Machine Learning Research Visa Sponsorship Jobs in California
California is one of the most active states for machine learning research hiring, with major employers including Google, Meta, Apple, and Microsoft concentrated in the San Francisco Bay Area, plus research-driven companies in Los Angeles and San Diego. The state's university pipeline from Stanford, UC Berkeley, and UCLA feeds a competitive but well-established visa sponsorship ecosystem.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
MSCI is establishing a Machine Learning Center of Excellence within the Research & Development team to develop machine learning models that power investment tools for institutional clients. We seek an Executive Director to lead research applying advanced machine learning techniques including deep learning and reinforcement learning to systematic strategies, portfolio construction, and valuation models.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Your Key Responsibilities:
- Lead a team conducting research using machine learning methodologies that integrate financial theory with deep learning and reinforcement learning
- Design and develop models that convert AI-extracted signals from text, documents, and client telemetry into investment insights
- Deliver research powering new products across MSCI's product lines
- Build and mentor a team of PhD-level machine learning researchers
- Engage directly with clients to understand systematic investment challenges
- Contribute to thought leadership through research innovation and publishing
- Collaborate with product, technology, and sales teams
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
Your skills and experience that will help you excel:
- PhD in Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Physics, Operations Research, or related quantitative field from a top institution
- Strong foundation in quantitative finance
- Expert programming skills
- Publication record in machine learning or quantitative finance (preferred)
- Ability to communicate complex ideas clearly to technical and business stakeholders
- Experience building and mentoring technical teams
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
About MSCI: What we offer you
- Salary range: $195,000 - $254,000 / year plus eligible for annual bonus
- Transparent compensation schemes and comprehensive employee benefits, tailored to your location, ensuring your financial security, health, and overall wellbeing.
- Flexible working arrangements, advanced technology, and collaborative workspaces.
- A culture of high performance and innovation where we experiment with new ideas and take responsibility for achieving results.
- A global network of talented colleagues, who inspire, support, and share their expertise to innovate and deliver for our clients.
- Global Orientation program to kickstart your journey, followed by access to our Learning@MSCI platform, AI Learning Center, LinkedIn Learning Pro and tailored learning opportunities for ongoing skills development.
- Multi-directional career paths that offer professional growth and development through new challenges, internal mobility and expanded roles.
- We actively nurture an environment that builds a sense of inclusion belonging and connection, including eight Employee Resource Groups: All Abilities, Asian Support Network, Black Leadership Network, Climate Action Network, Hola! MSCI, Pride & Allies, Women in Tech, and Women’s Leadership Forum.
At MSCI we are passionate about what we do, and we are inspired by our vision – to power better decisions. You’ll be part of an industry-leading network of creative, curious, and entrepreneurial pioneers. This is a space where you can challenge yourself, set new standards and perform beyond expectations for yourself, our clients, and our industry. MSCI strengthens global markets by connecting participants across the financial ecosystem with a common language. Our research-based data, analytics and indexes, supported by advanced technology, set standards for global investors and help our clients understand risks and opportunities so they can make better decisions and unlock innovation. We serve asset managers and owners, private-market sponsors and investors, hedge funds, wealth managers, banks, insurers and corporates.
MSCI Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of the firm to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, age, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, disability, marital and civil partnership/union status, pregnancy (including unlawful discrimination on the basis of a legally protected parental leave), veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. MSCI is also committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, please email Disability.Assistance@msci.com and indicate the specifics of the assistance needed. Please note, this e-mail is intended only for individuals who are requesting a reasonable workplace accommodation; it is not intended for other inquiries.
To all recruitment agencies
MSCI does not accept unsolicited CVs/Resumes. Please do not forward CVs/Resumes to any MSCI employee, location, or website. MSCI is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited CVs/Resumes.
Note on recruitment scams
We are aware of recruitment scams where fraudsters impersonating MSCI personnel may try and elicit personal information from job seekers. Read our full note on careers.msci.com
INTRODUCTION
MSCI is establishing a Machine Learning Center of Excellence within the Research & Development team to develop machine learning models that power investment tools for institutional clients. We seek an Executive Director to lead research applying advanced machine learning techniques including deep learning and reinforcement learning to systematic strategies, portfolio construction, and valuation models.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Your Key Responsibilities:
- Lead a team conducting research using machine learning methodologies that integrate financial theory with deep learning and reinforcement learning
- Design and develop models that convert AI-extracted signals from text, documents, and client telemetry into investment insights
- Deliver research powering new products across MSCI's product lines
- Build and mentor a team of PhD-level machine learning researchers
- Engage directly with clients to understand systematic investment challenges
- Contribute to thought leadership through research innovation and publishing
- Collaborate with product, technology, and sales teams
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
Your skills and experience that will help you excel:
- PhD in Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Physics, Operations Research, or related quantitative field from a top institution
- Strong foundation in quantitative finance
- Expert programming skills
- Publication record in machine learning or quantitative finance (preferred)
- Ability to communicate complex ideas clearly to technical and business stakeholders
- Experience building and mentoring technical teams
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
About MSCI: What we offer you
- Salary range: $195,000 - $254,000 / year plus eligible for annual bonus
- Transparent compensation schemes and comprehensive employee benefits, tailored to your location, ensuring your financial security, health, and overall wellbeing.
