H-1B Visa Clinical Research Director Jobs
Clinical Research Director roles qualify as H-1B visa specialty occupations under USCIS guidelines, requiring at least a bachelor's degree in a directly related field. Pharma, biotech, and CRO employers file H-1B visa petitions for this title regularly. The 85,000-slot annual cap and lottery apply, so timing your job search around the April registration window matters.
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Get Access To All JobsMarket Range: 09
Hiring Salary: $3,946.70 - $4,993.25/Monthly
THIS IS A GRANT-FUNDED POSITION FUNDED UNTIL AUGUST 1, 2028
The Researcher 2 performs a broad range of biological testing and procedures using standard scientific techniques and methods. This position primarily oversees infection, disease and/or immune response in small animals, such as advanced imaging equipment, and standard operating procedures.
Responsibilities:
- Develops and reviews SOPs for assays to measure and detect pathogens and/or immune responses in cell lines, animal tissues, and/or fluids. Provides SOP training for new users on equipment or techniques.
- Designs, optimizes, and/or validates and/or equipment instrumentation by preparing a study design and qualification report.
- Measures the responses of pathogens in small animals to infection and/or therapeutics using classical approaches or more modern techniques such as imaging.
- Utilizes MS Office Suite products and statistical analysis tools to analyze and present data.
- Participates in writing manuscripts/reports pertaining to the data.
- Develops protocols and/or standard operating procedures for all techniques utilized.
- Prepares figures of data for publication.
- Contributes to writing and editing of papers and presentations needed for internal/external meetings.
- Performs other related duties as assigned.
Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Molecular Virology, Biochemistry, Immunology, or a related field. (Master’s Degree preferred.) (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED)
Experience: Four (4) years of related research or laboratory experience in a laboratory environment OR Master’s Degree in Molecular Virology, Biochemistry, Immunology, Animal Science, or a related field and two (2) years of related research or laboratory experience. Must be able to pass the Department of Justice Security Risk Assessment for work with Select Agents and Toxins. An annual physical exam is required, including TB testing, Hep B vaccination or positive titer, and tetanus vaccination.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:
- Ability to conduct effective literature searches, analyze, and present data.
- Ability to utilize all MS Office Suite products, Sigma Plot, or other statistical software products.
- Ability to follow protocols and aid in protocol development for standard operating protocols.
- Ability to work in BSL2 or BSL 3 environment.
- Ability to observe and follow appropriate safety and study requirements by reading, understanding, and performing Standard Operating Procedures, Good Laboratory Practices, and study protocols. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) required includes Powered Air Purifying Respirator (PAPR), safety glasses, lab coat, closed-toed or shoe covers, and nitrile gloves.
WORK SCHEDULE: This position will occasionally be required to work weekends.
Market Range: 09
Hiring Salary: $3,946.70 - $4,993.25/Monthly
THIS IS A GRANT-FUNDED POSITION FUNDED UNTIL AUGUST 1, 2028
The Researcher 2 performs a broad range of biological testing and procedures using standard scientific techniques and methods. This position primarily oversees infection, disease and/or immune response in small animals, such as advanced imaging equipment, and standard operating procedures.
Responsibilities:
- Develops and reviews SOPs for assays to measure and detect pathogens and/or immune responses in cell lines, animal tissues, and/or fluids. Provides SOP training for new users on equipment or techniques.
- Designs, optimizes, and/or validates and/or equipment instrumentation by preparing a study design and qualification report.
- Measures the responses of pathogens in small animals to infection and/or therapeutics using classical approaches or more modern techniques such as imaging.
- Utilizes MS Office Suite products and statistical analysis tools to analyze and present data.
- Participates in writing manuscripts/reports pertaining to the data.
- Develops protocols and/or standard operating procedures for all techniques utilized.
- Prepares figures of data for publication.
- Contributes to writing and editing of papers and presentations needed for internal/external meetings.
- Performs other related duties as assigned.
Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Molecular Virology, Biochemistry, Immunology, or a related field. (Master’s Degree preferred.) (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED)
Experience: Four (4) years of related research or laboratory experience in a laboratory environment OR Master’s Degree in Molecular Virology, Biochemistry, Immunology, Animal Science, or a related field and two (2) years of related research or laboratory experience. Must be able to pass the Department of Justice Security Risk Assessment for work with Select Agents and Toxins. An annual physical exam is required, including TB testing, Hep B vaccination or positive titer, and tetanus vaccination.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:
- Ability to conduct effective literature searches, analyze, and present data.
