H-1B Visa Research Jobs
Research roles in the U.S. span academia, biopharma, think tanks, and federal contractors, and most require at least a master's degree in a directly related field to qualify as a specialty occupation under H-1B visa. Many research positions also fall under cap-exempt institutions, which means no lottery and faster timelines.
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Get Access To All JobsYour Impact at LILA
The Senior Research Associate, Cell Culture Operations will be responsible for the day-to-day execution and maintenance of mammalian cell culture activities that support LILA's research programs. This is a highly hands-on role focused on reliability, consistency, and operational excellence. The ideal candidate brings strong bench fundamentals, meticulous documentation habits, and the ability to support the translation of manual workflows into automation-compatible processes as LILA's capabilities evolve.
What You'll Be Building
- Perform routine and advanced mammalian cell culture (maintenance, expansion, passaging, cryopreservation, thawing) across adherent and suspension cultures spanning a wide variety of cell types (immortalized lines, primary cells, stem cell–derived cultures, patient-derived lines, co-cultures, etc.); monitor cell health, adapt culture conditions for sensitive/non-standard cell types, and troubleshoot issues as they arise
- Manage cell banks (inventory, quality checks, characterization records such as STR profiling and mycoplasma status) and coordinate reagent/consumable procurement to ensure uninterrupted cell supply for research and platform teams
- Perform flow cytometry / FACS acquisition and analysis for cell characterization and quality checks
- Help bring cell culture onto our automated platform — translating manual protocols into automated/semi-automated workflows, executing and troubleshooting runs, and verifying performance against manual benchmarks
- Operate liquid handlers and other automated/semi-automated lab systems hands-on for cell culture and downstream workflows
- Author and improve SOPs to streamline operations, reduce variability, and improve consistency across cell types and workflows
- Coordinate with research and platform teams on cell supply needs and timelines, support onboarding of new cell types, and analyze/present cell culture and cell health data (e.g., viability statistic gates, trend monitoring) to stakeholders
- Maintain a clean, safe, and organized lab in accordance with biosafety guidelines (e.g., BSL-2), and mentor/train junior Research Associates on aseptic technique, cell-type-specific handling, and automated workflow execution
What You'll Need To Succeed
- Bachelor's degree in Biology, Cell Biology, Biochemistry, or related life sciences field with 4+ years of relevant hands-on cell culture experience, or Master's degree with 2+ years of experience
- Demonstrated experience culturing a broad range of mammalian cell types — including primary cells, stem cells, iPSC-derived cells, or other sensitive/complex cultures — with strong aseptic technique and a track record of maintaining healthy, contamination-free cultures across varied conditions
- Comfort working across multiple concurrent projects with shifting priorities and cell types in a research (non-GMP) environment, independently troubleshooting culture issues and diagnosing subtle changes in cell health or behavior
- Hands-on experience with flow cytometry / FACS acquisition and analysis, and with liquid handlers or other automated/semi-automated lab systems
- Comfort with data analysis, presentation, and interpreting cell health statistics/gating, along with excellent documentation habits (ELN or similar record-keeping systems)
- Excellent communicator and collaborator, able to work with scientists across research programs as well as partner with automation, software, data, and robotics teams to translate cell culture needs into platform requirements
Bonus Points For
- Experience with primary cell isolation, expansion, or maintenance (e.g., PBMCs, hepatocytes, neurons, cell lines), including iPSC culture, differentiation protocols, or 3D culture systems
- Familiarity with cell line authentication and quality control practices (STR profiling, mycoplasma testing)
- Experience developing and validating new culture protocols from the literature or from scratch, in a shared/core lab or multi-project R&D support role
- Experience translating manual cell culture protocols into automated or semi-automated workflows, along with reagent/consumable inventory management or procurement coordination
- Comfort using AI-native tools for troubleshooting, data analysis, and workflow support
Compensation
We offer competitive base compensation with bonus potential and generous early-stage equity. Your final offer will reflect your background, expertise, and expected impact.
U.S. Benefits.
Full-time U.S. employees receive a comprehensive benefits program including medical, dental, and vision coverage; employer-paid life and disability insurance; flexible time off with generous company wide holidays; paid parental leave; an educational assistance program; commuter benefits, including bike share memberships for office based employees; and a company subsidized lunch program.
International Benefits.
Full-time employees outside the U.S. receive a comprehensive benefits program tailored to their region. USD salary ranges apply only to U.S.-based positions; international salaries are set to local market.
Expected Base Salary Range: $80,000 USD - $102,000 USD
About LILA
Lila Sciences is building Scientific Superintelligence™ to solve humankind's greatest challenges. We believe science is the most inspiring frontier for AI. Rather than hard-coding expert knowledge into tools, LILA builds systems that can learn for themselves. LILA combines advanced AI models with proprietary AI Science Factory™ instruments into an operating system for science that executes the entire scientific method autonomously, accelerating discovery at unprecedented speed, scale, and impact across medicine, materials, and energy. Guided by our core values of truth, trust, curiosity, grit, and velocity, we move with startup speed while tackling problems of historic importance. If this sounds like an environment you'd love to work in, even if you don't meet every qualification listed above, we encourage you to apply.
