H-1B Visa Computer Scientist Jobs
Computer Scientist roles sit squarely within H-1B specialty occupation requirements, typically demanding at least a bachelor's degree in computer science, mathematics, or a closely related field. Federal research labs, defense contractors, and technology firms file H-1B petitions for these roles annually, and many are cap-exempt, meaning no lottery.
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Get Access To All JobsJob no: 503718
Department: Earth System Science Center
Work type: Staff Full-time Exempt
Location: Alabama
Categories: Research - Computer Science
Purpose of the Position:
This Computer Scientist VI, Step 3, role is designed for a computer scientist/engineer with extensive experience in DevOps, cloud architecture, and distributed systems. The candidate will lead the design and implementation of scalable, secure, and high-performance infrastructure and application environments supporting NASA science. The position requires strong critical thinking, the ability to translate complex business needs into technical solutions, and leadership in establishing best practices across teams.
The selected candidate will support the Office of Data Science and Informatics (ODSI) within the Earth Systems Science Center. This role focuses on advancing data science and informatics to support NASA science.
ODSI evaluates trends across data science and informatics communities to inform strategic direction and develop effective, scalable solutions. The office also provides a user-centered perspective on how science data are represented, communicated, and utilized. The position contributes to cross-disciplinary collaboration aimed at improving all phases of the NASA science data lifecycle, including policy, engineering, workflows, and information delivery.
Duties / Responsibilities:
- Develop comprehensive architectural designs for systems, including infrastructure, software components, and workflows, ensuring scalability, high availability, and performance optimization.
- Design and implement cloud infrastructure solutions across AWS environments, with emphasis on cost optimization, security, and efficient resource management.
- Develop and apply frameworks that translate business and mission needs into technical requirements, ensuring alignment with project goals and long-term system evolution.
- Support implementation, deployment, and operationalization of designed systems, including CI/CD pipelines, observability, and reliability engineering practices.
Minimum Requirements:
- Master's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related field; (Bachelor's degree and experience in a specialized area may be substituted for a degree).
- Minimum of 9 to 9.5 years verifiable, full-time work experience.
- 10 or more years of professional experience in software engineering, DevOps, or cloud infrastructure engineering.
- Proven expertise in designing and deploying scalable cloud architectures (AWS required; GCP or others a plus).
- Strong experience with infrastructure as code, containerization, and orchestration technologies.
- Demonstrated ability to translate complex requirements into robust technical architectures.
- Deep understanding of system reliability, high availability design, and performance optimization.
- Strong programming and scripting experience (e.g., Go, Python, Bash, Ruby).
Desired Qualifications:
- Experience optimizing large-scale systems for both performance and cost efficiency is desired.
- Familiarity with big science data management is desired.
- Experience building internal platforms, developer tooling, or self-service infrastructure is preferred.
- Exposure to AI/ML infrastructure, including retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) systems, is preferred.
- Demonstrated experience mentoring teams and improving engineering practices is desired.
Published Salary (if available):
$118,000
Advertised: Apr 17 2026 Central Daylight Time
Applications close:
Job no: 503718
Department: Earth System Science Center
Work type: Staff Full-time Exempt
Location: Alabama
Categories: Research - Computer Science
Purpose of the Position:
This Computer Scientist VI, Step 3, role is designed for a computer scientist/engineer with extensive experience in DevOps, cloud architecture, and distributed systems. The candidate will lead the design and implementation of scalable, secure, and high-performance infrastructure and application environments supporting NASA science. The position requires strong critical thinking, the ability to translate complex business needs into technical solutions, and leadership in establishing best practices across teams.
The selected candidate will support the Office of Data Science and Informatics (ODSI) within the Earth Systems Science Center. This role focuses on advancing data science and informatics to support NASA science.
ODSI evaluates trends across data science and informatics communities to inform strategic direction and develop effective, scalable solutions. The office also provides a user-centered perspective on how science data are represented, communicated, and utilized. The position contributes to cross-disciplinary collaboration aimed at improving all phases of the NASA science data lifecycle, including policy, engineering, workflows, and information delivery.
Duties / Responsibilities:
- Develop comprehensive architectural designs for systems, including infrastructure, software components, and workflows, ensuring scalability, high availability, and performance optimization.
- Design and implement cloud infrastructure solutions across AWS environments, with emphasis on cost optimization, security, and efficient resource management.
- Develop and apply frameworks that translate business and mission needs into technical requirements, ensuring alignment with project goals and long-term system evolution.
- Support implementation, deployment, and operationalization of designed systems, including CI/CD pipelines, observability, and reliability engineering practices.
