STEM OPT Biotech Jobs
Biotech roles in research, drug development, clinical operations, and bioinformatics qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension when your degree falls under an eligible CIP code. Your employer must be enrolled in E-Verify, and you'll need a signed I-983 training plan before your extension begins.
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Get Access To All JobsThe Department of Ophthalmology at West Virginia University is currently accepting applications for a Biotechnician.
About the Opportunity
This position will assist Dr. Ezequiel Salido, an assistant professor in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences. The laboratory is also part of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine at the Health Science Center, WVU.
The research focuses on understanding the neuronal extracellular matrix (ECM), specifically examining how ECM components surrounding photoreceptors in the retina contribute to vision and are implicated in various ocular diseases. Our studies leverage a broad range of experimental approaches, including:
- CRISPR-Cas9 animal models featuring mutations in ECM genes linked to human disorders
- Immunohistochemistry, Western blot, PCR, Electroretinography (ERG)
- In vivo retinal imaging, electron microscopy, super-resolution microscopy
- AAV-based gene therapy and multi-omics analyses
- Biochemical techniques to study protein interactions and post-translational modifications
For more details about Salido Lab research, please visit our lab webpage.
The newly hired person will join a team of vision researchers working to uncover the causes of blindness and use that information to develop innovative treatments for vision loss in humans. You will actively participate in the ongoing lab research, providing you with a unique opportunity for growth and learning in the field of vision research.
We strongly believe in work-life balance and keeping time for things we love outside our work. WVU offers generous benefits, including:
- 37.5-hour work week
- 13 paid holidays (staff holiday calendar)
- 15 annual leave (vacation) days per year or more based on years of service (employee leave)
- 18 sick days per year (for when you’re ill, for when you need time to care for sick family, for your own, or your family’s, regularly scheduled medical appointments. Who is family for the purpose of this leave? A lot of people in your life including immediate relatives and in-laws as well as others considered to be members of your household living under the same roof)
- WVU offers a range of health insurance and other benefits
- 401(a) retirement savings with 6% employee contribution match, eligibility to continue health insurance, and other retiree perks. Looking for more retirement benefits information? Check out retirement health insurance benefits, retirement income, and FAQ’s.
- Wellness programs
ANIMAL COLONY MANAGEMENT & GENOTYPING
- Maintain mouse colonies, including weaning, tagging, sex separation, breeding coordination, cage tracking, and animal record updates.
- Perform genotyping workflows, including tissue sample preparation, PCR, gel electrophoresis, sequencing preparation, and analysis of results.
SPECIALIZED HISTOLOGICAL & MOLECULAR ASSAYS
- Provide support for the experiment to lab members.
- Dissection of ocular tissues for experimentation.
- Western Blot protein analysis.
- Immunohistochemistry on cryosectioned retina and confocal microscopy.
- Performing electroretinography analysis on anesthetized mice.
GENERAL DUTIES
- Maintain lab organization, including ordering and stocking chemicals and maintaining inventories.
- Set up, calibrate, and maintain laboratory equipment.
- Troubleshoot equipment issues.
- Prepare reagents and assist in experiments as needed.
May assist with specialized experiments, including:
- Intraocular injections for gene therapy studies
- Electron microscopy / Immunoelectromicroscopy
- Super-resolution microscopy (STORM)
- Bacteria and human cell culture and protein expression.
- Spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) in mice
Pay Grade: 15
Qualifications
- Bachelor in life sciences or equivalent.
- A minimum of six (6) months experience in a research lab. Relevant experience in biological research laboratory settings.
- Any equivalent combination of related education and/or experience will be considered.
- All qualifications must be met by the time of employment.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Effective and clear communication of research findings with the team is crucial.
- Engage in collaborative and independent work within the research team.
- Strong capabilities in verbal and written communication, alongside excellent time management and organizational skills.
- Self-motivation is essential for success in this role.
- Solid background in general molecular biology techniques, essential for daily laboratory tasks.
- Ability to operate general laboratory equipment (i.e., pH meter, scales, pipets, centrifuges, etc.) and the willingness and ability to learn new techniques, procedures, or protocols.
- Commitment to continuous learning and skill enhancement, actively seeking training and development opportunities.
- Efficient at gathering and analyzing information to identify and resolve problems.
- Responsive to management direction, adheres to work schedules, and manages leave responsibly, ensuring consistent productivity and team coherence.
About WVU
West Virginia University is a place of purpose and community. We take pride in our profound impact on the state of West Virginia and are committed to the personal and professional growth of our employees.
From the groundbreaking R1 research at our flagship campus in Morgantown to the career-oriented programs at WVU Potomac State in Keyser, and the technology-intensive programs at WVU Tech in Beckley, the contributions of WVU employees resonate across the state, touching lives and shaping futures.
