J-1 Visa ML Research Engineer Jobs
ML Research Engineer roles in the U.S. typically qualify for J-1 visa sponsorship under the Research Scholar or Specialist category, issued through a State Department-designated sponsor organization. Your host employer pairs with a sponsor to issue the DS-2019. No lottery, no annual cap, but some positions carry a two-year home residency requirement.
Find J-1 Visa ML Research Engineer JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 28+ ML Research Engineer jobs
See all ML Research Engineer Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new ML Research Engineer roles.
Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
Build a Safer World. TRM Labs provides blockchain analytics and AI solutions to help law enforcement and national security agencies, financial institutions, and cryptocurrency businesses detect, investigate, and disrupt crypto-related fraud and financial crime. TRM’s blockchain intelligence and AI platforms include solutions to trace the source and destination of funds, identify illicit activity, build cases, and construct an operating picture of threats. TRM is trusted by leading agencies and businesses worldwide who rely on TRM to enable a safer, more secure world for all.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The AI Research Engineer will join our AI Engineering team, a group focused on advancing model selection, fine-tuning, and evaluation strategies for production-scale AI systems. As a senior individual contributor, this person will lead technical efforts to push the boundaries of model performance and orchestration, directly impacting the competitiveness of our AI Engineering platform.
The Impact You Will Have
- Design, build, and own a production-grade evaluation system that drives measurable improvements in model accuracy and latency.
- Lead experimentation, fine-tuning, and feedback-based evaluation loops for continuous model optimization.
- Advance the orchestration of AI/ML systems, ensuring scalable, resilient, and high-impact deployments.
- Elevate technical standards through engineering craftsmanship, mentorship, and leadership as a senior IC.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Advanced programming expertise in Python and SQL, with strong system design skills.
- Deep experience deploying machine learning/deep learning models in production (LLM/GenAI strongly preferred).
- Strong foundation in experimentation frameworks, evaluation metrics, and ML Ops practices.
- Proven ability to own critical systems end-to-end and collaborate effectively with cross-functional partners.
ABOUT THE TEAM
- The AI Engineering team operates with a high level of collaboration and interdependence, fostering an inclusive culture where connections extend beyond work. We value diverse personalities and seek someone who is both results-driven and sociable, with strong communication, leadership, and teamwork skills, along with a positive, solutions-oriented mindset.
- As a globally distributed team, members may observe different timezones. However, most of the team will overlap between the hours of 7am-12pm PST for meetings and collaboration.
- All team members, regardless of location must have at least 4 hour overlap with PST business hours.
- The team is involved in 2 different on-calls:
- Analytics on-call: only requires focus on working time (average of < 1 hour a day every month).
- Data Science on-call: full week on-call to ensure Data Science pipelines are running smoothly (average of 1-2 hours a day every 3 months).
LIFE AT TRM
We are building a safer world. That promise shows up in how we work every day. TRM moves quickly. We are a high velocity, high ownership team that expects clarity, follow-through, and impact. People who thrive here are energized by hard problems, experimentation, and continuous feedback. If something takes months elsewhere, it will ship here in days. Our work sits at the intersection of AI, national security, and fighting financial crime. The problems are complex, the stakes are real, and the environment evolves quickly. The pace and intensity of the work reflect the importance of the mission. As a result, the way we operate requires a high level of ownership, adaptability, collaboration, and creative problem-solving.
At TRM, You Should Expect
- Priorities and targets to change quickly as we experiment and iterate.
- Work that often requires operating with a high degree of ambiguity.
- A high level of personal ownership and accountability.
- Close collaboration across teams and functions.
- Frequent, high-touch communication.
- Creative problem solving and out-of-the-box thinking.
- A pace that rewards urgency, adaptability, and outcomes.
This environment is energizing for people who enjoy building, solving hard problems, and making progress in situations that are not always fully defined. It also requires comfort navigating ambiguity, adjusting course as new information emerges, and maintaining focus and positivity in a fast-moving and intense environment. We also recognize that this style of operating is not for everyone. If you are primarily optimizing for predictability or a consistently balanced workload, we encourage you to use the interview process to pressure test whether this environment is truly the right fit. We want teammates who thrive here, not just survive here. At the same time, many people find this work deeply rewarding. If you are excited by meaningful problems, motivated by ambitious goals, and energized by working alongside mission-driven colleagues, there is a good chance you will find TRM to be an exceptional place to grow and contribute.
