OPT Research Jobs
Research roles are among the strongest fits for F-1 OPT students, with positions at universities, federal agencies, and private labs routinely sponsoring H-1B visas. Your 12-month OPT window, or 24-month STEM extension if your degree qualifies, gives you real runway to build a research career in the U.S.
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Work Schedule
Standard (Mon-Fri)
Environmental Conditions
Office
Job Description
Join Us as a Senior Clinical Research Associate (Level I/II) – Make an Impact at the Forefront of Innovation
We have successfully supported the top 50 pharmaceutical companies and more than 750 biotechs, spanning 2,700 clinical trials across 100+ countries in the last 5 years.
As part of our global team, you’ll have the opportunity to perform and coordinate all aspects of the clinical monitoring and site management process. As a Senior Clinical Research Associate (Level I), you'll conduct remote or on-site visits to assess protocol and regulatory compliance and manage required documentation. You will manage procedures and guidelines from different sponsors and/or monitoring environments (i.e., FSO, FSP, Government, etc.). Acting as a site processes specialist, you will ensure that the trial is conducted in accordance with the approved protocol, ICH-GCP guidelines, applicable regulations, and SOPs to guarantee subjects' rights, well-being, and data reliability. You will ensure audit readiness and develop collaborative relationships with investigational sites. Detailed tasks and responsibilities assigned to your role are outlined in the task matrix.
What You’ll Do:
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Monitors investigator sites with a risk-based monitoring approach applies root cause analysis (RCA), critical thinking and problem-solving skills to identify site processes failure and corrective/preventive actions to bring the site into compliance and decrease risks. Ensures data accuracy through SDR, SDV and CRF review as applicable through on-site and remote monitoring activities. Assess investigational product through physical inventory and records review. Documents observations in reports and letters in a timely manner using approved business writing standards. Escalates observed deficiencies and issues to clinical management expeditiously and follow all issues through to resolution. May need to maintain regular contact between monitoring visits with investigative sites to confirm that the protocol is being followed, that previously identified issues are being resolved and that the data is being recorded in a timely manner. Conducts monitoring tasks in accordance with the approved monitoring plan. Participates in the investigator payment process. Ensures a shared responsibility with other project team members on issues/findings resolution. Investigates and follows-up on findings as applicable.
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Provides trial status tracking and progress update reports to the Clinical Team Manager (CTM) as required. Ensures study systems are updated per agreed study conventions (e.g. Clinical Trial Management System, CTMS). Performs QC check of reports generated from CTMS system where required.
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Participates in investigator meetings as necessary. Identifies potential investigators in collaboration with the client company to ensure the acceptability of qualified investigative sites. Initiates clinical trial sites according to the relevant procedures to ensure compliance with the protocol and regulatory and ICH GCP obligations, making recommendations where warranted. Ensures trial close out and retrieval of trial materials.
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Ensures that required essential documents are complete and in place, according to ICH-GCP and applicable regulations. Conducts on-site file reviews as per project specifications.
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Contributes to the project team by assisting in preparation of project publications/tools, and sharing ideas/suggestions with team members. Performs additional study tasks as assigned by CTM (e.g. trip report review, newsletter creation, lead CRA team calls etc).
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Facilitates effective communication between investigative sites, the client company and the PPD project team through written, oral and/or electronic contacts.
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Responds to company, client and applicable regulatory requirements/audits/inspections.
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Maintains & completes administrative tasks such as expense reports and timesheets in a timely manner.
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Contributes to other project work and initiatives for process improvement, as required.
Education and Experience Requirements:
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Bachelor's degree in a life sciences related field or a Registered Nursing certification or equivalent and relevant formal academic / vocational qualification.
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Previous experience that provides the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the job (comparable to 2+ years as a clinical research monitor).
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Valid driver's license where applicable.
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In some cases an equivalency, consisting of a combination of appropriate education, training and/or directly related experience, will be considered sufficient for an individual to meet the requirements of the role.
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Multiple Options available in either Medical Devices OR Oncology.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
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Effective clinical monitoring skills.
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Demonstrated understanding of medical/therapeutic area knowledge and medical terminology.
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Excellent understanding and demonstrated application of ICH GCPs, applicable regulations and procedural documents.
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Well-developed critical thinking skills, including but not limited to critical mindset, in-depth investigation for appropriate root cause analysis and problem solving.
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Ability to manage Risk Based Monitoring concepts and processes.
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Effective oral and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with medical personnel.
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Ability to maintain customer focus through the utilization of good listening skills, attention to detail and the ability to perceive customers’ underlying issues.
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Effective interpersonal skills.
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Strong attention to detail.
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Effective organizational and time management skills.
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Ability to remain flexible and adaptable in a wide range of scenarios.
