J-1 Visa Operations Specialist Jobs
Operations Specialist roles in the U.S. are accessible to exchange visitors through J-1 visa sponsorship under the Trainee or Intern category, depending on your career stage. Designated sponsor organizations issue your DS-2019 and work with your host employer to structure a compliant training plan tied to operations management.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
We are seeking a detail-oriented and proactive Market Research Operations Specialist to support our Consumer Insights team. This role is pivotal in ensuring the seamless and timely execution of research initiatives and projects that inform business decisions and enhance customer experiences. The ideal candidates will have strong project management skills, a foundational understanding of market research methodologies, and a collaborative mindset. This full-time position reports to the Senior Manager of Consumer Insights and is expected to work in a hybrid model, which currently includes Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday in-office.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Research Operations / Project Management Support:
- Coordinate the scheduling of multiple research projects from initiation to completion, ensuring timelines are met
- Manage vendor relationships including: contract and payment coordination and communication
- Develop and maintain project documentation, such as contracts, timelines, budgets, and status reports, to keep internal stakeholders informed
- Oversee management and monitoring of recruitment logistics from both internal and external panels to ensure diverse and representative participant samples
- Ensure data integrity and PII standards are integrated into the process across all research projects by maintaining high-quality standards for data handling.
Research Support:
- Work closely with the Consumer Insights team to operationalize and organize research studies, including basic survey programming, participant recruitment, and data collection
- Supporting specific phases of the project process: survey programming, monitoring data collection, data pulling/preliminary analysis (charts, open-end analyses, etc.) and reporting (updating templatized slides, dashboards, etc.)
- Secondary research (AI tools, referencing different online sources, etc.)
Collaboration and Stakeholder Management:
- Serve as the internal scheduling bridge between the CI research team and cross-functional departments, such as Marketing, Creative, Merchandising, Operations, Digital, and Customer Service to manage research assets and project flow
- Provide logistical support for internal and external workshops, focus groups, and testing sessions, including scheduling, materials preparation, and technology setup
- Clearly communicate project updates and status to key stakeholders
- Manage and update the CI library of programs, projects, and insights to ensure easy access across the organization
Process Optimization:
- Identify opportunities to streamline research processes and implement tools or frameworks to improve efficiency
- Maintain and update a repository of research templates, guidelines, and best practices
- Monitor industry trends and emerging tools in research operations to keep the team running efficiently and effectively
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Strong proactive project management with experience managing multiple projects simultaneously
- 1-2 years of experience in Market Research, Consumer Insights, or a related field, with exposure to both quantitative and qualitative methodologies
- Baseline proficiency with project management and research tools and platforms (e.g., survey software and project management platforms)
- Excellent organizational skills, with a keen eye for detail and ability to manage complex logistics
- Strong verbal and written communication skills, including translating timeline and process details and clearly communicate to internal stakeholders
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Knowledge of basic project management and collaboration tools (e.g., Jira, Figma, Confluence)
- Curious and passionate about understanding consumer behavior and improving customer experiences
- Familiarity with CI and UX quantitative and qualitative research methodologies
- Base-level experience with research platforms
- Basic statistical analysis skills a plus
- A background or coursework in psychology, sociology, business, or a related field is preferred
- A self-starter with a collaborative approach to problem-solving
- Adaptable and able to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment
- Demonstrated AI literacy, enabling effective understanding, interaction, and critical evaluation of AI technologies and applications across diverse business functions
About us:
Balsam Brands is a global, omnichannel retailer with roots in holiday and home décor. We strive for excellence in everything we do and present a unique opportunity for those seeking to have a meaningful impact in a people-first company that values relationship building, authenticity, and doing the right thing. We have steadily growing teams in Boise, the Bay Area, Dublin, the Philippines, Canada, and Mexico. The company's mission is to create joy together. We empower our team and partners to love what they do, provide products and experiences that inspire meaningful moments with family and friends, and give back to our families and communities in impactful ways. When you join Balsam Brands, you'll find a culture of caring people doing challenging work and building a welcoming workplace.
