J-1 Visa Security Engineer Jobs
Security Engineer roles in the U.S. are accessible to international professionals through the J-1 visa under the Trainee or Research Scholar category, depending on your background. Designated sponsor organizations issue your DS-2019 and manage compliance while your host employer runs your day-to-day work. Securing a host willing to coordinate with a sponsor is the practical first step toward J-1 sponsorship.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
The Emerging Technologies & Nuclear Security Fellow (postdoctoral or predoctoral) participates in research projects connecting emerging technologies and nuclear and/or biological security (we are primarily interested in candidates focused on the intersection of artificial intelligence and nuclear/biological security). Faculty interested in residing at CNS during sabbatical leave also are encouraged to apply.
This is an interdisciplinary fellowship, and we welcome applicants from public policy, international relations, and the social sciences, as well as from computer science, engineering, and the natural sciences. Start date is flexible, but successful applicants can begin as early as July 1, 2027. Preference will be given to applications received prior to February 1, 2027.
This is a full-time benefits-eligible staff position. The position is in-person at the Monterey office of the Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS), a research center of Middlebury College.
Essential Functions
During their year in residence in Monterey, the fellow will be expected to:
- Publish a significant scholarly work in the field of emerging technologies and nuclear or biological security;
- Conduct research connecting emerging technologies and nuclear or biological security. This will include collaborating with CNS’s in-house AI Innovation Lab and participating in CNS’s Asilomar Process for AI & Global Security;
- Provide lectures to students, staff, and visiting fellows at CNS on these topics as part of CNS’s next-generation training programs.
General Responsibilities
- Publish research results in scholarly (peer-reviewed) and policy-oriented publications;
- Present research at professional meetings, including international conferences;
- Mentor students and junior staff connected to their research team.
Compensation
Compensation for this position is at the CNS3 level depending on educational and professional qualifications. This is a full-time (1 FTE) benefits eligible, salaried position with a duration of one year and a hiring range of $67,866 to $100,000. Predoctoral candidates will be hired in the CNS3A range (hiring minimum of $67,866), while postdoctoral candidates will be hired in the CNS3B-D range dependent on experience (hiring minimum of $76,363). Candidates with their own fellowship or sabbatical funding will also be considered for the position (please discuss in your cover letter).
Requirements
Education
Research experience linked to emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence or quantum computing, and international security (with a preference for candidates with nuclear security experience).
For the postdoctoral fellowship, applicants must have a Ph.D. in a relevant field in hand before arrival. Both policy and technical backgrounds are welcome. Advanced Ph.D. students (ABD) will also be considered for the predoctoral fellowship, which carries the same responsibilities. Please indicate in your application whether you are applying for the postdoctoral or the predoctoral fellowship.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Excellent analytical, writing, and communication skills, as well as the ability to translate those skills into publishable scholarly and policy-relevant products;
- Exceptional knowledge of the connection between emerging technologies and international security;
- Strong public speaking, lecturing, and teaching skills.
Experience
- Academic publication record;
- Lecturing or teaching experience is preferred;
- Professional experience in the emerging technologies and global security/nuclear security field is preferred;
- Experience in public policy settings is desirable.
Physical Demands
- Middlebury College maintains a smoke-free workplace and complies with the Federal Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act and Drug-Free Workplace Act.
- This position requires modest physical exertion and the ability to sit for extended periods of time. It also requires fine dexterity and ability to grasp, i.e. for writing and word processing. Periodic travel to CNS offices and national and international conferences is required.
Other:
An offer for this position is contingent upon successful completion of a criminal background check and references.
Benefits
As an employee of Middlebury College, you will enjoy being part of a vibrant supportive community. Middlebury offers its employees excellent compensation and competitive health, dental, life, disability, generous retirement matching, and vision benefits. Middlebury offers a generous time away program—up to 34 days per year during the first two years of service, increasing as the term of service lengthens. Middlebury employees are eligible for robust educational assistance programs. The result is a very high quality-of-life in a gorgeous setting. Come join us and be a part of our team!
