J-1 Visa Research Intern Jobs
Research Intern positions in the United States are available to current students and recent graduates through the J-1 visa Intern program category, which requires sponsorship from a U.S. Department of State-designated organization. Your host employer provides the research opportunity while the designated sponsor issues your DS-2019 and monitors program compliance.
Find J-1 Visa Research Intern JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 218+ Research Intern jobs
See all 218+ Research Intern Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Research Intern roles.
Get Access To All JobsRequisition # 985
Advertising Ends on: Thursday, July 2nd, 2026
Advertising Started on: Thursday, June 18th, 2026
College: Carver College of Medicine
Department: Pediatrics
Salary: Commensurate
Full/Part Time Status: Full Time
Percent Time: 100%
Position Description:
The Jiang Laboratory (PI: Dr. Jing Jiang, https://jingjiang.lab.uiowa.edu/) at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine is seeking a full-time Research Intern to join our research team.
Our research aims to uncover the causal brain circuits underlying emotion, cognition, and psychiatric disorders and translate these discoveries into personalized neuromodulation therapies. We employ a unique multimodal approach that combines invasive and noninvasive brain stimulation techniques, including transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and intracranial electrical stimulation, with advanced brain recording methods such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and intracranial electroencephalography (iEEG). Ongoing projects involve healthy participants as well as individuals with neuropsychiatric, neurological, and neurodevelopmental conditions, providing unique opportunities to investigate causal human brain circuits and develop next-generation neuromodulation therapies.
This position is ideal for recent graduates who are interested in pursuing careers in neuroscience, medicine, psychology, psychiatry, biomedical engineering, or related fields and plan to apply to PhD, MD, or MD/PhD programs.
Training and Career Development
The Jiang Lab is committed to helping trainees develop into successful independent researchers. Research interns will receive close mentorship and hands-on training in human neuroscience research, including neuroimaging, brain stimulation, clinical research, and scientific communication. Depending on interests and performance, trainees may have opportunities to:
- Gain experience with TMS, fMRI, iEEG, and related neuroscience research methods
- Develop programming and data analysis skills using Python and/or MATLAB
- Contribute to peer-reviewed scientific manuscripts and conference presentations
- Participate in the development of independent research projects
- Develop the research experience, technical skills, publications, and mentorship necessary for successful admission to competitive PhD, MD, or MD/PhD programs
Position Responsibilities
Responsibilities may include:
- Assisting with participant recruitment, screening, scheduling, and study visits
- Collecting behavioral, clinical, MRI, and brain stimulation data
- Managing and organizing research databases, study records (e.g., REDCap), and research data storage systems
- Managing different experimental equipment
- Assisting with general laboratory operations, regulatory documentation, and IRB submissions
- Conducting data quality checking
- Preprocessing, analyzing, and maintaining research datasets
- Conducting literature reviews and supporting ongoing research projects
- Contributing to scientific presentations, manuscripts, and grant-related activities
Education Requirement:
Bachelor's degree in Neuroscience, Psychology, Cognitive Science, Biomedical Engineering, or a related field
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Neuroscience, Psychology, Cognitive Science, Biomedical Engineering, or a related field
- At least one year of research experience involving human participants in neuroscience, psychology, cognitive science, biomedical engineering, or a related field
- Experience with MATLAB and/or Python programming
- Excellent written and interpersonal communication skills
- Excellent organizational skills with strong attention to detail
- Demonstrated ability to learn new skills and work effectively both independently and as part of a team
Desirable Qualifications:
- Prior experience working with clinical populations with neuropsychiatric conditions
- Prior experience with neuroimaging (e.g., fMRI, EEG, iEEG) and/or brain stimulation methods (e.g., TMS)
- Experience with data analysis using Python, MATLAB, R, and/or UNIX/Linux environments
Online Application Required Documents
- Resume
- Name and Contact Information of References
- Letter of Interest
- Number of References: 3
To start the Online Application process for this position, click the "Apply for This Position" button located below the Contact Information.
