Research Associate Visa Sponsorship Jobs in California
California is one of the strongest states for research associate visa sponsorship, driven by a concentration of biotech and pharmaceutical companies in the San Francisco Bay Area and San Diego, alongside major research universities like UC San Francisco, Stanford, and UCLA. Employers such as Genentech, Gilead Sciences, and UCSF Medical Center regularly sponsor international candidates for research associate positions.
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Company Description
About AbbVie
AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology and neuroscience - and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.
Job Description
These positions are field based / remote in the following locations: CA, WA, OR, IA, MN, IN, OH, FL. Candidates must reside in one of the following states and be willing to travel for site visits.
Purpose
Advance AbbVie's pipeline by striving for excellence in clinical research, turning science into medicine for our patients and leveraging new advanced capabilities to drive industry leading performance.
Partners with the investigator and site staff for meaningful and effective engagements positioning AbbVie as the choice in clinical trials.
Focus on site clinical research that ensures appropriate conduct of the trial while driving improvement in data integrity, compliance, overall study performance and customer experience.
Responsibilities
- Considered as the primary point of contact for the investigative site. High level of competency or experience in providing contextual information on the clinical trials, connects stakeholder to the investigative sites and strengthens AbbVie’s positioning.
- Aligns, trains and motivates the site staff and principal investigator on the goals of the clinical trial program, protocol and patient treatment principles for the trial ensuring a trusted partnership.
- Conducts site evaluation, site training, routine, and site closure monitoring activities with compliance to the protocol and monitoring plans, in accordance with applicable regulations, Good Clinical Practices (GCPs), ICH Guidelines, AbbVie Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and quality standards, ensuring safety and protection of study subjects.
- Advanced understanding of site engagement and ability to customize site engagement strategy for assigned study (ies). Gather local/site insights and utilize site engagement tools such as the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool, to report/track progress and measure impact of that strategy.
- Advanced level of competency connecting the study protocol, scientific principles and clinical trial requirements to the day-to-day clinical trial execution activities. Evaluate and ensure effective recruitment and retention techniques/plans based on the patient disease journey.
- Develop solid knowledge of therapeutic area, asset and clinical landscape / patient journey to enable successful patient recruitment and overall protocol compliance.
- Possesses experienced level of competency to mentor and train less experienced CRAs on various aspects of work and provides input into their development.
- May participate in global/local task forces and initiatives. Responsible for activities as assigned by manager.
- Responsible for continuous risk-assessment proactively, and in collaboration with Central Monitoring team, monitor activities conducted by clinical sites to detect early overall study performance or patient safety issues.
- Advanced ability to think critically to resolve site risk signals while having robust understanding of site processes to drive study execution. Ensures preventative and corrective action plans are put into place, as needed, to mitigate risk and promote compliance using a customer centric approach.
- Identifies, evaluates and recommends new/potential investigators/sites on an ongoing basis. Potential sites may be identified through networking or internal AbbVie requests to assist in the placement of planned clinical studies with qualified investigators.
- Ensures quality of data submitted from study sites and assures timely submission of data, including appropriate reporting and follow-up for all safety events by site personnel.
- Ensures audit and regulatory inspection readiness at assigned clinical site at all times.
- Manages investigator payments as per executed contract obligations, as applicable.
Qualifications
- Appropriate tertiary qualification in health related disciplines (Medical, Scientific, Nursing) preferred.
- Minimum of 1 year of clinically related experience, of which a period of 6 months is required in clinical research monitoring of investigational drug or device trials. Familiar with risk-based monitoring approach, onsite and offsite monitoring.
- Knowledge of appropriate therapeutic area indications is preferred with the ability to understand and apply scientific concepts as they relate to the conduct of clinical trials.
- Advanced knowledge on existing and emerging local regulatory and legal requirements, ICH/GCP Guidelines and applicable policies.
- Demonstrate strong cross-functional collaboration skills among internal and external stakeholders.
- Demonstrate strong planning and organizational skills and the ability to work effectively and efficiently in a dynamic environment with competing projects and deadlines.
- Advanced ability to leverage technology, tools and resources to provide customer centric support based on the health of the site.
- Strong interpersonal skills with excellent written, verbal, active listening and presentation skills, with ability to establish and leverage site relationships and trusted partnerships through engagement, motivation, and training.
- Ability to use functional expertise with appropriate guidance, leverage critical thinking skills and apply good judgement to address clinical site issues.
- Acts with integrity in accordance with AbbVie code of business conduct and leadership values. Self-motivated individual focused on delivering timely and quality outcomes in a fast-paced environment.
Additional Information
Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law:
- The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.
- We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.
- This job is eligible to participate in our short-term incentive programs.
Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law.
AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community. Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled.
US & Puerto Rico only - to learn more, visit https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/equal-employment-opportunity-employer.html
US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation, click here to learn more:
https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/reasonable-accommodations.html

Company Description
About AbbVie
AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology and neuroscience - and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.
Job Description
These positions are field based / remote in the following locations: CA, WA, OR, IA, MN, IN, OH, FL. Candidates must reside in one of the following states and be willing to travel for site visits.
Purpose
Advance AbbVie's pipeline by striving for excellence in clinical research, turning science into medicine for our patients and leveraging new advanced capabilities to drive industry leading performance.
Partners with the investigator and site staff for meaningful and effective engagements positioning AbbVie as the choice in clinical trials.
Focus on site clinical research that ensures appropriate conduct of the trial while driving improvement in data integrity, compliance, overall study performance and customer experience.
Responsibilities
- Considered as the primary point of contact for the investigative site. High level of competency or experience in providing contextual information on the clinical trials, connects stakeholder to the investigative sites and strengthens AbbVie’s positioning.
