OPT Associate Scientist Jobs
Associate Scientist roles in biotech, pharma, and research labs are among the most OPT-friendly positions in STEM. Most qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension, giving you up to three years of work authorization. Employers in these fields routinely sponsor H-1B visas for strong performers.
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Get Access To All JobsABOUT ABBVIE
AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology and neuroscience - and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio.
POSITION DESCRIPTION:
The incumbent in this role will support the formulation development of protein biologics from early development (pre-clinical/First-In-Human candidates) through commercialization, with a specific focus on highly-potent-compounds for therapeutics and aesthetic use.
This position requires laboratory work in areas requiring select agents and highly-potent-compound access (i.e., Biosafety level 2 laboratories). Access to and use of select agents is regulated by federal policies. Therefore, the candidate must conduct all work activities in compliance with AbbVie internal and applicable regulatory requirements. AbbVie internal requirements include compliance with ethics, environmental health and safety, financial, human resources, and general business policies, requirements, and objectives.
Responsibilities
- Execute formulation composition and drug product process development studies for sterile liquids, lyophilized, and pre-filled dosage forms.
- Manufacture drug product formulation batches for evaluating formulation stability and/or to support animal studies.
- Conduct clinical in-use studies to guide dose solution administration.
- Analyze data, interpret results and draw conclusions from multistage experiments; note significant deviations and propose relevant new experiments accordingly.
- Generate high-quality data based on sound scientific understanding and prepare formulation data summaries, technical reports, and scientific presentations.
- Support functional technical initiatives by investigating and developing novel experimental approaches and/or technologies in the field of drug product development.
- Maintain oversight of day-to-day laboratory activities; manage inventory of raw materials and drug product packaging and manufacturing supplies; coordinate ordering, shipping, and receiving.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Associate Scientist I: Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, biochemistry, pharmaceutical sciences or equivalent, with 0–3 years of relevant experience.
- Associate Scientist II: Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, biochemistry, pharmaceutical sciences or equivalent, with 3-5 years of relevant experience.
- Experience in handling select agent and highly-potent-compounds is highly preferred.
- Prior experience with drug product manufacturing processes and lyophilization is required.
- Experience in CMC development, with a preference for protein formulation, drug delivery, or analytical functions.
- Candidates must demonstrate the technical ability to execute and troubleshoot experiments using rational and critical thinking. Must be highly organized and detail oriented.
- Hands-on experience with analytical techniques used in protein characterization and stability studies, such as HPLC, spectroscopy, HIAC, DLS, ELISA, and Karl Fischer, is preferred.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills are required.
- A strong willingness to learn and apply new scientific techniques.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law:
- The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.
-
We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.
-
This job is eligible to participate in our short-term incentive programs.
Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law.
AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community. Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled.
US & Puerto Rico only - to learn more, visit
US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation, click here to learn more:
ABOUT ABBVIE
AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology and neuroscience - and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio.
POSITION DESCRIPTION:
The incumbent in this role will support the formulation development of protein biologics from early development (pre-clinical/First-In-Human candidates) through commercialization, with a specific focus on highly-potent-compounds for therapeutics and aesthetic use.
This position requires laboratory work in areas requiring select agents and highly-potent-compound access (i.e., Biosafety level 2 laboratories). Access to and use of select agents is regulated by federal policies. Therefore, the candidate must conduct all work activities in compliance with AbbVie internal and applicable regulatory requirements. AbbVie internal requirements include compliance with ethics, environmental health and safety, financial, human resources, and general business policies, requirements, and objectives.
Responsibilities
- Execute formulation composition and drug product process development studies for sterile liquids, lyophilized, and pre-filled dosage forms.
- Manufacture drug product formulation batches for evaluating formulation stability and/or to support animal studies.
- Conduct clinical in-use studies to guide dose solution administration.
- Analyze data, interpret results and draw conclusions from multistage experiments; note significant deviations and propose relevant new experiments accordingly.
- Generate high-quality data based on sound scientific understanding and prepare formulation data summaries, technical reports, and scientific presentations.
- Support functional technical initiatives by investigating and developing novel experimental approaches and/or technologies in the field of drug product development.
- Maintain oversight of day-to-day laboratory activities; manage inventory of raw materials and drug product packaging and manufacturing supplies; coordinate ordering, shipping, and receiving.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Associate Scientist I: Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, biochemistry, pharmaceutical sciences or equivalent, with 0–3 years of relevant experience.
