STEM OPT Research Director Jobs
Research Director roles sit at the intersection of advanced STEM expertise and institutional leadership, making them strong fits for the STEM OPT 24-month extension. Your employer must be enrolled in E-Verify, and your degree's CIP code must align with the research field you'll be directing.
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Researcher 2
Department:
Arts and Sciences | Sociology
The Researcher 2 collaborates with the Departments of Sociology and Psychology to coordinate and manage the day-to-day operations of two survey research projects. This role supports all phases of the research lifecycle, including study design, IRB documentation, implementation, fieldwork management, and data preparation.
Key Responsibilities
Project Coordination & Study Implementation
- Coordinate and manage daily activities for multiple survey research projects.
- Assist with preparation and submission of IRB documentation.
- Collaborate with study teams on research design, methodology, and implementation.
- Participate in the development of study communications and outreach strategies.
Survey Programming & Data Collection
- Convert, program, and debug complex electronic questionnaires using specialized survey software.
- Manage field operations, including oversight of survey administration processes.
- Create and maintain dialing campaigns within call center software; serve as a subject matter resource for staff.
Field Staff Training & Supervision
- Develop training materials and conduct training sessions for field and telephone interviewers.
- Supervise field and office-based research interviewers, ensuring performance standards are met.
- Conduct interviewer quality assurance activities to maintain data integrity.
Respondent Engagement
- Initiate and manage communications with survey respondents (e.g., emails, text messages) to encourage participation.
- Support implementation of engagement strategies to improve response rates.
Data Management & Reporting
- Assist with variable creation, data cleaning, and reporting using statistical software packages.
- Track interviewer hours and monitor fielding budgets to ensure project efficiency.
Qualifications
- Experience with survey research methods and data collection.
- Proficiency in statistical software (e.g., SPSS, Stata, R) and survey programming tools.
- Strong organizational, communication, and project management skills.
- Experience supervising staff and managing field operations preferred.
Minimum Education Required
Bachelor's Degree in Sociology, Psychology or related field with 3 years of relevant research experience required; Master's Degree in Sociology, Psychology or a related field and/or six years of survey research equivalent experience.
Additional Education Desired
Considerable experience (six or more years) in a social science discipline and in conducting research. Six or more years of experience with programmed survey conversion and testing. Expertise in SAS or equivalent programming language (preferably SPSS or STATA). Ability to produce metrics and create variables. Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
This is a part-time, limited term, 2 year position with a 55% FTE.
The range of offers for this position will be based on internal equity, the unit’s budget and the individual’s qualifications.
Additional Information:
Location:
Remote Location
Position Type:
Term (Fixed Term)
Scheduled Hours:
22
Shift:
Varying Shifts
Final candidates are subject to successful completion of a background check. A drug screen or physical may be required during the post offer process.
Thank you for your interest in positions at The Ohio State University and Wexner Medical Center. Once you have applied, the most updated information on the status of your application can be found by visiting the Candidate Home section of this site. Please view your submitted applications by logging in and reviewing your status. For answers to additional questions please review the frequently asked questions.
The university is an equal opportunity employer, including veterans and disability.
Job Title:
Researcher 2
Department:
Arts and Sciences | Sociology
The Researcher 2 collaborates with the Departments of Sociology and Psychology to coordinate and manage the day-to-day operations of two survey research projects. This role supports all phases of the research lifecycle, including study design, IRB documentation, implementation, fieldwork management, and data preparation.
Key Responsibilities
Project Coordination & Study Implementation
- Coordinate and manage daily activities for multiple survey research projects.
- Assist with preparation and submission of IRB documentation.
- Collaborate with study teams on research design, methodology, and implementation.
- Participate in the development of study communications and outreach strategies.
Survey Programming & Data Collection
- Convert, program, and debug complex electronic questionnaires using specialized survey software.
- Manage field operations, including oversight of survey administration processes.
- Create and maintain dialing campaigns within call center software; serve as a subject matter resource for staff.
Field Staff Training & Supervision
- Develop training materials and conduct training sessions for field and telephone interviewers.
- Supervise field and office-based research interviewers, ensuring performance standards are met.
- Conduct interviewer quality assurance activities to maintain data integrity.
Respondent Engagement
- Initiate and manage communications with survey respondents (e.g., emails, text messages) to encourage participation.
- Support implementation of engagement strategies to improve response rates.
Data Management & Reporting
- Assist with variable creation, data cleaning, and reporting using statistical software packages.
- Track interviewer hours and monitor fielding budgets to ensure project efficiency.
Qualifications
- Experience with survey research methods and data collection.
- Proficiency in statistical software (e.g., SPSS, Stata, R) and survey programming tools.
- Strong organizational, communication, and project management skills.
