H-1B Visa Research Director Jobs
Research Director roles qualify as H-1B visa specialty occupations under USCIS definitions, typically requiring a master's or doctoral degree in a relevant field. Employers must file a Labor Condition Application before sponsoring you, certifying the role meets prevailing wage standards for the location and SOC code.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
The Director, Market Strategy & Research provides leadership in proactive regulatory risk assessment and the development of regulatory strategy. This role is essential to enabling Surveillance to effectively develop regulatory strategy informed by market conditions and developments, as well as achieving the goals and priorities of the department.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:
- Work closely with the Surveillance Operations leadership to effectively conduct continuous qualitative research into market conditions and developments.
- Manage an analyst to develop and deliver highly specialized reports on a regular basis concerning critical regulatory issues and trends for the senior management team and Regulatory Ops business lines.
- Assess issues that impact the department and determine the proper course of action. Identify, assess, and analyze high risk and urgent issues requiring the attention of senior leadership and present such issues in an organized and succinct manner.
- Develop and maintain effective relationships with senior leaders throughout the organization and with external FINRA constituents including the SEC, other regulators, and market participants as needed.
- Develop and manage Surveillance environmental SWOT analysis and provide corresponding support to strategic goal development.
- Identify, develop, and respond to rule change management issues to include rules impact analysis; for key stakeholders in Regulatory Programs and within the Surveillance department.
- Work with the senior management team on SEC oversight inspections and FINRA internal audits.
- Develop presentations and reports as needed, including for the board and Management Committee.
- Represent senior leadership at meetings and events with internal and external stakeholders when necessary.
- Work with counterparts across the organization to help prepare for and respond to significant market events.
- Work with other FINRA departments including Investor Education and Corporate Communications to formulate FINRA’s response to issues and trends that pose a risk of ongoing investor harm.
- Be involved in Surveillance’s engagement with Enterprise Risk Management, providing input on enterprise risk assessments concerning Regulatory Ops.
- Demonstration of FINRA’s values.
- Collaboration, both in-person and virtually, in furtherance of FINRA’s mission of investor protection and market integrity.
EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:
- Bachelor's Degree and a minimum of ten (10) years of experience in securities, compliance or financial regulation required, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- MBA, JD, other graduate degree and/or relevant industry certification(s) preferred.
- Functional knowledge of FINRA's risk hierarchy and how it relates to Regulatory Ops strategic goals and operations.
- Advanced knowledge of rule changes and interpretations and how they relate to regulatory operations.
- FINRA Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) certification or acceptable industry equivalent is required within 16 months of start date of the assigned SIE cohort. This requirement ensures employees have foundational knowledge of the securities industry and regulatory matters essential to FINRA's mission.
- Advanced knowledge of industry wide events and trends.
- Proven record of creating and providing executive level reporting using metrics, analysis, and data analytics.
- Experience making internal and external presentations as a subject matter expert.
- Substantial knowledge of, and experience with, the regulation and operation of U.S. broker-dealers, as well as familiarity with the broader landscape of financial regulation. Experience with securities market structure issues, associated data, regulations and/or market surveillance business processes is strongly preferred.
- Proven record of acting independently in an unstructured environment to identify and address challenges, make risk-based decisions, develop new initiatives, and strengthen existing programs.
- Strong collaborator and team builder, with excellent written and verbal communication, interpersonal, and presentation skills.
- Exceptional organizational skills, with attention to detail and an ability to administer multiple complex assignments concurrently and execute against tight deadlines.
- Excellent leadership skills, including the ability to interact effectively and in a positive manner with people from a variety of backgrounds in order to reach timely, informed decisions.
- Proven record of project management, process improvement and goal attainment skills, as well as producing high quality written work products.
- FINRA Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) certification or acceptable industry equivalent certification is required upon hire or within 16 months of the start date of the assigned SIE training cohort.
WORK CONDITIONS:
- Hybrid work environment, with defined in-person presence requirements.
COMPENSATION
For work that is performed in CO, CT, IL, PA, MA, MD, VA, WA, DC, NY, NJ, WA please refer to the chart below for the salary range for the corresponding location. FINRA complies with all state and local pay transparency laws and regulations requiring the disclosure of salary ranges for the position. In addition to location, actual compensation is based on various factors, including but not limited to, the candidate’s skill set, level of experience, education, and market considerations.
