunity and access to persons in all job titles without regard to race, ethnicity, color, national origin, citizenship (where prohibited by federal law), age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, protected veteran status, or genetic information.
Location
ST. LOUIS, MO 63110
Position Summary
A Postdoctoral Researcher position is available in the tumor immunology laboratory of Dr. Sana Karam, Professor of Radiation Oncology at WashU Medicine. Situated within the world-renowned WashU Bursky Center for Human Immunology ecosystem, our federally funded research program is fundamentally rooted in basic immunology and cancer biology. We rigorously investigate systemic immunity, the tumor microenvironment (TME), and the mechanistic drivers of resistance to radiation and immunotherapy utilizing advanced pre-clinical models of head/neck and pancreatic cancers.
While our core identity is grounded in fundamental, mechanistic discovery, we possess the rare and privileged ability to directly translate our bench findings into real-time clinical trials. The Karam Lab has a proven, established track record of mentoring postdoctoral fellows into successful independent research careers. We are seeking our next scientific leader.
As our basic science and pre-clinical research programs continue to expand, we are specifically seeking a candidate with rigorous, formal training in fundamental immunology to drive the in vivo and molecular arm of our lab. While the PI remains deeply engaged in the strategic vision and intellectual mentorship of the laboratory, we operate on a model of high-level scientific partnership rather than traditional bench-level micromanagement. You are expected to bring deep mechanistic insight, drive the scientific narrative, and leverage our robust pre-clinical models—complemented by our clinical trial multi-omic data—to build your own high-impact portfolio. This position is designed as a launchpad for an ambitious postdoc intending to build their own independent laboratory.
We are seeking a highly driven, intellectually rigorous, and fiercely curious scientist. The successful candidate must possess a deep hunger for scientific discovery, the ability to think critically and independently, and the ambition to push the boundaries of current oncologic paradigms. Supported by in-house computational biologists and top-tier institutional core facilities, your primary mandate will be high-level hypothesis generation, designing and executing complex mechanistic in vivo models, and driving science forward to high-impact publication.
Job Description
Primary Duties & Responsibilities:
Information on being a postdoc at WashU in St. Louis can be found at https://postdoc.wustl.edu/prospective-postdocs-2/.
Trains under the supervision of a faculty mentor including (but not limited to):
- Intellectual Leadership: Independently formulate hypotheses regarding systemic immune responses, TME reprogramming, macrophage polarization, and T-cell exhaustion to overcome treatment resistance.
- Self-Directed Scientific Execution: This laboratory operates on a model of high autonomy and intellectual partnership. The successful candidate will not wait for directives; rather, they are expected to independently identify scientific gaps, propose robust experimental designs, and drive projects forward to completion. You will act as the intellectual engine for our mechanistic immunology studies.
- Advanced Execution: Design and execute highly complex, fundamental basic science and translational experiments utilizing orthotopic models, targeted radiation platforms (SARRP), and advanced immunological assays.
- Scientific Communication: Take aggressive ownership of your projects. Analyze data rigorously, draft high-impact manuscripts, and write grant applications (e.g., K99/R00, F32, or foundational grants).
- Collaborative Mentorship: Engage in high-level scientific discourse with our senior scientists, computational biologists, and graduate students to elevate the overall intellectual rigor of the lab.
- Elite Mentorship & Team Science: Serve as the day-to-day scientific sounding board and technical mentor for top-tier MSTP and PhD students. You will guide these trainees in advanced immunological techniques and experimental design, effectively acting as a team leader to multiply your own scientific output.
Working Conditions:
This position works in a laboratory environment with potential exposure to biological and chemical hazards. The individual must be physically able to wear protective equipment and to provide standard care to research animals.
Salary Range:
Base pay is commensurate with experience.
Applicant Special Instructions:
Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Required application materials:
- A specialized cover letter explicitly detailing your most significant scientific intellectual contribution to date, your career ambitions, and a description of why you thrive in a highly independent environment that values peer-level scientific discourse over day-to-day directive instructions.
- Curriculum Vitae (CV) including a full list of publications.
- Contact information for three professional references.
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all job duties performed by the personnel so classified. Management reserves the right to revise or amend duties at any time.
Required Qualifications
Education:
Ph.D., M.D. Or Equivalent Terminal Or Doctoral Degree.
Certifications /Professional Licenses:
No specific certification/professional license is required for this position.
Work Experience:
No specific work experience is required for this position.
Skills:
Not Applicable
Driver's License:
A driver's license is not required for this position.
More About This Job
Preferred Qualifications:
- Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D. with deep, formal, and rigorous training in Immunology.
- A demonstrable track record of operating completely independently. We are seeking a thinker who proposes solutions rather than asking for instructions.
- A demonstrable track record of productivity and critical thinking, evidenced by first-author publications in peer-reviewed journals.
- Deep conceptual and technical expertise in advanced immunology: high-parameter flow cytometry, adoptive transfer models, and T-cell/myeloid assays.
- Extensive experience in executing complex in vivo rodent tumor models.
- An uncompromising commitment to scientific excellence and the ability to work highly independently.
- Prior experience in tumor immunology, radiation biology, or radio-immunotherapy.
- A strong conceptual understanding of bioinformatics (while we have dedicated bioinformaticians, you must be able to "speak their language" and translate data into bench experiments).
Preferred Qualifications
Education:
No additional education unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.
