Green Card Head of Research Jobs
Head of Research jobs with green card sponsorship follow the EB-2 or EB-3 pathway, requiring PERM labor certification before your employer files the I-140 petition. Research leadership roles typically qualify under EB-2 for advanced-degree professionals, though per-country backlogs mean priority dates vary significantly by nationality.
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Get Access To All JobsWhat we offer
At Evonik, you’re part of a global chemical company working in many sectors that go beyond chemistry. From lipids for tomorrow’s medicines, biosurfactants for green detergents, additives for plastics recycling or membranes to help drive forward the energy transition, you’ll play an essential part in helping the world’s most essential industries succeed.
Our success hinges on a diversity of ideas powered by people, not egos. Whether you’re a scientist or engineer, new to the team or established, in business, production, or anything in between – we cheer each other on. Because we believe we can do anything. Explore everything. And Be Part of Something Special!
Find out more about the many benefits we offer:
https://www.evonik.com/en/careers/why.html
Meet the team and get to know the people behind Evonik:
https://www.evonik.com/en/news/meet-the-team.html
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The Head of Applied Research & Technology for Decorative Coatings - Americas leads market-oriented innovation and application technology activities for the Decorative Coatings market segment across the region.
This role is responsible for the regional ART team, innovation portfolio, technical customer support, and coordination of ART resources across the Americas. The position works closely with commercial and technical teams to identify customer opportunities, translate market needs into projects, and support execution of the Decorative Coatings and Business Line Coating Additives strategy.
- Lead market-oriented innovation and Applied Research & Technology activities for Decorative Coatings across the Americas.
- Lead and develop the regional ART team, including career development, succession planning, technical capability building, and resource coordination.
- Manage the regional ART budget and support effective allocation of resources across technical managers, team members, and regional laboratories.
- Oversee efficient networking and operation of regional laboratories, including collaboration across market segments.
- Develop and manage the regional Decorative Coatings innovation portfolio while advancing product knowledge, technical competence, and application expertise.
- Provide high-level technical support to key accounts, coordinated accounts, regional champions, essential local accounts, and distribution partners.
- Identify and realize customer projects, Technical Service Requests, and new opportunities in close partnership with commercial teams.
- Support execution of the Business Line Coating Additives and Decorative Coatings strategy across the Americas.
- Maintain responsibility for applicable laboratory safety and compliance requirements for Decorative Coatings ART activities in the region.
- Represent Decorative Coatings at conferences, exhibitions, seminars, trainings, and other key technical or customer events, while promoting regional and international knowledge sharing.
REQUIREMENTS
- Master's degree or PhD in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or a related technical field.
- Minimum of 10 years of relevant experience in the coatings industry highly preferred.
- Strong technical knowledge of coatings applications and application technology.
- Experience working directly with customers, including customer visits, technical discussions, and identifying technical or business needs.
- Experience translating customer and market needs into innovation projects, technical priorities, or development opportunities.
- Strong project management skills and the ability to manage multiple technical, customer, and innovation activities.
- Strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate, develop, and provide direction to a technical team.
- Sufficient technical experience and credibility to serve as a resource for experienced technical colleagues and team members.
- Strong communication and presentation skills for both internal and external technical audiences.
- Ability to work effectively across functions, regions, market segments, and multicultural teams.
- Willingness to travel a minimum of approximately 25%, with additional travel possible based on customer and business needs.
The Evonik Group adopts an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) approach. Candidates are assessed based on their educational qualifications, experience, job competencies and potential and shall not be discriminated against on the basis of race, ethnicity, age, gender, religion, nationality, disability or sexual orientation or other classifications protected by local, state, or provincial regulations.
Your Application
To ensure that your application is proceeded as quickly as possible and to protect the environment, please apply online via our careers portal. Further information about Evonik as Employer can be found at www.evonik.com/en/careers.html.
Please address your application to the Talent Acquisition Manager, stating your earliest possible starting date and your salary expectations.
Your Talent Acquisition Manager:
Kelvin Seals
Company is
Evonik Corporation
What we offer
At Evonik, you’re part of a global chemical company working in many sectors that go beyond chemistry. From lipids for tomorrow’s medicines, biosurfactants for green detergents, additives for plastics recycling or membranes to help drive forward the energy transition, you’ll play an essential part in helping the world’s most essential industries succeed.
Our success hinges on a diversity of ideas powered by people, not egos. Whether you’re a scientist or engineer, new to the team or established, in business, production, or anything in between – we cheer each other on. Because we believe we can do anything. Explore everything. And Be Part of Something Special!
Find out more about the many benefits we offer:
https://www.evonik.com/en/careers/why.html
Meet the team and get to know the people behind Evonik:
https://www.evonik.com/en/news/meet-the-team.html
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The Head of Applied Research & Technology for Decorative Coatings - Americas leads market-oriented innovation and application technology activities for the Decorative Coatings market segment across the region.
This role is responsible for the regional ART team, innovation portfolio, technical customer support, and coordination of ART resources across the Americas. The position works closely with commercial and technical teams to identify customer opportunities, translate market needs into projects, and support execution of the Decorative Coatings and Business Line Coating Additives strategy.
- Lead market-oriented innovation and Applied Research & Technology activities for Decorative Coatings across the Americas.
- Lead and develop the regional ART team, including career development, succession planning, technical capability building, and resource coordination.
- Manage the regional ART budget and support effective allocation of resources across technical managers, team members, and regional laboratories.
- Oversee efficient networking and operation of regional laboratories, including collaboration across market segments.
