H-1B Visa Head of Research Jobs
Head of Research jobs at H-1B visa sponsoring employers sit firmly in specialty occupation territory: the role requires at least a bachelor's degree in a directly related field such as a relevant science, social science, or business discipline. Employers file an LCA with DOL and an I-129 petition with USCIS, granting status for up to three years.
Find H-1B Visa Head of Research JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 51+ Head of Research jobs
See all 51+ Head of Research Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Head of Research roles.
Get Access To All JobsWhat we offer
At Evonik, you’re part of a global chemical company working in many sectors that go beyond chemistry. From lipids for tomorrow’s medicines, biosurfactants for green detergents, additives for plastics recycling or membranes to help drive forward the energy transition, you’ll play an essential part in helping the world’s most essential industries succeed.
Our success hinges on a diversity of ideas powered by people, not egos. Whether you’re a scientist or engineer, new to the team or established, in business, production, or anything in between – we cheer each other on. Because we believe we can do anything. Explore everything. And Be Part of Something Special!
Find out more about the many benefits we offer:
https://www.evonik.com/en/careers/why.html
Meet the team and get to know the people behind Evonik:
https://www.evonik.com/en/news/meet-the-team.html
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The Head of Applied Research & Technology for Decorative Coatings - Americas leads market-oriented innovation and application technology activities for the Decorative Coatings market segment across the region.
This role is responsible for the regional ART team, innovation portfolio, technical customer support, and coordination of ART resources across the Americas. The position works closely with commercial and technical teams to identify customer opportunities, translate market needs into projects, and support execution of the Decorative Coatings and Business Line Coating Additives strategy.
- Lead market-oriented innovation and Applied Research & Technology activities for Decorative Coatings across the Americas.
- Lead and develop the regional ART team, including career development, succession planning, technical capability building, and resource coordination.
- Manage the regional ART budget and support effective allocation of resources across technical managers, team members, and regional laboratories.
- Oversee efficient networking and operation of regional laboratories, including collaboration across market segments.
- Develop and manage the regional Decorative Coatings innovation portfolio while advancing product knowledge, technical competence, and application expertise.
- Provide high-level technical support to key accounts, coordinated accounts, regional champions, essential local accounts, and distribution partners.
- Identify and realize customer projects, Technical Service Requests, and new opportunities in close partnership with commercial teams.
- Support execution of the Business Line Coating Additives and Decorative Coatings strategy across the Americas.
- Maintain responsibility for applicable laboratory safety and compliance requirements for Decorative Coatings ART activities in the region.
- Represent Decorative Coatings at conferences, exhibitions, seminars, trainings, and other key technical or customer events, while promoting regional and international knowledge sharing.
REQUIREMENTS
- Master's degree or PhD in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or a related technical field.
- Minimum of 10 years of relevant experience in the coatings industry highly preferred.
- Strong technical knowledge of coatings applications and application technology.
- Experience working directly with customers, including customer visits, technical discussions, and identifying technical or business needs.
- Experience translating customer and market needs into innovation projects, technical priorities, or development opportunities.
- Strong project management skills and the ability to manage multiple technical, customer, and innovation activities.
- Strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate, develop, and provide direction to a technical team.
- Sufficient technical experience and credibility to serve as a resource for experienced technical colleagues and team members.
- Strong communication and presentation skills for both internal and external technical audiences.
- Ability to work effectively across functions, regions, market segments, and multicultural teams.
- Willingness to travel a minimum of approximately 25%, with additional travel possible based on customer and business needs.
The Evonik Group adopts an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) approach. Candidates are assessed based on their educational qualifications, experience, job competencies and potential and shall not be discriminated against on the basis of race, ethnicity, age, gender, religion, nationality, disability or sexual orientation or other classifications protected by local, state, or provincial regulations.
Your Application
To ensure that your application is proceeded as quickly as possible and to protect the environment, please apply online via our careers portal. Further information about Evonik as Employer can be found at www.evonik.com/en/careers.html.
Please address your application to the Talent Acquisition Manager, stating your earliest possible starting date and your salary expectations.
Your Talent Acquisition Manager:
Kelvin Seals
Company is
Evonik Corporation
What we offer
At Evonik, you’re part of a global chemical company working in many sectors that go beyond chemistry. From lipids for tomorrow’s medicines, biosurfactants for green detergents, additives for plastics recycling or membranes to help drive forward the energy transition, you’ll play an essential part in helping the world’s most essential industries succeed.
Our success hinges on a diversity of ideas powered by people, not egos. Whether you’re a scientist or engineer, new to the team or established, in business, production, or anything in between – we cheer each other on. Because we believe we can do anything. Explore everything. And Be Part of Something Special!
Find out more about the many benefits we offer:
https://www.evonik.com/en/careers/why.html
Meet the team and get to know the people behind Evonik:
https://www.evonik.com/en/news/meet-the-team.html
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The Head of Applied Research & Technology for Decorative Coatings - Americas leads market-oriented innovation and application technology activities for the Decorative Coatings market segment across the region.
This role is responsible for the regional ART team, innovation portfolio, technical customer support, and coordination of ART resources across the Americas. The position works closely with commercial and technical teams to identify customer opportunities, translate market needs into projects, and support execution of the Decorative Coatings and Business Line Coating Additives strategy.
- Lead market-oriented innovation and Applied Research & Technology activities for Decorative Coatings across the Americas.
- Lead and develop the regional ART team, including career development, succession planning, technical capability building, and resource coordination.
- Manage the regional ART budget and support effective allocation of resources across technical managers, team members, and regional laboratories.