At WVU, you will discover a supportive community that champions work-life balance and fosters a collaborative atmosphere. Our core values — service, curiosity, respect, accountability and appreciation — unite us as Mountaineers.
Join us at West Virginia University, where your work will make a lasting impact. To learn more about WVU, visit wvu.edu.
West Virginia University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We invite all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or Veteran status.
Job Posting: May 21, 2026
Posting Classification: Classified
Exemption Status: Non-Exempt
Benefits Eligible: Yes
Schedule: Full-time
The Department of Ophthalmology at West Virginia University is currently accepting applications for a Biotechnician.
About the Opportunity
This position will assist Dr. Ezequiel Salido, an assistant professor in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences. The laboratory is also part of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine at the Health Science Center, WVU.
The research focuses on understanding the neuronal extracellular matrix (ECM), specifically examining how ECM components surrounding photoreceptors in the retina contribute to vision and are implicated in various ocular diseases. Our studies leverage a broad range of experimental approaches, including:
- CRISPR-Cas9 animal models featuring mutations in ECM genes linked to human disorders
- Immunohistochemistry, Western blot, PCR, Electroretinography (ERG)
- In vivo retinal imaging, electron microscopy, super-resolution microscopy
- AAV-based gene therapy and multi-omics analyses
- Biochemical techniques to study protein interactions and post-translational modifications
For more details about Salido Lab research, please visit our lab webpage.
The newly hired person will join a team of vision researchers working to uncover the causes of blindness and use that information to develop innovative treatments for vision loss in humans. You will actively participate in the ongoing lab research, providing you with a unique opportunity for growth and learning in the field of vision research.
We strongly believe in work-life balance and keeping time for things we love outside our work. WVU offers generous benefits, including:
- 37.5-hour work week
- 13 paid holidays (staff holiday calendar)
- 15 annual leave (vacation) days per year or more based on years of service (employee leave)
- 18 sick days per year (for when you’re ill, for when you need time to care for sick family, for your own, or your family’s, regularly scheduled medical appointments. Who is family for the purpose of this leave? A lot of people in your life including immediate relatives and in-laws as well as others considered to be members of your household living under the same roof)
- WVU offers a range of health insurance and other benefits
- 401(a) retirement savings with 6% employee contribution match, eligibility to continue health insurance, and other retiree perks. Looking for more retirement benefits information? Check out retirement health insurance benefits, retirement income, and FAQ’s.
- Wellness programs
ANIMAL COLONY MANAGEMENT & GENOTYPING
- Maintain mouse colonies, including weaning, tagging, sex separation, breeding coordination, cage tracking, and animal record updates.
- Perform genotyping workflows, including tissue sample preparation, PCR, gel electrophoresis, sequencing preparation, and analysis of results.
SPECIALIZED HISTOLOGICAL & MOLECULAR ASSAYS
- Provide support for the experiment to lab members.
- Dissection of ocular tissues for experimentation.
- Western Blot protein analysis.
- Immunohistochemistry on cryosectioned retina and confocal microscopy.
- Performing electroretinography analysis on anesthetized mice.
GENERAL DUTIES
- Maintain lab organization, including ordering and stocking chemicals and maintaining inventories.
- Set up, calibrate, and maintain laboratory equipment.
- Troubleshoot equipment issues.
- Prepare reagents and assist in experiments as needed.
May assist with specialized experiments, including:
- Intraocular injections for gene therapy studies
- Electron microscopy / Immunoelectromicroscopy
- Super-resolution microscopy (STORM)
- Bacteria and human cell culture and protein expression.
- Spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) in mice
Pay Grade: 15
Qualifications
- Bachelor in life sciences or equivalent.
- A minimum of six (6) months experience in a research lab. Relevant experience in biological research laboratory settings.
- Any equivalent combination of related education and/or experience will be considered.
- All qualifications must be met by the time of employment.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Effective and clear communication of research findings with the team is crucial.
- Engage in collaborative and independent work within the research team.
- Strong capabilities in verbal and written communication, alongside excellent time management and organizational skills.
- Self-motivation is essential for success in this role.
- Solid background in general molecular biology techniques, essential for daily laboratory tasks.
- Ability to operate general laboratory equipment (i.e., pH meter, scales, pipets, centrifuges, etc.) and the willingness and ability to learn new techniques, procedures, or protocols.
- Commitment to continuous learning and skill enhancement, actively seeking training and development opportunities.
- Efficient at gathering and analyzing information to identify and resolve problems.
- Responsive to management direction, adheres to work schedules, and manages leave responsibly, ensuring consistent productivity and team coherence.
About WVU
West Virginia University is a place of purpose and community. We take pride in our profound impact on the state of West Virginia and are committed to the personal and professional growth of our employees.
