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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The Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior is seeking to hire a part-time Research Associate II to join the O'Neil Lab, a multidisciplinary research program focused on understanding and improving outcomes for children with neurodevelopmental disorders. You will support clinical research studies involving participant recruitment, data collection, neuroimaging, and study coordination.
Responsibilities:
- Recruit, screen, enroll, and schedule research participants
- Administer research assessments and maintain study databases
- Enter, validate, and organize research data
- Assist with IRB submissions, regulatory documentation, and participant compensation
- Support MRI study visits, including participant preparation, scheduling, and data transfer
- Train and support families participating in Trigeminal Nerve Stimulation (TNS) studies
- Attend lab meetings and collaborate with investigators and research staff
Salary range: $32.79/hr - $52.75/hr
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Neuroscience, or related field (preferred)
Minimum 1 year of experience in human clinical research or a setting involving direct patient/participant interaction
Prior experience working with children and families (preferred)
Experience in pediatric clinical research (preferred)
Familiarity with neuroimaging research and/or behavioral health studies (preferred)
Strong organizational, communication, and time-management skills
Ability to manage multiple projects and work independently as well as collaboratively
Experience with data entry, databases management, and Microsoft Office applications
Ability to interact professionally with research participants, families, and clinical staff
Experience using research databases, spreadsheets, and data analysis software
Description
The Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior is seeking to hire a part-time Research Associate II to join the O'Neil Lab, a multidisciplinary research program focused on understanding and improving outcomes for children with neurodevelopmental disorders. You will support clinical research studies involving participant recruitment, data collection, neuroimaging, and study coordination.
Responsibilities:
- Recruit, screen, enroll, and schedule research participants
- Administer research assessments and maintain study databases
- Enter, validate, and organize research data
- Assist with IRB submissions, regulatory documentation, and participant compensation
- Support MRI study visits, including participant preparation, scheduling, and data transfer
- Train and support families participating in Trigeminal Nerve Stimulation (TNS) studies
- Attend lab meetings and collaborate with investigators and research staff
Salary range: $32.79/hr - $52.75/hr
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Neuroscience, or related field (preferred)
Minimum 1 year of experience in human clinical research or a setting involving direct patient/participant interaction
Prior experience working with children and families (preferred)
Experience in pediatric clinical research (preferred)
Familiarity with neuroimaging research and/or behavioral health studies (preferred)
Strong organizational, communication, and time-management skills
Ability to manage multiple projects and work independently as well as collaboratively
Experience with data entry, databases management, and Microsoft Office applications
Ability to interact professionally with research participants, families, and clinical staff
Experience using research databases, spreadsheets, and data analysis software
Research Assistant Job Roles in California
See all 599+ Research Assistant Jobs 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.