OPT Research Fellow Jobs
Research Fellow positions are among the most OPT-compatible roles available, with universities, research hospitals, and federal labs regularly hiring international students. Most positions align directly with STEM degree fields, extending your OPT authorization to 24 additional months and giving you time to transition toward long-term sponsorship.
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Day (United States of America)
Seeking Breakthrough Makers
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) offers countless ways to change lives. Our diverse community of more than 20,000 Breakthrough Makers will inspire you to pursue passions, develop expertise, and drive innovation.
At CHOP, your experience is valued; your voice is heard; and your contributions make a difference for patients and families. Join us as we build on our promise to advance pediatric care—and your career.
CHOP does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, religion, or any other legally protected categories in any employment, training, or vendor decisions or programs. CHOP recognizes the critical importance of a workforce rich in varied backgrounds and experiences and engages in ongoing efforts to achieve that through equally varied and non-discriminatory means.
A Brief Overview
Under the direction/guidance of a mentor (principal investigator), assumes responsibility for a specific, ongoing research project. The experience will serve to extend, refine and enhance skills necessary for professional and career development, and will enable the individual to broaden his/her scientific background by acquiring new research capabilities. It is expected that this individual will conduct independent scholarly research, and will contribute directly to the overall research goals of the project and the research group.
This role will be expected to participate in project planning, recording and interpretation/evaluation of data, and communication of results. This position will also be expected to acquire technical, lab management, and manuscript/grant writing skills; and participate in seminars, lectures, poster sessions and presentations at national meetings. This role also may be required to supervise junior lab members, develop new methods and protocols for research, and assist with the development of other research projects in the lab.
We are seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Fellow to join a multidisciplinary research team focused on developing and translating artificial intelligence (AI) methods for pediatric neuro-oncology. The fellow will contribute to cutting-edge research integrating imaging, clinical, and molecular data to improve diagnosis, risk stratification, and treatment monitoring of brain tumors.
This position offers the opportunity to work on large-scale, multi-institutional datasets and contribute to high-impact publications, open science initiatives, and collaborative consortia.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and implement machine learning and deep learning models for medical imaging and multimodal data analysis
- Design and conduct research studies involving MRI, clinical variables, and multi-omic datasets
- Lead and contribute to manuscripts, abstracts, and grant proposals
- Perform data preprocessing, quality control, and curation of large-scale imaging and clinical datasets
- Collaborate with clinicians, radiologists, and data scientists across institutions
- Contribute to development of reproducible pipelines and benchmarking frameworks
- Present research findings at internal meetings and national/international conferences
Research Focus Areas
- Multimodal data fusion
- Risk prediction and survival modeling
- Longitudinal and real-world data analysis
- Robust AI methods for incomplete or heterogeneous datasets
What you will do
- Conduct independent scholarly research and develop new methods and protocols
- Participate in project planning, recording and evaluation of data
- Acquire technical, lab management and grant writing skills
- Participate in seminars, lectures, poster sessions and presentation at national meetings
- Supervise junior lab members
- Assist with other research projects
Education & Additional Qualifications
- Doctorate - Required
- PhD in Biomedical or Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field
- Strong background in machine learning and/or deep learning
- Experience with Python and relevant libraries (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow, scikit-learn)
- Experience working with medical imaging data (preferred: MRI)
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills
- Demonstrated ability to publish in peer-reviewed journals
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with multimodal data integration (imaging + clinical + omics)
- Familiarity with neuro-oncology or medical imaging workflows
- Experience with survival analysis (e.g., Cox models, DeepSurv)
- Knowledge of radiomics and/or segmentation methods (e.g., nnU-Net)
- Experience working with large, multi-institutional datasets
Work Environment & Collaboration
The fellow will work in a highly collaborative environment with access to:
- Multi-institutional datasets (e.g., clinical, imaging, and molecular cohorts)
- Interdisciplinary teams including clinicians, radiologists, and computational scientists
- Opportunities to contribute to international initiatives and benchmarking efforts
Skills and Abilities
- Ability to wear a respirator device
To carry out its mission, CHOP is committed to supporting the health of our patients, families, workforce, and global community. As a condition of employment, CHOP employees who work in patient care buildings or who have patient facing responsibilities must receive an annual influenza vaccine. Learn more.
