H-1B Visa AI Specialist Jobs
AI Specialist roles qualify as H-1B visa specialty occupations under the computer occupations category, requiring at least a bachelor's degree in computer science, artificial intelligence, or a directly related field. Employers filing H-1B petitions for these roles must certify a prevailing wage through a DOL Labor Condition Application before USCIS can approve your petition.
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MAIN JOB RESPONSIBILITIES / COMPETENCIES
The Director, Enterprise Artificial Intelligence is responsible for leading the Company's enterprise Artificial Intelligence (AI) strategy and driving business transformation through the adoption of AI-enabled capabilities across the organization. This role partners closely with Executive Leadership, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Engineering, Quality Assurance, Regulatory Affairs, Commercial Operations, Finance, Human Resources, Cybersecurity, Infrastructure, and Information Technology to identify, prioritize, and implement Artificial Intelligence solutions that improve operational efficiency, decision making, customer experience, innovation, and long-term competitive advantage.
This position provides strategic leadership for enterprise AI governance, Responsible AI, Generative AI, Agentic AI, Machine Learning, Intelligent Automation, and enterprise knowledge management while ensuring AI initiatives deliver measurable business value, align with corporate objectives, and support secure, scalable, and sustainable business transformation.
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Lead and execute the Company's enterprise Artificial Intelligence strategy aligned with corporate objectives, digital transformation initiatives, and measurable business outcomes.
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Establish and operationalize an Enterprise AI Center of Excellence (AI CoE) responsible for governance, standards, reusable AI capabilities, and enterprise adoption.
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Drive enterprise business transformation through the application of Artificial Intelligence, Generative AI, Agentic AI, Machine Learning, Predictive Analytics, and Intelligent Automation.
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Partner with executive leadership and business stakeholders to identify and prioritize AI initiatives that improve operational efficiency, product quality, customer experience, revenue growth, and employee productivity.
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Develop enterprise AI roadmaps, investment strategies, business cases, and value realization plans.
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Establish Responsible AI governance, AI policies, model lifecycle management, and AI risk management practices.
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Lead implementation of RAG, semantic search, vector databases, AI assistants, and enterprise knowledge management.
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Integrate AI with Oracle Fusion ERP, OCI, OIC, Salesforce, MES, PLM, enterprise data platforms, and cloud-native applications.
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Establish KPIs and executive dashboards measuring AI adoption and business value.
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Lead organizational change management and enterprise AI adoption.
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Recruit and mentor a team of AI/Business Engineers, Data Engineer/architects and AI Product Owner.
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Evaluate emerging AI technologies and strategic technology partnerships.
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Foster innovation, continuous improvement, and responsible AI adoption.
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Other duties as assigned.
REQUIREMENTS
EDUCATION & TRAINING
- Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Engineering, Information Technology, Business Administration, or related discipline required or equivalent combination of education/experience.
- Advanced degree preferred.
- Professional certifications in AI, Cloud Computing, Enterprise Architecture, Cybersecurity, Project Management, or Data Analytics are highly desirable.
Experience
- 12+ years of progressive leadership experience in enterprise technology, digital transformation, Artificial Intelligence, data analytics, enterprise architecture, software engineering, or related disciplines.
- 3+ years leading enterprise digital AI transformation organizations.
- Demonstrated success developing enterprise AI strategies delivering measurable business transformation.
- Experience with Generative AI, LLMs, Agentic AI, RAG, Machine Learning, Predictive Analytics, and Intelligent Automation.
- Experience in integrating AI with ERP, CRM, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Finance, HR, and enterprise platforms.
- Experience presenting AI strategies and business outcomes to executive leadership and Boards.
- Enterprise AI governance, organizational change management, and global business transformation.
- FDA-regulated medical devices, biotechnology, pharmaceutical, life sciences, or other regulated industries preferred.
SKILLS
- Strong knowledge of enterprise Artificial Intelligence strategy, governance, operating models, enterprise architecture, and business transformation methodologies, including the development of AI roadmaps, investment strategies, Centers of Excellence, and enterprise adoption frameworks.
- Deep understanding of Generative AI, Large Language Models (LLMs), Agentic AI, Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), prompt engineering, AI orchestration frameworks, semantic search, vector databases, AI assistants, autonomous agents, and intelligent automation technologies.
- Strong understanding of Machine Learning, Predictive Analytics, Natural Language Processing (NLP), Computer Vision, AI model lifecycle management, model evaluation, MLOps, LLMOps, and enterprise AI platform operations.
- Strong knowledge of enterprise cloud platforms including Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform (GCP), cloud-native architectures, APIs, microservices, enterprise integration, event-driven architectures, and hybrid cloud environments.
- Deep understanding of enterprise data architecture, data governance, master data management, metadata management, data quality, knowledge management, vector storage, and enterprise information management principles supporting AI-enabled decision making.