Contact Information
Contact: Jing Jiang - pedsuichildrenshr@healthcare.uiowa.edu
Cmed-Pediatrics
Boyd Tower
601 Newton Road
W270GH BT
Iowa City, IA 52242
Department URL: https://jingjiang.lab.uiowa.edu
The University of Iowa is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment free from discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, pregnancy (including childbirth and related conditions), disability, genetic information, status as a U.S. veteran, service in the U.S. military, sexual orientation, or associational preferences.
Persons with disabilities may contact University Human Resources/Faculty and Staff Disability Services, (319) 335-2660 or fsds@uiowa.edu, to inquire or discuss accommodation needs.
Prospective employees may review the University Campus Security Policy and the latest annual crime statistics by contacting the Department of Public Safety at 319/335-5022.
Requisition # 985
Advertising Ends on: Thursday, July 2nd, 2026
Advertising Started on: Thursday, June 18th, 2026
College: Carver College of Medicine
Department: Pediatrics
Salary: Commensurate
Full/Part Time Status: Full Time
Percent Time: 100%
Position Description:
The Jiang Laboratory (PI: Dr. Jing Jiang, https://jingjiang.lab.uiowa.edu/) at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine is seeking a full-time Research Intern to join our research team.
Our research aims to uncover the causal brain circuits underlying emotion, cognition, and psychiatric disorders and translate these discoveries into personalized neuromodulation therapies. We employ a unique multimodal approach that combines invasive and noninvasive brain stimulation techniques, including transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and intracranial electrical stimulation, with advanced brain recording methods such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and intracranial electroencephalography (iEEG). Ongoing projects involve healthy participants as well as individuals with neuropsychiatric, neurological, and neurodevelopmental conditions, providing unique opportunities to investigate causal human brain circuits and develop next-generation neuromodulation therapies.
This position is ideal for recent graduates who are interested in pursuing careers in neuroscience, medicine, psychology, psychiatry, biomedical engineering, or related fields and plan to apply to PhD, MD, or MD/PhD programs.
Training and Career Development
The Jiang Lab is committed to helping trainees develop into successful independent researchers. Research interns will receive close mentorship and hands-on training in human neuroscience research, including neuroimaging, brain stimulation, clinical research, and scientific communication. Depending on interests and performance, trainees may have opportunities to:
- Gain experience with TMS, fMRI, iEEG, and related neuroscience research methods
- Develop programming and data analysis skills using Python and/or MATLAB
- Contribute to peer-reviewed scientific manuscripts and conference presentations
- Participate in the development of independent research projects
- Develop the research experience, technical skills, publications, and mentorship necessary for successful admission to competitive PhD, MD, or MD/PhD programs
Position Responsibilities
Responsibilities may include:
- Assisting with participant recruitment, screening, scheduling, and study visits
- Collecting behavioral, clinical, MRI, and brain stimulation data
- Managing and organizing research databases, study records (e.g., REDCap), and research data storage systems
- Managing different experimental equipment
- Assisting with general laboratory operations, regulatory documentation, and IRB submissions
- Conducting data quality checking
- Preprocessing, analyzing, and maintaining research datasets
- Conducting literature reviews and supporting ongoing research projects
- Contributing to scientific presentations, manuscripts, and grant-related activities
Education Requirement:
Bachelor's degree in Neuroscience, Psychology, Cognitive Science, Biomedical Engineering, or a related field
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Neuroscience, Psychology, Cognitive Science, Biomedical Engineering, or a related field
- At least one year of research experience involving human participants in neuroscience, psychology, cognitive science, biomedical engineering, or a related field
- Experience with MATLAB and/or Python programming
- Excellent written and interpersonal communication skills
- Excellent organizational skills with strong attention to detail
- Demonstrated ability to learn new skills and work effectively both independently and as part of a team
Desirable Qualifications:
- Prior experience working with clinical populations with neuropsychiatric conditions
- Prior experience with neuroimaging (e.g., fMRI, EEG, iEEG) and/or brain stimulation methods (e.g., TMS)
- Experience with data analysis using Python, MATLAB, R, and/or UNIX/Linux environments
Online Application Required Documents
- Resume
- Name and Contact Information of References
- Letter of Interest
- Number of References: 3
To start the Online Application process for this position, click the "Apply for This Position" button located below the Contact Information.