From the groundbreaking R1 research at our flagship campus in Morgantown to the career-oriented programs at WVU Potomac State in Keyser, and the technology-intensive programs at WVU Tech in Beckley, the contributions of WVU employees resonate across the state, touching lives and shaping futures.
At WVU, you will discover a supportive community that champions work-life balance and fosters a collaborative atmosphere. Our core values — service, curiosity, respect, accountability and appreciation — unite us as Mountaineers.
Join us at West Virginia University, where your work will make a lasting impact. To learn more about WVU, visit wvu.edu.
West Virginia University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We invite all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or Veteran status.
Job Posting: May 21, 2026
Posting Classification: Classified
Exemption Status: Non-Exempt
Benefits Eligible: Yes
Schedule: Full-time
See all 2,478+ STEM OPT Biotech Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new STEM OPT Biotech Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding STEM OPT Authorization in Biotech
Verify your CIP code before applying
Check your degree's Classification of Instructional Programs code against the STEM Designated Degree Program List published by USCIS. Biochemistry, molecular biology, and biomedical engineering degrees each carry distinct CIP codes, and your DSO must confirm eligibility before filing.
Confirm E-Verify enrollment before accepting offers
Ask your recruiter for the employer's E-Verify company ID or have them pull the participation certificate from the E-Verify portal. Biotech startups and contract research organizations frequently miss this requirement, so verify before you negotiate terms.
Map your role to O*NET before outreach
Look up your target job title on O*NET to confirm it falls under a STEM-classified SOC code. Biotech roles like Research Scientist or Bioinformatics Analyst qualify; roles with a general management focus often don't, regardless of the employer's industry.
Build your I-983 training plan with your hiring manager
Draft your training objectives, learning goals, and supervision structure with your direct manager before your start date. USCIS requires the I-983 to connect your daily work to your STEM degree field, so vague job descriptions create compliance risk at the six-month and annual evaluations.
Search Migrate Mate for E-Verify confirmed biotech employers
Use Migrate Mate to filter biotech job listings by employers with confirmed E-Verify enrollment and STEM OPT hiring history. This cuts the time you'd otherwise spend researching each company's compliance status individually.
File your STEM OPT extension at least 90 days early
Submit your I-765 extension application to USCIS no later than 90 days before your initial OPT expires. If your receipt notice arrives before expiration and your application is pending, your work authorization continues automatically under cap-gap rules.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which biotech roles qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
Roles must require and directly apply your STEM degree. Qualifying biotech positions include Research Scientist, Bioprocess Engineer, Bioinformatics Analyst, Clinical Research Associate, and Regulatory Affairs Specialist tied to a life sciences degree. Roles classified under a STEM SOC code on O*NET and supported by a verifiable degree-to-job connection are eligible. General project management or business development roles at biotech companies typically don't qualify without a strong technical connection to your field of study.
Does every biotech employer sponsor STEM OPT?
No. The employer must be enrolled in E-Verify, but enrollment is voluntary for most private employers unless they hold federal contracts. Many biotech startups and smaller contract research organizations aren't enrolled. Before accepting an offer, ask the employer to confirm active E-Verify participation. If they aren't enrolled, they must enroll before you can begin working under the STEM OPT extension. Migrate Mate filters listings by employers with confirmed E-Verify status so you can focus on compliant opportunities.
What does the I-983 training plan require for a biotech role?
The I-983 must detail how your daily work connects to your STEM degree field, identify your supervisor, outline your learning objectives, and specify how your employer will evaluate your progress. For biotech roles, this means mapping tasks like assay development, data analysis, or regulatory submissions to the coursework and skills from your degree program. Your employer and DSO both sign the form, and USCIS expects updates at the six-month and annual intervals throughout your extension period.
What happens to my work authorization if my H-1B is selected in the lottery while I'm on STEM OPT?
If your employer files an H-1B visa petition on your behalf and it's selected, cap-gap protection extends your STEM OPT work authorization through September 30 of that fiscal year, even if your EAD expires before then. Your employer must file before your OPT ends for cap-gap to apply. If the H-1B isn't selected, you remain on STEM OPT for its remaining duration. Confirm with your DSO that your SEVIS record reflects the cap-gap extension so your employer's records stay current.
Can a biotech staffing agency or contract research organization sponsor my STEM OPT?
Yes, but the agency or CRO must be enrolled in E-Verify, and the placement site where you physically work does not need to be your employer of record for STEM OPT purposes. However, USCIS requires that the staffing agency, not the client site, sign the I-983 as your employer and take responsibility for your training goals and evaluations. Some agencies are unfamiliar with this requirement, so confirm before signing a contract that they're prepared to fulfill the I-983 obligations.