H-1B Visa R&D Director Jobs
R&D Director jobs at H-1B visa-sponsoring employers demand a specialty occupation credential: a bachelor's degree or higher in engineering, science, or a directly related technical field. These roles qualify for H-1B status, with initial three-year periods and employer-filed I-129 petitions covering laboratory, product, and technology leadership positions across industry sectors.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
Kenvue is currently recruiting for a:
Dir, R&D Chief of Staff & Op Excellence
What we do
At Kenvue, we realize the extraordinary power of everyday care. Built on over a century of heritage and rooted in science, we’re the house of iconic brands - including NEUTROGENA®, AVEENO®, TYLENOL®, LISTERINE®, JOHNSON’S® and BAND-AID® that you already know and love. Science is our passion; care is our talent.
Who We Are
Our global team is ~ 22,000 brilliant people with a workplace culture where every voice matters, and every contribution is appreciated. We are passionate about insights, innovation and committed to delivering the best products to our customers. With expertise and empathy, being a Kenvuer means having the power to impact millions of people every day. We put people first, care fiercely, earn trust with science and solve with courage – and have brilliant opportunities waiting for you! Join us in shaping our future–and yours.
Role reports to:
VP Global Head of Innovation Portfolio and Project Management
LOCATION:
North America, United States, New Jersey, Summit
Work Location:
Hybrid
What you will do
The Director, R&D Chief of Staff & Operational Excellence serves as a trusted advisor to the CRDO and R&D Leadership Team (RDLT), helping leaders make informed decisions and deliver R&D priorities. The role drives leadership team effectiveness and OGSM delivery through disciplined planning, executive communication and follow-through on decisions.
Working across a global matrix, this leader identifies delivery risks and organizational gaps, brings external insight into R&D priorities, and mobilizes accountable owners to take action. The role coordinates delivery and recommends improvements within established decision rights, with the VP and RDLT retaining decision authority.
Key responsibilities
- Advise and prepare R&D leadership. Provide candid counsel to the CRDO and RDLT. Anticipate meeting and decision needs, bringing relevant context, analysis and market insight to support informed discussions.
- Drive leadership team effectiveness. Own the RDLT agenda and decision cadence in alignment with the CRDO. Facilitate RDLT Connect and Performance & Execution meetings, with clear decisions and follow-through.
- Monitor strategic delivery and readiness. Assess OGSM progress, technical readiness and risk at both project and aggregate levels. Integrate inputs from Strategy, PPM and functional teams to identify dependencies, areas requiring attention and escalation needs.
- Diagnose and address delivery gaps. Lead focused reviews with accountable owners to understand systemic causes of delivery challenges. Recommend corrective action and track agreed decisions and actions through closure.
- Lead executive communication and reporting. Develop presentations, briefings and management reporting for senior leadership reviews under the CRDO’s direction. Translate complex information into clear materials that support decisions.
- Bring external perspectives into R&D priorities. Use benchmarking and market intelligence to identify opportunity areas and inform strategic thinking, prioritization and organizational focus.
- Support organizational alignment and engagement. Identify and elevate organizational issues, represent the R&D perspective, and work with leaders to resolve gaps. Partner with Communications on leadership alignment, updates and town halls.
- Coordinate priority initiatives. Act as PMO for R&D priority workstreams and strategic initiatives, tracking milestones and dependencies, managing visibility of risks, and ensuring follow-through on open actions.
What we are looking for
Qualifications and experience
- A minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in engineering or science, with experience in consumer goods and/or R&D.
- A minimum of 8-10+ years of business experience, including leadership of complex initiatives in a global matrix organization.
- Director-level ability to lead through influence and secure action from accountable owners.
- Strong analytical judgment and business insight, including the ability to interpret market intelligence and diagnose delivery or organizational gaps.
- Executive presence, discretion and clear communication, with the ability to prepare effective senior leadership briefings.
- Strong situational awareness and stakeholder judgment, adapting counsel and escalating issues within established decision rights.
Measures of success
- OGSM delivery gaps and readiness risks trigger timely action, with agreed remediation, accountable owners and disciplined closure.
- The CRDO receives timely, accurate briefings and relevant external insight that support effective decisions, reflected in leadership feedback.
- Organizational issues progress to resolution, with clear follow-through and positive leadership feedback on R&D alignment and communication.
