H-1B Visa Research Fellow Jobs
Research Fellow positions at U.S. universities, hospitals, and research institutes regularly sponsor H-1B visas, particularly for postdoctoral researchers and clinical investigators. Cap-exempt employers like nonprofits affiliated with higher education can file year-round, bypassing the annual lottery. Your specialty occupation status depends on demonstrating that the role requires a relevant advanced degree.
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Get Access To All JobsLocation: Chicago, Illinois
Business Unit: Rush Medical Center
Hospital: Rush University Medical Center
Department: Dermatology-Res Adm
Work Type: Full Time (Total FTE between 0.9 and 1.0)
Shift: Shift 1
Work Schedule: 8 Hr (8:00:00 AM - 5:00:00 PM)
Pay Range: Based on NIH scale $63.480 - $77.076
Rush salaries are determined by many factors including, but not limited to, education, job-related experience and skills, as well as internal equity and industry specific market data. The pay range for each role reflects Rush’s anticipated wage or salary reasonably expected to be offered for the position. Offers may vary depending on the circumstances of each case.
Summary
This position conducts independent and/or collaborative research experiments within a department or research group at Rush University Medical Center. This may include planning, designing and executing complex research studies, procedures, and protocols; problem solving research challenges; contributing to discrete components of a larger project under the direction of a senior or principal researcher; organizing, synthesizing, and analyzing data; preparing reports and contributing to manuscripts; participating in drafting/finalizing grant submissions; attending and participating in conferences, meetings, and/or speaking engagements; and providing mentorship and training to undergraduate or graduate students. The incumbent in this position exemplifies the Rush mission, vision, and values and acts in accordance with Rush policies and procedures.
Required Job Qualifications:
- Ph.D., M.D., or equivalent terminal degree in a relevant field.
- Experience in a relevant scientific discipline. Proficiency in relevant research tools and techniques.
- Critical eyes towards consistency, reproducibility, and the scientific method.
- Excellent organizational, analytical, and communication skills. Strong interpersonal skills.
- Strong scientific writing skills.
- Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary environment.
- Excellent computer skills.
- Ability to multitask.
Preferred Job Qualifications:
- Experience maintaining safety and ethics in a research/laboratory environment.
- Knowledge of medical research compliance and ethics (e.g., HIPAA, GCP).
- Record of scholarly publications.
- Experience in grant writing.
- Prior project management experience.
- Mentoring experience.
Responsibilities:
- Contribute to the design and execution of clinical or laboratory-based studies. As assigned, lead and manage projects.
- Conduct independent and collaborative research on specific research project(s). Design and conduct experiments or computational studies aligned with project goals.
- Collect, analyze, and interpret research data using appropriate statistical, scientific, medical, and/or clinical methodologies. Prepare relevant reports.
- Compare actual and expected results and suggest solutions to correct deviations. Problem-solve research challenges as needed.
- Evaluate existing research techniques and recommend improvements to ensure quality and productivity.
- Prepare manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals.
- As assigned, prepare and present findings at departmental meetings, conferences, and seminars.
- Assist in the mentoring and training of graduate and undergraduate students.
- Collaborate with researchers within and outside the department.
- Support grant writing, proposal submission, and progress reporting to funding agencies.
- Support/maintain a safe laboratory environment and ensure compliance with governmental and University policies, procedures, rules, and regulations.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Rush is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics.
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Business Unit: Rush Medical Center
Hospital: Rush University Medical Center
Department: Dermatology-Res Adm
Work Type: Full Time (Total FTE between 0.9 and 1.0)
Shift: Shift 1
Work Schedule: 8 Hr (8:00:00 AM - 5:00:00 PM)
Pay Range: Based on NIH scale $63.480 - $77.076
Rush salaries are determined by many factors including, but not limited to, education, job-related experience and skills, as well as internal equity and industry specific market data. The pay range for each role reflects Rush’s anticipated wage or salary reasonably expected to be offered for the position. Offers may vary depending on the circumstances of each case.
Summary
This position conducts independent and/or collaborative research experiments within a department or research group at Rush University Medical Center. This may include planning, designing and executing complex research studies, procedures, and protocols; problem solving research challenges; contributing to discrete components of a larger project under the direction of a senior or principal researcher; organizing, synthesizing, and analyzing data; preparing reports and contributing to manuscripts; participating in drafting/finalizing grant submissions; attending and participating in conferences, meetings, and/or speaking engagements; and providing mentorship and training to undergraduate or graduate students. The incumbent in this position exemplifies the Rush mission, vision, and values and acts in accordance with Rush policies and procedures.
Required Job Qualifications:
- Ph.D., M.D., or equivalent terminal degree in a relevant field.
- Experience in a relevant scientific discipline. Proficiency in relevant research tools and techniques.
- Critical eyes towards consistency, reproducibility, and the scientific method.
- Excellent organizational, analytical, and communication skills. Strong interpersonal skills.