- Aligns, trains and motivates the site staff and principal investigator on the goals of the clinical trial program, protocol and patient treatment principles for the trial ensuring a trusted partnership.
- Conducts site evaluation, site training, routine, and site closure monitoring activities with compliance to the protocol and monitoring plans, in accordance with applicable regulations, Good Clinical Practices (GCPs), ICH Guidelines, AbbVie Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and quality standards, ensuring safety and protection of study subjects.
- Advanced understanding of site engagement and ability to customize site engagement strategy for assigned study (ies). Gather local/site insights and utilize site engagement tools such as the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool, to report/track progress and measure impact of that strategy.
- Advanced level of competency connecting the study protocol, scientific principles and clinical trial requirements to the day-to-day clinical trial execution activities. Evaluate and ensure effective recruitment and retention techniques/plans based on the patient disease journey.
- Develop solid knowledge of therapeutic area, asset and clinical landscape / patient journey to enable successful patient recruitment and overall protocol compliance.
- Possesses experienced level of competency to mentor and train less experienced CRAs on various aspects of work and provides input into their development.
- May participate in global/local task forces and initiatives. Responsible for activities as assigned by manager.
- Responsible for continuous risk-assessment proactively, and in collaboration with Central Monitoring team, monitor activities conducted by clinical sites to detect early overall study performance or patient safety issues.
- Advanced ability to think critically to resolve site risk signals while having robust understanding of site processes to drive study execution. Ensures preventative and corrective action plans are put into place, as needed, to mitigate risk and promote compliance using a customer centric approach.
- Identifies, evaluates and recommends new/potential investigators/sites on an ongoing basis. Potential sites may be identified through networking or internal AbbVie requests to assist in the placement of planned clinical studies with qualified investigators.
- Ensures quality of data submitted from study sites and assures timely submission of data, including appropriate reporting and follow-up for all safety events by site personnel.
- Ensures audit and regulatory inspection readiness at assigned clinical site at all times.
- Manages investigator payments as per executed contract obligations, as applicable.
Qualifications
- Appropriate tertiary qualification in health related disciplines (Medical, Scientific, Nursing) preferred.
- Minimum of 1 year of clinically related experience, of which a period of 6 months is required in clinical research monitoring of investigational drug or device trials. Familiar with risk-based monitoring approach, onsite and offsite monitoring.
- Knowledge of appropriate therapeutic area indications is preferred with the ability to understand and apply scientific concepts as they relate to the conduct of clinical trials.
- Advanced knowledge on existing and emerging local regulatory and legal requirements, ICH/GCP Guidelines and applicable policies.
- Demonstrate strong cross-functional collaboration skills among internal and external stakeholders.
- Demonstrate strong planning and organizational skills and the ability to work effectively and efficiently in a dynamic environment with competing projects and deadlines.
- Advanced ability to leverage technology, tools and resources to provide customer centric support based on the health of the site.
- Strong interpersonal skills with excellent written, verbal, active listening and presentation skills, with ability to establish and leverage site relationships and trusted partnerships through engagement, motivation, and training.
- Ability to use functional expertise with appropriate guidance, leverage critical thinking skills and apply good judgement to address clinical site issues.
- Acts with integrity in accordance with AbbVie code of business conduct and leadership values. Self-motivated individual focused on delivering timely and quality outcomes in a fast-paced environment.
Additional Information
Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law:
- The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.
- We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.
- This job is eligible to participate in our short-term incentive programs.
Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law.
AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community. Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled.
US & Puerto Rico only - to learn more, visit https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/equal-employment-opportunity-employer.html
US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation, click here to learn more:
https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/reasonable-accommodations.html
Research Associate Job Roles in California
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Search Research Associate Jobs in CaliforniaResearch Associate Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies in California sponsor visas for research associates?
Biotech and pharmaceutical companies are the most active sponsors for research associate roles in California. Genentech, Gilead Sciences, Amgen, and Regeneron all have a track record of sponsoring H-1B and other work visas for research staff. Major academic medical centers including UCSF, UCLA Health, and Stanford Medicine also sponsor research associates, particularly for clinical and translational research positions.
What visa types are most common for research associate roles in California?
The H-1B is the most common visa for research associate positions in California, as most roles require at least a bachelor's degree in a specific scientific discipline, meeting the specialty occupation standard. J-1 research scholar visas are also common for university and nonprofit research settings. Candidates with extraordinary research credentials may qualify for the O-1A, and some positions at academic institutions are cap-exempt for H-1B purposes.
Which California cities have the most research associate sponsorship jobs?
San Francisco and the broader Bay Area lead in research associate sponsorship, driven by the high concentration of biotech firms in South San Francisco and life sciences campuses affiliated with UCSF and Stanford. San Diego is a close second, home to a dense biotech cluster anchored by companies like Illumina and Pfizer's local operations. Los Angeles also has a growing presence, particularly through UCLA and USC-affiliated research programs.
How to find research associate visa sponsorship jobs in California?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for international candidates seeking visa sponsorship jobs, including research associate roles in California. You can filter by state and job title to see verified sponsorship-willing employers across the Bay Area, San Diego, and Los Angeles. Migrate Mate pulls from employers with active LCA filings and H-1B histories, so you're focusing your search on companies that have already demonstrated willingness to sponsor.
Are there any California-specific considerations for research associates seeking visa sponsorship?
California's high cost of living means prevailing wage requirements under the H-1B program are generally higher than the national average for research associate roles, which employers must meet when filing a Labor Condition Application. California also has a strong university-to-industry pipeline, so candidates completing graduate programs or postdocs at UC system schools are often well-positioned to transition directly into sponsored industry roles. Some positions at UC campuses and affiliated hospitals are cap-exempt institutions, which can streamline H-1B timing.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored research associate 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.
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