Vice President of Research Visa Sponsorship Jobs in California
Vice president of research roles in California sit at the intersection of tech, biotech, and academia. Employers across San Francisco, San Diego, and the Bay Area, from pharmaceutical giants to AI-driven startups, regularly sponsor international candidates. These senior positions typically require a specialized doctoral or master's degree and deep domain expertise.
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Immunology is one of Genentech/Roche’s five core therapeutic areas of focus, alongside Oncology, Cardiovascular Renal & Metabolism (CVRM), Ophthalmology and Neurology. Breakthroughs in our understanding of human disease, propelled by the development of pathobiology maps, foundational disease models and the integration of artificial intelligence combined with the rapid evolution of computationally assisted drug discovery and therapeutic modalities have unlocked unprecedented opportunities to deliver life-changing medicines for patients. As we enter a new era of target identification and drug development, the potential to discover and develop transformative therapies has never been greater.
ROLE OVERVIEW AND KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES
The VP of Immunology Research will oversee an organization of ~70 researchers and will be responsible for the following critical accountabilities:
- Shaping and executing our Immunology research strategy to maximize impact
- Cultivate an innovative, dynamic and intellectually rigorous environment that inspires groundbreaking discoveries
- Seamless collaboration with Drug Discovery to leverage existing and explore novel drug modalities to target key pathogenic pathways underlying human disease
-
Driving cross-disciplinary research at the interface of immunology and inflammation across multiple therapeutic areas, including:
-
Neuroscience: focus on neuroimmune strategies to address neurologic diseases
- Oncology: enhance understanding to leverage innate immune, adaptive immune and stromal mechanisms for treating hematologic and solid malignancies
- Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolism (CVRM): discover and develop novel therapies targeting the innate and adaptive immune system across a broad range of diseases in this space, including obesity, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, heart failure, and kidney disease
- Ophthalmology: focus on immunomodulatory approaches for the treatment of eye diseases
- Infectious Diseases: investigate the role of the microbiome and host-pathogen interactions in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases; advancing discovery and development of innovative antibacterial and antiviral therapeutics to support Roche’s goals in global health security
- Partnering with Corporate Business Development to identify strategic external partnerships around the globe that support our strategy and strengthen the portfolio to create long-term value for the enterprise
- Collaborating with the Translational Medicine organization to deepen insights into human disease heterogeneity, enabling the discovery and development of biomarkers to guide precision medicines and identification of novel targets/pathways through ‘reverse translation’ from the clinic
- Partnering with the Center of Excellence in Computational Sciences to incorporate advanced computational approaches and artificial intelligence for novel target discovery/validation and drug discovery and development
- Advancing functional genomics efforts in collaboration with our Translational Genomics and Proteomics Center through interrogation of normal and human disease tissues and conducting large scale genomic and small molecule screens to identify novel therapeutic targets and leads, respectively
- Working with Early Clinical Development to translate novel biological insights into therapeutic strategies aimed at specific diseases and patient segments
- Represent Genentech/Roche externally at scientific conferences and meetings
- Manage budgets, resources, and timelines effectively to ensure the successful execution of research programs
- Ensure all research activities comply with relevant regulatory requirements and ethical standards
- This individual will ensure seamless cross-functional collaboration while advancing innovative science that transforms the lives of patients
The VP of Immunology Research will report to the Senior Vice President, Research-Biology in gRED Research, an independent R&D division in the Roche group. The leader will be a:
- Member of Research Review Committee
- Member of the gRED Research Leadership Team
- Ad-hoc member of the Early Stage Portfolio Team
- Ad-hoc member of teams that are formed to evaluate external innovation and business development opportunities
- Contribute to appropriate governance bodies to establish strategic directions and deliver critical objectives across the entire organization to improve efficiency and accelerate product development
LEADERSHIP OBJECTIVES FOR THIS ROLE
Team Leadership, Attracting Talent and Developing People: Fosters high-performing culture via VACC Leadership, sets clear goals and drives accountability. Breaks silos, empowers, attracts top talent, and guides leaders and teams through creative tensions
Creates holistic vision: Holistically envisions and co-creates an impactful, resonant vision for the enterprise, skillfully communicates and inspires teams, defines excellence, and leads directly and influentially, fostering a high-performance environment
Builds strategy: Healthcare-savvy with a profound grasp of Roche's vision, portfolio, and organizational constraints, adept at crafting impactful strategies that bridge business realities. Understands how to shape the ecosystem to benefit the Group without over-complication
Acts as a Subject Matter Expert: Possesses depth & breadth of expertise in the subject domain. Able to shift between the need to provide granular & deep technical expertise vs contextualize and share information towards the non-experts
