H-1B Visa AI Research Engineer Jobs
AI Research Engineer roles sit firmly within H-1B visa specialty occupation requirements, typically demanding a master's or PhD in computer science, machine learning, or a closely related field. Employers filing H-1B petitions for these positions must certify a prevailing wage through a Labor Condition Application before USCIS can approve your petition.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
To get the best candidate experience, please consider applying for a maximum of 3 roles within 12 months to ensure you are not duplicating efforts.
ABOUT SALESFORCE
Salesforce is the #1 AI CRM, where humans with agents drive customer success together. Here, ambition meets action. Tech meets trust. And innovation isn’t a buzzword — it’s a way of life. The world of work as we know it is changing and we're looking for Trailblazers who are passionate about bettering business and the world through AI, driving innovation, and keeping Salesforce's core values at the heart of it all. Ready to level-up your career at the company leading workforce transformation in the agentic era? You’re in the right place! Agentforce is the future of AI, and you are the future of Salesforce.
OVERVIEW OF THE ROLE
The Adversarial AI & Research Team is a specialized group of cross-functional security engineers working at the intersection of offensive security and artificial intelligence. As a strategic partner to Salesforce's AI Research, Ethics, Engineering, and Cybersecurity Operations teams, we mitigate risk across all AI initiatives by developing novel security frameworks, specialized tooling, and foundational testing methodologies for both generative and predictive AI systems. We are building a robust foundation for AI security through adversarial datasets, in-house content generation systems, and external knowledge sharing — establishing Salesforce as a leader in the AI security field.
Responsibilities
- Lead adversarial testing of AI by designing, scoping, and executing red team assessments against our AI ecosystem using a risk-based prioritization approach to discover and address vulnerabilities before they can be exploited.
- Innovate in AI attack techniques by combining cutting-edge academic research with proven offensive security methods to establish new Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures, and operationalize emerging research to keep assessments aligned with the state of the art.
- Build and scale security tooling using an automation-first philosophy, driving initiatives to shift security testing left by sharing purpose-built tools with AI security stakeholders across Engineering, Research, and Ethics.
- Serve as a strategic partner across the company, providing an offensive security perspective to guide product development, support corporate governance, and contribute to policies such as Salesforce's Generative AI Security Standard.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- 6+ years of experience in offensive security (red teaming, application security, penetration testing, vulnerability research, etc.).
- 1+ years of direct, hands-on experience testing the security of AI/ML systems, with a deep understanding of LLM vulnerabilities.
- High degree of Python proficiency for tool development, assessment automation, and data analysis.
- Proven experience leading complex technical projects and/or mentoring security teams, with exceptional ability to communicate high-stakes technical risks to both engineering and executive audiences.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Advanced degree (MS or PhD) in a relevant field, or a public portfolio of security research including conference presentations, published papers, CVEs, or open-source contributions.
- Experience creating or managing large-scale datasets for security testing or machine learning training.
- Experience building automated testing frameworks or large-scale evaluation pipelines.
- Familiarity with current AI safety research and frameworks like MITRE ATLAS and the OWASP Top 10 for LLMs.
ACCOMMODATIONS
If you need a reasonable accommodation during the application or the recruiting process, please submit a request via this Accommodations Request Form. Please note that Salesforce uses artificial intelligence (AI) tools to help our recruiters assess and evaluate candidates’ resumes and qualifications throughout the recruiting process. Humans will always make any candidate selection and hiring decisions. Please see our Candidate Privacy Statement for more information about how we use your personal data and your rights, including with regard to use of AI tools and opt-out options.
POSTING STATEMENT
Salesforce is an equal opportunity employer and maintains a policy of non-discrimination with all employees and applicants for employment. What does that mean exactly? It means that at Salesforce, we believe in equality for all. And we believe we can lead the path to equality in part by creating a workplace that’s inclusive, and free from discrimination. Know your rights: workplace discrimination is illegal. Any employee or potential employee will be assessed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications – without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, transgender status, age, disability, veteran or marital status, political viewpoint, or other classifications protected by law. This policy applies to current and prospective employees, no matter where they are in their Salesforce employment journey. It also applies to recruiting, hiring, job assignment, compensation, promotion, benefits, training, assessment of job performance, discipline, termination, and everything in between. Recruiting, hiring, and promotion decisions at Salesforce are fair and based on merit. The same goes for compensation, benefits, promotions, transfers, reduction in workforce, recall, training, and education.
