Research Assistant Visa Sponsorship Jobs in California
Research assistant visa sponsorship jobs in California are concentrated at major research universities like UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC San Diego, and Stanford, alongside life sciences companies in the Bay Area and San Diego's biotech corridor. Federal labs such as Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and SLAC also hire internationally, making California one of the most active states for sponsored research roles.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
Working at Atlassian
Atlassians have the flexibility to work where they can collaborate most effectively with their team, whether at home, one of our global offices, or both. We hire in any country where we have a legal entity. Learn how we work at go.atlassian.com/distributed.
Atlassian’s Grad++ program combines hands-on technical training, professional growth opportunities, dedicated mentorship, and strong social connections. This holistic approach empowers students to hit the ground running and sets them up for a successful and impactful career at Atlassian!
This role is preferred to be co-located to Seattle, WA or San Francisco, CA.
Your Future Team
The mission of Atlassian is to unleash the potential of every team. Our software products help teams all over the planet and our solutions are designed for all types of work. Team collaboration through our tools makes what may be impossible alone, possible together. AI/ML is significantly transforming how teams come together to plan, track, and deliver work across software and business teams using our products. We are looking for Machine learning engineers to further this mission and help make teams more productive leveraging AI across our product portfolio.
ABOUT THE ROLE:
Join our cutting-edge Machine Learning Research team at Atlassian where you'll have the opportunity to work on advanced Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies, particularly focusing on areas such as Large language models (LLMs), Generative AI, Search, Conversational Agents, and AI Optimization. You’ll be part of a team that pioneers innovations to address complex real-world problems, developing state-of-the-art AI solutions that will ultimately drive impact for Enterprises.
Responsibilities:
Your daily responsibilities will encompass a broad spectrum of tasks such as designing system and model architectures, conducting rigorous experimentation and model evaluations. You will be responsible for application of AI/ML to various product problems to improve Atlassian products and actively contribute to Atlassian Intelligence features.
COMPENSATION:
At Atlassian, we strive to design equitable, explainable, and competitive compensation programs. We follow consistent hiring practices and account for each candidate's skills, knowledge, and experience when setting base pay within the range.
Please visit go.atlassian.com/payzones for more information on which locations are included in each of our geographic pay zones. However, please confirm the zone for your specific location with your recruiter.
This role may also be eligible for benefits, bonuses, commissions, and equity.
Pay Ranges:
In The United States, we have three geographic pay zones. For this role, our current base pay ranges for new hires in each zone are:
Zone A: $178,200 - $232,650
Zone B: $160,380 - $209,385
Zone C: $147,906 - $193,100
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree or above in Computer Science or a relevant technical field.
- Currently enrolled full time in a Doctorate program in Computer Science, Statistics, Machine Learning, Operations Research, Data Science, Mathematics, or relevant work experience and are graduating by August 2027.
- Strong foundation in AI/ML, LLMs, Optimization and related techniques.
- Experience with research, publishing, building and scaling machine learning models using large amounts of data.
- Agile development mindset, appreciating the benefit of constant iteration and improvement.
- Must be able to obtain work authorization in the country of employment at the time of hire and maintain ongoing work authorization during employment.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Demonstrates proficiency in Python programming and ability to write clean, efficient and well-documented code.
- Has expertise in managing data using Python libraries such as NumPy, Pandas, Matplotlib, in addition to leveraging models from Hugging Face and has practical knowledge of applied machine learning and deep learning frameworks, like PyTorch.
- Demonstrates exposure to natural language processing (NLP), Computer Vision (CV), Reinforcement Learning (RL), and AI Optimization.
- Familiarity with state-of-the-art research in machine learning and AI, as evidenced by relevant coursework, publications, or projects. Having publications in top-tier AI conferences or journals will be considered an asset or a plus.
- Excels in solving ambiguous and complex problems, being able to navigate through uncertain situations, breaking down complex challenges into manageable components and developing innovative solutions.