- Strong understanding of Responsible AI principles, AI governance, cybersecurity, privacy, regulatory compliance, intellectual property protection, model transparency, explainability, AI ethics, enterprise risk management, and secure AI deployment practices.
- Demonstrated ability to align Artificial Intelligence investments with corporate strategy by developing business cases, value realization frameworks, key performance indicators (KPIs), executive dashboards, and measurable financial and operational outcomes.
- Ability to partner effectively with Executive Leadership, Information Technology, Manufacturing, Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality Assurance, Regulatory Affairs, Finance, Human Resources, Cybersecurity, Legal, and external technology partners to deliver enterprise-wide AI capabilities.
- Excellent analytical, strategic planning, organizational, communication, executive presentation, negotiation, financial management, vendor management, stakeholder engagement, and organizational change management skills.
- Demonstrated leadership building, mentoring, and scaling high-performing multidisciplinary teams consisting of AI Engineers, Data Scientists, Machine Learning Engineers, AI Solution Architects, Enterprise Architects, Product Managers, and business technology professionals.
- Proven ability to lead enterprise modernization initiatives, drive innovation, establish AI governance, manage organizational change, and deliver measurable business transformation while maintaining secure, scalable, and responsible AI practices.
Pay range: $200K - $300K - Final compensation/salary will depend on experience.
STAAR Surgical is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran or disability status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
LOCATION
Lake Forest, CA, US
Job Code: 2214
of Openings: 1
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding H-1B Visa Sponsorship as an AI Specialist
Align your degree field to the role
USCIS scrutinizes whether your degree directly relates to AI Specialist duties. A degree in computer science or machine learning aligns cleanly. A business or general STEM degree needs supporting coursework transcripts or a credential evaluation to survive an RFE.
Check the prevailing wage before negotiating
Your employer's LCA must certify a wage at or above the DOL prevailing wage for your specific SOC code and work location. Use the OFLC Wage Search to verify the Level I through Level IV wage tiers before you accept an offer.
Target employers with cap-exempt affiliations
AI research roles at universities, nonprofit research institutions, and government-affiliated labs are cap-exempt, meaning your employer can file your H-1B petition outside the annual lottery window at any time of year.
Search LCA filing history on Migrate Mate
Before applying, verify that a company has actually filed H-1B Labor Condition Applications for AI roles. Migrate Mate surfaces DOL LCA filing history by employer and occupation code so you can confirm sponsorship history before reaching the offer stage.
Document your AI specialization precisely
USCIS O*NET classifies AI Specialist duties at Job Zone 4 and above. Your resume and the employer's support letter must map your specific tasks, such as training large language models or designing neural network architectures, to those defined specialty occupation duties.
File premium processing if your start date is fixed
If your employment start date is tied to a project deadline or OPT expiration, ask your employer to file premium processing with Form I-907. USCIS guarantees a decision within 15 business days, reducing the risk of a gap in work authorization.
H-1B Visa AI Specialist: Frequently Asked Questions
Does an AI Specialist role qualify as an H-1B specialty occupation?
Yes. USCIS classifies AI Specialist positions under computer occupations, which consistently meet the specialty occupation standard because the role normally requires at least a bachelor's degree in computer science, data science, artificial intelligence, or a closely related field. If your job description includes tasks like model development, algorithm design, or ML pipeline engineering, the specialty occupation requirement is typically straightforward to satisfy.
Which employers sponsor H-1B visas for AI Specialist roles?
Technology companies, financial institutions running quantitative or risk modeling teams, healthcare systems building clinical AI tools, and defense contractors with AI research divisions are among the most active H-1B sponsors for these roles. Migrate Mate filters employers by DOL Labor Condition Application filing history, so you can identify companies that have sponsored AI Specialist positions rather than relying on job postings alone.
What happens to my H-1B status if I change AI Specialist roles mid-petition?
If you change employers after your H-1B petition is filed but before October 1, your new employer must file a fresh cap-subject petition in the next lottery cycle unless you already have an approved H-1B from a prior year. If you're transferring to a new employer after your H-1B is already active, your new employer files an H-1B transfer petition and you can start work as soon as USCIS receives it, under the portability provisions of AC21.
Can a startup sponsor my H-1B as an AI Specialist?
Yes, but startups face additional scrutiny. USCIS may issue an RFE questioning whether the company has enough complexity to require a specialty occupation hire, or whether an employer-employee relationship exists if you have equity or a board seat. Your employer's support letter should clearly define your supervised role, your reporting structure, and the specific AI projects requiring your degree-level expertise.
How does the H-1B lottery affect AI Specialist job searches?
The annual H-1B cap covers most private-sector AI Specialist roles, with registrations submitted in March and selections made before April 1 for an October 1 start date. If you're not selected, cap-exempt options include roles at qualifying nonprofit research organizations, universities, or government research facilities. F-1 OPT or STEM OPT authorization can bridge the gap while you wait for the next lottery cycle.