In the United States, compensation offered will be determined by factors such as location, job level, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Certain roles may be eligible for incentive compensation, equity, and benefits. Salesforce offers a variety of benefits to help you live well including: time off programs, medical, dental, vision, mental health support, paid parental leave, life and disability insurance, 401(k), and an employee stock purchasing program. More details about company benefits can be found at the following link: https://www.salesforcebenefits.com.
Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance and the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring, Salesforce will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. At Salesforce, we believe in equitable compensation practices that reflect the dynamic nature of labor markets across various regions. The typical base salary range for this position is $148,500 - $223,900 annually. In select cities within the San Francisco and New York City metropolitan area, the base salary range for this role is $178,900 - $246,000 annually. The range represents base salary only, and does not include company bonus, incentive for sales roles, equity or benefits, as applicable.
INTRODUCTION
To get the best candidate experience, please consider applying for a maximum of 3 roles within 12 months to ensure you are not duplicating efforts.
ABOUT SALESFORCE
Salesforce is the #1 AI CRM, where humans with agents drive customer success together. Here, ambition meets action. Tech meets trust. And innovation isn’t a buzzword — it’s a way of life. The world of work as we know it is changing and we're looking for Trailblazers who are passionate about bettering business and the world through AI, driving innovation, and keeping Salesforce's core values at the heart of it all. Ready to level-up your career at the company leading workforce transformation in the agentic era? You’re in the right place! Agentforce is the future of AI, and you are the future of Salesforce.
OVERVIEW OF THE ROLE
The Adversarial AI & Research Team is a specialized group of cross-functional security engineers working at the intersection of offensive security and artificial intelligence. As a strategic partner to Salesforce's AI Research, Ethics, Engineering, and Cybersecurity Operations teams, we mitigate risk across all AI initiatives by developing novel security frameworks, specialized tooling, and foundational testing methodologies for both generative and predictive AI systems. We are building a robust foundation for AI security through adversarial datasets, in-house content generation systems, and external knowledge sharing — establishing Salesforce as a leader in the AI security field.
Responsibilities
- Lead adversarial testing of AI by designing, scoping, and executing red team assessments against our AI ecosystem using a risk-based prioritization approach to discover and address vulnerabilities before they can be exploited.
- Innovate in AI attack techniques by combining cutting-edge academic research with proven offensive security methods to establish new Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures, and operationalize emerging research to keep assessments aligned with the state of the art.
- Build and scale security tooling using an automation-first philosophy, driving initiatives to shift security testing left by sharing purpose-built tools with AI security stakeholders across Engineering, Research, and Ethics.
- Serve as a strategic partner across the company, providing an offensive security perspective to guide product development, support corporate governance, and contribute to policies such as Salesforce's Generative AI Security Standard.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- 6+ years of experience in offensive security (red teaming, application security, penetration testing, vulnerability research, etc.).
- 1+ years of direct, hands-on experience testing the security of AI/ML systems, with a deep understanding of LLM vulnerabilities.
- High degree of Python proficiency for tool development, assessment automation, and data analysis.
- Proven experience leading complex technical projects and/or mentoring security teams, with exceptional ability to communicate high-stakes technical risks to both engineering and executive audiences.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Advanced degree (MS or PhD) in a relevant field, or a public portfolio of security research including conference presentations, published papers, CVEs, or open-source contributions.
- Experience creating or managing large-scale datasets for security testing or machine learning training.
- Experience building automated testing frameworks or large-scale evaluation pipelines.
- Familiarity with current AI safety research and frameworks like MITRE ATLAS and the OWASP Top 10 for LLMs.
ACCOMMODATIONS
If you need a reasonable accommodation during the application or the recruiting process, please submit a request via this Accommodations Request Form. Please note that Salesforce uses artificial intelligence (AI) tools to help our recruiters assess and evaluate candidates’ resumes and qualifications throughout the recruiting process. Humans will always make any candidate selection and hiring decisions. Please see our Candidate Privacy Statement for more information about how we use your personal data and your rights, including with regard to use of AI tools and opt-out options.
POSTING STATEMENT
Salesforce is an equal opportunity employer and maintains a policy of non-discrimination with all employees and applicants for employment. What does that mean exactly? It means that at Salesforce, we believe in equality for all. And we believe we can lead the path to equality in part by creating a workplace that’s inclusive, and free from discrimination. Know your rights: workplace discrimination is illegal. Any employee or potential employee will be assessed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications – without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, transgender status, age, disability, veteran or marital status, political viewpoint, or other classifications protected by law. This policy applies to current and prospective employees, no matter where they are in their Salesforce employment journey. It also applies to recruiting, hiring, job assignment, compensation, promotion, benefits, training, assessment of job performance, discipline, termination, and everything in between. Recruiting, hiring, and promotion decisions at Salesforce are fair and based on merit. The same goes for compensation, benefits, promotions, transfers, reduction in workforce, recall, training, and education.