- Experience supervising staff and managing field operations preferred.
Minimum Education Required
Bachelor's Degree in Sociology, Psychology or related field with 3 years of relevant research experience required; Master's Degree in Sociology, Psychology or a related field and/or six years of survey research equivalent experience.
Additional Education Desired
Considerable experience (six or more years) in a social science discipline and in conducting research. Six or more years of experience with programmed survey conversion and testing. Expertise in SAS or equivalent programming language (preferably SPSS or STATA). Ability to produce metrics and create variables. Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
This is a part-time, limited term, 2 year position with a 55% FTE.
The range of offers for this position will be based on internal equity, the unit’s budget and the individual’s qualifications.
Additional Information:
Location:
Remote Location
Position Type:
Term (Fixed Term)
Scheduled Hours:
22
Shift:
Varying Shifts
Final candidates are subject to successful completion of a background check. A drug screen or physical may be required during the post offer process.
Thank you for your interest in positions at The Ohio State University and Wexner Medical Center. Once you have applied, the most updated information on the status of your application can be found by visiting the Candidate Home section of this site. Please view your submitted applications by logging in and reviewing your status. For answers to additional questions please review the frequently asked questions.
The university is an equal opportunity employer, including veterans and disability.
See all 538+ STEM OPT Research Director Jobs
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding STEM OPT Authorization in Research Director
Verify your CIP code matches the role
Pull your degree's CIP code from your I-20 and cross-reference it against the research domain you'll be directing. A mismatch between your listed STEM field and your job duties is the most common reason DSOs reject STEM OPT extension requests before they reach USCIS.
Confirm E-Verify enrollment before accepting offers
Ask the hiring institution to provide their E-Verify Company ID or show you their E-Verify participation page. Research universities and federal contractors typically enroll, but private research institutes and foundations vary, confirm before signing, not after.
Build a training plan around research leadership duties
Your I-983 must map specific learning objectives to Research Director responsibilities like principal investigator oversight, grant portfolio management, and lab staff supervision. Generic descriptions get flagged; tie each objective to a concrete research outcome your employer can evaluate.
Target institutions with active federal research contracts
Federal contractors are required to use E-Verify, so research-intensive organizations holding NIH, NSF, or DOD grants are structurally more likely to be enrolled and practiced at onboarding international researchers. Use Migrate Mate to filter for employers with verified E-Verify status in research and life sciences.
Check prevailing wage for your research discipline
Research Director wages vary sharply by field and institution type. Run the OFLC Wage Search using the SOC code for your specific research discipline to understand what wage level your employer must certify before your extension can proceed.
Align your start date with your OPT end date precisely
USCIS requires your STEM OPT extension application to be filed while your initial OPT EAD is still valid. Research Director searches can run long given committee-based hiring cycles, so file no later than 90 days before your initial OPT expires to avoid a gap in authorization.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Research Director role qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
It depends on whether your STEM degree's CIP code aligns with the research field you'll be directing. Research Director is not a blanket STEM-qualifying title. Your DSO will evaluate whether your degree's listed field on your I-20 corresponds to the scientific or technical domain of the position. O*NET can help you confirm how the role is classified occupationally before you apply.
What must the I-983 training plan include for a Research Director position?
Your I-983 must detail specific goals, objectives, and methods of evaluation tied to the Research Director role. For this title, that means documenting how the position advances your STEM skills in areas like research design, data analysis, grant oversight, or laboratory management. Vague descriptions like 'will conduct research' are insufficient. USCIS expects a concrete plan your employer signs off on and updates every 12 months.
How do I confirm my prospective employer is enrolled in E-Verify?
Ask your hiring contact directly for the company's E-Verify Company ID or request confirmation of their participation status before you reach the offer stage. Research universities, hospitals, and federal contractors are frequently enrolled, but smaller private research organizations may not be. An employer that isn't enrolled in E-Verify cannot sponsor your STEM OPT extension regardless of how well the role fits your degree.
What happens to my STEM OPT authorization if my Research Director contract ends before my extension period is up?
You have a 60-day grace period after your employment ends to find a new qualifying employer, transfer to a different visa status, or prepare to depart. You can work for a new E-Verify-enrolled employer on the same STEM OPT EAD, but your DSO must update your SEVIS record with the new employer information. USCIS does not require a new EAD for employer changes during an active STEM OPT period.
Where can I find Research Director jobs that explicitly support STEM OPT students?
Migrate Mate filters Research Director listings by E-Verify enrollment status, so you can focus on employers already set up to support your extension. Standard job searches don't surface E-Verify data, which means you'd otherwise need to verify each employer manually. Searching on Migrate Mate removes that step and surfaces roles in research-intensive fields where STEM OPT candidates are routinely hired.