EEO / VEVRAA Federal Contractor | Tobacco Statement
SALARY RANGE:
$20,800.00 - $110,400.00 Annually
Salary ranges are shown for full-time jobs. If you're working part-time, your pay will be adjusted accordingly.
If you are applying for a Research Post-Doctoral Fellow role, please refer to this link for salary guidelines (copy & paste into your browser): https://www.research.chop.edu/services/hiring-a-postdoctoral-fellow#collapse-accordion-3523-3
At CHOP, we are committed to fair and transparent pay practices. Factors such as skills and experience could result in an offer above the salary range noted in this job posting. Click here for more information regarding CHOP's Compensation and Benefits.
SHIFT:
Day (United States of America)
Seeking Breakthrough Makers
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) offers countless ways to change lives. Our diverse community of more than 20,000 Breakthrough Makers will inspire you to pursue passions, develop expertise, and drive innovation.
At CHOP, your experience is valued; your voice is heard; and your contributions make a difference for patients and families. Join us as we build on our promise to advance pediatric care—and your career.
CHOP does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, religion, or any other legally protected categories in any employment, training, or vendor decisions or programs. CHOP recognizes the critical importance of a workforce rich in varied backgrounds and experiences and engages in ongoing efforts to achieve that through equally varied and non-discriminatory means.
A Brief Overview
Under the direction/guidance of a mentor (principal investigator), assumes responsibility for a specific, ongoing research project. The experience will serve to extend, refine and enhance skills necessary for professional and career development, and will enable the individual to broaden his/her scientific background by acquiring new research capabilities. It is expected that this individual will conduct independent scholarly research, and will contribute directly to the overall research goals of the project and the research group.
This role will be expected to participate in project planning, recording and interpretation/evaluation of data, and communication of results. This position will also be expected to acquire technical, lab management, and manuscript/grant writing skills; and participate in seminars, lectures, poster sessions and presentations at national meetings. This role also may be required to supervise junior lab members, develop new methods and protocols for research, and assist with the development of other research projects in the lab.
We are seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Fellow to join a multidisciplinary research team focused on developing and translating artificial intelligence (AI) methods for pediatric neuro-oncology. The fellow will contribute to cutting-edge research integrating imaging, clinical, and molecular data to improve diagnosis, risk stratification, and treatment monitoring of brain tumors.
This position offers the opportunity to work on large-scale, multi-institutional datasets and contribute to high-impact publications, open science initiatives, and collaborative consortia.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and implement machine learning and deep learning models for medical imaging and multimodal data analysis
- Design and conduct research studies involving MRI, clinical variables, and multi-omic datasets
- Lead and contribute to manuscripts, abstracts, and grant proposals
- Perform data preprocessing, quality control, and curation of large-scale imaging and clinical datasets
- Collaborate with clinicians, radiologists, and data scientists across institutions
- Contribute to development of reproducible pipelines and benchmarking frameworks
- Present research findings at internal meetings and national/international conferences
Research Focus Areas
- Multimodal data fusion
- Risk prediction and survival modeling
- Longitudinal and real-world data analysis
- Robust AI methods for incomplete or heterogeneous datasets
What you will do
- Conduct independent scholarly research and develop new methods and protocols
- Participate in project planning, recording and evaluation of data
- Acquire technical, lab management and grant writing skills
- Participate in seminars, lectures, poster sessions and presentation at national meetings
- Supervise junior lab members
- Assist with other research projects
Education & Additional Qualifications
- Doctorate - Required
- PhD in Biomedical or Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field
- Strong background in machine learning and/or deep learning
- Experience with Python and relevant libraries (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow, scikit-learn)
- Experience working with medical imaging data (preferred: MRI)
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills
- Demonstrated ability to publish in peer-reviewed journals
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with multimodal data integration (imaging + clinical + omics)
- Familiarity with neuro-oncology or medical imaging workflows
- Experience with survival analysis (e.g., Cox models, DeepSurv)
- Knowledge of radiomics and/or segmentation methods (e.g., nnU-Net)
- Experience working with large, multi-institutional datasets
Work Environment & Collaboration
The fellow will work in a highly collaborative environment with access to:
- Multi-institutional datasets (e.g., clinical, imaging, and molecular cohorts)
- Interdisciplinary teams including clinicians, radiologists, and computational scientists
- Opportunities to contribute to international initiatives and benchmarking efforts
Skills and Abilities
- Ability to wear a respirator device
To carry out its mission, CHOP is committed to supporting the health of our patients, families, workforce, and global community. As a condition of employment, CHOP employees who work in patient care buildings or who have patient facing responsibilities must receive an annual influenza vaccine. Learn more.