In the United States, compensation offered will be determined by factors such as location, job level, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Certain roles may be eligible for incentive compensation, equity, and benefits. Salesforce offers a variety of benefits to help you live well including: time off programs, medical, dental, vision, mental health support, paid parental leave, life and disability insurance, 401(k), and an employee stock purchasing program. More details about company benefits can be found at the following link: https://www.salesforcebenefits.com.
Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance and the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring, Salesforce will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. At Salesforce, we believe in equitable compensation practices that reflect the dynamic nature of labor markets across various regions. The typical base salary range for this position is $148,500 - $223,900 annually. In select cities within the San Francisco and New York City metropolitan area, the base salary range for this role is $178,900 - $246,000 annually. The range represents base salary only, and does not include company bonus, incentive for sales roles, equity or benefits, as applicable.
See all 678+ H-1B Visa AI Research Engineer Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new H-1B Visa AI Research Engineer Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding H-1B Visa Sponsorship as an AI Research Engineer
Verify your SOC code before applying
AI Research Engineer roles often get classified under multiple SOC codes, which affects prevailing wage levels. Check O*NET to confirm which code matches your specific duties before your employer files the LCA, so there are no mismatches at adjudication.
Target cap-exempt employers strategically
Universities, nonprofit research organizations, and government-affiliated labs are cap-exempt, letting you skip the H-1B lottery entirely. If you're open to academic or applied research settings, these employers can file your petition at any point in the year.
Search verified H-1B sponsors on Migrate Mate
Filter by AI Research Engineer roles on Migrate Mate to find employers with confirmed H-1B filing history in your specialty. This saves time you'd otherwise spend cold-applying to companies that redirect research hires to contractors or don't sponsor directly.
Align your degree transcript to specialty occupation
USCIS scrutinizes AI Research Engineer petitions when degree fields are adjacent but not directly related. Have your employer's immigration counsel frame how your specific coursework, such as neural networks, probabilistic modeling, or systems design, maps to the role's duties in the I-129 petition.
Request premium processing before your start date
Standard H-1B processing can run four to six months. If your offer letter has a firm start date, ask your employer to file with premium processing so USCIS adjudicates within 15 business days and you're not waiting past your agreed onboarding timeline.
Confirm your employer's E-Verify enrollment
If you're on STEM OPT and transitioning to H-1B, your employer must already be enrolled in E-Verify for your OPT extension to remain valid. Confirm enrollment before accepting an offer, not after, to avoid a gap in work authorization.
H-1B Visa AI Research Engineer: Frequently Asked Questions
Does an AI Research Engineer role qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B purposes?
Yes. USCIS classifies AI Research Engineer positions as specialty occupations because they normally require at least a bachelor's degree in a directly related field such as computer science, electrical engineering, or applied mathematics. Roles focused on model development, algorithm design, or systems research generally clear this threshold without additional justification, though USCIS may issue an RFE if the position description is broad or the degree field is tangentially related.
How do I find employers who actively sponsor H-1B visas for AI research roles?
Use Migrate Mate to browse AI Research Engineer positions filtered by employers with verified H-1B filing history. DOL Labor Condition Application data is publicly available and shows which companies have filed for comparable roles, giving you a concrete signal of sponsorship intent before you apply rather than discovering a company's policy after an offer.
What happens to my H-1B status if my AI research project is defunded mid-petition?
If your employer withdraws the H-1B petition before USCIS approves it, the petition is terminated and you'll need a new employer to file on your behalf. If you're already in valid H-1B status and your position is eliminated, you have a 60-day grace period to find a new employer, transfer your H-1B, or depart the U.S. USCIS does not extend this window for project-based cancellations.
Can an AI Research Engineer role at a startup qualify for H-1B sponsorship?
Yes, but startups face additional scrutiny. USCIS may issue an RFE requesting evidence that the employer has sufficient work and financial capacity to maintain the position for the full petition period. Your employer should document the research scope, funding sources, and organizational structure alongside the I-129. Early-stage companies with substantial venture backing or government research contracts typically satisfy this requirement.
Does holding a PhD in machine learning improve my H-1B approval odds for an AI Research Engineer position?
A PhD strengthens the specialty occupation argument because it directly demonstrates the theoretical depth the role requires. USCIS evaluates whether the position itself requires advanced study, not just whether you hold a higher degree. For senior or principal research engineer roles, a PhD can also support a higher Level III or IV prevailing wage classification under the OFLC Wage Search, which your employer must certify in the Labor Condition Application.