H-1B Visa Clinical Research Director Jobs

Clinical Research Director roles qualify as H-1B 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 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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Overview

Open Jobs334+
Top Visa TypeH-1B
Work Type73% On-site
Median Salary$204K
Top LocationCincinnati, OH
Most JobsMedpace

Showing 5 of 334+ Clinical Research Director jobs

Sanofi
Clinical Research Director
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Sanofi
Added 3w ago
Clinical Research Director
Sanofi
Morristown, New Jersey
Clinical Trials & Medical Research
Healthcare Administration
Medical Specialists
Clinical Trials
$206,250/yr - $297,916/yr
On-Site
3+ yrs exp.
Doctorate
10,000+

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Amgen
Clinical Research Medical Director
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Amgen
Added 2mo ago
Clinical Research Medical Director
Amgen
Washington, Washington DC
Medical Specialists
Clinical Support
Physicians
$291,214/yr - $351,770/yr
On-Site
2+ yrs exp.
Doctorate
10,000+

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Scholar Rock, Inc., Subsidiary Of Scholar Rock Holding
Medical Director/Sr Director, Clinical Research
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Scholar Rock, Inc., Subsidiary Of Scholar Rock Holding
New 4h ago
Medical Director/Sr Director, Clinical Research
Scholar Rock, Inc., Subsidiary Of Scholar Rock Holding
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Medical Specialists
Clinical Trials & Medical Research
Healthcare Administration
Clinical Trials
Not listed
On-Site
5+ yrs exp.
Associate's

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Glaukos
Sr. Director, Clinical Research
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Glaukos
Added 3d ago
Sr. Director, Clinical Research
Glaukos
Aliso Viejo, California
Clinical Trials & Medical Research
Healthcare Administration
Project & Program Management
Project Management
On-Site
15+ yrs exp.
Bachelor's
51-200

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University of Mississippi Medical Center
Senior Director - Clinical Research
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University of Mississippi Medical Center
Added 4d ago
Senior Director - Clinical Research
University of Mississippi Medical Center
Jackson, Mississippi
Clinical Trials & Medical Research
Healthcare Administration
Clinical Trials
On-Site
7+ yrs exp.
Bachelor's
5,001-10,000

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Tips 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.

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Clinical Research Director H-1B Visa: 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.

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