EEO / VEVRAA Federal Contractor | Tobacco Statement
SALARY RANGE:
$20,800.00 - $110,400.00 Annually
Salary ranges are shown for full-time jobs. If you're working part-time, your pay will be adjusted accordingly.
If you are applying for a Research Post-Doctoral Fellow role, please refer to this link for salary guidelines (copy & paste into your browser): https://www.research.chop.edu/services/hiring-a-postdoctoral-fellow#collapse-accordion-3523-3
At CHOP, we are committed to fair and transparent pay practices. Factors such as skills and experience could result in an offer above the salary range noted in this job posting. Click here for more information regarding CHOP's Compensation and Benefits.
See all 487+ OPT Research Fellow Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new OPT Research Fellow Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship in Research Fellow
Target STEM-designated programs first
Research Fellow roles tied to STEM CIP codes qualify for 24-month OPT extensions. Confirm your degree field appears on the STEM OPT list before applying, since this directly determines how much authorized work time you have.
Verify your employer is E-Verify enrolled
STEM OPT extensions require your employer to be enrolled in E-Verify. Confirm enrollment before accepting an offer. Most universities and research institutions are already enrolled, but smaller private labs sometimes are not.
Ask about mentorship and training plans early
STEM OPT requires a formal training plan (Form I-983) signed by your employer. Raise this in the offer stage, not after. Research-focused supervisors are typically familiar with this requirement and expect the conversation.
Prioritize institutions with established international hiring
Universities, national laboratories, and research hospitals regularly sponsor H-1B visa and O-1 visas for Research Fellows. Institutions with existing international researchers on staff understand the process and are far more likely to sponsor you long-term.
Align your application materials to your degree field
Research Fellow roles require a clear connection between your degree and the position. Your resume and cover letter should explicitly name the academic field, methods, and tools that link your degree to the specific research area.
Clarify your OPT end date and cap-gap exposure upfront
If your OPT expires before an H-1B takes effect, cap-gap protection may apply. Discuss your timeline with your DSO early so you understand exactly how long you can work and what documentation your employer needs.
Research Fellow OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work as a Research Fellow on OPT?
Yes, provided the role directly relates to your degree field. Research Fellow positions are generally strong OPT matches because they require specialized academic training. Your DSO must authorize the position on your EAD, and the job duties need to align with the field listed on your I-20. If you hold a STEM degree, you may also qualify for a 24-month STEM OPT extension after your initial 12-month period.
Does a Research Fellow role qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
Most do, but eligibility depends on your specific degree CIP code, not the job title itself. Research Fellow positions in fields like biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering, and data science routinely qualify. Your DSO can confirm whether your degree field appears on the STEM OPT designated degree program list. The employer must also be enrolled in E-Verify, which is a separate requirement from the degree match.
How do I find Research Fellow jobs that sponsor OPT students?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for F-1 OPT and STEM OPT students and filters Research Fellow listings by sponsorship status. Universities, federal research agencies, and large hospital systems are the most reliable sources of Research Fellow roles open to international students. Searching by institution type rather than location often surfaces more relevant results for this role category.
Will a Research Fellow employer sponsor my H-1B after OPT ends?
Many do, particularly universities, national labs, and federally funded research centers. These institutions have dedicated HR and legal teams experienced with H-1B and O-1 petitions for research staff. It is worth asking directly during the offer process whether the organization has a history of sponsoring international researchers. The O-1A visa is also worth exploring if your research record includes publications, awards, or other recognized contributions to your field.
What documentation does my employer need for my STEM OPT extension as a Research Fellow?
Your employer needs to complete Form I-983, which is a training plan outlining your learning objectives, supervision structure, and how the role connects to your STEM degree. Research supervisors at universities and labs are familiar with this process. You submit the I-983 to your DSO, who then files the STEM OPT extension application. The employer does not file directly with USCIS, but their signed participation is required before your DSO can proceed.