What’s in it for you
Annual base salary for new hires in this position ranges:
$202,300.00 - $285,600.00
This takes into account a number of factors including work location, the candidate’s skills, experience, education level & other job-related factors.
- Competitive Benefit Package*
- Paid Company Holidays, Paid Vacation, Volunteer Time & More!
- Learning & Development Opportunities
- Kenvuer Impact Networks
-
This list could vary based on location/region
-
Note: Total Rewards at Kenvue include salary, bonus (if applicable) and benefits. Your Talent Access Partner will be able to share more about our total rewards offerings and the specific salary range for the relevant location(s) during the recruitment & hiring process.
Kenvue is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment based on merit without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.
If you are an individual with a disability, please check our Disability Assistance page for information on how to request an accommodation.
INTRODUCTION
Kenvue is currently recruiting for a:
Dir, R&D Chief of Staff & Op Excellence
What we do
At Kenvue, we realize the extraordinary power of everyday care. Built on over a century of heritage and rooted in science, we’re the house of iconic brands - including NEUTROGENA®, AVEENO®, TYLENOL®, LISTERINE®, JOHNSON’S® and BAND-AID® that you already know and love. Science is our passion; care is our talent.
Who We Are
Our global team is ~ 22,000 brilliant people with a workplace culture where every voice matters, and every contribution is appreciated. We are passionate about insights, innovation and committed to delivering the best products to our customers. With expertise and empathy, being a Kenvuer means having the power to impact millions of people every day. We put people first, care fiercely, earn trust with science and solve with courage – and have brilliant opportunities waiting for you! Join us in shaping our future–and yours.
Role reports to:
VP Global Head of Innovation Portfolio and Project Management
LOCATION:
North America, United States, New Jersey, Summit
Work Location:
Hybrid
What you will do
The Director, R&D Chief of Staff & Operational Excellence serves as a trusted advisor to the CRDO and R&D Leadership Team (RDLT), helping leaders make informed decisions and deliver R&D priorities. The role drives leadership team effectiveness and OGSM delivery through disciplined planning, executive communication and follow-through on decisions.
Working across a global matrix, this leader identifies delivery risks and organizational gaps, brings external insight into R&D priorities, and mobilizes accountable owners to take action. The role coordinates delivery and recommends improvements within established decision rights, with the VP and RDLT retaining decision authority.
Key responsibilities
- Advise and prepare R&D leadership. Provide candid counsel to the CRDO and RDLT. Anticipate meeting and decision needs, bringing relevant context, analysis and market insight to support informed discussions.
- Drive leadership team effectiveness. Own the RDLT agenda and decision cadence in alignment with the CRDO. Facilitate RDLT Connect and Performance & Execution meetings, with clear decisions and follow-through.
- Monitor strategic delivery and readiness. Assess OGSM progress, technical readiness and risk at both project and aggregate levels. Integrate inputs from Strategy, PPM and functional teams to identify dependencies, areas requiring attention and escalation needs.
- Diagnose and address delivery gaps. Lead focused reviews with accountable owners to understand systemic causes of delivery challenges. Recommend corrective action and track agreed decisions and actions through closure.
- Lead executive communication and reporting. Develop presentations, briefings and management reporting for senior leadership reviews under the CRDO’s direction. Translate complex information into clear materials that support decisions.
- Bring external perspectives into R&D priorities. Use benchmarking and market intelligence to identify opportunity areas and inform strategic thinking, prioritization and organizational focus.
- Support organizational alignment and engagement. Identify and elevate organizational issues, represent the R&D perspective, and work with leaders to resolve gaps. Partner with Communications on leadership alignment, updates and town halls.
- Coordinate priority initiatives. Act as PMO for R&D priority workstreams and strategic initiatives, tracking milestones and dependencies, managing visibility of risks, and ensuring follow-through on open actions.
What we are looking for
Qualifications and experience
- A minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in engineering or science, with experience in consumer goods and/or R&D.
- A minimum of 8-10+ years of business experience, including leadership of complex initiatives in a global matrix organization.
- Director-level ability to lead through influence and secure action from accountable owners.
- Strong analytical judgment and business insight, including the ability to interpret market intelligence and diagnose delivery or organizational gaps.
- Executive presence, discretion and clear communication, with the ability to prepare effective senior leadership briefings.
- Strong situational awareness and stakeholder judgment, adapting counsel and escalating issues within established decision rights.
