STEM OPT Biology Jobs
Biology graduates with a STEM degree can work in the U.S. for up to 36 months on OPT, including the 24-month STEM extension. Your employer must be enrolled in E-Verify. Roles in research, biotech, pharmaceuticals, and environmental science commonly qualify under STEM OPT CIP codes covering biological and biomedical sciences.
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INTRODUCTION
Mass General Brigham relies on a wide range of professionals, including doctors, nurses, business people, tech experts, researchers, and systems analysts to advance our mission. As a not-for-profit, we support patient care, research, teaching, and community service, striving to provide exceptional care. We believe that high-performing teams drive groundbreaking medical discoveries and invite all applicants to join us and experience what it means to be part of Mass General Brigham.
Position Summary
The laboratory of Dr. Shiaulou Yuan at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Harvard Medical School (HMS) is seeking highly motivated candidates for a full-time postdoctoral research fellow position.
We are a multidisciplinary group of biologists, biophysicists, and microscopists who aim to understand how fluid flows and biophysical forces shape the developing heart and how these mechanisms underlie cardiac disease pathogenesis when gone awry. Specifically, we seek to illuminate how the cilium, a hair-like structure found on most cells in the human body, acts as an “antenna” to sense and translate extracellular signals into molecular processes that sculpt the early heart (Djenoune, Mahamdeh et al., Science, 2023). The penultimate goal of our research is to advance our understanding of cardiac development and diseases by combining state-of-the-art approaches from developmental biology, cell biology, genetics, biophysics, and advanced microscopy in zebrafish animal models and human stem cells.
This position offers excellent opportunities to work in a highly collaborative and multi-disciplinary biomedical atmosphere, interact with distinguished scientists, physicians and physician-scientists at MGH-Harvard, and become a valued member of a collegial and growing research team.
As a member of Harvard University, Massachusetts General Hospital, Mass General Brigham, and the Boston scientific community, the candidate will be immersed in a rich environment for zebrafish genetics, cardiovascular biology, cilia signaling, molecular biology, and imaging technologies.
REQUIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE
The ideal candidate will have:
- a strong background working with zebrafish
- a PhD, MD, MD/PhD or equivalent doctoral degree in a relevant field
- prior training in zebrafish husbandry and colony management, embryo micro-injection, embryo micro-dissection, confocal or light sheet microscopy, live cell imaging, quantitative image analysis, immunofluorescence, in situ hybridization, molecular cloning, CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing, recombinant protein, and/or human stem cell culture techniques
- a passion for developmental biology, cell biology, cardiovascular biology, and microscopy
- the ability to work independently and also as part of a team
- excellent written and verbal communication skills
- a strong work ethic and superb attention to details
- exceptional technical and experimental skills
- experience training and supervising junior scientists, technicians and/or students
Interested candidates should send a CV, a cover letter, and contact information for three references to Dr. Shiaulou Yuan (shiaulou.yuan@mgh.harvard.edu).
Find out more about our lab’s research: https://yuan.mgh.harvard.edu
The expected annual salary range will be commensurate with the candidate’s experience and qualifications, and institutional guidelines.
Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.
EEO Statement
Massachusetts General Hospital is an Equal Opportunity Employer. By embracing diverse skills, perspectives and ideas, we choose to lead. Applications from protected veterans and individuals with disabilities are strongly encouraged.
Job Summary
Does this position require Patient Care?
No
Physical Requirements
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Remote Type
Onsite
Work Location
149 Thirteenth Street Building 149
Scheduled Weekly Hours
40
Employee Type
Regular
Work Shift
Day (United States of America)
EEO Statement:
Massachusetts General Physicians Organization, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, age, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, military service, genetic information, and/or other status protected under law. We will ensure that all individuals with a disability are provided a reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. To ensure reasonable accommodation for individuals protected by Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Vietnam Veteran’s Readjustment Act of 1974, and Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, applicants who require accommodation in the job application process may contact Human Resources at (857)-282-7642.