- Los Angeles, CA: $163,000 - $245,000
- San Francisco, CA: $171,000 - $256,000
- Boston, MA: $154,400 - $299,600
- Chicago, IL: $147,600 - $286,500
- Denver, CO: $134,400 - $260,400
- Jericho, NY: $154,400 - $299,600
- Jersey City, NJ: $161,200 - $312,600
- Philadelphia, PA: $147,600 - $286,500
- New York, NY: $161,200 - $312,600
- Rockville, MD: $154,400 - $299,600
- Tysons, VA: $154,400 - $299,600
- Washington, DC: $154,400 - $299,600
- Woodbridge, NJ: $154,400 - $299,600
- Connecticut State: $134,400 - $312,600
- Washington State: $134,400 - $312,600
LI-Hybrid
To be considered for this position, please submit an application. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.
The information provided above has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work of the position. It is not a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required.
Please note: If the “Apply Now” button on a job board posting does not take you directly to the FINRA Careers site, enter www.finra.org/careers into your browser to reach our site directly.
Employees may be eligible for a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. Non-exempt employees are also eligible for overtime pay in accordance with federal, state, or local law. As part of its dedication to employee wellness, FINRA provides comprehensive health, dental and vision insurance. Additional insurance includes basic life, accidental death and dismemberment, supplemental life, spouse/domestic partner and dependent life, and spouse/domestic partner and dependent accidental death and dismemberment, short- and long-term disability, long-term care, business travel accident, disability and legal. FINRA offers immediate participation and vesting in a 401(k) plan with company match and eligibility for participation in an additional FINRA-funded retirement contribution, tuition reimbursement, commuter benefits, and other benefits that support employee wellness, such as adoption assistance, backup family care, surrogacy benefits, employee assistance, and wellness programs.
TIME OFF AND PAID LEAVE
FINRA encourages its employees to focus on their health and wellness in many ways, including through a generous time-off program starting at 15 days of paid time off (increasing with years of service, up to 25 days), 5 personal days, and 9 sick days, unless otherwise required by law (all pro-rated in the first year). Additionally, we are proud to support our communities by providing two volunteer service days (based on full-time schedule). Other paid leave includes military leave, jury duty leave, bereavement leave, voting and election official leave for federal, state or local primary and general elections, care of a family member leave (available after 90 days of employment); and childbirth and parental leave (available after 90 days of employment). Full-time employees receive nine paid holidays.
- Based on full-time schedule
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
FINRA’s Code of Conduct imposes restrictions on employees’ investments and requires financial disclosures that are uniquely related to our role as a securities regulator. FINRA employees are required to disclose to FINRA all brokerage accounts that they maintain, and those in which they control trading or have a financial interest (including any trust account of which they are a trustee or beneficiary and all accounts of a spouse, domestic partner or minor child who lives with the employee) and to authorize their broker-dealers to provide FINRA with duplicate statements for all of those accounts. All of those accounts are subject to the Code’s investment and securities account restrictions, and new employees must comply with those investment restrictions—including disposing of any security issued by a company on FINRA’s Prohibited Company List or obtaining a written waiver from their Executive Vice President—by the date they begin employment with FINRA. Employees may only maintain securities accounts that must be disclosed to FINRA at one or more securities firms that provide an electronic feed (e-feed) of data to FINRA, and must move securities accounts from other securities firms to a firm that provides an e-feed within three months of beginning employment.
You can read more about these restrictions here.
As standard practice, employees must also execute FINRA’s Employee Confidentiality and Invention Assignment Agreement without qualification or modification and comply with the company’s policy on nepotism.
WASHINGTON STATE APPLICANTS: click here for required notice(s).
SEARCH FIRM REPRESENTATIVES
Please be advised that FINRA is not seeking assistance or accepting unsolicited resumes from search firms for this employment opportunity. Regardless of past practice, a valid written agreement and task order must be in place before any resumes are submitted to FINRA. All resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at FINRA without a valid written agreement and task order in place will be deemed the sole property of FINRA and no fee will be paid in the event that person is hired by FINRA.
FINRA IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
All qualified applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to any legally protected category, including race, color, age, national origin, ethnicity, religion, disability, genetic information, military or veteran status, sex, or any other status or classification protected by state or local law.
FINRA strives to make our career site accessible to all users. If you need a disability-related accommodation for completing the application process, please contact FINRA’s Employee Relations team at 240-386-4865 or by email at EmployeeRelations@FINRA.org. Please note that this process is exclusively for inquiries regarding accommodations in the application process.