- Associate Scientist II: Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, biochemistry, pharmaceutical sciences or equivalent, with 3-5 years of relevant experience.
- Experience in handling select agent and highly-potent-compounds is highly preferred.
- Prior experience with drug product manufacturing processes and lyophilization is required.
- Experience in CMC development, with a preference for protein formulation, drug delivery, or analytical functions.
- Candidates must demonstrate the technical ability to execute and troubleshoot experiments using rational and critical thinking. Must be highly organized and detail oriented.
- Hands-on experience with analytical techniques used in protein characterization and stability studies, such as HPLC, spectroscopy, HIAC, DLS, ELISA, and Karl Fischer, is preferred.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills are required.
- A strong willingness to learn and apply new scientific techniques.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law:
- The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.
-
We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.
-
This job is eligible to participate in our short-term incentive programs.
Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law.
AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community. Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled.
US & Puerto Rico only - to learn more, visit
US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation, click here to learn more:
See all 462+ OPT Associate Scientist Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new OPT Associate Scientist Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship as an Associate Scientist
Target STEM-designated programs first
Your degree field determines STEM OPT eligibility. Life sciences, chemistry, biology, and biomedical engineering degrees qualify. Confirm your program's CIP code with your DSO before applying, so you know exactly how much OPT runway you're working with.
Apply to companies with active H-1B sponsorship history
Biotech and pharmaceutical employers like large CROs and research institutions file H-1B petitions regularly. Prioritize companies where Associate Scientists have historically transitioned from OPT to full sponsorship. Their internal processes for international employees are already established.
Address OPT status clearly and early
Don't wait for the offer stage to bring up work authorization. Mention your OPT status and STEM extension eligibility in cover letters. Hiring managers in research labs want to plan headcount without surprises during the background check phase.
Connect your degree directly to the role
Associate Scientist roles require a degree in a relevant scientific field. Make the connection explicit on your resume. A biochemistry degree applying to a cell biology role needs visible overlap in coursework, lab techniques, and research focus areas.
Start your job search 90 days before OPT starts
USCIS recommends applying for OPT up to 90 days before your program end date. Use that lead time to interview actively. Research lab hiring moves slower than tech, so building pipeline early prevents gaps in your employment authorization timeline.
Document your lab skills with specificity
Generic resumes don't get Associate Scientist interviews. List specific instruments, assays, and software platforms you've used. PCR, flow cytometry, HPLC, and ELN experience are concrete qualifiers that let screeners verify your fit without calling a reference.
Associate Scientist OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work as an Associate Scientist on F-1 OPT?
Yes. Associate Scientist roles are directly tied to STEM degree fields like biology, chemistry, biochemistry, and biomedical engineering, which means they qualify for standard OPT and typically for the 24-month STEM OPT extension. That gives you up to three years of work authorization without employer sponsorship, provided your employer is enrolled in E-Verify.
Do Associate Scientist employers commonly sponsor H-1B visas?
Many do, particularly in pharmaceutical companies, CROs, and established biotech firms. These organizations hire internationally at scale and have legal infrastructure in place for H-1B petitions. Smaller startups vary significantly. When browsing roles on Migrate Mate, you can filter specifically for employers with a verified sponsorship track record to focus your applications where conversion is most realistic.
What happens if my OPT expires before H-1B sponsorship comes through?
If your employer files your H-1B petition before your OPT expires and you have a valid EAD, you're covered under cap-gap protection through September 30 of that year. If the H-1B isn't filed in time, you'd need to stop working. This makes timing critical: your employer should initiate the H-1B process well before your STEM OPT end date.
Does my Associate Scientist job need to match my degree field exactly?
Not exactly, but it needs to be directly related. USCIS and your DSO review whether the role is in a field closely connected to your degree. A chemistry graduate working in analytical method development has a clear connection. A biology graduate moving into clinical data coordination may need a stronger written justification from both employer and DSO to satisfy OPT requirements.
How do I find Associate Scientist roles that are open to OPT candidates?
Many job postings don't specify OPT explicitly, but STEM-heavy employers in biotech, pharma, and contract research are the most receptive. Migrate Mate is designed specifically for F-1 OPT job seekers and surfaces Associate Scientist roles from employers who actively consider international candidates, saving you from spending hours filtering out positions that won't sponsor.