H-1B Visa Research and Development Specialist Jobs
H-1B visa jobs for Research and Development Specialists sit squarely within specialty occupation territory, requiring at least a bachelor's degree in a directly related field such as chemistry, biology, engineering, or materials science. Employers file a Labor Condition Application with DOL and an I-129 petition with USCIS, sponsoring your status for up to three years.
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The School of Arts and Sciences (A&S) is committed to excellence in teaching, research, scholarship, creative activity, and student success across the arts, humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, mathematics, and interdisciplinary programs. The A&S Dean's Office provides academic and administrative leadership across the school's departments and programs, including undergraduate and graduate education, faculty affairs, student support, and strategic planning.
WHAT YOU'LL DO:
Reporting to the Dean of Research for Arts and Sciences (A&S), the Research and Outreach Specialist supports the school's research mission by partnering with the Dean of Research and supporting faculty across all A&S departments and programs. The Specialist helps faculty identify targeted funding opportunities, supports grant proposal writing and grantsmanship, and coordinates outreach and broader impact programs. The position works in close partnership with the Office of University Research & Innovation (OURI), the Strategic Research Development office, and the Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations (CFR) to maximize impact and advance the school's research priorities. Additionally, the position works collaboratively with the A&S Deans of Academic Affairs and the A&S Research Administrators, as appropriate, as projects are developed.
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Funding identification and faculty engagement:
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Engage and work with A&S faculty across all departments and disciplines to identify targeted federal and non-federal funding opportunities, leveraging AI-assisted search tools and external databases.
- Partner with the OURI Strategic Research Development office and the Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations to maximize the scope and impact of funding identification efforts.
-
Develop and maintain knowledge of the funding landscape across A&S disciplines, including arts, humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences.
-
Grant proposal writing and grantsmanship support:
-
Partner with the OURI Strategic Research Development office to support faculty in grant proposal writing and grantsmanship, with an emphasis on early-career faculty.
-
Provide direct one-on-one support to faculty navigating proposal development, including writing, editing, and strategic advice on proposal structure and content.
-
Outreach and broader impacts coordination:
-
Coordinate outreach and broader impacts programs across A&S departments.
- Partner with the OURI Strategic Research Development office to develop comprehensive guidance on A&S outreach activities that can be leveraged for broader impacts statements in grant proposals.
- Expand and support outreach programs across departments, enhancing Tufts' reputation as an active community partner in coordination with Tufts Community Relations.
- Serve as a primary contact for outreach opportunities from A&S departments.
-
Work with faculty to prepare reports demonstrating measurable results, including assessment of outreach programs and monitoring of recruitment outcomes.
-
Research community and centers of excellence support:
-
Provide administrative support for efforts to identify and establish A&S centers and areas of excellence.
-
Organize workshops, seminars, and other convenings to bring together A&S faculty around related areas of research and interdisciplinary opportunity.
-
Research communications and web presence:
-
Maintain and update the A&S Research Administration webpage, serving as a repository of research-related resources and a platform for efficient dissemination of research information to faculty.
BASIC REQUIREMENTS:
- Knowledge and experience typically acquired by: Bachelor's Degree
- Experience with grant writing, proposal development, or research administration in an academic or research institution
- Demonstrated ability to work with faculty across different disciplines and career stages.
- Experience managing multiple concurrent projects with competing priorities
- Excellent written and oral communication skills, including strong editing and proposal writing abilities
- Ability to work independently and manage a complex, varied workload with minimal supervision
- Experience using AI tools and large language models (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude) for targeted research and information synthesis
- Strong interpersonal skills and professional demeanor; ability to build effective working relationships with faculty, administrators, and external partners
- Familiarity with federal and non-federal funding landscapes and grant mechanisms across multiple disciplines
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Master's Degree
- Experience supporting outreach or broader impacts programs associated with externally funded research
- Familiarity with research administration systems
- Experience working across a range of academic disciplines in a research university setting
SALARY RANGE:
Minimum $61,200.00, Midpoint $76,500.00, Maximum $91,800.00
Overview:
The School of Arts and Sciences (A&S) is committed to excellence in teaching, research, scholarship, creative activity, and student success across the arts, humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, mathematics, and interdisciplinary programs. The A&S Dean's Office provides academic and administrative leadership across the school's departments and programs, including undergraduate and graduate education, faculty affairs, student support, and strategic planning.
WHAT YOU'LL DO:
Reporting to the Dean of Research for Arts and Sciences (A&S), the Research and Outreach Specialist supports the school's research mission by partnering with the Dean of Research and supporting faculty across all A&S departments and programs. The Specialist helps faculty identify targeted funding opportunities, supports grant proposal writing and grantsmanship, and coordinates outreach and broader impact programs. The position works in close partnership with the Office of University Research & Innovation (OURI), the Strategic Research Development office, and the Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations (CFR) to maximize impact and advance the school's research priorities. Additionally, the position works collaboratively with the A&S Deans of Academic Affairs and the A&S Research Administrators, as appropriate, as projects are developed.
-
Funding identification and faculty engagement:
-
Engage and work with A&S faculty across all departments and disciplines to identify targeted federal and non-federal funding opportunities, leveraging AI-assisted search tools and external databases.
- Partner with the OURI Strategic Research Development office and the Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations to maximize the scope and impact of funding identification efforts.
-
Develop and maintain knowledge of the funding landscape across A&S disciplines, including arts, humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences.
-
Grant proposal writing and grantsmanship support:
-
Partner with the OURI Strategic Research Development office to support faculty in grant proposal writing and grantsmanship, with an emphasis on early-career faculty.