We’re All In
Lila Sciences is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. Information you provide during your application process will be handled in accordance with our Candidate Privacy Policy.
A Note to Agencies
Lila Sciences does not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than candidates. The submission of unsolicited resumes by recruitment or staffing agencies to Lila Sciences or its employees is strictly prohibited unless contacted directly by Lila Science’s internal Talent Acquisition team. Any resume submitted by an agency in the absence of a signed agreement will automatically become the property of Lila Sciences, and Lila Sciences will not owe any referral or other fees with respect thereto.
Your Impact at LILA
The Senior Research Associate, Cell Culture Operations will be responsible for the day-to-day execution and maintenance of mammalian cell culture activities that support LILA's research programs. This is a highly hands-on role focused on reliability, consistency, and operational excellence. The ideal candidate brings strong bench fundamentals, meticulous documentation habits, and the ability to support the translation of manual workflows into automation-compatible processes as LILA's capabilities evolve.
What You'll Be Building
- Perform routine and advanced mammalian cell culture (maintenance, expansion, passaging, cryopreservation, thawing) across adherent and suspension cultures spanning a wide variety of cell types (immortalized lines, primary cells, stem cell–derived cultures, patient-derived lines, co-cultures, etc.); monitor cell health, adapt culture conditions for sensitive/non-standard cell types, and troubleshoot issues as they arise
- Manage cell banks (inventory, quality checks, characterization records such as STR profiling and mycoplasma status) and coordinate reagent/consumable procurement to ensure uninterrupted cell supply for research and platform teams
- Perform flow cytometry / FACS acquisition and analysis for cell characterization and quality checks
- Help bring cell culture onto our automated platform — translating manual protocols into automated/semi-automated workflows, executing and troubleshooting runs, and verifying performance against manual benchmarks
- Operate liquid handlers and other automated/semi-automated lab systems hands-on for cell culture and downstream workflows
- Author and improve SOPs to streamline operations, reduce variability, and improve consistency across cell types and workflows
- Coordinate with research and platform teams on cell supply needs and timelines, support onboarding of new cell types, and analyze/present cell culture and cell health data (e.g., viability statistic gates, trend monitoring) to stakeholders
- Maintain a clean, safe, and organized lab in accordance with biosafety guidelines (e.g., BSL-2), and mentor/train junior Research Associates on aseptic technique, cell-type-specific handling, and automated workflow execution
What You'll Need To Succeed
- Bachelor's degree in Biology, Cell Biology, Biochemistry, or related life sciences field with 4+ years of relevant hands-on cell culture experience, or Master's degree with 2+ years of experience
- Demonstrated experience culturing a broad range of mammalian cell types — including primary cells, stem cells, iPSC-derived cells, or other sensitive/complex cultures — with strong aseptic technique and a track record of maintaining healthy, contamination-free cultures across varied conditions
- Comfort working across multiple concurrent projects with shifting priorities and cell types in a research (non-GMP) environment, independently troubleshooting culture issues and diagnosing subtle changes in cell health or behavior
- Hands-on experience with flow cytometry / FACS acquisition and analysis, and with liquid handlers or other automated/semi-automated lab systems
- Comfort with data analysis, presentation, and interpreting cell health statistics/gating, along with excellent documentation habits (ELN or similar record-keeping systems)
- Excellent communicator and collaborator, able to work with scientists across research programs as well as partner with automation, software, data, and robotics teams to translate cell culture needs into platform requirements
Bonus Points For
- Experience with primary cell isolation, expansion, or maintenance (e.g., PBMCs, hepatocytes, neurons, cell lines), including iPSC culture, differentiation protocols, or 3D culture systems
- Familiarity with cell line authentication and quality control practices (STR profiling, mycoplasma testing)
- Experience developing and validating new culture protocols from the literature or from scratch, in a shared/core lab or multi-project R&D support role
- Experience translating manual cell culture protocols into automated or semi-automated workflows, along with reagent/consumable inventory management or procurement coordination
- Comfort using AI-native tools for troubleshooting, data analysis, and workflow support
Compensation
We offer competitive base compensation with bonus potential and generous early-stage equity. Your final offer will reflect your background, expertise, and expected impact.
U.S. Benefits.
Full-time U.S. employees receive a comprehensive benefits program including medical, dental, and vision coverage; employer-paid life and disability insurance; flexible time off with generous company wide holidays; paid parental leave; an educational assistance program; commuter benefits, including bike share memberships for office based employees; and a company subsidized lunch program.
