STEM OPT Research Associate Jobs
Research Associate roles in labs, biotech firms, and universities are a strong fit for STEM OPT students. Your 24-month STEM OPT extension applies here, and employers must be enrolled in E-Verify to hire you. A STEM degree in life sciences, chemistry, biology, or a related field satisfies the CIP code eligibility requirement.
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The position requires creativity, independence and willingness to work on an “out of the box” project. Picobirnaviruses (PBV)s are small double-stranded RNA viruses first discovered in human stool specimens that have been largely ignored by the scientific community. PBVs are highly prevalent and abundant in human enteric viromes and have been associated with multiple human disease. While they have been assumed to infect human and other vertebrate hosts for over 30 years, we have generated significant evidence that PBVs actually are the 3rd known group of RNA bacteriophages rather than eukaryotic viruses (e.g., Krishnamurthy et al, Virology 2018; Gan and Wang, PNAS 2023).
Projects will focus on defining the interactions of PBVs with their bacterial hosts both in vitro and in vivo in gnotobiotic mouse models and defining their impact on the microbiome and human health. Applicants must be comfortable working with a wide range of experimental approaches: NGS, bioinformatics, biochemistry, genetic screens, virological and bacteriological methods.
Job Description
Primary Duties & Responsibilities:
Information on being a postdoc at WashU in St. Louis can be found at https://postdoc.wustl.edu/prospective-postdocs-2/.
Trains under the supervision of a faculty mentor including (but not limited to):
- Assists with grant preparation and reporting.
- Prepares and submits papers on research.
- Assists in the design of research experiments.
- Evaluates research findings and assists in the reporting of the results.
- Conscientious discharge of their research responsibilities.
- Maintains conformity with ethical standards in research.
- Maintains compliance with good laboratory practice including the maintenance of adequate research records.
- Engages in open and timely discussion with their mentor regarding possession or distribution of material, reagents, or records belonging to their laboratory and any proposed disclosure of findings or techniques privately or in publications.
- Collegial conduct towards co-trainees, staff members and members of the research group.
- Adherence to all applicable University policies, procedures and regulations. All data, research records and materials and other intellectual property generated in University laboratories remain the property of the University.
Working Conditions:
This position works in a laboratory environment with potential exposure to biological and chemical hazards. The individual must be physically able to wear protective equipment and to provide standard care to research animals.
Salary Range:
Base pay is commensurate with experience.
Applicant Special Instructions:
Interested applicants should submit the following documents to davewang@wustl.edu.
- A cover letter outlining their research interest and qualifications.
- A detailed CV, including list of publications.
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all job duties performed by the personnel so classified. Management reserves the right to revise or amend duties at any time.
Required Qualifications
Education:
Ph.D., M.D. Or Equivalent Terminal Or Doctoral Degree.
Certifications/Professional Licenses:
No specific certification/professional license is required for this position.
Work Experience:
No specific work experience is required for this position.
Skills:
Not Applicable
Driver's License:
A driver's license is not required for this position.
More About This Job
At WashU, postdoctoral appointments:
- Have a 5-year term limit that includes previous experience.
Preferred Qualifications
Education:
No additional education unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.
Certifications/Professional Licenses:
No additional certification/professional licenses unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.
Work Experience:
No additional work experience unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.
Skills:
Collaboration, Data Analysis, Data Interpretations, Experimentation, Laboratory Operations, Laboratory Techniques, Researching, Results Reporting, Scientific Writing.
Questions
For frequently asked questions about the application process, please refer to our External Applicant FAQ.
Accommodation
If you are unable to use our online application system and would like an accommodation, please email CandidateQuestions@wustl.edu or call the dedicated accommodation inquiry number at 314-935-1149 and leave a voicemail with the nature of your request.
All qualified individuals must be able to perform the essential functions of the position satisfactorily and, if requested, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship.
Pre-Employment Screening
All external candidates receiving an offer for employment will be required to submit to pre-employment screening for this position. The screenings will include criminal background check and, as applicable for the position, other background checks, drug screen, an employment and education or licensure/certification verification, physical examination, certain vaccinations and/or governmental registry checks. All offers are contingent upon successful completion of required screening.