Contact Information
Contact: Jing Jiang - pedsuichildrenshr@healthcare.uiowa.edu
Cmed-Pediatrics
Boyd Tower
601 Newton Road
W270GH BT
Iowa City, IA 52242
Department URL: https://jingjiang.lab.uiowa.edu
The University of Iowa is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment free from discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, pregnancy (including childbirth and related conditions), disability, genetic information, status as a U.S. veteran, service in the U.S. military, sexual orientation, or associational preferences.
Persons with disabilities may contact University Human Resources/Faculty and Staff Disability Services, (319) 335-2660 or fsds@uiowa.edu, to inquire or discuss accommodation needs.
Prospective employees may review the University Campus Security Policy and the latest annual crime statistics by contacting the Department of Public Safety at 319/335-5022.
See all 218+ J-1 Visa Research Intern Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new J-1 Visa Research Intern Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding J-1 Visa Sponsorship as a Research Intern
Match your DS-2019 category before applying
Confirm you qualify for the J-1 Intern category, which requires current enrollment or graduation within 12 months. Applying to research roles before verifying your program category eligibility wastes time and risks rejection from designated sponsors.
Verify your host institution accepts J-1 interns
Many university labs and federal research agencies regularly host J-1 Intern participants, but private sector labs sometimes restrict program types. Ask hiring managers directly whether their organization has an existing relationship with a State Department-designated sponsor.
Use Migrate Mate to find J-1-aligned research roles
Search Migrate Mate to identify U.S. employers actively hosting international research interns. Filtering by role type saves time and surfaces host organizations already familiar with the J-1 Intern program structure and training plan requirements.
Build your training plan before your offer letter
Designated sponsors require a detailed Intern Training Program form outlining weekly objectives, supervision structure, and measurable skills. Drafting this document in advance with your prospective supervisor speeds up DS-2019 issuance significantly.
Clarify the 2-year home residency rule with your sponsor
If your research funding comes from a U.S. government agency or your home country's government, you may be subject to the INA 212(e) two-year home residency requirement. Your designated sponsor can confirm whether your specific situation triggers this rule before you finalize your placement.
Negotiate your start date around DS-2019 timelines
Designated sponsors typically need two to four weeks to issue a DS-2019 after approving your training plan. Build this window into your offer negotiation so your start date aligns with consulate processing and SEVIS activation.
Research Intern J-1 Visa: Frequently Asked Questions
Which J-1 program category covers Research Intern positions?
Research Intern roles fall under the J-1 Intern category, which is designed for current degree-seeking students or individuals who graduated within the past 12 months. If you completed your degree more than 12 months ago, you would need to qualify under the Trainee category instead, which has different eligibility criteria and program length limits.
Who actually sponsors my J-1 visa for a research internship?
Your visa sponsor is a U.S. Department of State-designated organization, not your host research employer. The designated sponsor, such as Cultural Vistas, CIEE, or a university exchange office, issues your DS-2019 form and takes legal responsibility for your program compliance. Your host lab or institution provides the research placement and supervises your work, but it is not your visa sponsor.
How do I find U.S. research employers who regularly host J-1 interns?
Migrate Mate lets you search for roles at U.S. employers with J-1 program experience, making it easier to identify host organizations already comfortable with training plan requirements and designated sponsor coordination. Targeting institutions with prior J-1 hosting history reduces delays and the risk of a host unfamiliar with DS-2019 paperwork requirements.
Can I extend my J-1 research internship if my project runs longer than expected?
Extensions are possible but must be approved by your designated sponsor before your current DS-2019 end date. The total J-1 Intern program duration cannot exceed 12 months. Your host supervisor and sponsor must agree on a revised training plan documenting the additional objectives, and SEVIS records must be updated before the extension takes effect.
Does a research internship through J-1 affect my future H-1B or other visa options?
Completing a J-1 internship does not block H-1B visa or other nonimmigrant visa applications, unless the INA 212(e) two-year home residency requirement applies to your exchange. If triggered, you would need to return to your home country for two years or obtain a waiver before changing to most other visa categories. Your designated sponsor can tell you whether your specific funding source or nationality activates this requirement.