OPT Scientist Jobs
Scientist roles in the U.S. span research, biotech, pharmaceuticals, environmental science, and government labs, many of which actively hire on OPT. STEM-designated positions qualify for the 24-month OPT extension, giving you up to three years of work authorization while building a research career.
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Get Access To All JobsWho Are We?
Taking care of our customers, our communities and each other. That’s the Travelers Promise. By honoring this commitment, we have maintained our reputation as one of the best property casualty insurers in the industry for over 170 years. Join us to discover a culture that is rooted in innovation and thrives on collaboration. Imagine loving what you do and where you do it.
Compensation Overview
The annual base salary range provided for this position is a nationwide market range and represents a broad range of salaries for this role across the country. The actual salary for this position will be determined by a number of factors, including the scope, complexity and location of the role; the skills, education, training, credentials and experience of the candidate; and other conditions of employment. As part of our comprehensive compensation and benefits program, employees are also eligible for performance-based cash incentive awards.
Salary Range
$132,800.00 - $219,100.00
Target Openings
1
What Is the Opportunity?
Travelers Data Scientists are taking the organization to the next level of intelligence by using advanced statistical techniques and machine learning algorithms, and Generative AI. As a Data Scientist, you will work with business partners to tell the story using data by identifying challenges and opportunities for data analysis and experiments. You will build models that solve key business challenges and enhance our customer experience. This includes helping to design, build, and evaluate Generative AI solutions and supporting the implementation of approved GenAI tools for AI enablement.
What Will You Do?
- Assist in design and development of analytical and Generative AI solutions.
- Share knowledge with the community through discussions, presentations, or peer reviews.
- Begin to set and manage expectations with business partners for small projects, and with guidance, identify potential conflicts and build consensus.
- Assist in the design, development, and evaluation of Generative AI solutions; experiment with emerging AI technologies and help move successful prototypes toward scalable, production-ready capabilities.
- Support the implementation and enablement of approved GenAI tools through hands-on partnership with users.
- Communicate analysis, insights, and results to manager, peers and business partners and with guidance, tailor communication to the audience.
- Become a mentor or resource for less experienced analytic talent, onboard new employees and interns, and provide support for intern recruiting and talent assessment efforts.
- Support various training and skill development initiatives.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
What Will Our Ideal Candidate Have?
- Master's in STEM related field or equivalent.
- 3 years of related experience.
- Strong working knowledge of modeling/GenAI/ research/analytics or actuarial required.
- Foundational knowledge of GenAI, including prompt design, tool use, RAG pipelines, grounding/attribution, and hallucination mitigation.
- Relevant statistical analysis work experience required.
- Strong Knowledge of statistical techniques with the ability to read/revise/ review statistical software programs.
- Ability to develop models and interpret model results.
- Understanding of advanced statistics underlying data models.
- Ability to apply emerging statistical procedures to work.
- Strong knowledge in: GenAI, Regression, Classification, Machine Vision, Natural Language Processing, Deep Learning and Statistical modeling.
Skills:
- Statistical Methods
- Model Evaluation
- Presentations
- Lifelong Learning
- Adaptability
- Business Intelligence (BI)
- Technical Communication
- Predictive Modeling
- Generative AI
- Data Storytelling
- Python (Programming Language)
- Data Analysis
- Decision Making
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Working Independently
What is a Must Have?
- Master's degree in Statistics, Mathematics, Decision Sciences, Actuarial Science or related analytical STEM field plus two years of experience or any suitable and equivalent combination of education and work experience.
- Heavy concentration in mathematics, including statistics and programming, business intelligence/analytics, as well as data science tools and research using large data sets.
- Additional verification of specific coursework will be required.
What Is in It for You?
- Health Insurance: Employees and their eligible family members – including spouses, domestic partners, and children – are eligible for coverage from the first day of employment.
- Retirement: Travelers matches your 401(k) contributions dollar-for-dollar up to your first 5% of eligible pay, subject to an annual maximum. If you have student loan debt, you can enroll in the Paying it Forward Savings Program. When you make a payment toward your student loan, Travelers will make an annual contribution into your 401(k) account. You are also eligible for a Pension Plan that is 100% funded by Travelers.
- Paid Time Off: Start your career at Travelers with a minimum of 20 days Paid Time Off annually, plus nine paid company Holidays.