- Ability to utilize all MS Office Suite products, Sigma Plot, or other statistical software products.
- Ability to follow protocols and aid in protocol development for standard operating protocols.
- Ability to work in BSL2 or BSL 3 environment.
- Ability to observe and follow appropriate safety and study requirements by reading, understanding, and performing Standard Operating Procedures, Good Laboratory Practices, and study protocols. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) required includes Powered Air Purifying Respirator (PAPR), safety glasses, lab coat, closed-toed or shoe covers, and nitrile gloves.
WORK SCHEDULE: This position will occasionally be required to work weekends.
See all 1,658+ H-1B Visa Clinical Research Director Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new H-1B Visa Clinical Research Director Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding H-1B Visa Sponsorship in Clinical Research Director
Verify your degree meets specialty occupation standards
USCIS requires your degree field to directly relate to clinical research oversight. A general business or unrelated science degree without supplemental coursework or advanced credentials can trigger an RFE. Document how your academic training connects specifically to trial management and regulatory oversight.
Target employers with active IND portfolios
Companies managing Investigational New Drug applications with the FDA run ongoing Phase II and III trials, making H-1B sponsorship a recurring business need rather than a one-off request. Pharma and mid-size CROs with active pipelines file more consistently than academic medical centers.
Search H-1B sponsoring employers on Migrate Mate
Use Migrate Mate to filter Clinical Research Director roles by employers with verified H-1B LCA filing history. This surfaces companies that have already cleared DOL prevailing wage certification for this occupation code, not just those who claim they sponsor.
Confirm the prevailing wage tier before negotiating
Run the OFLC Wage Search for SOC code 11-9121 in your target metro before accepting an offer. Your employer's LCA must certify wages at the DOL prevailing wage level for that location. A mismatch between offered salary and certified wage level can stall or invalidate the petition.
Account for the H-1B cap-subject lottery timeline
Cap-subject petitions must be filed by April 1 for an October 1 start date. If you're transitioning from OPT or another status, align your job search to secure an offer by February so your employer has time to prepare the LCA and I-129 before the registration window opens.
Ask whether the employer uses premium processing
USCIS premium processing upgrades I-129 adjudication to a 15-business-day window. For senior director roles with delayed start dates or pending credentialing requirements, confirm upfront whether your prospective employer will elect premium processing, since standard processing can run several months.
H-1B Visa Clinical Research Director: Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Clinical Research Director role qualify as an H-1B specialty occupation?
Yes. USCIS classifies Clinical Research Director as a specialty occupation because the role typically requires at least a bachelor's degree in a specific field such as life sciences, clinical pharmacology, or biomedical research. Employers document this requirement in the H-1B petition. Roles where any unrelated bachelor's degree satisfies the position do not qualify, so your offer letter and job description should specify the required degree field.
Which types of employers sponsor H-1B visas for Clinical Research Director positions?
Pharmaceutical companies, contract research organizations, biotechs with active IND pipelines, and large academic medical centers with industry-funded trials are the most consistent sponsors. Smaller sponsors occasionally include medical device firms and specialty CROs. Migrate Mate filters these employers by verified LCA filing history for this occupation, so you can focus on companies that have completed DOL wage certification for this role before you apply.
How does the DOL prevailing wage requirement affect Clinical Research Director offers?
Before filing the H-1B petition, your employer must obtain a certified Labor Condition Application from the DOL confirming the offered wage meets the prevailing wage for your job location. You can check the applicable wage level using the OFLC Wage Search with SOC code 11-9121 and your target metro. If the initial offer falls below the certified level, the employer must adjust it before the LCA is approved.
Can I transfer my H-1B to a new Clinical Research Director role during employment?
Yes. Under H-1B portability rules, you can start working for a new employer once they file a cap-exempt transfer petition with USCIS, without waiting for approval, as long as you've been in valid H-1B status. The new employer files a fresh I-129 and LCA for the new position. The specialty occupation and prevailing wage requirements apply to each new petition independently.
What credentials strengthen an H-1B petition for a Clinical Research Director?
A graduate degree in a clinical or life sciences field, board certification in clinical research such as ACRP or SOCRA credentials, and documented leadership over multi-site trials all support the specialty occupation argument in an H-1B petition. USCIS adjudicators look for evidence that the role genuinely requires a specific body of specialized knowledge. Directors with a mix of relevant education and regulatory experience tend to face fewer Requests for Evidence than those whose degree field is only tangentially related to the position.