AI FLUENCY AT TRM
AI fluency is a baseline expectation at TRM. We believe AI meaningfully changes how top performers operate. We expect every team member to use AI to accelerate and reimagine their craft, not just automate surface tasks. At TRM, AI Fluency Means You Are Among The Top 10 Percent Of Operators In Your Function In How You Apply AI To
- Accelerate repeatable workflows.
- Structure and solve problems.
- Improve output quality.
- Increase speed and leverage.
You will be evaluated on applied AI fluency during the interview process.
LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLES
We hire and grow against three leadership principles. They’re the standards for how we operate, treat each other, and make decisions.
- Impact-Oriented Trailblazer: We put customers first and move with speed, focus, and adaptability. We treat every plan like an experiment – test, ship, measure, and iterate quickly.
- Master Craftsperson: We care deeply about our craft. We balance speed with high standards, own outcomes end-to-end, and invest in getting better everyday.
- Inspiring Colleague: We add clarity and energy, not noise. We bring humility, candor, and a one-team mindset — giving and receiving feedback to make the team stronger.
JOIN OUR MISSION
At TRM we care deeply about our craft. We are looking for individuals who want their work to matter, who experiment with speed and rigor, and who take pride in building a safer world for billions of people. If you’re excited by TRM’s mission but don’t check every box, we encourage you to apply — we hire for slope, judgment, and the will to learn fast. TRM is a Series C company with $220M in total funding, backed by Blockchain Capital, Goldman Sachs, Bessemer, Y Combinator, Thoma Bravo, and others. Headquartered in San Francisco, TRM operates as a distributed-first company with hubs in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Washington D.C., London, and Singapore.
Privacy Policy And Additional Information
By submitting your application, you are agreeing to allow TRM to process your personal information in accordance with the TRM Privacy Policy. Our typical hiring cycles for specialized roles span 24 to 36 months. Accordingly, we retain your personal information for up to 36 months to evaluate your application and to consider you for current and future employment opportunities, unless you request earlier deletion or a different retention period is required or permitted by law. To notify TRM Labs that you believe this job posting is non-compliant, please submit a report through this form. No response will be provided to inquiries unrelated to job posting compliance. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, and requests can be made via this form.
Recruitment agencies
TRM Labs does not accept unsolicited agency resumes. Please do not forward resumes to TRM employees. TRM Labs is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes and will not pay fees to any third-party agency or company without a signed agreement.
INTRODUCTION
Build a Safer World. TRM Labs provides blockchain analytics and AI solutions to help law enforcement and national security agencies, financial institutions, and cryptocurrency businesses detect, investigate, and disrupt crypto-related fraud and financial crime. TRM’s blockchain intelligence and AI platforms include solutions to trace the source and destination of funds, identify illicit activity, build cases, and construct an operating picture of threats. TRM is trusted by leading agencies and businesses worldwide who rely on TRM to enable a safer, more secure world for all.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The AI Research Engineer will join our AI Engineering team, a group focused on advancing model selection, fine-tuning, and evaluation strategies for production-scale AI systems. As a senior individual contributor, this person will lead technical efforts to push the boundaries of model performance and orchestration, directly impacting the competitiveness of our AI Engineering platform.
The Impact You Will Have
- Design, build, and own a production-grade evaluation system that drives measurable improvements in model accuracy and latency.
- Lead experimentation, fine-tuning, and feedback-based evaluation loops for continuous model optimization.
- Advance the orchestration of AI/ML systems, ensuring scalable, resilient, and high-impact deployments.
- Elevate technical standards through engineering craftsmanship, mentorship, and leadership as a senior IC.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Advanced programming expertise in Python and SQL, with strong system design skills.
- Deep experience deploying machine learning/deep learning models in production (LLM/GenAI strongly preferred).
- Strong foundation in experimentation frameworks, evaluation metrics, and ML Ops practices.
- Proven ability to own critical systems end-to-end and collaborate effectively with cross-functional partners.