BENEFITS
At Balsam Brands, we strive to offer a competitive compensation and benefits package. For permanent, full-time team members, our current package includes:
- Competitive compensation, including a cash-based incentive plan; salary is reviewed yearly and may be adjusted as part of the normal compensation review process
- Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage, with 100% of monthly premiums covered for team members, and 85%+ employer-paid premiums for other coverage tiers that include dependents
- Up to $2,000 annual funding toward HSA accounts
- Medical, transit, dependent care FSA
- Infertility coverage offered on all medical plans
- Generous parental leave program and flexible return options
- Company-paid life and AD&D insurance
- Company-paid short and long-term disability insurance
- 401(k) with dollar-for-dollar company match up to $4,000 per calendar year
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and other mental health and wellness perks
- Paid holidays, annual shutdown week, PTO, and volunteer time-off (VTO) packages
- Paid 5-week sabbatical leave after 10 years of employment
- Annual continuous learning benefit up to $1,000 per person, per fiscal year
- Up to $300 flexible reimbursement to support setup of new team member's work-from-home environment
- Generous team member merchandise discount
- Valuable extras: identity theft protection, subsidized parking, monthly wellness, pet insurance, accident & critical illness insurance
The base pay range for this position is: $60,000 to $75,000. Please note that placement within the posted salary range is based on several factors, including geographic location, experience, skills, alignment with role requirements and other job-related factors. It is uncommon for offers to be made at the top of the range, as this typically reflects a candidate who exceeds all role requirements and brings significant, directly applicable experience.
We benchmark our pay ranges against current external data sources and regularly review compensation for our team members. Balsam Brands is committed to providing our team members with an internally fair, externally competitive, and fiscally prudent total compensation package administered in a simple and consistent manner.
At Balsam Brands, we strive to build a diverse, equitable, and inclusive team to fulfill our purpose to create joy together. Balsam Brands is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We encourage people from all backgrounds, ages, abilities, and experiences to apply. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, citizenship, marital or family status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy or caregiver status, veteran status, or any other legally protected status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to participate in the job application and interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.
INTRODUCTION
We are seeking a detail-oriented and proactive Market Research Operations Specialist to support our Consumer Insights team. This role is pivotal in ensuring the seamless and timely execution of research initiatives and projects that inform business decisions and enhance customer experiences. The ideal candidates will have strong project management skills, a foundational understanding of market research methodologies, and a collaborative mindset. This full-time position reports to the Senior Manager of Consumer Insights and is expected to work in a hybrid model, which currently includes Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday in-office.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Research Operations / Project Management Support:
- Coordinate the scheduling of multiple research projects from initiation to completion, ensuring timelines are met
- Manage vendor relationships including: contract and payment coordination and communication
- Develop and maintain project documentation, such as contracts, timelines, budgets, and status reports, to keep internal stakeholders informed
- Oversee management and monitoring of recruitment logistics from both internal and external panels to ensure diverse and representative participant samples
- Ensure data integrity and PII standards are integrated into the process across all research projects by maintaining high-quality standards for data handling.
Research Support:
- Work closely with the Consumer Insights team to operationalize and organize research studies, including basic survey programming, participant recruitment, and data collection
- Supporting specific phases of the project process: survey programming, monitoring data collection, data pulling/preliminary analysis (charts, open-end analyses, etc.) and reporting (updating templatized slides, dashboards, etc.)
- Secondary research (AI tools, referencing different online sources, etc.)