Benefits Statement
Washington University in St. Louis is committed to providing a comprehensive and competitive benefits package to our employees. Benefits eligibility is subject to employment status, full-time equivalent (FTE) workload, and weekly standard hours. Please visit our website at https://hr.wustl.edu/benefits/ to view a summary of benefits.
EEO Statement
Washington University in St. Louis is committed to the principles and practices of equal employment opportunity. It is the University’s policy to provide equal opportunity and access to persons in all job titles without regard to race, ethnicity, color, national origin, citizenship (where prohibited by federal law), age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, protected veteran status, or genetic information.
Position Summary
The position requires creativity, independence and willingness to work on an “out of the box” project. Picobirnaviruses (PBV)s are small double-stranded RNA viruses first discovered in human stool specimens that have been largely ignored by the scientific community. PBVs are highly prevalent and abundant in human enteric viromes and have been associated with multiple human disease. While they have been assumed to infect human and other vertebrate hosts for over 30 years, we have generated significant evidence that PBVs actually are the 3rd known group of RNA bacteriophages rather than eukaryotic viruses (e.g., Krishnamurthy et al, Virology 2018; Gan and Wang, PNAS 2023).
Projects will focus on defining the interactions of PBVs with their bacterial hosts both in vitro and in vivo in gnotobiotic mouse models and defining their impact on the microbiome and human health. Applicants must be comfortable working with a wide range of experimental approaches: NGS, bioinformatics, biochemistry, genetic screens, virological and bacteriological methods.
Job Description
Primary Duties & Responsibilities:
Information on being a postdoc at WashU in St. Louis can be found at https://postdoc.wustl.edu/prospective-postdocs-2/.
Trains under the supervision of a faculty mentor including (but not limited to):
- Assists with grant preparation and reporting.
- Prepares and submits papers on research.
- Assists in the design of research experiments.
- Evaluates research findings and assists in the reporting of the results.
- Conscientious discharge of their research responsibilities.
- Maintains conformity with ethical standards in research.
- Maintains compliance with good laboratory practice including the maintenance of adequate research records.
- Engages in open and timely discussion with their mentor regarding possession or distribution of material, reagents, or records belonging to their laboratory and any proposed disclosure of findings or techniques privately or in publications.
- Collegial conduct towards co-trainees, staff members and members of the research group.
- Adherence to all applicable University policies, procedures and regulations. All data, research records and materials and other intellectual property generated in University laboratories remain the property of the University.
Working Conditions:
This position works in a laboratory environment with potential exposure to biological and chemical hazards. The individual must be physically able to wear protective equipment and to provide standard care to research animals.
Salary Range:
Base pay is commensurate with experience.
Applicant Special Instructions:
Interested applicants should submit the following documents to davewang@wustl.edu.
- A cover letter outlining their research interest and qualifications.
- A detailed CV, including list of publications.
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all job duties performed by the personnel so classified. Management reserves the right to revise or amend duties at any time.
Required Qualifications
Education:
Ph.D., M.D. Or Equivalent Terminal Or Doctoral Degree.
Certifications/Professional Licenses:
No specific certification/professional license is required for this position.
Work Experience:
No specific work experience is required for this position.
Skills:
Not Applicable
Driver's License:
A driver's license is not required for this position.
More About This Job
At WashU, postdoctoral appointments:
- Have a 5-year term limit that includes previous experience.
Preferred Qualifications
Education:
No additional education unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.
Certifications/Professional Licenses:
No additional certification/professional licenses unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.
Work Experience:
No additional work experience unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.
Skills:
Collaboration, Data Analysis, Data Interpretations, Experimentation, Laboratory Operations, Laboratory Techniques, Researching, Results Reporting, Scientific Writing.
Questions
For frequently asked questions about the application process, please refer to our External Applicant FAQ.
Accommodation
If you are unable to use our online application system and would like an accommodation, please email CandidateQuestions@wustl.edu or call the dedicated accommodation inquiry number at 314-935-1149 and leave a voicemail with the nature of your request.
All qualified individuals must be able to perform the essential functions of the position satisfactorily and, if requested, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship.
