TN Visa Clinical Research Scientist Jobs
Clinical Research Scientist roles qualify for TN visa sponsorship under the USMCA's Scientific Technician/Technologist and Chemist categories, depending on your degree and specific duties. Canadian citizens can apply at the border with a job offer in hand. Mexican citizens need a visa stamp first. No lottery, no cap waiting.
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Job Description
The Senior Director (Sr. Principal Scientist) has primary responsibility for the strategic planning and directing clinical research activities involving investigational compounds in Immunology. With a focus on late-stage development, the Senior Clinical Director will manage the entire cycle of clinical development, including determination of appropriate disease indications to pursue and subsequent study design, initiation, execution, monitoring, analysis, regulatory filing, and publication.
Specifically, The Senior Director May Be Responsible For:
- Evaluating pre-clinical and translational work for the purpose of generating the early clinical development plan and Investigational New Drug applications.
- Providing clinical development support of business development assessments of external opportunities to grow the Immunology Pipeline.
- Developing clinical development strategies for investigational drugs and planning clinical trials (design, operational plans, settings) based on these clinical development strategies.
- Monitoring and managing the conduct of ongoing or new clinical trials for investigational drugs.
- Analyzing and summarizing the clinical findings from studies to support decisions regarding safety and efficacy as well as new drug applications, clinical study reports, or publication.
- Participation in internal and joint internal/external research project teams relevant to the development of new compounds.
The Senior Director may supervise the activities of Clinical Scientists in the execution of clinical studies. Work closely with a cross-functional group of experts in commercialization, regulatory affairs, statistics, and manufacturing to manage clinical development projects; and assist the Executive Director in ensuring that appropriate corporate personnel are informed of the progress of studies of our company and competitors' drugs and internal and external expert opinion on scientific questions relevant to his/her areas of responsibility.
The Senior Director is responsible for maintaining a strong scientific fund of knowledge by:
- Maintaining awareness of scientific developments within his/her area of expertise, in terms of new scientific findings, research methodologies.
- Identification of scientifically and operationally strong investigators who can assist in the development of our company's investigational drugs in Immunology.
- Establishing collaborative relationships with external experts in Rheumatology, Gastroenterology, Dermatology, and pulmonary disease, particularly those whose research focus and expertise can inform and assist the evaluation of the company's investigational drugs.
- Attending appropriate scientific meetings to maintain his or her competency and to maintain awareness of research activities in his/her area of responsibility.
To accomplish these goals, the Senior Director may:
- Author detailed development documents, presentations, budgets, and position papers for internal and external audiences.
- Facilitate collaborations with external researchers around the world.
- Travel on company business about twenty (20) percent of the time to manage future or ongoing clinical research projects.
Qualifications
Education minimum required:
M.D., D.O., M.D./PhD, or D.O./PhD.
Required experience and skills:
- Experience in the design and/or execution of phase 2 or 3 clinical trials specifically in Immunology (Rheumatology, Gastroenterology or Dermatology).
- Minimum of 3 years of clinical medicine experience.
- Minimum of 5 years of industry experience in drug development.
- Demonstrated record of scientific scholarship and achievement.
- Strong interpersonal skills, as well as the ability to work collaboratively in a cross-functional team environment.
Required Skills:
Clinical Development, Clinical Medicine, Clinical Research Management, Clinical Studies, Clinical Trial Development, Clinical Trials, Dermatology, Drug Development, Gastroenterology, Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, Pharmaceutical Industry, Regulatory Compliance, Rheumatology.
Preferred Skills:
US and Puerto Rico Residents Only:
Our company is committed to inclusion, ensuring that candidates can engage in a hiring process that exhibits their true capabilities. Please click here if you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process.
As an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, we provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. As a federal contractor, we comply with all affirmative action requirements for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. For more information about personal rights under the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment laws, visit:
We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing together, talented, and committed people with diverse experiences, perspectives, skills and backgrounds. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when people with diverse ideas, broad experiences, backgrounds, and skills come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another’s thinking and approach problems collectively.
U.S. Hybrid Work Model
Effective September 5, 2023, employees in office-based positions in the U.S. will be working a Hybrid work consisting of three total days on-site per week, Monday - Thursday, although the specific days may vary by site or organization, with Friday designated as a remote-working day, unless business critical tasks require an on-site presence. This Hybrid work model does not apply to, and daily in-person attendance is required for, field-based positions; facility-based, manufacturing-based, or research-based positions where the work to be performed is located at a Company site; positions covered by a collective-bargaining agreement (unless the agreement provides for hybrid work); or any other position for which the Company has determined the job requirements cannot be reasonably met working remotely. Please note, this Hybrid work model guidance also does not apply to roles that have been designated as “remote”.