Collaboration and Stakeholder Management:
- Serve as the internal scheduling bridge between the CI research team and cross-functional departments, such as Marketing, Creative, Merchandising, Operations, Digital, and Customer Service to manage research assets and project flow
- Provide logistical support for internal and external workshops, focus groups, and testing sessions, including scheduling, materials preparation, and technology setup
- Clearly communicate project updates and status to key stakeholders
- Manage and update the CI library of programs, projects, and insights to ensure easy access across the organization
Process Optimization:
- Identify opportunities to streamline research processes and implement tools or frameworks to improve efficiency
- Maintain and update a repository of research templates, guidelines, and best practices
- Monitor industry trends and emerging tools in research operations to keep the team running efficiently and effectively
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Strong proactive project management with experience managing multiple projects simultaneously
- 1-2 years of experience in Market Research, Consumer Insights, or a related field, with exposure to both quantitative and qualitative methodologies
- Baseline proficiency with project management and research tools and platforms (e.g., survey software and project management platforms)
- Excellent organizational skills, with a keen eye for detail and ability to manage complex logistics
- Strong verbal and written communication skills, including translating timeline and process details and clearly communicate to internal stakeholders
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Knowledge of basic project management and collaboration tools (e.g., Jira, Figma, Confluence)
- Curious and passionate about understanding consumer behavior and improving customer experiences
- Familiarity with CI and UX quantitative and qualitative research methodologies
- Base-level experience with research platforms
- Basic statistical analysis skills a plus
- A background or coursework in psychology, sociology, business, or a related field is preferred
- A self-starter with a collaborative approach to problem-solving
- Adaptable and able to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment
- Demonstrated AI literacy, enabling effective understanding, interaction, and critical evaluation of AI technologies and applications across diverse business functions
About us:
Balsam Brands is a global, omnichannel retailer with roots in holiday and home décor. We strive for excellence in everything we do and present a unique opportunity for those seeking to have a meaningful impact in a people-first company that values relationship building, authenticity, and doing the right thing. We have steadily growing teams in Boise, the Bay Area, Dublin, the Philippines, Canada, and Mexico. The company's mission is to create joy together. We empower our team and partners to love what they do, provide products and experiences that inspire meaningful moments with family and friends, and give back to our families and communities in impactful ways. When you join Balsam Brands, you'll find a culture of caring people doing challenging work and building a welcoming workplace.
BENEFITS
At Balsam Brands, we strive to offer a competitive compensation and benefits package. For permanent, full-time team members, our current package includes:
- Competitive compensation, including a cash-based incentive plan; salary is reviewed yearly and may be adjusted as part of the normal compensation review process
- Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage, with 100% of monthly premiums covered for team members, and 85%+ employer-paid premiums for other coverage tiers that include dependents
- Up to $2,000 annual funding toward HSA accounts
- Medical, transit, dependent care FSA
- Infertility coverage offered on all medical plans
- Generous parental leave program and flexible return options
- Company-paid life and AD&D insurance
- Company-paid short and long-term disability insurance
- 401(k) with dollar-for-dollar company match up to $4,000 per calendar year
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and other mental health and wellness perks
- Paid holidays, annual shutdown week, PTO, and volunteer time-off (VTO) packages
- Paid 5-week sabbatical leave after 10 years of employment
- Annual continuous learning benefit up to $1,000 per person, per fiscal year
- Up to $300 flexible reimbursement to support setup of new team member's work-from-home environment
- Generous team member merchandise discount
- Valuable extras: identity theft protection, subsidized parking, monthly wellness, pet insurance, accident & critical illness insurance
The base pay range for this position is: $60,000 to $75,000. Please note that placement within the posted salary range is based on several factors, including geographic location, experience, skills, alignment with role requirements and other job-related factors. It is uncommon for offers to be made at the top of the range, as this typically reflects a candidate who exceeds all role requirements and brings significant, directly applicable experience.
We benchmark our pay ranges against current external data sources and regularly review compensation for our team members. Balsam Brands is committed to providing our team members with an internally fair, externally competitive, and fiscally prudent total compensation package administered in a simple and consistent manner.
At Balsam Brands, we strive to build a diverse, equitable, and inclusive team to fulfill our purpose to create joy together. Balsam Brands is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We encourage people from all backgrounds, ages, abilities, and experiences to apply. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, citizenship, marital or family status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy or caregiver status, veteran status, or any other legally protected status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to participate in the job application and interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.
