Research Scientist Visa Sponsorship Jobs in California
California is one of the most active states for research scientist visa sponsorship, driven by major employers across biotech, tech, and academia. Companies like Genentech, Apple, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, plus university systems spanning the Bay Area, San Diego, and Los Angeles, regularly hire international research scientists and file H-1B visa petitions.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
As an organization, Google maintains a portfolio of research projects driven by fundamental research, new product innovation, product contribution and infrastructure goals, while providing individuals and teams the freedom to emphasize specific types of work. As a Research Scientist, you'll setup large-scale tests and deploy promising ideas quickly and broadly, managing deadlines and deliverables while applying the latest theories to develop new and improved products, processes, or technologies. From creating experiments and prototyping implementations to designing new architectures, our research scientists work on real-world problems that span the breadth of computer science, such as machine (and deep) learning, data mining, natural language processing, hardware and software performance analysis, improving compilers for mobile platforms, as well as core search and much more.
As a Research Scientist, you'll also actively contribute to the wider research community by sharing and publishing your findings, with ideas inspired by internal projects as well as from collaborations with research programs at partner universities and technical institutes all over the world.
The Google Cloud AI Research team addresses AI challenges motivated by Google Cloud’s mission of bringing AI to tech, healthcare, finance, retail and many other industries. We work on a range of unique problems focused on research topics that maximize scientific and real-world impact, aiming to push the state-of-the-art in AI and share findings with the broader research community. We also collaborate with product teams to bring innovations to real-world impact that benefits our customers.
Individual pay is determined by factors including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.
US: $147000 - $210000 (USD) + 15% bonus target + equity + benefits
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Author research papers to share and generate impact of research results across the team and in the research community.
- Help in growing research business across teams by sharing research trends and best practices within the community.
- Define the data structure, framework, design, and evaluation metrics for research solution development and implementation under minimal guidance. Identify timelines and obtain resources needed.
- Identify new and upcoming research areas by interacting with potential external and internal collaborators. Help in developing long-term research strategy and plans to expand the impact of Google research with some guidance.
- Contribute to conducting experiments based on the research question. Develop research prototypes or conduct simulations to further evaluate the impact of research, finalize hypotheses, and refine the research methodology under minimal guidance.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- PhD in Computer Science, a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
- One or more scientific publication submission(s) for conferences, journals, or public repositories.
- Coding experience in Python, JavaScript, R, Java, or C++.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- 2 years of coding experience in Python, JavaScript, R, Java, or C++.
- 1 year of experience owning and initiating research agendas.
Google is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. See also Google's EEO Policy and EEO is the Law. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know by completing our Accommodations for Applicants form.
INTRODUCTION
As an organization, Google maintains a portfolio of research projects driven by fundamental research, new product innovation, product contribution and infrastructure goals, while providing individuals and teams the freedom to emphasize specific types of work. As a Research Scientist, you'll setup large-scale tests and deploy promising ideas quickly and broadly, managing deadlines and deliverables while applying the latest theories to develop new and improved products, processes, or technologies. From creating experiments and prototyping implementations to designing new architectures, our research scientists work on real-world problems that span the breadth of computer science, such as machine (and deep) learning, data mining, natural language processing, hardware and software performance analysis, improving compilers for mobile platforms, as well as core search and much more.
As a Research Scientist, you'll also actively contribute to the wider research community by sharing and publishing your findings, with ideas inspired by internal projects as well as from collaborations with research programs at partner universities and technical institutes all over the world.
The Google Cloud AI Research team addresses AI challenges motivated by Google Cloud’s mission of bringing AI to tech, healthcare, finance, retail and many other industries. We work on a range of unique problems focused on research topics that maximize scientific and real-world impact, aiming to push the state-of-the-art in AI and share findings with the broader research community. We also collaborate with product teams to bring innovations to real-world impact that benefits our customers.
Individual pay is determined by factors including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.
US: $147000 - $210000 (USD) + 15% bonus target + equity + benefits
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Author research papers to share and generate impact of research results across the team and in the research community.
- Help in growing research business across teams by sharing research trends and best practices within the community.
- Define the data structure, framework, design, and evaluation metrics for research solution development and implementation under minimal guidance. Identify timelines and obtain resources needed.
- Identify new and upcoming research areas by interacting with potential external and internal collaborators. Help in developing long-term research strategy and plans to expand the impact of Google research with some guidance.
- Contribute to conducting experiments based on the research question. Develop research prototypes or conduct simulations to further evaluate the impact of research, finalize hypotheses, and refine the research methodology under minimal guidance.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- PhD in Computer Science, a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
- One or more scientific publication submission(s) for conferences, journals, or public repositories.
- Coding experience in Python, JavaScript, R, Java, or C++.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- 2 years of coding experience in Python, JavaScript, R, Java, or C++.
- 1 year of experience owning and initiating research agendas.
Google is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. See also Google's EEO Policy and EEO is the Law. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know by completing our Accommodations for Applicants form.
Research Scientist Job Roles in California
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Search Research Scientist Jobs in CaliforniaResearch Scientist Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies sponsor visas for research scientists in California?
California's biotech and tech sectors produce some of the highest volumes of research scientist H-1B sponsorships in the country. Frequent sponsors include Genentech, Gilead Sciences, Amgen, Apple, Google, Meta, and national laboratories like Lawrence Berkeley and SLAC. University of California campuses across Berkeley, Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco also sponsor research scientists through academic and postdoctoral appointments.
Which visa types are most common for research scientist roles in California?
The H-1B is the most common visa for research scientists in California, as most roles require at least a bachelor's degree in a specialized scientific field, satisfying the specialty occupation requirement. Candidates with exceptional records may qualify for the O-1A. Those pursuing permanent residence often enter the EB-1B (outstanding researcher) or EB-2 NIW pathways, which are well-suited to research-focused careers.
Which cities in California have the most research scientist sponsorship jobs?
The San Francisco Bay Area, including South San Francisco and San Jose, leads in biotech and tech research scientist hiring. San Diego is a major life sciences hub anchored by companies like Illumina and Sorrento Therapeutics. Los Angeles has a growing presence through UCLA, USC, and biotechnology firms. Sacramento hosts state-funded research institutions that also sponsor international scientists.
How to find research scientist visa sponsorship jobs in California?
Migrate Mate filters job listings specifically by visa sponsorship availability, making it straightforward to browse research scientist roles in California without sifting through positions that don't sponsor. You can search by location, role type, and industry to find openings at biotech firms, national labs, and university research departments across the Bay Area, San Diego, and Los Angeles.
Are there any California-specific considerations for research scientists seeking visa sponsorship?
California's high concentration of H-1B-dependent employers in tech and biotech means some companies must meet additional attestation requirements under Department of Labor rules. Research scientists at UC campuses may access cap-exempt H-1B filings, which are not subject to the annual lottery, making those positions particularly accessible for international candidates outside the regular cap season.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored research scientist 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.