- Wellness Program: The Travelers wellness program is comprised of tools, discounts and resources that empower you to achieve your wellness goals and caregiving needs. In addition, our mental health program provides access to free professional counseling services, health coaching and other resources to support your daily life needs.
- Volunteer Encouragement: We have a deep commitment to the communities we serve and encourage our employees to get involved. Travelers has a Matching Gift and Volunteer Rewards program that enables you to give back to the charity of your choice.
Employment Practices
Travelers is an equal opportunity employer. We value the unique abilities and talents each individual brings to our organization and recognize that we benefit in numerous ways from our differences.
In accordance with local law, candidates seeking employment in Colorado are not required to disclose dates of attendance at or graduation from educational institutions.
If you are a candidate and have specific questions regarding the physical requirements of this role, please send us an email so we may assist you.
Travelers reserves the right to fill this position at a level above or below the level included in this posting.
Who Are We?
Taking care of our customers, our communities and each other. That’s the Travelers Promise. By honoring this commitment, we have maintained our reputation as one of the best property casualty insurers in the industry for over 170 years. Join us to discover a culture that is rooted in innovation and thrives on collaboration. Imagine loving what you do and where you do it.
Compensation Overview
The annual base salary range provided for this position is a nationwide market range and represents a broad range of salaries for this role across the country. The actual salary for this position will be determined by a number of factors, including the scope, complexity and location of the role; the skills, education, training, credentials and experience of the candidate; and other conditions of employment. As part of our comprehensive compensation and benefits program, employees are also eligible for performance-based cash incentive awards.
Salary Range
$132,800.00 - $219,100.00
Target Openings
1
What Is the Opportunity?
Travelers Data Scientists are taking the organization to the next level of intelligence by using advanced statistical techniques and machine learning algorithms, and Generative AI. As a Data Scientist, you will work with business partners to tell the story using data by identifying challenges and opportunities for data analysis and experiments. You will build models that solve key business challenges and enhance our customer experience. This includes helping to design, build, and evaluate Generative AI solutions and supporting the implementation of approved GenAI tools for AI enablement.
What Will You Do?
- Assist in design and development of analytical and Generative AI solutions.
- Share knowledge with the community through discussions, presentations, or peer reviews.
- Begin to set and manage expectations with business partners for small projects, and with guidance, identify potential conflicts and build consensus.
- Assist in the design, development, and evaluation of Generative AI solutions; experiment with emerging AI technologies and help move successful prototypes toward scalable, production-ready capabilities.
- Support the implementation and enablement of approved GenAI tools through hands-on partnership with users.
- Communicate analysis, insights, and results to manager, peers and business partners and with guidance, tailor communication to the audience.
- Become a mentor or resource for less experienced analytic talent, onboard new employees and interns, and provide support for intern recruiting and talent assessment efforts.
- Support various training and skill development initiatives.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
What Will Our Ideal Candidate Have?
- Master's in STEM related field or equivalent.
- 3 years of related experience.
- Strong working knowledge of modeling/GenAI/ research/analytics or actuarial required.
- Foundational knowledge of GenAI, including prompt design, tool use, RAG pipelines, grounding/attribution, and hallucination mitigation.
- Relevant statistical analysis work experience required.
- Strong Knowledge of statistical techniques with the ability to read/revise/ review statistical software programs.
- Ability to develop models and interpret model results.
- Understanding of advanced statistics underlying data models.
- Ability to apply emerging statistical procedures to work.
- Strong knowledge in: GenAI, Regression, Classification, Machine Vision, Natural Language Processing, Deep Learning and Statistical modeling.
Skills:
- Statistical Methods
- Model Evaluation
- Presentations
- Lifelong Learning
- Adaptability
- Business Intelligence (BI)
- Technical Communication
- Predictive Modeling
- Generative AI
- Data Storytelling
- Python (Programming Language)
- Data Analysis
- Decision Making
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Working Independently
What is a Must Have?
- Master's degree in Statistics, Mathematics, Decision Sciences, Actuarial Science or related analytical STEM field plus two years of experience or any suitable and equivalent combination of education and work experience.
- Heavy concentration in mathematics, including statistics and programming, business intelligence/analytics, as well as data science tools and research using large data sets.
- Additional verification of specific coursework will be required.
What Is in It for You?
- Health Insurance: Employees and their eligible family members – including spouses, domestic partners, and children – are eligible for coverage from the first day of employment.