See all 20+ Operations Specialist jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Operations Specialist roles.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding J-1 Visa Sponsorship as an Operations Specialist
Frame your training plan around measurable operations outcomes
Your DS-2019 requires a detailed training plan, not a job description. Map your proposed learning objectives to specific operations functions like supply chain coordination, process improvement, or logistics management so the designated sponsor can approve it without revisions.
Verify your J-1 category before approaching host employers
If you're currently enrolled in a degree program, the Intern category applies. If you've graduated and have at least one year of relevant experience, the Trainee category fits. Approaching a host employer with the wrong category forces a restart and delays your timeline.
Search for J-1-aligned Operations Specialist roles on Migrate Mate
Operations roles vary widely in sponsorship openness. Migrate Mate lets you filter for U.S. employers whose hiring history aligns with J-1 exchange programs, so you're targeting host organizations likely to engage a designated sponsor rather than those unfamiliar with the structure.
Confirm the host employer understands their hosting obligations
Host employers must supervise your training plan, provide a responsible officer point of contact, and cooperate with your designated sponsor's monitoring requirements. Raise these expectations during the offer stage, not after signing, to avoid compliance problems once your program begins.
Check whether your operations specialization triggers the two-year home residency requirement
Some J-1 participants are subject to the two-year home-country physical presence requirement based on government funding or skills-list status. USCIS and the State Department both reference this condition, and it affects your ability to extend or change status afterward.
Build credentials that reflect a defined operations specialty before applying
Designated sponsors assess whether your background justifies a structured training program in the U.S. Certifications in Lean, Six Sigma, or ERP systems give your training plan a credible foundation and reduce the likelihood of a sponsor requesting additional documentation before issuing your DS-2019.
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Find Operations Specialist JobsOperations Specialist J-1 Visa: Frequently Asked Questions
Which J-1 program category applies to Operations Specialist roles?
The Trainee category applies if you've completed a degree or have at least one year of full-time operations experience and are seeking structured professional development in the U.S. The Intern category applies if you're currently enrolled in a degree program outside the U.S. The distinction matters because each category has different eligibility rules, maximum duration limits, and training plan requirements set by the State Department.
Who actually sponsors my J-1 visa as an Operations Specialist, the employer or a separate organization?
The visa sponsor is a U.S. Department of State-designated organization, not your employer. Organizations like Cultural Vistas or AIPT issue your DS-2019 and are legally responsible for your program compliance. Your host employer, where you actually work, is separate from this role. The employer agrees to host and supervise your training but is not the visa sponsor in any legal sense.
How do I find U.S. employers willing to host a J-1 Operations Specialist trainee?
Most employers don't advertise J-1 hosting capacity explicitly, so targeting the right organizations matters before you apply. Migrate Mate helps you identify U.S. employers whose hiring patterns align with international exchange programs, narrowing your search to host organizations already familiar with training plan obligations and designated sponsor coordination.
Does the two-year home residency requirement affect Operations Specialist J-1 participants?
It can. The two-year home-country physical presence requirement applies if your J-1 program is funded by your home government or the U.S. government, or if your specialty appears on the State Department's Exchange Visitor Skills List. Operations management skills appear on some countries' lists. You should confirm your status with your designated sponsor before accepting an offer, because this requirement restricts your ability to change to H-1B or adjust to permanent residence without first fulfilling it or obtaining a waiver.
Can I extend my J-1 Trainee program if my host employer wants to continue the engagement?
J-1 Trainee programs are capped at 18 months total, and extensions beyond that are not permitted under State Department regulations. If your host employer wants a longer arrangement after your program ends, they would need to pursue a different visa category entirely. Plan your training objectives with the 18-month ceiling in mind from the start so the program concludes on a defined deliverable rather than an arbitrary cutoff.
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