Mass General Brigham Competency Framework
At Mass General Brigham, our competency framework defines what effective leadership “looks like” by specifying which behaviors are most critical for successful performance at each job level. The framework is comprised of ten competencies (half People-Focused, half Performance-Focused) and are defined by observable and measurable skills and behaviors that contribute to workplace effectiveness and career success. These competencies are used to evaluate performance, make hiring decisions, identify development needs, mobilize employees across our system, and establish a strong talent pipeline.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding STEM OPT Authorization in Biology
Verify your CIP code maps to Biology
Not every biology-adjacent degree automatically qualifies for the STEM extension. Cross-check your degree's CIP code against the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List before applying. Codes under 26.xx (Biological and Biomedical Sciences) typically qualify, but interdisciplinary programs sometimes don't.
Confirm E-Verify enrollment before accepting offers
Your employer must be enrolled in E-Verify before you can start STEM OPT. Ask recruiters directly or check the E-Verify employer search tool. Contract research organizations and smaller biotech labs frequently aren't enrolled, so verify this early, not after you've signed.
Target employers with active biology LCA filings
Use Migrate Mate to filter employers by DOL Labor Condition Application filing history in biological sciences roles. This surfaces companies already familiar with work authorization requirements, which matters when your STEM OPT window is finite and onboarding delays are costly.
File your I-983 training plan before day one
Your I-983 must be signed by your employer and DSO before you start work, not after. The training plan needs to describe how your biology role directly uses your degree. Vague descriptions like 'lab support' are common rejection reasons, so be specific about techniques and research objectives.
Use O*NET to match your role to STEM criteria
Hiring managers at pharma and biotech companies sometimes list biology roles under broader titles like 'scientist' or 'analyst' that may or may not map cleanly to STEM OPT-qualifying SOC codes. Pull the O*NET occupation profile for your specific job title to confirm it falls within a qualifying category before accepting.
Check prevailing wage before negotiating your offer
STEM OPT employers must pay you the prevailing wage for your role and location. Run your job title and work location through the OFLC Wage Search before salary conversations. Biology roles in pharmaceutical hubs like New Jersey or the Bay Area carry significantly higher prevailing wages than academic markets.
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Find Biology JobsFrequently Asked Questions
Which biology degrees qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
Degrees with CIP codes under the 26.xx Biological and Biomedical Sciences category generally qualify, including biology, microbiology, biochemistry, cell biology, and ecology. Neuroscience and bioinformatics often qualify under adjacent STEM codes. Your DSO can confirm your specific CIP code against the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List. Interdisciplinary degrees sometimes require additional documentation to establish STEM eligibility.
Does my biology employer need to be enrolled in E-Verify for STEM OPT?
Yes. E-Verify enrollment is a hard requirement for STEM OPT. Your employer must be enrolled before your extension begins, and they must sign your I-983 training plan. Many contract research organizations, university-affiliated labs, and early-stage biotech startups aren't enrolled. Confirm enrollment status directly with HR before advancing in the hiring process, since getting enrolled after an offer is accepted introduces delays.
What should my I-983 training plan include for a biology role?
Your I-983 must connect your specific job duties to the learning objectives of your STEM degree. For biology roles, that means naming the techniques, methodologies, and research areas you'll apply, such as molecular assays, data analysis, or experimental design. Generic descriptions tied only to a job title are a common reason DSOs push back on training plan drafts. Your supervisor and DSO both sign off before the extension is approved.
Can my STEM OPT status bridge me through H-1B cap-gap if I'm in a biology role?
Yes. If your employer files an H-1B petition on your behalf before your OPT expires and you're selected in the lottery, cap-gap automatically extends your work authorization through September 30 of that year. Your biology role and employer don't change the cap-gap mechanics, but your employer must file before your OPT end date. USCIS governs cap-gap rules and your DSO can issue an updated I-20 once the petition is filed.
How do I find biology employers who are already set up for STEM OPT hiring?
Migrate Mate filters biology and life sciences roles by employers with DOL LCA filing history, which is a reliable indicator that a company has sponsored work authorization before and understands the E-Verify and training plan requirements. Searching this way saves time compared to applying broadly and discovering eligibility gaps after an offer. Pharmaceutical companies, contract research organizations, and government contractors are the most consistent STEM OPT employers in biology.
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