BENEFITS & PERKS
Atlassian offers a wide range of perks and benefits designed to support you, your family and to help you engage with your local community. Our offerings include health and wellbeing resources, paid volunteer days, and so much more. To learn more, visit go.atlassian.com/perksandbenefits.
ABOUT ATLASSIAN
At Atlassian, we're motivated by a common goal: to unleash the potential of every team. Our software products help teams all over the planet and our solutions are designed for all types of work. Team collaboration through our tools makes what may be impossible alone, possible together.
We believe that the unique contributions of all Atlassians create our success. To ensure that our products and culture continue to incorporate everyone's perspectives and experience, we never discriminate based on race, religion, national origin, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, or marital, veteran, or disability status. All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.
To provide you the best experience, we can support with accommodations or adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process. Simply inform our Recruitment team during your conversation with them.
To learn more about our culture and hiring process, visit go.atlassian.com/crh.
In line with local law, identity verification (which may include use of biometric data) is a condition of employment with Atlassian for employment fraud purposes.
INTRODUCTION
Working at Atlassian
Atlassians have the flexibility to work where they can collaborate most effectively with their team, whether at home, one of our global offices, or both. We hire in any country where we have a legal entity. Learn how we work at go.atlassian.com/distributed.
Atlassian’s Grad++ program combines hands-on technical training, professional growth opportunities, dedicated mentorship, and strong social connections. This holistic approach empowers students to hit the ground running and sets them up for a successful and impactful career at Atlassian!
This role is preferred to be co-located to Seattle, WA or San Francisco, CA.
Your Future Team
The mission of Atlassian is to unleash the potential of every team. Our software products help teams all over the planet and our solutions are designed for all types of work. Team collaboration through our tools makes what may be impossible alone, possible together. AI/ML is significantly transforming how teams come together to plan, track, and deliver work across software and business teams using our products. We are looking for Machine learning engineers to further this mission and help make teams more productive leveraging AI across our product portfolio.
ABOUT THE ROLE:
Join our cutting-edge Machine Learning Research team at Atlassian where you'll have the opportunity to work on advanced Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies, particularly focusing on areas such as Large language models (LLMs), Generative AI, Search, Conversational Agents, and AI Optimization. You’ll be part of a team that pioneers innovations to address complex real-world problems, developing state-of-the-art AI solutions that will ultimately drive impact for Enterprises.
Responsibilities:
Your daily responsibilities will encompass a broad spectrum of tasks such as designing system and model architectures, conducting rigorous experimentation and model evaluations. You will be responsible for application of AI/ML to various product problems to improve Atlassian products and actively contribute to Atlassian Intelligence features.
COMPENSATION:
At Atlassian, we strive to design equitable, explainable, and competitive compensation programs. We follow consistent hiring practices and account for each candidate's skills, knowledge, and experience when setting base pay within the range.
Please visit go.atlassian.com/payzones for more information on which locations are included in each of our geographic pay zones. However, please confirm the zone for your specific location with your recruiter.
This role may also be eligible for benefits, bonuses, commissions, and equity.
Pay Ranges:
In The United States, we have three geographic pay zones. For this role, our current base pay ranges for new hires in each zone are:
Zone A: $178,200 - $232,650
Zone B: $160,380 - $209,385
Zone C: $147,906 - $193,100
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree or above in Computer Science or a relevant technical field.
- Currently enrolled full time in a Doctorate program in Computer Science, Statistics, Machine Learning, Operations Research, Data Science, Mathematics, or relevant work experience and are graduating by August 2027.
- Strong foundation in AI/ML, LLMs, Optimization and related techniques.
- Experience with research, publishing, building and scaling machine learning models using large amounts of data.
- Agile development mindset, appreciating the benefit of constant iteration and improvement.
- Must be able to obtain work authorization in the country of employment at the time of hire and maintain ongoing work authorization during employment.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Demonstrates proficiency in Python programming and ability to write clean, efficient and well-documented code.