Partners with the business: Leveraging their expertise, actively contributes within and beyond their domain, fostering fruitful breakthroughs and demonstrating a holistic understanding of group opportunities and challenges
Demonstrates potential: Actively demonstrates high levels of critical thinking / intellectual strength and learning agility (curiosity, tolerance to ambiguity and proactivity). Demonstrates the behavioral competencies that underpin emotional intelligence (self-awareness, empathy and open-mindedness)
WHO YOU ARE
Qualifications and Experience:
- PhD, MD, MD / PhD or equivalent advanced degree
- Proven leader with a minimum of 10 years of experience (prefer 15 years), including > 5 years at the Director or equivalent level or above
- Outstanding track record of scientific accomplishments spanning the field as demonstrated through scientific publications, presentations and/or patents
- Critical thinker with ability to analyze possibilities, solutions, and development of pragmatic solutions, as well as a “big picture” innovator
- Strong, lucid and influential communicator: exceptional influencing skills that demonstrate strong thought partnership and create effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders
- Demonstrated leadership and action to foster a supportive and inclusive environment
- Excellent collaboration skills and ability to build and connect strong teams and communities
- Record of developing and mentoring excellent scientific leaders
LOCATION
- This position is based in South San Francisco, CA
- Relocation assistance is available
The expected salary range for this position based on the primary location of South San Francisco, CA is $424,150 - $523,950. Actual pay will be determined based on experience, qualifications, geographic location, and other job-related factors permitted by law. A discretionary annual bonus may be available based on individual and Company performance. This position also qualifies for the benefits detailed at the link provided below.
Genentech is an equal opportunity employer. It is our policy and practice to employ, promote, and otherwise treat any and all employees and applicants on the basis of merit, qualifications, and competence. The company's policy prohibits unlawful discrimination, including but not limited to, discrimination on the basis of Protected Veteran status, individuals with disabilities status, and consistent with all federal, state, or local laws.
If you have a disability and need an accommodation in relation to the online application process, please contact us by completing this form Accommodations for Applicants.
The Position
Immunology is one of Genentech/Roche’s five core therapeutic areas of focus, alongside Oncology, Cardiovascular Renal & Metabolism (CVRM), Ophthalmology and Neurology. Breakthroughs in our understanding of human disease, propelled by the development of pathobiology maps, foundational disease models and the integration of artificial intelligence combined with the rapid evolution of computationally assisted drug discovery and therapeutic modalities have unlocked unprecedented opportunities to deliver life-changing medicines for patients. As we enter a new era of target identification and drug development, the potential to discover and develop transformative therapies has never been greater.
ROLE OVERVIEW AND KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES
The VP of Immunology Research will oversee an organization of ~70 researchers and will be responsible for the following critical accountabilities:
- Shaping and executing our Immunology research strategy to maximize impact
- Cultivate an innovative, dynamic and intellectually rigorous environment that inspires groundbreaking discoveries
- Seamless collaboration with Drug Discovery to leverage existing and explore novel drug modalities to target key pathogenic pathways underlying human disease
-
Driving cross-disciplinary research at the interface of immunology and inflammation across multiple therapeutic areas, including:
-
Neuroscience: focus on neuroimmune strategies to address neurologic diseases
- Oncology: enhance understanding to leverage innate immune, adaptive immune and stromal mechanisms for treating hematologic and solid malignancies
- Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolism (CVRM): discover and develop novel therapies targeting the innate and adaptive immune system across a broad range of diseases in this space, including obesity, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, heart failure, and kidney disease
- Ophthalmology: focus on immunomodulatory approaches for the treatment of eye diseases
- Infectious Diseases: investigate the role of the microbiome and host-pathogen interactions in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases; advancing discovery and development of innovative antibacterial and antiviral therapeutics to support Roche’s goals in global health security
- Partnering with Corporate Business Development to identify strategic external partnerships around the globe that support our strategy and strengthen the portfolio to create long-term value for the enterprise
- Collaborating with the Translational Medicine organization to deepen insights into human disease heterogeneity, enabling the discovery and development of biomarkers to guide precision medicines and identification of novel targets/pathways through ‘reverse translation’ from the clinic
- Partnering with the Center of Excellence in Computational Sciences to incorporate advanced computational approaches and artificial intelligence for novel target discovery/validation and drug discovery and development
- Advancing functional genomics efforts in collaboration with our Translational Genomics and Proteomics Center through interrogation of normal and human disease tissues and conducting large scale genomic and small molecule screens to identify novel therapeutic targets and leads, respectively