Measures of success
- OGSM delivery gaps and readiness risks trigger timely action, with agreed remediation, accountable owners and disciplined closure.
- The CRDO receives timely, accurate briefings and relevant external insight that support effective decisions, reflected in leadership feedback.
- Organizational issues progress to resolution, with clear follow-through and positive leadership feedback on R&D alignment and communication.
What’s in it for you
Annual base salary for new hires in this position ranges:
$202,300.00 - $285,600.00
This takes into account a number of factors including work location, the candidate’s skills, experience, education level & other job-related factors.
- Competitive Benefit Package*
- Paid Company Holidays, Paid Vacation, Volunteer Time & More!
- Learning & Development Opportunities
- Kenvuer Impact Networks
-
This list could vary based on location/region
-
Note: Total Rewards at Kenvue include salary, bonus (if applicable) and benefits. Your Talent Access Partner will be able to share more about our total rewards offerings and the specific salary range for the relevant location(s) during the recruitment & hiring process.
Kenvue is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment based on merit without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.
If you are an individual with a disability, please check our Disability Assistance page for information on how to request an accommodation.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding H-1B Visa Sponsorship in R&D Director
Align your credentials with specialty occupation standards
Pull the R&D Director O*NET profile and confirm your degree field maps directly to the technical disciplines listed. USCIS scrutinizes director-level petitions for degree relevance, so a mismatch between your credentials and the role's core science or engineering duties is the most common RFE trigger.
Target employers with active LCA filing history
Use Migrate Mate to identify companies that have filed Labor Condition Applications for R&D Director or equivalent titles. Employers already running LCA filings for research leadership roles have established HR processes and are far less likely to withdraw sponsorship mid-process.
Verify prevailing wage tier before accepting an offer
Run your offered title and work location through the OFLC Wage Search to confirm the wage level. R&D Director roles typically fall at Level III or IV. An offer pegged below the certified prevailing wage will block LCA approval, regardless of how competitive the total compensation looks.
Confirm each worksite gets its own certified LCA
If your role spans multiple research facilities or lab sites, your employer must file a separate LCA for each worksite location before USCIS can approve the I-129 petition. Multi-site R&D structures are common at large tech and pharma companies, so flag this early in negotiations.
Account for cap-subject timing in your job search
Most R&D Director roles at private companies fall under the H-1B annual cap. The selection rules have changed recently, so check USCIS for current registration requirements. Build your timeline around the registration window to avoid accepting an offer you can't activate for over a year.
Prepare technical documentation before the offer stage
Gather published research, patents, conference proceedings, and any peer-reviewed work before you're in active negotiations. USCIS often requests this evidence to substantiate that a director role requires specialized theoretical knowledge, not just managerial experience.
H-1B Visa R&D Director: Frequently Asked Questions
Does an R&D Director role qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B purposes?
Yes. R&D Director positions typically qualify because they require at least a bachelor's degree in engineering, science, or a directly related technical discipline to perform the core duties. USCIS looks at whether the role requires specialized knowledge rather than general management ability, so your employer's job description should emphasize technical oversight and domain expertise.
How do I find R&D Director jobs at employers who actually sponsor H-1B visas?
Search Migrate Mate for R&D Director roles filtered by employers with verified H-1B LCA filing history. Focusing on companies that have already certified Labor Condition Applications for research leadership titles saves time and reduces the risk of pursuing employers who are unfamiliar with the sponsorship process or unwilling to file.
What documents should I have ready when an employer agrees to sponsor my H-1B?
Provide your academic transcripts, degree certificates, and any credential evaluations for foreign degrees. For an R&D Director role, also compile publications, patents, project portfolios, and reference letters from prior supervisors that confirm your technical specialization. These documents support both the LCA filing with DOL and the I-129 petition USCIS reviews.
Can my H-1B status continue if I move from one R&D Director role to another?
Yes, but your new employer must file a new I-129 petition before your start date under the H-1B portability rules, which allow you to begin work once the new petition is filed, provided you've maintained valid status. Each role requires its own LCA certified for the specific worksite and wage level before the petition is submitted to USCIS.
How long does H-1B status last for an R&D Director position?
USCIS grants initial H-1B status for up to three years, with one extension available for a maximum of six years. R&D directors pursuing a green card through employment can often extend beyond six years if a PERM labor certification or I-140 petition has been pending or approved, but that pathway requires separate employer-sponsored filings.