- Has expertise in managing data using Python libraries such as NumPy, Pandas, Matplotlib, in addition to leveraging models from Hugging Face and has practical knowledge of applied machine learning and deep learning frameworks, like PyTorch.
- Demonstrates exposure to natural language processing (NLP), Computer Vision (CV), Reinforcement Learning (RL), and AI Optimization.
- Familiarity with state-of-the-art research in machine learning and AI, as evidenced by relevant coursework, publications, or projects. Having publications in top-tier AI conferences or journals will be considered an asset or a plus.
- Excels in solving ambiguous and complex problems, being able to navigate through uncertain situations, breaking down complex challenges into manageable components and developing innovative solutions.
BENEFITS & PERKS
Atlassian offers a wide range of perks and benefits designed to support you, your family and to help you engage with your local community. Our offerings include health and wellbeing resources, paid volunteer days, and so much more. To learn more, visit go.atlassian.com/perksandbenefits.
ABOUT ATLASSIAN
At Atlassian, we're motivated by a common goal: to unleash the potential of every team. Our software products help teams all over the planet and our solutions are designed for all types of work. Team collaboration through our tools makes what may be impossible alone, possible together.
We believe that the unique contributions of all Atlassians create our success. To ensure that our products and culture continue to incorporate everyone's perspectives and experience, we never discriminate based on race, religion, national origin, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, or marital, veteran, or disability status. All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.
To provide you the best experience, we can support with accommodations or adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process. Simply inform our Recruitment team during your conversation with them.
To learn more about our culture and hiring process, visit go.atlassian.com/crh.
In line with local law, identity verification (which may include use of biometric data) is a condition of employment with Atlassian for employment fraud purposes.
Research Assistant Job Roles in California
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Search Research Assistant Jobs in CaliforniaResearch Assistant Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies and institutions sponsor visas for research assistants in California?
The most active sponsors include UC system campuses (Berkeley, UCLA, UC San Diego, UC Davis), Stanford University, Caltech, and private research hospitals like UCSF Medical Center. In the private sector, biotech and pharmaceutical companies such as Genentech, Gilead Sciences, and Illumina regularly sponsor research assistants, particularly in the Bay Area and San Diego. Federal research facilities like Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and NASA Ames also sponsor international researchers.
Which visa types are most common for research assistant roles in California?
The H-1B visa is the most common employer-sponsored visa for research assistant positions that require at least a bachelor's degree in a relevant field like biology, chemistry, or data science. University-affiliated positions often use the J-1 visa Exchange Visitor visa, which requires a sponsoring program and carries a potential two-year home residency requirement. OPT and STEM OPT are also widely used by F-1 students already working on California campuses before transitioning to employer-sponsored status.
Which cities in California have the most research assistant sponsorship jobs?
The San Francisco Bay Area leads the state, driven by UC Berkeley, Stanford, UCSF, and a dense concentration of biotech and life sciences employers. San Diego is the second-strongest market, anchored by UC San Diego, the Salk Institute, and a large pharmaceutical cluster. Los Angeles also has significant activity through UCLA, USC, and Cedars-Sinai. Sacramento sees demand tied to UC Davis and state health research agencies.
How to find research assistant visa sponsorship jobs in California?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for international job seekers and filters research assistant roles in California by visa sponsorship willingness, so you're not sorting through listings that won't support your visa. The platform covers university, government lab, and private sector postings across the Bay Area, San Diego, and Los Angeles. Filtering by role and state on Migrate Mate saves significant time compared to checking institutional career pages individually.
Are there state-specific considerations for research assistant visa sponsorship in California?
California's high concentration of research universities creates a strong pipeline for international candidates, but it also means H-1B cap competition is intense given the volume of applicants from Bay Area and LA employers. University and federal lab positions are often cap-exempt, which is a meaningful structural advantage for research roles specifically. California also enforces strict labor laws that apply to sponsored workers, and employers must comply with Department of Labor prevailing wage requirements when filing Labor Condition Applications.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored research assistant 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.