Middlebury College is an equal-opportunity employer where diversity, equity, and inclusion are core values. To this end, the College recruits talented and diverse faculty, staff, and students from across the United States and around the world. Middlebury College encourages applications from women, people of color, people with disabilities, and members of other protected classes and historically underrepresented communities. The College also invites applications from individuals who demonstrate an ongoing commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.
INTRODUCTION
The Emerging Technologies & Nuclear Security Fellow (postdoctoral or predoctoral) participates in research projects connecting emerging technologies and nuclear and/or biological security (we are primarily interested in candidates focused on the intersection of artificial intelligence and nuclear/biological security). Faculty interested in residing at CNS during sabbatical leave also are encouraged to apply.
This is an interdisciplinary fellowship, and we welcome applicants from public policy, international relations, and the social sciences, as well as from computer science, engineering, and the natural sciences. Start date is flexible, but successful applicants can begin as early as July 1, 2027. Preference will be given to applications received prior to February 1, 2027.
This is a full-time benefits-eligible staff position. The position is in-person at the Monterey office of the Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS), a research center of Middlebury College.
Essential Functions
During their year in residence in Monterey, the fellow will be expected to:
- Publish a significant scholarly work in the field of emerging technologies and nuclear or biological security;
- Conduct research connecting emerging technologies and nuclear or biological security. This will include collaborating with CNS’s in-house AI Innovation Lab and participating in CNS’s Asilomar Process for AI & Global Security;
- Provide lectures to students, staff, and visiting fellows at CNS on these topics as part of CNS’s next-generation training programs.
General Responsibilities
- Publish research results in scholarly (peer-reviewed) and policy-oriented publications;
- Present research at professional meetings, including international conferences;
- Mentor students and junior staff connected to their research team.
Compensation
Compensation for this position is at the CNS3 level depending on educational and professional qualifications. This is a full-time (1 FTE) benefits eligible, salaried position with a duration of one year and a hiring range of $67,866 to $100,000. Predoctoral candidates will be hired in the CNS3A range (hiring minimum of $67,866), while postdoctoral candidates will be hired in the CNS3B-D range dependent on experience (hiring minimum of $76,363). Candidates with their own fellowship or sabbatical funding will also be considered for the position (please discuss in your cover letter).
Requirements
Education
Research experience linked to emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence or quantum computing, and international security (with a preference for candidates with nuclear security experience).
For the postdoctoral fellowship, applicants must have a Ph.D. in a relevant field in hand before arrival. Both policy and technical backgrounds are welcome. Advanced Ph.D. students (ABD) will also be considered for the predoctoral fellowship, which carries the same responsibilities. Please indicate in your application whether you are applying for the postdoctoral or the predoctoral fellowship.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Excellent analytical, writing, and communication skills, as well as the ability to translate those skills into publishable scholarly and policy-relevant products;
- Exceptional knowledge of the connection between emerging technologies and international security;
- Strong public speaking, lecturing, and teaching skills.
Experience
- Academic publication record;
- Lecturing or teaching experience is preferred;
- Professional experience in the emerging technologies and global security/nuclear security field is preferred;
- Experience in public policy settings is desirable.
Physical Demands
- Middlebury College maintains a smoke-free workplace and complies with the Federal Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act and Drug-Free Workplace Act.
- This position requires modest physical exertion and the ability to sit for extended periods of time. It also requires fine dexterity and ability to grasp, i.e. for writing and word processing. Periodic travel to CNS offices and national and international conferences is required.
Other:
An offer for this position is contingent upon successful completion of a criminal background check and references.
Benefits
As an employee of Middlebury College, you will enjoy being part of a vibrant supportive community. Middlebury offers its employees excellent compensation and competitive health, dental, life, disability, generous retirement matching, and vision benefits. Middlebury offers a generous time away program—up to 34 days per year during the first two years of service, increasing as the term of service lengthens. Middlebury employees are eligible for robust educational assistance programs. The result is a very high quality-of-life in a gorgeous setting. Come join us and be a part of our team!
