H-1B Visa Research Associate Jobs
Research Associate roles qualify for H-1B visa sponsorship when tied to a specific scientific or social science discipline requiring at least a bachelor's degree. Universities, research hospitals, biotech firms, and federal contractors are the most active sponsors. No lottery exemption applies unless your employer is a nonprofit research organization or university.
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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 20,523+ H-1B Visa Research Associate Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new H-1B Visa Research Associate Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding H-1B Visa Sponsorship as a Research Associate
Verify your degree field matches the role
USCIS requires a direct relationship between your degree and the Research Associate position. A biology degree supporting a clinical research role clears the bar; a general business degree rarely does. Review the job description against your transcript before applying.
Target cap-exempt research institutions first
Nonprofits affiliated with universities and government research organizations can file H-1B petitions outside the annual 85,000-cap lottery. Identify whether a prospective employer holds cap-exempt status before you spend months pursuing a role that requires lottery selection.
Use Migrate Mate to find verified H-1B sponsors
Search Research Associate roles on Migrate Mate to surface employers with documented H-1B LCA filing history for this occupation. That filing history confirms the employer has sponsored the role before, cutting your outreach list to realistic targets.
Check prevailing wage before negotiating your offer
Your employer must certify your salary meets the DOL prevailing wage for your location and job level. Run your offer through the OFLC Wage Search using the correct SOC code before accepting. A salary below Level I can stall or block LCA certification.
Secure O*NET documentation for specialty occupation proof
USCIS officers scrutinize Research Associate petitions because the title spans multiple disciplines. Pull your occupation's O*NET profile and confirm the listed entry-level education requirement is a bachelor's degree or higher. Include it in your petition package to preempt an RFE.
File premium processing if your OPT end date is near
Standard H-1B adjudication can stretch beyond your OPT expiration. If your EAD expires within four to five months of your petition's filing date, request premium processing to get a decision within 15 business days and avoid a status gap.
H-1B Visa Research Associate: Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Research Associate role qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B purposes?
It depends on how the employer frames the position. USCIS requires the role to normally demand a bachelor's degree or higher in a specific field such as biology, chemistry, psychology, or public health. A Research Associate posting that accepts any degree or substitutes years of experience for education can fail the specialty occupation test. Make sure the job description lists a specific degree field before pursuing sponsorship.
Which types of employers sponsor H-1B visas for Research Associate positions?
Universities, academic medical centers, government-affiliated research institutes, biotech and pharmaceutical companies, and contract research organizations are the most consistent sponsors for Research Associate roles. Nonprofits affiliated with universities may qualify as cap-exempt, letting them file outside the annual lottery. You can browse employers with active H-1B filing history for this role on Migrate Mate.
Can I transfer my H-1B to a new Research Associate role at a different employer?
Yes. Under H-1B portability, you can start working for a new employer as soon as they file a transfer petition, as long as your current H-1B is valid and your previous employer filed in good faith. The new employer must file a fresh LCA and I-129 covering the specific Research Associate duties and location. You don't need to restart from the lottery.
How does a Research Associate's job level affect the H-1B prevailing wage requirement?
DOL assigns wage levels from I to IV based on experience and supervisory responsibility. Most entry-level Research Associate roles are classified at Level I or II, which carry lower prevailing wage floors. If your employer designates the role at a higher level to justify a competitive salary, the LCA must reflect that level and your actual duties must match it, or USCIS may issue an RFE.
What documentation strengthens an H-1B petition for a Research Associate position?
Include a detailed duties letter that maps each core function to a specific degree field, your official transcripts confirming your major, any published research or co-authorship that reinforces subject-matter expertise, and the O*NET profile for your occupation code showing a bachelor's degree as the standard entry requirement. If your degree is from outside the U.S., attach a credential evaluation from a NACES-member service.