FINRA abides by the requirements of 41 CFR 60-741.5(a). This regulation prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals on the basis of disability and requires affirmative action by covered prime contractors and subcontractors to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities.
FINRA abides by the requirements of 41 CFR 60-300.5(a). This regulation prohibits discrimination against qualified protected veterans and requires affirmative action by covered prime contractors and subcontractors to employ and advance in employment qualified protected veterans.
©2026 FINRA. All rights reserved. FINRA is a registered trademark of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.
INTRODUCTION
The Director, Market Strategy & Research provides leadership in proactive regulatory risk assessment and the development of regulatory strategy. This role is essential to enabling Surveillance to effectively develop regulatory strategy informed by market conditions and developments, as well as achieving the goals and priorities of the department.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:
- Work closely with the Surveillance Operations leadership to effectively conduct continuous qualitative research into market conditions and developments.
- Manage an analyst to develop and deliver highly specialized reports on a regular basis concerning critical regulatory issues and trends for the senior management team and Regulatory Ops business lines.
- Assess issues that impact the department and determine the proper course of action. Identify, assess, and analyze high risk and urgent issues requiring the attention of senior leadership and present such issues in an organized and succinct manner.
- Develop and maintain effective relationships with senior leaders throughout the organization and with external FINRA constituents including the SEC, other regulators, and market participants as needed.
- Develop and manage Surveillance environmental SWOT analysis and provide corresponding support to strategic goal development.
- Identify, develop, and respond to rule change management issues to include rules impact analysis; for key stakeholders in Regulatory Programs and within the Surveillance department.
- Work with the senior management team on SEC oversight inspections and FINRA internal audits.
- Develop presentations and reports as needed, including for the board and Management Committee.
- Represent senior leadership at meetings and events with internal and external stakeholders when necessary.
- Work with counterparts across the organization to help prepare for and respond to significant market events.
- Work with other FINRA departments including Investor Education and Corporate Communications to formulate FINRA’s response to issues and trends that pose a risk of ongoing investor harm.
- Be involved in Surveillance’s engagement with Enterprise Risk Management, providing input on enterprise risk assessments concerning Regulatory Ops.
- Demonstration of FINRA’s values.
- Collaboration, both in-person and virtually, in furtherance of FINRA’s mission of investor protection and market integrity.
EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:
- Bachelor's Degree and a minimum of ten (10) years of experience in securities, compliance or financial regulation required, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- MBA, JD, other graduate degree and/or relevant industry certification(s) preferred.
- Functional knowledge of FINRA's risk hierarchy and how it relates to Regulatory Ops strategic goals and operations.
- Advanced knowledge of rule changes and interpretations and how they relate to regulatory operations.
- FINRA Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) certification or acceptable industry equivalent is required within 16 months of start date of the assigned SIE cohort. This requirement ensures employees have foundational knowledge of the securities industry and regulatory matters essential to FINRA's mission.
- Advanced knowledge of industry wide events and trends.
- Proven record of creating and providing executive level reporting using metrics, analysis, and data analytics.
- Experience making internal and external presentations as a subject matter expert.
- Substantial knowledge of, and experience with, the regulation and operation of U.S. broker-dealers, as well as familiarity with the broader landscape of financial regulation. Experience with securities market structure issues, associated data, regulations and/or market surveillance business processes is strongly preferred.
- Proven record of acting independently in an unstructured environment to identify and address challenges, make risk-based decisions, develop new initiatives, and strengthen existing programs.
- Strong collaborator and team builder, with excellent written and verbal communication, interpersonal, and presentation skills.
- Exceptional organizational skills, with attention to detail and an ability to administer multiple complex assignments concurrently and execute against tight deadlines.
- Excellent leadership skills, including the ability to interact effectively and in a positive manner with people from a variety of backgrounds in order to reach timely, informed decisions.
- Proven record of project management, process improvement and goal attainment skills, as well as producing high quality written work products.
- FINRA Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) certification or acceptable industry equivalent certification is required upon hire or within 16 months of the start date of the assigned SIE training cohort.
WORK CONDITIONS:
- Hybrid work environment, with defined in-person presence requirements.