ABOUT THE TEAM
- The AI Engineering team operates with a high level of collaboration and interdependence, fostering an inclusive culture where connections extend beyond work. We value diverse personalities and seek someone who is both results-driven and sociable, with strong communication, leadership, and teamwork skills, along with a positive, solutions-oriented mindset.
- As a globally distributed team, members may observe different timezones. However, most of the team will overlap between the hours of 7am-12pm PST for meetings and collaboration.
- All team members, regardless of location must have at least 4 hour overlap with PST business hours.
- The team is involved in 2 different on-calls:
- Analytics on-call: only requires focus on working time (average of < 1 hour a day every month).
- Data Science on-call: full week on-call to ensure Data Science pipelines are running smoothly (average of 1-2 hours a day every 3 months).
LIFE AT TRM
We are building a safer world. That promise shows up in how we work every day. TRM moves quickly. We are a high velocity, high ownership team that expects clarity, follow-through, and impact. People who thrive here are energized by hard problems, experimentation, and continuous feedback. If something takes months elsewhere, it will ship here in days. Our work sits at the intersection of AI, national security, and fighting financial crime. The problems are complex, the stakes are real, and the environment evolves quickly. The pace and intensity of the work reflect the importance of the mission. As a result, the way we operate requires a high level of ownership, adaptability, collaboration, and creative problem-solving.
At TRM, You Should Expect
- Priorities and targets to change quickly as we experiment and iterate.
- Work that often requires operating with a high degree of ambiguity.
- A high level of personal ownership and accountability.
- Close collaboration across teams and functions.
- Frequent, high-touch communication.
- Creative problem solving and out-of-the-box thinking.
- A pace that rewards urgency, adaptability, and outcomes.
This environment is energizing for people who enjoy building, solving hard problems, and making progress in situations that are not always fully defined. It also requires comfort navigating ambiguity, adjusting course as new information emerges, and maintaining focus and positivity in a fast-moving and intense environment. We also recognize that this style of operating is not for everyone. If you are primarily optimizing for predictability or a consistently balanced workload, we encourage you to use the interview process to pressure test whether this environment is truly the right fit. We want teammates who thrive here, not just survive here. At the same time, many people find this work deeply rewarding. If you are excited by meaningful problems, motivated by ambitious goals, and energized by working alongside mission-driven colleagues, there is a good chance you will find TRM to be an exceptional place to grow and contribute.
AI FLUENCY AT TRM
AI fluency is a baseline expectation at TRM. We believe AI meaningfully changes how top performers operate. We expect every team member to use AI to accelerate and reimagine their craft, not just automate surface tasks. At TRM, AI Fluency Means You Are Among The Top 10 Percent Of Operators In Your Function In How You Apply AI To
- Accelerate repeatable workflows.
- Structure and solve problems.
- Improve output quality.
- Increase speed and leverage.
You will be evaluated on applied AI fluency during the interview process.
LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLES
We hire and grow against three leadership principles. They’re the standards for how we operate, treat each other, and make decisions.
- Impact-Oriented Trailblazer: We put customers first and move with speed, focus, and adaptability. We treat every plan like an experiment – test, ship, measure, and iterate quickly.
- Master Craftsperson: We care deeply about our craft. We balance speed with high standards, own outcomes end-to-end, and invest in getting better everyday.
- Inspiring Colleague: We add clarity and energy, not noise. We bring humility, candor, and a one-team mindset — giving and receiving feedback to make the team stronger.
JOIN OUR MISSION
At TRM we care deeply about our craft. We are looking for individuals who want their work to matter, who experiment with speed and rigor, and who take pride in building a safer world for billions of people. If you’re excited by TRM’s mission but don’t check every box, we encourage you to apply — we hire for slope, judgment, and the will to learn fast. TRM is a Series C company with $220M in total funding, backed by Blockchain Capital, Goldman Sachs, Bessemer, Y Combinator, Thoma Bravo, and others. Headquartered in San Francisco, TRM operates as a distributed-first company with hubs in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Washington D.C., London, and Singapore.