- Flexible working arrangements, advanced technology, and collaborative workspaces.
- A culture of high performance and innovation where we experiment with new ideas and take responsibility for achieving results.
- A global network of talented colleagues, who inspire, support, and share their expertise to innovate and deliver for our clients.
- Global Orientation program to kickstart your journey, followed by access to our Learning@MSCI platform, AI Learning Center, LinkedIn Learning Pro and tailored learning opportunities for ongoing skills development.
- Multi-directional career paths that offer professional growth and development through new challenges, internal mobility and expanded roles.
- We actively nurture an environment that builds a sense of inclusion belonging and connection, including eight Employee Resource Groups: All Abilities, Asian Support Network, Black Leadership Network, Climate Action Network, Hola! MSCI, Pride & Allies, Women in Tech, and Women’s Leadership Forum.
At MSCI we are passionate about what we do, and we are inspired by our vision – to power better decisions. You’ll be part of an industry-leading network of creative, curious, and entrepreneurial pioneers. This is a space where you can challenge yourself, set new standards and perform beyond expectations for yourself, our clients, and our industry. MSCI strengthens global markets by connecting participants across the financial ecosystem with a common language. Our research-based data, analytics and indexes, supported by advanced technology, set standards for global investors and help our clients understand risks and opportunities so they can make better decisions and unlock innovation. We serve asset managers and owners, private-market sponsors and investors, hedge funds, wealth managers, banks, insurers and corporates.
MSCI Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of the firm to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, age, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, disability, marital and civil partnership/union status, pregnancy (including unlawful discrimination on the basis of a legally protected parental leave), veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. MSCI is also committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, please email Disability.Assistance@msci.com and indicate the specifics of the assistance needed. Please note, this e-mail is intended only for individuals who are requesting a reasonable workplace accommodation; it is not intended for other inquiries.
To all recruitment agencies
MSCI does not accept unsolicited CVs/Resumes. Please do not forward CVs/Resumes to any MSCI employee, location, or website. MSCI is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited CVs/Resumes.
Note on recruitment scams
We are aware of recruitment scams where fraudsters impersonating MSCI personnel may try and elicit personal information from job seekers. Read our full note on careers.msci.com
Machine Learning Research Job Roles in California
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Search Machine Learning Research Jobs in CaliforniaMachine Learning Research Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies sponsor visas for machine learning researchers in California?
Large technology companies with significant California research operations, including Google DeepMind, Meta AI, Apple, Microsoft, and OpenAI, have established track records of sponsoring work visas for machine learning researchers. Semiconductor firms like NVIDIA and Qualcomm also sponsor regularly. Sponsorship patterns are publicly verifiable through Department of Labor Labor Condition Application disclosure data.
Which visa types are most common for machine learning research roles in California?
The H-1B visa is the most common visa for machine learning research positions in California, given that the role typically requires at least a bachelor's degree in computer science, statistics, or a related field. Researchers with exceptional recognition may qualify for the O-1A. Australians may use the E-3 visa, and Canadians and Mexicans may qualify under the TN visa category.
Which cities in California have the most machine learning research sponsorship jobs?
The San Francisco Bay Area, including San Jose, Mountain View, Menlo Park, and San Francisco itself, concentrates the largest share of machine learning research sponsorship activity in California. Los Angeles has a growing cluster around entertainment technology and autonomous systems companies. San Diego has notable activity tied to biotech, defense research, and Qualcomm's AI division.
How to find machine learning research visa sponsorship jobs in California?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for international job seekers and filters machine learning research roles in California by employers with active visa sponsorship history. Rather than sifting through general job postings, you can search directly for California-based machine learning research positions where sponsorship is confirmed, which is especially useful if you're on OPT, an H-1B, or another time-sensitive status.
Are there any California-specific considerations for machine learning research visa sponsorship?
California's high concentration of H-1B-dependent employers means some companies must meet additional recruitment attestations under Department of Labor rules. The state's university pipeline, particularly from Stanford, UC Berkeley, and UCLA, creates strong competition for research roles. Prevailing wage levels in Bay Area metro areas are among the highest in the country for machine learning research positions, which affects the minimum wage an employer must pay on an H-1B petition.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored machine learning research jobs in California?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.