International Benefits.
Full-time employees outside the U.S. receive a comprehensive benefits program tailored to their region. USD salary ranges apply only to U.S.-based positions; international salaries are set to local market.
Expected Base Salary Range: $80,000 USD - $102,000 USD
About LILA
Lila Sciences is building Scientific Superintelligence™ to solve humankind's greatest challenges. We believe science is the most inspiring frontier for AI. Rather than hard-coding expert knowledge into tools, LILA builds systems that can learn for themselves. LILA combines advanced AI models with proprietary AI Science Factory™ instruments into an operating system for science that executes the entire scientific method autonomously, accelerating discovery at unprecedented speed, scale, and impact across medicine, materials, and energy. Guided by our core values of truth, trust, curiosity, grit, and velocity, we move with startup speed while tackling problems of historic importance. If this sounds like an environment you'd love to work in, even if you don't meet every qualification listed above, we encourage you to apply.
We’re All In
Lila Sciences is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. Information you provide during your application process will be handled in accordance with our Candidate Privacy Policy.
A Note to Agencies
Lila Sciences does not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than candidates. The submission of unsolicited resumes by recruitment or staffing agencies to Lila Sciences or its employees is strictly prohibited unless contacted directly by Lila Science’s internal Talent Acquisition team. Any resume submitted by an agency in the absence of a signed agreement will automatically become the property of Lila Sciences, and Lila Sciences will not owe any referral or other fees with respect thereto.
See all 25,972+ H-1B Visa Research Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new H-1B Visa Research Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding H-1B Visa Sponsorship in Research
Align your credentials to specialty occupation
Pull your role's O*NET job zone classification before applying. Research positions often require a specific discipline, so a degree in biology won't support a materials science role. Gather credential evaluation letters now if your degree is from outside the U.S.
Target cap-exempt employers first
Universities, nonprofit research institutions, and government-affiliated labs are cap-exempt, meaning your employer files the H-1B petition any time of year with no lottery. This matters if you're on a tight OPT timeline or need to start before October 1.
Search verified H-1B sponsors on Migrate Mate
Filter by research job titles on Migrate Mate to find employers with active H-1B LCA filing history for your specific occupation code, so you're not guessing about sponsorship willingness before you apply.
Verify prevailing wage before negotiating an offer
Use the OFLC Wage Search to look up the Level I through Level IV prevailing wages for your research title and work location. Your offered salary must meet the certified LCA wage, so knowing the floor before negotiations protects your petition.
Ask about H-1B timing during the offer stage
Confirm whether the employer files cap-subject or cap-exempt petitions, and whether they cover premium processing. Research grant-funded roles sometimes have start-date constraints tied to funding cycles that compress the standard USCIS processing window.
Document publications and grants for the specialty occupation case
USCIS scrutinizes research roles closely, particularly when job duties span multiple disciplines. Peer-reviewed publications, grant awards, and institutional affiliations strengthen the employer's evidence that the position requires a specific degree in a directly related field.
H-1B Visa Research: Frequently Asked Questions
Do research positions at universities qualify as cap-exempt H-1B sponsorship?
Yes, if the employer is an institution of higher education, a nonprofit affiliated with one, or a nonprofit research organization, the H-1B petition is cap-exempt. That means no lottery, no October 1 start-date requirement, and the employer can file at any point in the year. Confirm the institution's cap-exempt status with HR before accepting an offer, since affiliated entities don't always qualify automatically.
What makes a research role qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B?
USCIS requires that the position normally requires at least a bachelor's degree in a specific and directly related field. For research roles, that means the job description must tie the degree requirement to a particular discipline, not just any science or engineering background. Positions where a range of degrees could satisfy the requirement are vulnerable to Requests for Evidence, so specificity in the job description matters.
How do I find employers who actually sponsor H-1B visas for research jobs?
Migrate Mate surfaces employers with verified H-1B LCA filing history filtered by occupation code, so you can identify which institutions and companies have sponsored research roles matching your background. This is more reliable than assuming sponsorship based on employer size or reputation, since filing patterns vary widely even among large research organizations.
Can I switch research employers mid-H-1B without losing my status?
Yes, H-1B portability under AC21 lets you start working for a new employer as soon as the new H-1B petition is filed, provided your current petition has been approved and you've maintained lawful status. The new employer files an H-1B transfer petition with USCIS, and you don't need to wait for approval before starting. Grant-funded positions require extra attention because the petition must reflect the actual employing institution, not just the principal investigator's lab.
What happens to my H-1B if my research grant funding runs out?
If your position is eliminated because the grant ends, you enter the 60-day grace period from your last day of employment. During those 60 days, you can file for a change of status, a new H-1B with a different employer, or departure. Research roles tied to specific grants are higher-risk in this regard, so it's worth clarifying whether the employer has a history of bridging researchers to institutional funding when external grants expire.