Certifications /Professional Licenses:
No additional certification/professional licenses unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.
Work Experience:
No additional work experience unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.
Skills:
Collaboration, Data Analysis, Data Interpretations, Experimentation, Laboratory Operations, Laboratory Techniques, Researching, Results Reporting, Scientific Writing
Questions
For frequently asked questions about the application process, please refer to our External Applicant FAQ.
Accommodation
If you are unable to use our online application system and would like an accommodation, please email CandidateQuestions@wustl.edu or call the dedicated accommodation inquiry number at 314-935-1149 and leave a voicemail with the nature of your request.
All qualified individuals must be able to perform the essential functions of the position satisfactorily and, if requested, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship.
Pre-Employment Screening
All external candidates receiving an offer for employment will be required to submit to pre-employment screening for this position. The screenings will include criminal background check and, as applicable for the position, other background checks, drug screen, an employment and education or licensure/certification verification, physical examination, certain vaccinations and/or governmental registry checks. All offers are contingent upon successful completion of required screening.
Benefits Statement
Washington University in St. Louis is committed to providing a comprehensive and competitive benefits package to our employees. Benefits eligibility is subject to employment status, full-time equivalent (FTE) workload, and weekly standard hours. Please visit our website at https://hr.wustl.edu/benefits/ to view a summary of benefits.
EEO Statement
Washington University in St. Louis is committed to the principles and practices of equal employment opportunity. It is the University’s policy to provide equal opportunity and access to persons in all job titles without regard to race, ethnicity, color, national origin, citizenship (where prohibited by federal law), age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, protected veteran status, or genetic information.
See all 357+ E-3 Visa Postdoctoral Associate Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new E-3 Visa Postdoctoral Associate Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding E-3 Visa Sponsorship as a Postdoctoral Associate
Verify your degree meets specialty occupation criteria
Australian three-year bachelor's degrees are generally accepted as equivalent to U.S. four-year degrees for E-3 purposes, but your discipline must directly relate to the postdoctoral research role. Gather official transcripts and a degree equivalency statement before reaching out to employers.
Target institutions with established international hiring pipelines
Research-intensive universities, NIH-funded labs, and national laboratories regularly sponsor international postdocs and understand the LCA filing process. Applying to these employers reduces the risk of a sponsorship offer being withdrawn due to unfamiliarity with E-3 requirements.
Search for E-3 sponsorship roles on Migrate Mate
Migrate Mate filters postdoctoral positions by E-3 visa sponsorship availability, saving you from screening hundreds of listings manually. Use Migrate Mate's E-3 filing service to handle your LCA and visa paperwork once you have an offer confirmed.
Confirm your J-1 waiver status before accepting an offer
If you previously held a J-1 visa with a two-year home residency requirement and haven't received a waiver, you're barred from switching to E-3 status until that obligation is cleared. Resolve this with USCIS before your employer begins the LCA process.
Ask employers to file the LCA before your start date
The DOL must certify your Labor Condition Application before you can attend your consulate appointment. Build at least three to four weeks of LCA processing time into your timeline so your visa interview can be scheduled without delaying your lab start date.
Negotiate a fixed-term contract that aligns with E-3 renewal cycles
E-3 visas are issued in two-year increments with unlimited renewals, so a postdoc appointment structured in two-year terms makes renewal straightforward. A contract that ends mid-period creates unnecessary complications when your employer files the next LCA.
E-3 Visa Postdoctoral Associate: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find Postdoctoral Associate jobs that offer E-3 visa sponsorship?
Migrate Mate is the most direct way to find postdoctoral positions filtered specifically for E-3 visa sponsorship. Most general job boards don't let you filter by visa type, so you end up cold-screening listings. Migrate Mate surfaces roles where employers are already prepared to sponsor, which matters because many academic institutions are unfamiliar with the E-3 and may only know H-1B visa sponsorship processes.
How much does it cost to get an E-3 visa?
Migrate Mate's E-3 filing service covers the entire process for $499, including the Labor Condition Application, visa document preparation, and consulate appointment guidance. Traditional immigration lawyers charge $2,000–$5,000+ for the same work. The E-3 has less paperwork than most work visas, so paying thousands for legal help is usually unnecessary.
Does a Postdoctoral Associate role qualify as a specialty occupation for the E-3?
Yes. Postdoctoral Associate positions require at least a doctoral degree in a specific scientific or academic field, which satisfies the E-3 specialty occupation requirement. The key is that your degree discipline must be directly relevant to the research you'll be conducting. A PhD in molecular biology supporting a cell biology postdoc qualifies; a generic science degree for a highly specialized role may require additional documentation.
How does the E-3 compare to the H-1B for Postdoctoral Associate positions?
The E-3 is significantly more practical for Australian postdocs. The H-1B is subject to an annual lottery with a roughly 25% selection rate, meaning you could wait years before securing status. The E-3 has no lottery and no annual cap, so your employer can file your LCA with the DOL and you can attend your consulate appointment as soon as the certification is issued, typically within a few weeks of receiving your offer.
Can I change postdoctoral positions or institutions while on an E-3?
You can change employers on the E-3, but your new institution must file a fresh LCA with the DOL and you'll need to obtain a new E-3 visa stamp before starting work. You cannot simply transfer the visa the way some other statuses allow. If you're moving between institutions, time your transition carefully so the new LCA is certified and your appointment is scheduled before your current position ends.