Middlebury College is an equal-opportunity employer where diversity, equity, and inclusion are core values. To this end, the College recruits talented and diverse faculty, staff, and students from across the United States and around the world. Middlebury College encourages applications from women, people of color, people with disabilities, and members of other protected classes and historically underrepresented communities. The College also invites applications from individuals who demonstrate an ongoing commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding J-1 Visa Sponsorship as a Security Engineer
Align your credentials to J-1 category requirements
The Trainee category requires a degree plus one year of relevant experience or five years of field experience with no degree. Security engineering credentials like CISSP or CEH strengthen your training plan and help designated sponsors justify your placement category.
Draft a training plan before approaching hosts
Designated sponsors require a detailed training plan outlining objectives, supervision structure, and skill benchmarks. Prepare this document before contacting host employers so you can demonstrate the placement is structured learning, not regular employment.
Target hosts with existing sponsor relationships
Use Migrate Mate to identify U.S. employers who have previously hosted J-1 visa exchange visitors in technical roles. A host already familiar with DS-2019 procedures and training plan requirements will move through sponsor coordination faster than one starting from scratch.
Verify the host's wage against DOL prevailing standards
Your designated sponsor will confirm your compensation meets program requirements. Cross-check the offered wage against the OFLC Wage Search for security engineering roles in that metro area so you can flag discrepancies before your training plan is submitted.
Clarify the home residency requirement early in negotiations
Security Engineer roles funded by government sources or tied to certain nationalities trigger the two-year home residency requirement under INA section 212(e). Confirm with your sponsor whether your program and funding source carry this requirement before signing an offer.
Confirm E-Verify enrollment before your program start date
J-1 hosts working with STEM-adjacent trainees increasingly use E-Verify for employment verification. Confirm your prospective host is enrolled before your DS-2019 is issued, since unenrolled hosts can create compliance gaps your sponsor must resolve.
Security Engineer J-1 Visa: Frequently Asked Questions
Which J-1 program category fits a Security Engineer role?
Most Security Engineers enter through the Trainee category, which suits early-career professionals with a relevant degree and at least one year of experience, or those with five or more years in the field without a degree. Security researchers affiliated with a university or research institute may qualify under the Research Scholar category instead, depending on the nature of their work and the host organization.
Who actually sponsors the J-1 visa for a Security Engineer -- the employer or someone else?
The J-1 visa sponsor is a U.S. Department of State-designated organization, such as CIEE, Cultural Vistas, or AIPT, not your employer. The employer is the host organization where you do your day-to-day work. The designated sponsor issues your DS-2019, reviews your training plan, and monitors your compliance throughout the program. You need both a willing host and a designated sponsor to proceed.
How do I find U.S. employers open to hosting a J-1 Security Engineer?
Most job boards don't filter by J-1 hosting experience, which makes the search inefficient. Migrate Mate lets you search specifically for U.S. employers and roles that align with J-1 visa sponsorship pathways, including Security Engineer positions, so you can focus outreach on hosts likely to engage with a designated sponsor rather than starting the conversation from zero.
Does a Security Engineer J-1 placement come with a two-year home residency requirement?
It depends on your nationality, your country's bilateral agreement with the U.S., and whether your program receives government funding. Security engineering roles at federally funded research institutions or under certain exchange agreements are more likely to trigger the INA section 212(e) two-year requirement. Your designated sponsor will assess this before issuing the DS-2019, and USCIS handles any subsequent waiver applications.
Can I convert from J-1 status to an H-1B or other work visa after my Security Engineer placement ends?
Yes, but the two-year home residency requirement, if applicable, must be fulfilled or waived before you can change to H-1B visa, L-1 visa, or most immigrant visa categories. If no requirement applies, your host employer can file an H-1B petition before your J-1 ends. Migrate Mate can help you identify employers with H-1B visa filing history who may be positioned to support that transition after your J-1 program concludes.