- Develop and manage the regional Decorative Coatings innovation portfolio while advancing product knowledge, technical competence, and application expertise.
- Provide high-level technical support to key accounts, coordinated accounts, regional champions, essential local accounts, and distribution partners.
- Identify and realize customer projects, Technical Service Requests, and new opportunities in close partnership with commercial teams.
- Support execution of the Business Line Coating Additives and Decorative Coatings strategy across the Americas.
- Maintain responsibility for applicable laboratory safety and compliance requirements for Decorative Coatings ART activities in the region.
- Represent Decorative Coatings at conferences, exhibitions, seminars, trainings, and other key technical or customer events, while promoting regional and international knowledge sharing.
REQUIREMENTS
- Master's degree or PhD in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or a related technical field.
- Minimum of 10 years of relevant experience in the coatings industry highly preferred.
- Strong technical knowledge of coatings applications and application technology.
- Experience working directly with customers, including customer visits, technical discussions, and identifying technical or business needs.
- Experience translating customer and market needs into innovation projects, technical priorities, or development opportunities.
- Strong project management skills and the ability to manage multiple technical, customer, and innovation activities.
- Strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate, develop, and provide direction to a technical team.
- Sufficient technical experience and credibility to serve as a resource for experienced technical colleagues and team members.
- Strong communication and presentation skills for both internal and external technical audiences.
- Ability to work effectively across functions, regions, market segments, and multicultural teams.
- Willingness to travel a minimum of approximately 25%, with additional travel possible based on customer and business needs.
The Evonik Group adopts an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) approach. Candidates are assessed based on their educational qualifications, experience, job competencies and potential and shall not be discriminated against on the basis of race, ethnicity, age, gender, religion, nationality, disability or sexual orientation or other classifications protected by local, state, or provincial regulations.
Your Application
To ensure that your application is proceeded as quickly as possible and to protect the environment, please apply online via our careers portal. Further information about Evonik as Employer can be found at www.evonik.com/en/careers.html.
Please address your application to the Talent Acquisition Manager, stating your earliest possible starting date and your salary expectations.
Your Talent Acquisition Manager:
Kelvin Seals
Company is
Evonik Corporation
See all 47+ Green Card Head of Research Jobs
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Green Card Sponsorship in Head of Research
Document your research credentials precisely
PERM requires your employer to define the minimum requirements for your role in the job description. Gather transcripts, publications, and any evidence of progressive research experience now, since gaps in documentation can delay or jeopardize DOL certification.
Find sponsors through verified PERM filings
Search for Head of Research roles on Migrate Mate, which surfaces employers with verified PERM and I-140 filing history by occupation, so you're targeting organizations that have already committed to the green card process for comparable roles.
Check your prevailing wage tier before negotiating
Use the OFLC Wage Search to look up the prevailing wage for your SOC code and work location. PERM locks your employer into paying at least that wage, so knowing the Level I through Level IV range before you negotiate protects both your offer and your petition.
Distinguish EB-2 and EB-3 eligibility early
If your role requires a master's degree or equivalent research expertise, your employer may file under EB-2, which can carry a different priority date queue than EB-3. Confirm which category the job description supports before PERM is filed, not after.
Ask about recruitment timing before accepting
PERM requires your employer to complete a formal DOL-mandated recruitment test before filing, including job postings and documentation of applicants considered. Ask HR where they are in that process, since an employer who hasn't started recruitment will add months to your timeline.
Preserve your priority date if you change employers
Once your I-140 is approved, your priority date can carry over to a new employer's petition. If your I-485 has been pending 180 days or more, AC21 portability also allows you to move to a same or similar occupation without restarting. Understand which protection applies to your situation before making a move.
Green Card Head of Research: Frequently Asked Questions
What green card category covers Head of Research positions?
Most Head of Research roles qualify under EB-2, which covers positions requiring an advanced degree or a bachelor's degree plus five years of progressive experience in a directly related field. Research-focused roles that don't meet the EB-2 advanced-degree standard may qualify under EB-3 for professionals with a bachelor's degree, though both categories require PERM labor certification and an employer-sponsored I-140 petition.
How does green card sponsorship differ from H-1B sponsorship for this role?
Green card sponsorship is permanent, not temporary. The process starts with PERM labor certification filed with the Department of Labor, where your employer must document a recruitment effort and obtain a prevailing wage determination before USCIS can adjudicate the I-140 petition. H-1B visa sponsorship has no PERM requirement and leads to temporary status. Green cards also involve per-country annual limits, meaning nationals of high-demand countries can face priority-date backlogs that H-1B holders don't encounter in the same way.
How do I find employers who have sponsored green cards for research roles?
Migrate Mate shows employers with verified PERM and I-140 filing history searchable by role and location, so you can focus on organizations that have already navigated green card sponsorship for research positions rather than employers who are open to it in theory but have no track record.
Can I change employers after my green card process starts?
Yes, under two distinct rules. If your I-140 petition has been approved, your priority date can transfer to a new employer's petition, so you don't lose your place in line. If your I-485 has been pending for 180 days or more, AC21 portability allows you to move to a same or similar occupation without restarting the process. These are separate protections, and which one applies depends on where you are in the process.
What does the PERM recruitment test mean for Head of Research candidates?
Before filing your PERM application with DOL, your employer must run a formal recruitment process for the position, document which candidates applied, and demonstrate that no qualified U.S. workers were available. For research leadership roles, this typically includes journal or professional association postings in addition to standard job advertisements. The recruitment results become part of the PERM audit file, so your employer needs to be methodical about recordkeeping from the first posting.