- Oversee efficient networking and operation of regional laboratories, including collaboration across market segments.
- Develop and manage the regional Decorative Coatings innovation portfolio while advancing product knowledge, technical competence, and application expertise.
- Provide high-level technical support to key accounts, coordinated accounts, regional champions, essential local accounts, and distribution partners.
- Identify and realize customer projects, Technical Service Requests, and new opportunities in close partnership with commercial teams.
- Support execution of the Business Line Coating Additives and Decorative Coatings strategy across the Americas.
- Maintain responsibility for applicable laboratory safety and compliance requirements for Decorative Coatings ART activities in the region.
- Represent Decorative Coatings at conferences, exhibitions, seminars, trainings, and other key technical or customer events, while promoting regional and international knowledge sharing.
REQUIREMENTS
- Master's degree or PhD in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or a related technical field.
- Minimum of 10 years of relevant experience in the coatings industry highly preferred.
- Strong technical knowledge of coatings applications and application technology.
- Experience working directly with customers, including customer visits, technical discussions, and identifying technical or business needs.
- Experience translating customer and market needs into innovation projects, technical priorities, or development opportunities.
- Strong project management skills and the ability to manage multiple technical, customer, and innovation activities.
- Strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate, develop, and provide direction to a technical team.
- Sufficient technical experience and credibility to serve as a resource for experienced technical colleagues and team members.
- Strong communication and presentation skills for both internal and external technical audiences.
- Ability to work effectively across functions, regions, market segments, and multicultural teams.
- Willingness to travel a minimum of approximately 25%, with additional travel possible based on customer and business needs.
The Evonik Group adopts an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) approach. Candidates are assessed based on their educational qualifications, experience, job competencies and potential and shall not be discriminated against on the basis of race, ethnicity, age, gender, religion, nationality, disability or sexual orientation or other classifications protected by local, state, or provincial regulations.
Your Application
To ensure that your application is proceeded as quickly as possible and to protect the environment, please apply online via our careers portal. Further information about Evonik as Employer can be found at www.evonik.com/en/careers.html.
Please address your application to the Talent Acquisition Manager, stating your earliest possible starting date and your salary expectations.
Your Talent Acquisition Manager:
Kelvin Seals
Company is
Evonik Corporation
See all 51+ H-1B Visa Head of Research Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new H-1B Visa Head of Research Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding H-1B Visa Sponsorship in Head of Research
Align your degree to research duties
USCIS evaluates specialty occupation by matching your specific degree field to the core duties of the role. Pull the O*NET profile for your research specialty and document how your degree aligns with the dominant tasks listed, not just the job title.
Target employers with research infrastructure
Pharma, biotech, think tanks, and university-affiliated institutes routinely structure Head of Research roles around degree-required duties. Use Migrate Mate to identify employers with verified H-1B LCA filing history in research-intensive occupations before you apply.
Verify prevailing wage before negotiating
Your employer's LCA must certify a wage at or above the DOL prevailing wage for your SOC code and worksite location. Run the OFLC Wage Search for your specific metro area early so you enter salary conversations knowing the floor USCIS will scrutinize.
Confirm each worksite gets its own LCA
Head of Research roles often involve field sites, partner labs, or satellite offices. Each distinct worksite requires a separately certified LCA before you work there. Confirm your employer's mobility policy covers this before accepting an offer with multi-site responsibilities.
Account for cap selection timing in your offer
H-1B cap selection rules have changed recently, so build a realistic start-date buffer into your offer letter. If you're already in H-1B status with a different employer, a concurrent or transfer filing avoids the cap entirely and lets you start sooner.
Prepare a portfolio of research output early
USCIS may issue a Request for Evidence questioning whether your position genuinely requires a specific degree. Published papers, funded grants, patents, or institutional review board approvals tied to your named role strengthen the specialty occupation argument before the petition is filed.
H-1B Visa Head of Research: Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Head of Research role qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B purposes?
Yes. A Head of Research position typically qualifies because it requires at least a bachelor's degree in a directly related field, such as a relevant natural science, social science, or business discipline. USCIS looks at whether the specific duties of the role, not just its title, demand that degree-level knowledge. Employers should document this connection explicitly in the I-129 petition.
How do I find employers who actively sponsor H-1B visas for research leadership roles?
Browse Migrate Mate to find employers with verified H-1B LCA filing history in research-related occupations. Focusing on companies that have already filed for similar roles reduces the risk of educating an employer about the H-1B process from scratch. Pharma, biotech, consulting firms, and policy institutes are the most consistent sponsors for research leadership positions.
What happens to my H-1B status if my research program loses funding mid-project?
If your position is eliminated, you have a 60-day grace period to find a new sponsoring employer, file for a change of status, or depart the United States. Your employer is required to pay return transportation costs if they terminate the relationship. Starting a job search immediately and notifying USCIS of any employer change protects your status during the transition.
Can my employer transfer my H-1B if I move to a different research site in another state?
Moving to a new worksite requires a new certified LCA for that location before you begin working there. The LCA must reflect the prevailing wage for the new geography, which may differ from your original site. Your employer should file an amended I-129 petition in most cases. Working at an unlisted worksite without a certified LCA is a compliance violation for the employer.
How long can I stay in the United States on H-1B status as a Head of Research?
H-1B status is initially granted for up to three years and can be extended to a six-year maximum. Beyond six years, continued extensions are available only if a PERM labor certification or an immigrant visa petition has been filed and meets specific age thresholds under the American Competitiveness in the 21st Century Act. Planning your green card timeline early is essential for long-term research careers.