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.

Find H-1B Visa Research Fellow Jobs

Overview

Open Jobs655+
Work Type96% On-site
Top LocationBoston, MA
Most JobsMayo Clinic

Showing 5 of 655+ Research Fellow jobs

Atrium Health
Research Fellow
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Atrium Health
New 3h ago
Research Fellow
Atrium Health
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Laboratory Research
Clinical Trials & Medical Research
Biotech & Life Sciences
Clinical Trials
$30 - $46/hr
On-Site
Doctorate
10,000+

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Endeavor Health
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow
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Endeavor Health
New 6h ago
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow
Endeavor Health
Skokie, Illinois
Laboratory Research
Clinical Trials & Medical Research
Biotech & Life Sciences
Clinical Trials
$63k - $77k/yr
On-Site
Doctorate
10,000+

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Tufts Medical Center
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
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Tufts Medical Center
New 15h ago
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Tufts Medical Center
Boston, Massachusetts
Laboratory Research
Biotech & Life Sciences
Clinical Trials & Medical Research
Healthcare Administration
Clinical Trials
$56k - $70k/yr
On-Site
Doctorate
5,001-10,000

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Boston Medical Center
Post Doctoral Research Fellow
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Boston Medical Center
New 19h ago
Post Doctoral Research Fellow
Boston Medical Center
Boston, Massachusetts
Laboratory Research
Biotech & Life Sciences
Clinical Trials & Medical Research
Healthcare Administration
Clinical Trials
$65k - $75k/yr
On-Site
Doctorate
5,001-10,000

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UTHealth Houston
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
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UTHealth Houston
New 19h ago
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
UTHealth Houston
Houston, Texas
Nursing
Allied Health
Healthcare Administration
Clinical Support
Public Health & Informatics
Mental & Behavioral Health
Public Health
On-Site
Doctorate
5,001-10,000

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Tips 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.