H-1B Visa Research and Development Associate Jobs
Research and Development Associate jobs at H-1B visa-sponsoring employers typically qualify as specialty occupations, requiring at least a bachelor's degree in a directly related scientific, engineering, or technical field. Employers file an LCA with DOL and an I-129 petition with USCIS, granting status for up to three years, extendable to a six-year maximum.
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Get Access To All JobsDepartment:
Research & Development
Location:
Main Plant
City:
Jerome
State/Territory:
Idaho
Reports to:
Ice Cream R&D Manager
Employment status:
Full time
FLSA Status:
Exempt
Shifts:
Day Shift
# of openings:
1
SHIFT:
- Days, Monday through Friday
- Subject to change according to business needs.
BENEFITS:
- We are delighted to offer a comprehensive benefits package that encompasses Medical, Dental, Vision, Disability, Life Insurance, Flexible Spending Accounts, Supplemental Insurance, Vacation, Holiday Pay, Personal Time Off (PTO), and a 401(k) plan with a company match. Eligibility and waiting periods may apply.
Position Summary:
We are seeking a skilled and innovative Ice Cream R&D Associate Scientist to formulate, design, and execute experimental trials, and optimize processes for ice cream blends and frozen dessert products. This role will also drive scale-up activities from lab to pre-commercial scale, ensuring product quality and consistency. Additionally, this position involves creating recipes, optimizing flavor, texture, and stability, while ensuring compliance with food safety and quality standards. The ideal candidate will possess a strong foundation in dairy processing and engineering, as well as hands-on experience with conventional hard-packed, soft-serve dry blends, and novelty ice creams or frozen desserts. You will collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to drive product development from concept to commercialization. This is an exciting opportunity to be a part of a cutting-edge greenfield project, playing a key role in building a state-of-the-art ice cream facility. The position offers a dynamic, collaborative work environment that fosters creativity, innovation, and professional growth.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS, DUTIES AND PERFORMANCE RESPONSIBILITIES:
Formulation, Product Development, and Scale-up
- Research and select appropriate high-quality clean-label ingredients, develop recipes, and match nutritional and ingredients guardrails using TechWizard. Optimize the dry blends and liquid base formulas as required.
- Assist in executing new product development projects from concept through launch, including formulation, sensory, nutritional, stability, shelf-life, and scale-up.
- Improve existing testing methods, processes, and SOPs for dry ice cream blends, conventional as well as novelty ice cream, and frozen desserts.
- Investigate new flavors, inclusions, variegates, dry blends, and innovative preparation, processing, and storage techniques. Stay current on regulatory requirements, technology, and industry trends.
Documentation & Compliance
- Create, organize, and store files and folders with clear structure, consistent naming conventions, access control, and security for various project reports, and are not limited to email communication, meeting minutes, product formulation, ingredient guardrails, processing details, and lab reports.
- Ensure all formulations adhere to regulatory standards and requirements.
- Communicate technical results and insights effectively to cross-functional teams.
Ingredient Management
- Research on emerging ingredients trends and market dynamics.
- Coordinate with the purchasing and procurement division to manage ingredient inventory.
- Organize ingredient specifications and certification documents, follow good storage practices, and create an ingredients database.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Coordinate with Marketing, Sales, Supply Chain, and Manufacturing to deliver customer-driven services.
- Coordinate, organize, and conduct sensory trials and hands-on training for the sales and marketing team to support business aspects of product development and application suggestions.
- Support the sales and marketing team in business promotion activities.
Project Management
- Manage multiple customer projects – scheduling test trials, maintaining resource inventory, mentoring R&D technicians, and coordinating with the pilot plant and laboratory personnel for system efficiency and effectiveness.
- Utilize project management tools to track project progress and contribute to business objectives.
- Continuously seek areas of improvement, including time saving for process and product innovation.
POSITION SPECIFICATIONS AND QUALIFICATIONS:
Education:
- Bachelor’s degree or MS degree in dairy science, food science and technology, food engineering, or a relevant field.
Experience:
- 6+ years with a bachelor’s degree and 3+ years with an MS degree.
- Skillset in dairy processing and dairy product development, especially in ice cream and frozen desserts.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Track record in dry ice cream blends formulation, clean-label ice cream, novelties, and frozen desserts development.
- Background in dairy science, dairy technology, or dairy engineering.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Technical Expertise:
- Knowledge and experience in handling dry blends and ice cream ingredients.
- Experience and passion in operating ice cream blending and processing equipment. Other food engineering and technical problem-solving skills are a plus.