The salary range for this role is
$276,600.00 - $435,400.00
This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. An employee’s position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, government requirements, and business or organizational needs.
The successful candidate will be eligible for annual bonus and long-term incentive, if applicable.
We offer a comprehensive package of benefits. Available benefits include medical, dental, vision healthcare and other insurance benefits (for employee and family), retirement benefits, including 401(k), paid holidays, vacation, and compassionate and sick days. More information about benefits is available at https://jobs.merck.com/us/en/compensation-and-benefits.
You can apply for this role through https://jobs.merck.com/us/en (or via the Workday Jobs Hub if you are a current employee). The application deadline for this position is stated on this posting.
San Francisco Residents Only:
We will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment in compliance with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance.
Los Angeles Residents Only:
We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance.
Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully
Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, Rahway, NJ, USA, does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company. No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails.
Employee Status:
Regular
Relocation:
VISA Sponsorship:
Travel Requirements:
Flexible Work Arrangements:
Hybrid
Shift:
Valid Driving License:
Hazardous Material(s):
Job Posting End Date:
04/30/2026
A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the day BEFORE the listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the day BEFORE the job posting end date.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding TN Visa Sponsorship as a Clinical Research Scientist
Align your degree to TN-eligible categories
TN visa approval hinges on matching your credential to the right USMCA occupation category. A biochemistry or life sciences degree supports Chemist status; a broader research role may fit Scientific Technician. Misclassifying the category is a common denial trigger.
Document protocol authorship before applying
Employers screening for TN sponsorship want evidence you meet specialty occupation depth, not just lab hours. Gather publications, IRB protocols you authored, and study design contributions before outreach. These distinguish you from technician-level applicants quickly.
Target CROs and pharma companies with existing TN pipelines
Contract research organizations and mid-size biotech firms that already sponsor TN visa holders move faster through the offer stage. Ask recruiters directly whether their legal team has processed TN petitions before for research scientist roles.
Use Migrate Mate to find experienced visa sponsors
Search Migrate Mate to identify companies actively hiring Clinical Research Scientists with recent visa filings. Filtering by employers experienced with visa sponsorship saves weeks of cold outreach to companies unfamiliar with the sponsorship process. For TN roles, your employer will prepare a support letter that you'll present directly at a U.S. port of entry (Canadian applicants) or U.S. consulate (Mexican applicants)—no government filing or prevailing wage requirements apply.
Request a support letter that maps duties to TN criteria
When your offer is confirmed, ask the employer to draft a support letter that explicitly ties each job duty to the USMCA occupation category. Vague letters citing only job title are a leading cause of CBP denials at the Canadian border.
Understand how Mexican citizens handle TN processing differently
Mexican nationals can't use CBP port-of-entry processing. You'll apply at a U.S. consulate for a TN visa stamp, which adds four to eight weeks to your timeline. Build that window into your start date negotiation with the employer.
Clinical Research Scientist TN Visa: Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Clinical Research Scientist role qualify for TN visa status?
Yes, but the qualifying USMCA category depends on your specific duties and degree. Roles grounded in chemistry or biochemistry typically file under the Chemist category. Broader research scientist positions may qualify under Scientific Technician/Technologist. The job offer letter and support documentation must map your actual duties to one of these categories clearly, or CBP may request clarification or deny entry.
How does TN compare to H-1B for Clinical Research Scientist positions?
TN has no annual lottery and no cap for Canadian citizens, so you can start as soon as your employer has the paperwork ready. H-1B visa requires winning a lottery with roughly a one-in-four selection rate, then waiting up to a year before you can begin work. For Clinical Research Scientist roles, TN is a significantly faster path for Canadians and eligible Mexicans who meet the USMCA occupation criteria.
What documents does my employer need to provide for TN sponsorship?
Your employer needs to provide a detailed support letter on company letterhead that describes your job duties, confirms the position requires a relevant degree, states your TN occupation category, lists your salary, and specifies your employment start date and duration. The letter should also confirm you hold the qualifying credential. Canadian applicants bring this letter to the port of entry; Mexican applicants submit it as part of the consular visa application.
Can I find Clinical Research Scientist jobs that already offer TN sponsorship?
Yes. Migrate Mate lets you search specifically for Clinical Research Scientist roles where employers have TN visa sponsorship history, so you're not wasting time applying to companies that have never navigated USMCA work authorization. Filtering by sponsorship track record is the fastest way to identify which pharma, biotech, and CRO employers are already set up to bring on TN professionals.
Can I switch employers while on TN status as a Clinical Research Scientist?
Yes, but TN status is employer-specific. You can't start with a new employer until that employer has completed a new TN filing and, for Canadians, you've received a new I-94 at the border or through a change of status application. Working even one day for a new employer before TN approval is a status violation. Plan your transition timeline carefully and confirm the new employer is prepared to file before you resign.