-
Provide direct one-on-one support to faculty navigating proposal development, including writing, editing, and strategic advice on proposal structure and content.
-
Outreach and broader impacts coordination:
-
Coordinate outreach and broader impacts programs across A&S departments.
- Partner with the OURI Strategic Research Development office to develop comprehensive guidance on A&S outreach activities that can be leveraged for broader impacts statements in grant proposals.
- Expand and support outreach programs across departments, enhancing Tufts' reputation as an active community partner in coordination with Tufts Community Relations.
- Serve as a primary contact for outreach opportunities from A&S departments.
-
Work with faculty to prepare reports demonstrating measurable results, including assessment of outreach programs and monitoring of recruitment outcomes.
-
Research community and centers of excellence support:
-
Provide administrative support for efforts to identify and establish A&S centers and areas of excellence.
-
Organize workshops, seminars, and other convenings to bring together A&S faculty around related areas of research and interdisciplinary opportunity.
-
Research communications and web presence:
-
Maintain and update the A&S Research Administration webpage, serving as a repository of research-related resources and a platform for efficient dissemination of research information to faculty.
BASIC REQUIREMENTS:
- Knowledge and experience typically acquired by: Bachelor's Degree
- Experience with grant writing, proposal development, or research administration in an academic or research institution
- Demonstrated ability to work with faculty across different disciplines and career stages.
- Experience managing multiple concurrent projects with competing priorities
- Excellent written and oral communication skills, including strong editing and proposal writing abilities
- Ability to work independently and manage a complex, varied workload with minimal supervision
- Experience using AI tools and large language models (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude) for targeted research and information synthesis
- Strong interpersonal skills and professional demeanor; ability to build effective working relationships with faculty, administrators, and external partners
- Familiarity with federal and non-federal funding landscapes and grant mechanisms across multiple disciplines
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Master's Degree
- Experience supporting outreach or broader impacts programs associated with externally funded research
- Familiarity with research administration systems
- Experience working across a range of academic disciplines in a research university setting
SALARY RANGE:
Minimum $61,200.00, Midpoint $76,500.00, Maximum $91,800.00
See all H-1B Visa Research and Development Specialist Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new H-1B Visa Research and Development Specialist Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding H-1B Visa Sponsorship as a Research and Development Specialist
Align your degree to your R&D specialty
USCIS scrutinizes whether your degree field directly matches your research duties. Before applying, map each line of your job description to your academic credentials so the specialty occupation connection is explicit and defensible at the petition stage.
Search verified H-1B sponsors on Migrate Mate
Target employers who have an active H-1B visa filing history in research and development disciplines. Migrate Mate lists employers with verified LCA sponsorship records, letting you focus your applications on companies already set up to file.
Look up prevailing wages before salary talks
Your employer must certify your offered wage meets or exceeds the DOL prevailing wage for your SOC code and work location. Use the OFLC Wage Search to know the wage level before you negotiate, so you're not surprised by LCA requirements later.
Confirm each worksite has its own LCA
R&D roles sometimes involve fieldwork, partner labs, or client sites. Each location where you work for more than 10 days requires a separately certified LCA. Raise this with your employer early so filings aren't delayed by uncertified worksites.
Review your O*NET profile to frame specialty occupation
The O*NET occupation profile for Research and Development Specialists describes the degree-level knowledge and analytical tasks central to the role. Reference this profile when working with your employer's immigration counsel to build a strong specialty occupation argument.
File premium processing if your start date is firm
USCIS offers premium processing for I-129 petitions, reducing adjudication time significantly. If your project start date, lab onboarding, or grant cycle leaves no buffer for standard processing delays, ask your employer to include premium processing in the filing.
H-1B Visa Research and Development Specialist: Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Research and Development Specialist role qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B purposes?
Yes, Research and Development Specialist 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, materials science, or a related discipline. The key is that the role's core duties must require theoretical and practical application of that specific degree-level knowledge, not general analytical skills that any bachelor's graduate could perform.
How do I find employers who actively sponsor H-1B visas for R&D roles?
Start with Migrate Mate, which lists employers with verified H-1B LCA sponsorship history searchable by role type. Research-intensive industries like pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, aerospace, semiconductor manufacturing, and federal contractors tend to have established immigration processes for R&D staff. Prioritize employers whose job postings explicitly describe degree requirements tied to specific research disciplines.
What happens to my H-1B status if my research project ends before my petition period is up?
Your H-1B status is tied to your employer and position, not a specific project. If your project ends but your employment continues in a substantially similar R&D role, your status is unaffected. If your position is terminated, you have a 60-day grace period to find a new sponsoring employer, file for a change of status, or make arrangements to depart. USCIS considers material changes in job duties a potential trigger for a new petition.
Can my employer sponsor me for multiple worksites if my R&D role involves work at partner labs or client facilities?
Each distinct worksite where you work for more than ten cumulative workdays in a quarter requires its own certified Labor Condition Application. If your R&D duties take you to university partners, government labs, or client locations, your employer must file separate LCAs covering those sites before you begin work there. Short-term placements have different thresholds, but coordinating this early with your employer prevents compliance gaps.
How long can I stay in the U.S. on an H-1B as a Research and Development Specialist?
H-1B status is initially granted for up to three years and can be extended for another three years, reaching a six-year maximum for most holders. Beyond six years, continued extensions are possible only if you have an approved I-140 immigrant petition or a PERM labor certification that has been pending for at least 365 days. Planning your green card timeline early is essential for long-term R&D careers.