Minimum Requirements:
- Master's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related field; (Bachelor's degree and experience in a specialized area may be substituted for a degree).
- Minimum of 9 to 9.5 years verifiable, full-time work experience.
- 10 or more years of professional experience in software engineering, DevOps, or cloud infrastructure engineering.
- Proven expertise in designing and deploying scalable cloud architectures (AWS required; GCP or others a plus).
- Strong experience with infrastructure as code, containerization, and orchestration technologies.
- Demonstrated ability to translate complex requirements into robust technical architectures.
- Deep understanding of system reliability, high availability design, and performance optimization.
- Strong programming and scripting experience (e.g., Go, Python, Bash, Ruby).
Desired Qualifications:
- Experience optimizing large-scale systems for both performance and cost efficiency is desired.
- Familiarity with big science data management is desired.
- Experience building internal platforms, developer tooling, or self-service infrastructure is preferred.
- Exposure to AI/ML infrastructure, including retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) systems, is preferred.
- Demonstrated experience mentoring teams and improving engineering practices is desired.
Published Salary (if available):
$118,000
Advertised: Apr 17 2026 Central Daylight Time
Applications close:
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding H-1B Visa Sponsorship as a Computer Scientist
Verify your SOC code before applying
Computer Scientist positions are filed under SOC 15-1221. Pull the O*NET profile for that code to confirm your duties match the listed tasks. Misaligned job descriptions are a common RFE trigger that delays or kills H-1B approval.
Target cap-exempt employers first
Universities, nonprofit research institutions, and government-affiliated labs are cap-exempt, so your petition skips the annual lottery. For Computer Scientists, this includes national labs like Argonne and Sandia, which file H-1B petitions year-round.
Check employer LCA history on Migrate Mate
Search Computer Scientist roles on Migrate Mate to see which employers have active Labor Condition Applications on file. That history tells you whether a company has filed for this exact occupation before, so you're not guessing at sponsorship willingness.
Confirm your degree field maps to the role
USCIS requires a direct relationship between your degree field and the job duties. A computer science or applied mathematics degree maps cleanly. An unrelated STEM degree may require a detailed credential evaluation showing coursework equivalency before the petition goes in.
Request the LCA wage level in your offer letter
Your employer files the LCA with DOL certifying your wage meets prevailing standards at Levels I through IV. Ask which level applies to your offer. Level I signals entry-level classification and can draw scrutiny for senior Computer Scientist roles.
Start premium processing math before your OPT expires
If you're on OPT, USCIS premium processing runs 15 business days and buys certainty before your authorization lapses. Factor that timeline against your OPT end date and any cap-gap window so your employer files with enough runway to avoid a status gap.
Computer Scientist jobs are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Computer Scientist JobsComputer Scientist H-1B Visa: Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Computer Scientist role qualify as an H-1B specialty occupation?
Yes. Computer Scientist positions satisfy the H-1B specialty occupation definition because the work typically requires theoretical and applied knowledge in computer science, mathematics, or a directly related field at the bachelor's level or higher. USCIS evaluates the actual job duties, not just the title, so your offer letter must describe tasks consistent with that degree requirement.
Which employers sponsor H-1B visas for Computer Scientists most consistently?
Federal research institutions, national laboratories, defense contractors, and large technology firms file H-1B petitions for Computer Scientists regularly. Many research-focused employers are cap-exempt, meaning they can file year-round outside the lottery. You can browse employers with verified Labor Condition Application filings for Computer Scientist roles on Migrate Mate.
How does the H-1B lottery affect Computer Scientist job seekers?
Cap-subject petitions enter a random lottery each April for the 85,000 slots available in the fiscal year starting October 1. Not being selected doesn't disqualify you permanently. Cap-exempt employers, including universities and affiliated nonprofits, can file outside the lottery entirely, which is why Computer Scientists with research backgrounds often target those organizations first.
What documents should a Computer Scientist prepare before an employer files an H-1B petition?
You'll need official transcripts showing your qualifying degree, a credential evaluation if your degree is from a foreign institution, and a current resume detailing your job duties. If your degree field doesn't directly match the Computer Scientist role, a subject matter expert letter or detailed course-by-course evaluation may be required to satisfy USCIS specialty occupation standards.
Can a Computer Scientist change employers while on H-1B status?
Yes. Under H-1B portability rules, you can begin working for a new employer as soon as the new H-1B petition is filed with USCIS, provided your prior status was lawfully maintained and no deportation or removal proceedings are pending. Your new employer must file a new petition and Labor Condition Application before your start date with them.
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