Privacy Policy And Additional Information
By submitting your application, you are agreeing to allow TRM to process your personal information in accordance with the TRM Privacy Policy. Our typical hiring cycles for specialized roles span 24 to 36 months. Accordingly, we retain your personal information for up to 36 months to evaluate your application and to consider you for current and future employment opportunities, unless you request earlier deletion or a different retention period is required or permitted by law. To notify TRM Labs that you believe this job posting is non-compliant, please submit a report through this form. No response will be provided to inquiries unrelated to job posting compliance. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, and requests can be made via this form.
Recruitment agencies
TRM Labs does not accept unsolicited agency resumes. Please do not forward resumes to TRM employees. TRM Labs is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes and will not pay fees to any third-party agency or company without a signed agreement.
See all J-1 Visa ML Research Engineer Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new J-1 Visa ML Research Engineer Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding J-1 Visa Sponsorship as a ML Research Engineer
Verify your DS-2019 category before applying
Research Scholar suits postdoctoral or faculty-level ML research appointments; Specialist fits industry roles requiring unique expertise. Applying under the wrong category delays your DS-2019 issuance and can require restarting the sponsor vetting process entirely.
Check whether your role triggers the two-year rule
ML Research Engineer positions funded by a U.S. government agency or your home country's government often carry the two-year home residency requirement. Confirm funding sources with your host employer before accepting an offer, since this affects future H-1B visa or green card eligibility.
Document your research output for the training plan
Designated sponsors require a detailed training plan outlining your ML research objectives, methodologies, and measurable outcomes. Prepare a written summary of your publications, model architectures worked on, and datasets used so your host can complete the DS-7002 accurately.
Target host employers with existing sponsor relationships
Universities, national labs like Argonne or Oak Ridge, and research-intensive companies already affiliated with a designated sponsor can issue your DS-2019 faster. Use Migrate Mate to identify U.S. ML Research Engineer roles at organizations that routinely host J-1 exchange visitors.
Align your visa timeline with research grant cycles
Many ML research positions are grant-funded on annual or biennial cycles. Confirm your host employer's funding runway before the DS-2019 is issued, because J-1 Research Scholar status is tied to the program end date on the form and extensions require sponsor approval.
Clarify who files your SEVIS record before accepting an offer
Your host employer does not file SEVIS directly. The designated sponsor organization holds the SEVIS batch-filing account and submits your record. Confirm which sponsor your host works with and whether that sponsor is already approved for Research Scholar or Specialist category programs.
ML Research Engineer J-1 Visa: Frequently Asked Questions
Which J-1 program category fits an ML Research Engineer role?
Most ML Research Engineer positions fall under the Research Scholar category, which covers individuals conducting research at universities, research institutes, or affiliated industry labs. If your role is more specialized and project-bound rather than open-ended academic research, the Specialist category may apply. Current students on a degree program who are completing a structured placement may qualify as Interns instead.
Who actually sponsors a J-1 visa for an ML Research Engineer, the employer or a separate organization?
A U.S. Department of State-designated sponsor organization issues your DS-2019 and holds legal responsibility for your exchange program, not your host employer. Organizations like IIE or Cultural Vistas commonly serve this role for research and specialist programs. Your host employer provides the research position and funds your work, but the designated sponsor manages SEVIS compliance and program monitoring throughout your stay.
Does an ML Research Engineer position trigger the two-year home residency requirement?
It depends on your funding source and home country. If your position is funded by a U.S. government agency or by your home country's government, or if your country is on the State Department's skills list, the two-year home residency requirement applies. This bars you from switching to H-1B or most immigrant visa categories without first returning home or obtaining a waiver through USCIS.
How do I find U.S. employers that regularly host J-1 ML Research Engineers?
Use Migrate Mate to search for ML Research Engineer roles at U.S. employers with a track record of hosting J-1 exchange visitors. National laboratories, R1 research universities, and large technology companies with academic research divisions are common host environments. Targeting employers already affiliated with a designated sponsor shortens the DS-2019 issuance timeline considerably.
Can I work on proprietary ML models as a J-1 Research Scholar, or does the role need to be purely academic?
J-1 Research Scholars can conduct research in industry settings as long as the primary purpose is research or knowledge exchange rather than production engineering. If your day-to-day work shifts toward product development, deployment pipelines, or revenue-generating model delivery, your designated sponsor may determine the role no longer meets Research Scholar program requirements and could terminate your DS-2019.