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Ability to work in a team or independently as required.
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Good computer skills: proficient knowledge of Microsoft Office and the ability to learn appropriate software.
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Good English language and grammar skills.
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Good presentation skills.
Working Conditions and Environment:
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Work is performed in an office/laboratory/clinical/and/or home office environment with exposure to electrical office equipment.
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Frequent drives to site locations. Frequent travel, generally 60-80% but more for some individuals.
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May also include extended overnight stays.
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Exposure to biological fluids with potential exposure to infectious organisms.
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Personal protective equipment required such as protective eyewear, garments and gloves.
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Exposure to fluctuating and/or extreme temperatures on rare occasions.
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Must be able to comply with specific sponsor/client/site requirements, even if not required by Thermo Fisher Scientific (e.g., disclosure of vaccination status, or other personal information). On some occasions, this information may be required to be provided directly to sponsor/client/site.
Compensation and Benefits
The salary range estimated for this position based in Indiana is $88,600.00–$144,900.00. This position may also be eligible to receive a variable annual bonus based on company, team, and/or individual performance results in accordance with company policy. We offer a comprehensive Total Rewards package that our U.S. colleagues and their families can count on, which includes:
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A choice of national medical and dental plans, and a national vision plan, including health incentive programs.
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Employee assistance and family support programs, including commuter benefits and tuition reimbursement.
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At least 120 hours paid time off (PTO), 10 paid holidays annually, paid parental leave (3 weeks for bonding and 8 weeks for caregiver leave), accident and life insurance, and short- and long-term disability in accordance with company policy.
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Retirement and savings programs, such as our competitive 401(k) U.S. retirement savings plan.
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Employees’ Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) offers eligible colleagues the opportunity to purchase company stock at a discount.
See all 10,640+ OPT Research Jobs
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship in Research
Target institutions with established OPT hiring history
Universities, national laboratories, and federally funded research centers hire OPT students consistently. These employers understand authorization requirements and often have dedicated HR processes for international researchers, reducing friction during the hiring process.
Confirm your research role qualifies for STEM OPT extension
If your degree is in a STEM field, verify your CIP code against the official STEM Designated Degree Program list. A qualifying research position filed before your OPT expires extends your authorization by 24 months, significantly improving your sponsorship prospects.
Surface your publications, datasets, and conference presentations
Research hiring managers evaluate output directly. List peer-reviewed publications, preprints, conference papers, and open-source datasets prominently on your CV. Concrete research artifacts demonstrate productivity in ways that a job title alone cannot convey.
Ask about H-1B sponsorship policy during the offer stage, not after
Research roles at private companies vary widely on sponsorship. Raise the question before accepting an offer, not months into employment. Asking early signals professionalism and prevents wasted time if the employer does not sponsor international researchers.
Identify your faculty advisor or PI as a professional reference
A strong letter or verbal recommendation from a principal investigator carries significant weight in research hiring. PIs often have direct connections to industry research teams and can advocate for candidates in ways a generic reference cannot.
Use Migrate Mate to find research positions with OPT sponsorship
Not all job boards filter for visa sponsorship. Migrate Mate is built specifically for F-1 OPT students, so every research listing you see is relevant to your work authorization situation, saving time you would otherwise spend filtering out ineligible roles.
Research OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work in a research role on F-1 OPT?
Yes. Research positions are fully eligible for F-1 OPT work authorization, provided the role is directly related to your field of study. This includes positions at universities, private research firms, government contractors, and national laboratories. You must work at least 20 hours per week to maintain valid OPT status.
Do research jobs qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension?
They can, but two conditions must be met. First, your degree must be in a field on the STEM Designated Degree Program list. Second, your employer must be enrolled in E-Verify. Most major research institutions and federal contractors already meet this requirement. File Form I-765 before your initial OPT expires to preserve your authorization.
Are research positions at universities more likely to sponsor H-1B visas?
Universities and academic medical centers tend to have more flexible sponsorship policies than many private employers, partly because they are exempt from the H-1B cap when hiring for qualifying research or teaching roles. This cap-exempt status means you can be sponsored year-round without waiting for the annual lottery, which is a significant advantage for researchers.
What counts as a research role that qualifies under OPT?
USCIS requires a direct connection between your job duties and your degree field. A biology graduate working as a lab researcher clearly qualifies. A computer science graduate doing machine learning research at a tech company also qualifies. The key is documenting the connection in your records. Vague job titles are fine as long as the actual duties align with your coursework.
Where can I find research jobs that are open to OPT students?
Migrate Mate is the recommended starting point. It is designed specifically for F-1 OPT and STEM OPT students, so the research roles listed there are already filtered for visa sponsorship compatibility. This is more efficient than general job boards where OPT eligibility is unclear and you must vet each employer individually.