COMPENSATION
For work that is performed in CO, CT, IL, PA, MA, MD, VA, WA, DC, NY, NJ, WA please refer to the chart below for the salary range for the corresponding location. FINRA complies with all state and local pay transparency laws and regulations requiring the disclosure of salary ranges for the position. In addition to location, actual compensation is based on various factors, including but not limited to, the candidate’s skill set, level of experience, education, and market considerations.
- Los Angeles, CA: $163,000 - $245,000
- San Francisco, CA: $171,000 - $256,000
- Boston, MA: $154,400 - $299,600
- Chicago, IL: $147,600 - $286,500
- Denver, CO: $134,400 - $260,400
- Jericho, NY: $154,400 - $299,600
- Jersey City, NJ: $161,200 - $312,600
- Philadelphia, PA: $147,600 - $286,500
- New York, NY: $161,200 - $312,600
- Rockville, MD: $154,400 - $299,600
- Tysons, VA: $154,400 - $299,600
- Washington, DC: $154,400 - $299,600
- Woodbridge, NJ: $154,400 - $299,600
- Connecticut State: $134,400 - $312,600
- Washington State: $134,400 - $312,600
LI-Hybrid
To be considered for this position, please submit an application. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.
The information provided above has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work of the position. It is not a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required.
Please note: If the “Apply Now” button on a job board posting does not take you directly to the FINRA Careers site, enter www.finra.org/careers into your browser to reach our site directly.
Employees may be eligible for a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. Non-exempt employees are also eligible for overtime pay in accordance with federal, state, or local law. As part of its dedication to employee wellness, FINRA provides comprehensive health, dental and vision insurance. Additional insurance includes basic life, accidental death and dismemberment, supplemental life, spouse/domestic partner and dependent life, and spouse/domestic partner and dependent accidental death and dismemberment, short- and long-term disability, long-term care, business travel accident, disability and legal. FINRA offers immediate participation and vesting in a 401(k) plan with company match and eligibility for participation in an additional FINRA-funded retirement contribution, tuition reimbursement, commuter benefits, and other benefits that support employee wellness, such as adoption assistance, backup family care, surrogacy benefits, employee assistance, and wellness programs.
TIME OFF AND PAID LEAVE
FINRA encourages its employees to focus on their health and wellness in many ways, including through a generous time-off program starting at 15 days of paid time off (increasing with years of service, up to 25 days), 5 personal days, and 9 sick days, unless otherwise required by law (all pro-rated in the first year). Additionally, we are proud to support our communities by providing two volunteer service days (based on full-time schedule). Other paid leave includes military leave, jury duty leave, bereavement leave, voting and election official leave for federal, state or local primary and general elections, care of a family member leave (available after 90 days of employment); and childbirth and parental leave (available after 90 days of employment). Full-time employees receive nine paid holidays.
- Based on full-time schedule
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
FINRA’s Code of Conduct imposes restrictions on employees’ investments and requires financial disclosures that are uniquely related to our role as a securities regulator. FINRA employees are required to disclose to FINRA all brokerage accounts that they maintain, and those in which they control trading or have a financial interest (including any trust account of which they are a trustee or beneficiary and all accounts of a spouse, domestic partner or minor child who lives with the employee) and to authorize their broker-dealers to provide FINRA with duplicate statements for all of those accounts. All of those accounts are subject to the Code’s investment and securities account restrictions, and new employees must comply with those investment restrictions—including disposing of any security issued by a company on FINRA’s Prohibited Company List or obtaining a written waiver from their Executive Vice President—by the date they begin employment with FINRA. Employees may only maintain securities accounts that must be disclosed to FINRA at one or more securities firms that provide an electronic feed (e-feed) of data to FINRA, and must move securities accounts from other securities firms to a firm that provides an e-feed within three months of beginning employment.
You can read more about these restrictions here.
As standard practice, employees must also execute FINRA’s Employee Confidentiality and Invention Assignment Agreement without qualification or modification and comply with the company’s policy on nepotism.
WASHINGTON STATE APPLICANTS: click here for required notice(s).
SEARCH FIRM REPRESENTATIVES
Please be advised that FINRA is not seeking assistance or accepting unsolicited resumes from search firms for this employment opportunity. Regardless of past practice, a valid written agreement and task order must be in place before any resumes are submitted to FINRA. All resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at FINRA without a valid written agreement and task order in place will be deemed the sole property of FINRA and no fee will be paid in the event that person is hired by FINRA.