Regulatory Knowledge:
- Experience working with FDA, GMPs, HACCP, and food labeling requirements.
Software Skills:
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, with experience in formulation software or related specification systems, is a plus.
Soft Skills:
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, project management, communication, and teamwork abilities to collaborate effectively with internal and external stakeholders.
Physical Requirements:
- Reaching: Extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction. Picking, pinching, typing, or otherwise working, primarily with fingers rather than with the whole hand or arm as in handling.
- Walking: occasional moving about on foot to accomplish some tasks.
- Talking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word. Includes activities in which they must accurately, loudly, or quickly convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers.
- Subject to up to at least 92db’s. Must be able to lift up to 50lbs occasionally.
- Stand for long periods of time.
If you’re excited about this opportunity, we invite you to apply by visiting our website at www.idahomilkproducts.com.
Department:
Research & Development
Location:
Main Plant
City:
Jerome
State/Territory:
Idaho
Reports to:
Ice Cream R&D Manager
Employment status:
Full time
FLSA Status:
Exempt
Shifts:
Day Shift
# of openings:
1
SHIFT:
- Days, Monday through Friday
- Subject to change according to business needs.
BENEFITS:
- We are delighted to offer a comprehensive benefits package that encompasses Medical, Dental, Vision, Disability, Life Insurance, Flexible Spending Accounts, Supplemental Insurance, Vacation, Holiday Pay, Personal Time Off (PTO), and a 401(k) plan with a company match. Eligibility and waiting periods may apply.
Position Summary:
We are seeking a skilled and innovative Ice Cream R&D Associate Scientist to formulate, design, and execute experimental trials, and optimize processes for ice cream blends and frozen dessert products. This role will also drive scale-up activities from lab to pre-commercial scale, ensuring product quality and consistency. Additionally, this position involves creating recipes, optimizing flavor, texture, and stability, while ensuring compliance with food safety and quality standards. The ideal candidate will possess a strong foundation in dairy processing and engineering, as well as hands-on experience with conventional hard-packed, soft-serve dry blends, and novelty ice creams or frozen desserts. You will collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to drive product development from concept to commercialization. This is an exciting opportunity to be a part of a cutting-edge greenfield project, playing a key role in building a state-of-the-art ice cream facility. The position offers a dynamic, collaborative work environment that fosters creativity, innovation, and professional growth.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS, DUTIES AND PERFORMANCE RESPONSIBILITIES:
Formulation, Product Development, and Scale-up
- Research and select appropriate high-quality clean-label ingredients, develop recipes, and match nutritional and ingredients guardrails using TechWizard. Optimize the dry blends and liquid base formulas as required.
- Assist in executing new product development projects from concept through launch, including formulation, sensory, nutritional, stability, shelf-life, and scale-up.
- Improve existing testing methods, processes, and SOPs for dry ice cream blends, conventional as well as novelty ice cream, and frozen desserts.
- Investigate new flavors, inclusions, variegates, dry blends, and innovative preparation, processing, and storage techniques. Stay current on regulatory requirements, technology, and industry trends.
Documentation & Compliance
- Create, organize, and store files and folders with clear structure, consistent naming conventions, access control, and security for various project reports, and are not limited to email communication, meeting minutes, product formulation, ingredient guardrails, processing details, and lab reports.
- Ensure all formulations adhere to regulatory standards and requirements.
- Communicate technical results and insights effectively to cross-functional teams.
Ingredient Management
- Research on emerging ingredients trends and market dynamics.
- Coordinate with the purchasing and procurement division to manage ingredient inventory.
- Organize ingredient specifications and certification documents, follow good storage practices, and create an ingredients database.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Coordinate with Marketing, Sales, Supply Chain, and Manufacturing to deliver customer-driven services.
- Coordinate, organize, and conduct sensory trials and hands-on training for the sales and marketing team to support business aspects of product development and application suggestions.
- Support the sales and marketing team in business promotion activities.
Project Management
- Manage multiple customer projects – scheduling test trials, maintaining resource inventory, mentoring R&D technicians, and coordinating with the pilot plant and laboratory personnel for system efficiency and effectiveness.
- Utilize project management tools to track project progress and contribute to business objectives.
- Continuously seek areas of improvement, including time saving for process and product innovation.
POSITION SPECIFICATIONS AND QUALIFICATIONS:
Education:
- Bachelor’s degree or MS degree in dairy science, food science and technology, food engineering, or a relevant field.
Experience:
- 6+ years with a bachelor’s degree and 3+ years with an MS degree.