- Retirement: Travelers matches your 401(k) contributions dollar-for-dollar up to your first 5% of eligible pay, subject to an annual maximum. If you have student loan debt, you can enroll in the Paying it Forward Savings Program. When you make a payment toward your student loan, Travelers will make an annual contribution into your 401(k) account. You are also eligible for a Pension Plan that is 100% funded by Travelers.
- Paid Time Off: Start your career at Travelers with a minimum of 20 days Paid Time Off annually, plus nine paid company Holidays.
- Wellness Program: The Travelers wellness program is comprised of tools, discounts and resources that empower you to achieve your wellness goals and caregiving needs. In addition, our mental health program provides access to free professional counseling services, health coaching and other resources to support your daily life needs.
- Volunteer Encouragement: We have a deep commitment to the communities we serve and encourage our employees to get involved. Travelers has a Matching Gift and Volunteer Rewards program that enables you to give back to the charity of your choice.
Employment Practices
Travelers is an equal opportunity employer. We value the unique abilities and talents each individual brings to our organization and recognize that we benefit in numerous ways from our differences.
In accordance with local law, candidates seeking employment in Colorado are not required to disclose dates of attendance at or graduation from educational institutions.
If you are a candidate and have specific questions regarding the physical requirements of this role, please send us an email so we may assist you.
Travelers reserves the right to fill this position at a level above or below the level included in this posting.
See all 2,935+ OPT Scientist Jobs
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship as a Scientist
Confirm your role qualifies for the STEM OPT extension
Scientist positions typically fall under STEM-designated CIP codes in life sciences, chemistry, or environmental fields. Verify your degree's CIP code with your DSO before accepting an offer, this directly affects whether you qualify for 24 additional months.
Target employers with established research infrastructure
Large biotech firms, pharmaceutical companies, national laboratories, and research universities have dedicated HR teams familiar with OPT and E-Verify requirements. These employers are far less likely to withdraw an offer due to work authorization concerns than smaller startups.
Disclose your OPT status early in the process
Bring up your OPT authorization before the offer stage, not after. Frame it clearly: you have current work authorization, and STEM-eligible roles give the employer up to three years before any sponsorship decision becomes necessary.
Align your job title to your degree field precisely
USCIS scrutinizes whether your role directly relates to your STEM degree for OPT extension eligibility. A title like 'Research Scientist' backed by a biology or chemistry degree is strong. Misaligned titles can jeopardize your extension application.
Get your training plan documented from day one
STEM OPT requires a formal training plan (Form I-983) signed by your employer. Ask your supervisor to outline specific learning objectives tied to your degree field before your extension start date, delays in this step can create serious compliance gaps.
Research employers who have sponsored scientists before
Prior H-1B visa sponsorship for research roles is a reliable signal that an employer understands immigration pathways. Employers who have sponsored Scientist and Research Scientist titles before are significantly more likely to do so again after your OPT period ends.
Scientist OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Do Scientist roles qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
Most do, but it depends on your degree's CIP code, not just the job title. Degrees in biology, chemistry, biochemistry, environmental science, and related STEM fields typically qualify. Your DSO confirms eligibility based on your degree, not your employer's job description. Confirm this before accepting any offer.
How do I find Scientist jobs that are open to OPT candidates?
Migrate Mate filters job listings specifically for OPT-friendly employers, so you're not wasting time applying to roles where work authorization is a dealbreaker. Search Scientist and Research Scientist listings on Migrate Mate to identify employers already comfortable with F-1 OPT candidates and familiar with E-Verify requirements.
What is the E-Verify requirement for my STEM OPT employer?
Any employer who hires you on a STEM OPT extension must be enrolled in E-Verify. This is a federal requirement, not optional. Before signing an offer letter for a role where you plan to use the 24-month extension, confirm your employer's E-Verify enrollment status. If they're not enrolled, you cannot legally work the extension there.
Can I work at a government lab or national research facility on OPT?
Yes, federal contractors and national laboratories can hire OPT students, though some positions require U.S. citizenship or security clearances that OPT students cannot obtain. Look for postdoctoral researcher or contractor scientist roles at facilities like national labs, these are commonly accessible to OPT holders with the right background clearance profile.
What happens to my OPT if my research contract ends before my authorization expires?
You enter a 60-day grace period once your employment ends. During this window, you can search for a new Scientist role and begin working once a new employer is reported to your DSO. You cannot work during the grace period itself. If you do not secure new employment within 60 days, you must leave the U.S. or change status.