- Strong scientific writing skills.
- Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary environment.
- Excellent computer skills.
- Ability to multitask.
Preferred Job Qualifications:
- Experience maintaining safety and ethics in a research/laboratory environment.
- Knowledge of medical research compliance and ethics (e.g., HIPAA, GCP).
- Record of scholarly publications.
- Experience in grant writing.
- Prior project management experience.
- Mentoring experience.
Responsibilities:
- Contribute to the design and execution of clinical or laboratory-based studies. As assigned, lead and manage projects.
- Conduct independent and collaborative research on specific research project(s). Design and conduct experiments or computational studies aligned with project goals.
- Collect, analyze, and interpret research data using appropriate statistical, scientific, medical, and/or clinical methodologies. Prepare relevant reports.
- Compare actual and expected results and suggest solutions to correct deviations. Problem-solve research challenges as needed.
- Evaluate existing research techniques and recommend improvements to ensure quality and productivity.
- Prepare manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals.
- As assigned, prepare and present findings at departmental meetings, conferences, and seminars.
- Assist in the mentoring and training of graduate and undergraduate students.
- Collaborate with researchers within and outside the department.
- Support grant writing, proposal submission, and progress reporting to funding agencies.
- Support/maintain a safe laboratory environment and ensure compliance with governmental and University policies, procedures, rules, and regulations.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Rush is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics.
See all 658+ H-1B Visa Research Fellow Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new H-1B Visa Research Fellow Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding H-1B Visa Sponsorship in Research Fellow
Verify your employer's cap-exempt status
Many research institutions, university-affiliated hospitals, and nonprofit research organizations qualify as cap-exempt employers, meaning they can file your H-1B petition any time without waiting for the April lottery window. Confirm this before accepting an offer.
Document your degree's direct relevance
USCIS scrutinizes Research Fellow petitions when your degree field doesn't map cleanly to the specific research area. Get a credential evaluation and prepare a detailed position description linking your doctorate directly to the proposed work.
Check prevailing wage using OFLC Wage Search
Research Fellow wage levels vary widely by institution type and location. Before negotiating your offer, look up the DOL prevailing wage for your SOC code and work-site zip code using OFLC Wage Search so you know the minimum your employer must certify on the LCA.
Target employers with postdoc H-1B filing history
Use Migrate Mate to filter Research Fellow roles by employers who have filed H-1B LCAs for your occupation code. This surfaces labs and institutes that have already navigated the process, reducing the risk of an employer who's unfamiliar with the filing requirements.
Request O*NET classification in your offer letter
Ask your prospective employer to confirm which O*NET occupation code applies to your role before the LCA is filed. Misclassification between research and teaching codes is a common RFE trigger for Research Fellow petitions at universities.
Plan around the 60-day grace period between positions
If you're transitioning from one Research Fellow appointment to another, USCIS allows a 60-day grace period after your previous H-1B ends. Your new employer's H-1B petition must be filed, not just approved, before that window closes to maintain lawful status.
H-1B Visa Research Fellow: Frequently Asked Questions
Do Research Fellow positions qualify as specialty occupations for H-1B purposes?
Yes, provided the role requires at least a bachelor's degree in a directly related field. For most Research Fellow appointments, a master's or doctorate in the relevant scientific or clinical discipline satisfies this standard. USCIS will review the job duties and the degree requirement stated in the offer letter, so the position description needs to tie specific research tasks to your advanced degree field.
Can a university or hospital sponsor my H-1B as a Research Fellow without going through the lottery?
Many can. Universities, nonprofit research organizations, and hospitals affiliated with institutions of higher education are cap-exempt employers under the H-1B rules. That means they can file your petition at any time of year without competing for the 65,000 or 20,000 annual slots. You'll want to confirm your specific employer qualifies before relying on this pathway.
How do I find Research Fellow employers who actively sponsor H-1B visas?
Migrate Mate shows verified H-1B LCA filing history by employer and occupation code, so you can identify which research institutions and labs have filed for roles matching your field. This is more reliable than guessing based on employer size or reputation, since even well-funded labs sometimes lack H-1B experience for specific research tracks.
What happens to my H-1B status if my Research Fellow grant funding runs out mid-appointment?
If your employer can no longer pay the LCA-certified wage because funding ends, your H-1B status is at risk. The employer is legally required to notify USCIS and formally withdraw the petition. You then have the 60-day grace period to find a new sponsoring employer and have a new H-1B petition filed on your behalf before your status lapses.
Does my postdoctoral Research Fellow appointment count as H-1B-qualifying employment for future petitions?
Yes. Time spent on H-1B status as a Research Fellow counts toward your six-year H-1B maximum and, if your employer or a future employer files an I-140 immigrant petition, toward priority date preservation under AC21 portability rules. Keep copies of all approval notices, pay stubs, and W-2s from every H-1B appointment as documentation for future filings.