Pre-Employment Screening
All external candidates receiving an offer for employment will be required to submit to pre-employment screening for this position. The screenings will include criminal background check and, as applicable for the position, other background checks, drug screen, an employment and education or licensure/certification verification, physical examination, certain vaccinations and/or governmental registry checks. All offers are contingent upon successful completion of required screening.
Benefits Statement
Washington University in St. Louis is committed to providing a comprehensive and competitive benefits package to our employees. Benefits eligibility is subject to employment status, full-time equivalent (FTE) workload, and weekly standard hours. Please visit our website at https://hr.wustl.edu/benefits/ to view a summary of benefits.
EEO Statement
Washington University in St. Louis is committed to the principles and practices of equal employment opportunity. It is the University’s policy to provide equal opportunity and access to persons in all job titles without regard to race, ethnicity, color, national origin, citizenship (where prohibited by federal law), age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, protected veteran status, or genetic information.
See all 1,201+ STEM OPT Research Associate Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new STEM OPT Research Associate Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding STEM OPT Authorization as a Research Associate
Verify your CIP code before applying
Not every STEM degree qualifies automatically. Cross-check your program's Classification of Instructional Programs code against the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List to confirm your degree supports the extension before you target Research Associate postings.
Confirm E-Verify enrollment before signing
Ask the HR team for their E-Verify Company ID before you accept any offer. Research institutions and nonprofits sometimes operate under federal funding rules that require E-Verify, but individual labs may not be registered independently.
Tailor your CV to the lab's research output
PIs reviewing Research Associate applications scan for technique-specific experience matching their active grants. List specific assays, instruments, or computational methods you've used, not just broad skill categories, so your CV survives the first filter.
File your I-983 training plan before your start date
USCIS requires a signed I-983 on file with your DSO before you begin work, not after. Coordinate with HR to complete the employer sections, including the FTE percentage and training objectives, at least a week before your first day.
Use Migrate Mate to filter for E-Verify employers
Search Research Associate roles on Migrate Mate to see which employers already have verified E-Verify enrollment and STEM OPT hiring history, cutting out the manual confirmation step from your outreach process.
Request the prevailing wage tier from your employer
Look up the wage level for your SOC code and location using the OFLC Wage Search before your offer negotiation. Research Associates are typically classified at Level I or II, and knowing the range helps you identify whether an offer meets the threshold.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a biology or chemistry degree qualify me for STEM OPT as a Research Associate?
Yes, if your degree's CIP code appears on the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List. Life sciences, chemistry, biochemistry, and most natural science programs qualify. Your DSO can confirm your specific CIP code. The research duties in a Research Associate role typically align closely with STEM degree fields, which strengthens your I-983 training plan justification.
Can I work as a Research Associate at a university lab on STEM OPT?
Yes, but only if the university entity employing you is enrolled in E-Verify as a covered employer. Some universities enroll institution-wide, while others enroll by department or subsidiary. Confirm that the specific hiring unit, not just the university system, appears in E-Verify before your offer letter is finalized. Your DSO can help you verify this.
What goes into the I-983 training plan for a Research Associate position?
The I-983 requires a detailed description of how the Research Associate role provides practical training directly related to your STEM degree. You'll list specific learning objectives, the supervision structure, and how your employer will evaluate your progress. The employer must identify a supervisor with relevant STEM credentials. Both you and your employer sign before your DSO submits the form to SEVIS.
How does cap-gap protect me if my H-1B is selected while I'm working as a Research Associate?
If your employer files a timely H-1B visa petition on your behalf before your OPT EAD expires, cap-gap automatically extends your STEM OPT work authorization through September 30. You can continue in your Research Associate role without interruption during that period. USCIS updates your I-20 end date to reflect the cap-gap extension, and you can verify your status remains active through your DSO.
Where can I find Research Associate jobs where the employer already accepts STEM OPT students?
Migrate Mate filters Research Associate postings by employers with confirmed E-Verify enrollment and a history of hiring STEM OPT candidates. That means you spend less time chasing down HR teams to ask basic eligibility questions and more time on applications where your work authorization is already a known fit for the role.