FINRA IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
All qualified applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to any legally protected category, including race, color, age, national origin, ethnicity, religion, disability, genetic information, military or veteran status, sex, or any other status or classification protected by state or local law.
FINRA strives to make our career site accessible to all users. If you need a disability-related accommodation for completing the application process, please contact FINRA’s Employee Relations team at 240-386-4865 or by email at EmployeeRelations@FINRA.org. Please note that this process is exclusively for inquiries regarding accommodations in the application process.
FINRA abides by the requirements of 41 CFR 60-741.5(a). This regulation prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals on the basis of disability and requires affirmative action by covered prime contractors and subcontractors to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities.
FINRA abides by the requirements of 41 CFR 60-300.5(a). This regulation prohibits discrimination against qualified protected veterans and requires affirmative action by covered prime contractors and subcontractors to employ and advance in employment qualified protected veterans.
©2026 FINRA. All rights reserved. FINRA is a registered trademark of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.
See all 3,130+ H-1B Visa Research Director Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new H-1B Visa Research Director Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding H-1B Visa Sponsorship in Research Director
Verify your degree supports specialty occupation
Research Director petitions face RFE risk when the degree field doesn't align directly with the research domain. A PhD in biology supporting a biomedical research leadership role clears USCIS scrutiny far more cleanly than a general management degree.
Target employers with dedicated research infrastructure
Universities, national laboratories, pharmaceutical companies, and federal contractors file H-1B LCAs for Research Directors regularly. These organizations have in-house immigration counsel and established workflows, which shortens your time from offer to petition filing.
Check prevailing wage before negotiating your offer
Use the OFLC Wage Search to look up the Level III or IV wage for your SOC code and work location before you negotiate. Your employer's LCA must certify at least that wage, so knowing the floor protects both your offer and your petition.
Search H-1B sponsoring employers on Migrate Mate
Filter Research Director roles by employers with verified H-1B LCA filing history on Migrate Mate. This surfaces organizations that have already navigated the sponsorship process for this role type, so you're not educating a first-time sponsor during your job search.
Flag O*NET classification in your cover materials
Research Director maps to a specific O*NET occupation code tied to doctoral or master's-level requirements. Referencing this classification in your resume and cover letter helps employers and their counsel build the specialty occupation argument before your petition is drafted.
Request premium processing if your start date is fixed
Research leadership roles often carry specific project launch or fiscal-year start dates. If your employer files your I-129 with premium processing, USCIS issues a decision within 15 business days, giving you a reliable timeline to coordinate relocation and onboarding.
H-1B Visa Research Director: Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Research Director role qualify as an H-1B specialty occupation?
Yes, provided the position genuinely requires at least a bachelor's degree in a specific field directly related to the research domain. USCIS evaluates the job duties, not just the title. A role overseeing active research programs in a defined discipline, such as computational biology or materials science, typically satisfies the specialty occupation standard. Generalist leadership roles with no discipline-specific degree requirement are more vulnerable to challenge.
How do I find Research Director jobs at employers that sponsor H-1B visas?
Migrate Mate filters Research Director openings by employers with documented H-1B LCA filing history, so you can focus your applications on organizations that have already committed to sponsoring this role type. This is more reliable than guessing from job postings alone, since many employers don't advertise sponsorship availability upfront for senior research positions.
Can my employer file my H-1B outside the annual lottery for a Research Director role?
Possibly. Research Directors employed directly by universities or affiliated nonprofit research organizations are cap-exempt under H-1B rules, meaning no lottery applies. If you're hired by a private company conducting sponsored research under a government contract, cap-exempt status depends on the specifics of the employer's nonprofit or governmental affiliation, not the nature of your work alone.
What happens to my H-1B if my research grant or contract ends before my visa period expires?
Your H-1B status is tied to your employer, not the specific grant funding your role. If your employer keeps you on payroll, your status remains valid even if one funding source ends. If your position is eliminated, you have a 60-day grace period under USCIS rules to find a new sponsoring employer, change status, or depart. Documenting employer intent early is important in grant-dependent research environments.
Does a Research Director role typically need PERM labor certification for an H-1B?
No. PERM labor certification applies to employment-based green card sponsorship, not H-1B petitions. Your employer files a Labor Condition Application with DOL to certify prevailing wage compliance before filing your H-1B petition with USCIS. These are separate processes. If your employer also wants to sponsor you for permanent residence in an EB-1B or EB-2 category, PERM may be required depending on the green card category pursued.