- Skillset in dairy processing and dairy product development, especially in ice cream and frozen desserts.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Track record in dry ice cream blends formulation, clean-label ice cream, novelties, and frozen desserts development.
- Background in dairy science, dairy technology, or dairy engineering.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Technical Expertise:
- Knowledge and experience in handling dry blends and ice cream ingredients.
- Experience and passion in operating ice cream blending and processing equipment. Other food engineering and technical problem-solving skills are a plus.
Regulatory Knowledge:
- Experience working with FDA, GMPs, HACCP, and food labeling requirements.
Software Skills:
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, with experience in formulation software or related specification systems, is a plus.
Soft Skills:
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, project management, communication, and teamwork abilities to collaborate effectively with internal and external stakeholders.
Physical Requirements:
- Reaching: Extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction. Picking, pinching, typing, or otherwise working, primarily with fingers rather than with the whole hand or arm as in handling.
- Walking: occasional moving about on foot to accomplish some tasks.
- Talking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word. Includes activities in which they must accurately, loudly, or quickly convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers.
- Subject to up to at least 92db’s. Must be able to lift up to 50lbs occasionally.
- Stand for long periods of time.
If you’re excited about this opportunity, we invite you to apply by visiting our website at www.idahomilkproducts.com.
See all 13,907+ H-1B Visa Research and Development Associate Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new H-1B Visa Research and Development Associate Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding H-1B Visa Sponsorship as a Research and Development Associate
Align your degree to your R&D duties
USCIS scrutinizes whether your specific degree field directly relates to your R&D tasks. Document how your coursework connects to the lab methods, protocols, or technical domains in the job description before the petition is filed.
Look up prevailing wages before negotiating
Use the OFLC Wage Search to find the prevailing wage for your SOC code and work location. Your offer must meet or exceed that level on the certified LCA, so knowing the floor before salary discussions protects both you and your employer.
Target employers with active R&D LCA filings
Search Migrate Mate to find employers who have certified LCAs for research and development roles. Active filing history signals that HR and legal teams already understand the H-1B process, reducing delays caused by first-time sponsor learning curves.
Confirm each worksite has its own certified LCA
If your R&D role involves rotating between facilities, field sites, or partner labs, each worksite needs its own DOL-certified LCA. Raise this with your employer early so the petition covers every location where you'll perform work.
Verify your O*NET job zone before accepting an offer
Check the O*NET profile for your specific R&D title to confirm the occupation sits in Job Zone 4 or 5, which supports the specialty occupation argument. Titles in lower zones may require the employer to build a stronger degree-requirement justification.
File premium processing if your project timeline is firm
If you're joining a grant-funded study, clinical trial, or product development sprint with a hard start date, ask your employer about premium processing with USCIS. It speeds adjudication to 15 business days, reducing the risk of project delays caused by petition backlog.
H-1B Visa Research and Development Associate: Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Research and Development Associate role qualify as an H-1B specialty occupation?
Yes, Research and Development Associate positions typically qualify as specialty occupations because they require at least a bachelor's degree in a directly related field such as chemistry, biology, engineering, or materials science. The employer must demonstrate in the LCA and I-129 petition that the role requires this specific theoretical and practical knowledge, not just general experience.
How do I find employers who actively sponsor H-1B visas for R&D roles?
Browse Migrate Mate to identify employers with verified LCA filing history for research and development positions. Prioritizing companies that have already certified LCAs for similar roles means their legal and HR teams are familiar with the process, which speeds up petition timelines and reduces the chance of errors on your I-129 filing.
Can my employer use one LCA if I work across multiple research sites?
No. Each distinct worksite where you perform H-1B duties requires its own certified LCA filed with DOL. If your R&D role involves work at multiple laboratories, facilities, or client sites, your employer must certify a separate LCA for each location before you begin work there, or amend the petition as new sites are added.
What happens to my H-1B status if my research grant or project ends early?
If your position is eliminated or the funding ends, your employer must notify USCIS and withdraw the petition. You then have a 60-day grace period to find a new H-1B-sponsoring employer, change to another valid status, or depart the United States. H-1B status is tied to that specific employer and role, not to the visa category broadly.
Does my three-year bachelor's degree from outside the United States satisfy the specialty occupation requirement?
A three-year foreign bachelor's degree may satisfy the requirement if a credential evaluation confirms it is equivalent to a U.S. four-year bachelor's degree in the relevant field. USCIS reviews these evaluations case by case. Some R&D employers also accept a combination of a two-year degree plus substantial work experience in the specific discipline when the evaluation alone is insufficient.