- Working with Early Clinical Development to translate novel biological insights into therapeutic strategies aimed at specific diseases and patient segments
- Represent Genentech/Roche externally at scientific conferences and meetings
- Manage budgets, resources, and timelines effectively to ensure the successful execution of research programs
- Ensure all research activities comply with relevant regulatory requirements and ethical standards
- This individual will ensure seamless cross-functional collaboration while advancing innovative science that transforms the lives of patients
The VP of Immunology Research will report to the Senior Vice President, Research-Biology in gRED Research, an independent R&D division in the Roche group. The leader will be a:
- Member of Research Review Committee
- Member of the gRED Research Leadership Team
- Ad-hoc member of the Early Stage Portfolio Team
- Ad-hoc member of teams that are formed to evaluate external innovation and business development opportunities
- Contribute to appropriate governance bodies to establish strategic directions and deliver critical objectives across the entire organization to improve efficiency and accelerate product development
LEADERSHIP OBJECTIVES FOR THIS ROLE
Team Leadership, Attracting Talent and Developing People: Fosters high-performing culture via VACC Leadership, sets clear goals and drives accountability. Breaks silos, empowers, attracts top talent, and guides leaders and teams through creative tensions
Creates holistic vision: Holistically envisions and co-creates an impactful, resonant vision for the enterprise, skillfully communicates and inspires teams, defines excellence, and leads directly and influentially, fostering a high-performance environment
Builds strategy: Healthcare-savvy with a profound grasp of Roche's vision, portfolio, and organizational constraints, adept at crafting impactful strategies that bridge business realities. Understands how to shape the ecosystem to benefit the Group without over-complication
Acts as a Subject Matter Expert: Possesses depth & breadth of expertise in the subject domain. Able to shift between the need to provide granular & deep technical expertise vs contextualize and share information towards the non-experts
Partners with the business: Leveraging their expertise, actively contributes within and beyond their domain, fostering fruitful breakthroughs and demonstrating a holistic understanding of group opportunities and challenges
Demonstrates potential: Actively demonstrates high levels of critical thinking / intellectual strength and learning agility (curiosity, tolerance to ambiguity and proactivity). Demonstrates the behavioral competencies that underpin emotional intelligence (self-awareness, empathy and open-mindedness)
WHO YOU ARE
Qualifications and Experience:
- PhD, MD, MD / PhD or equivalent advanced degree
- Proven leader with a minimum of 10 years of experience (prefer 15 years), including > 5 years at the Director or equivalent level or above
- Outstanding track record of scientific accomplishments spanning the field as demonstrated through scientific publications, presentations and/or patents
- Critical thinker with ability to analyze possibilities, solutions, and development of pragmatic solutions, as well as a “big picture” innovator
- Strong, lucid and influential communicator: exceptional influencing skills that demonstrate strong thought partnership and create effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders
- Demonstrated leadership and action to foster a supportive and inclusive environment
- Excellent collaboration skills and ability to build and connect strong teams and communities
- Record of developing and mentoring excellent scientific leaders
LOCATION
- This position is based in South San Francisco, CA
- Relocation assistance is available
The expected salary range for this position based on the primary location of South San Francisco, CA is $424,150 - $523,950. Actual pay will be determined based on experience, qualifications, geographic location, and other job-related factors permitted by law. A discretionary annual bonus may be available based on individual and Company performance. This position also qualifies for the benefits detailed at the link provided below.
Genentech is an equal opportunity employer. It is our policy and practice to employ, promote, and otherwise treat any and all employees and applicants on the basis of merit, qualifications, and competence. The company's policy prohibits unlawful discrimination, including but not limited to, discrimination on the basis of Protected Veteran status, individuals with disabilities status, and consistent with all federal, state, or local laws.
If you have a disability and need an accommodation in relation to the online application process, please contact us by completing this form Accommodations for Applicants.
Vice President of Research Job Roles in California
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Search Vice President of Research Jobs in CaliforniaVice President of Research Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies in California sponsor visas for vice presidents of research?
Large technology companies such as Google, Apple, Meta, and Qualcomm, alongside major biotech and pharmaceutical firms including Genentech, Gilead Sciences, and Illumina, have active histories of sponsoring H-1B visa petitions for senior research leadership roles in California. University-affiliated research centers at UC San Diego, UC San Francisco, and Stanford also sponsor these positions, particularly for director-level and VP-level research hires.
What visa types realistically apply to vice president of research roles in California?
H-1B is the most common pathway, as VP of Research positions are specialty occupations requiring at least a bachelor's degree in a directly related scientific or technical field. H-1B1 visa applies to Chilean and Singaporean nationals meeting the same specialty occupation standard. E-3 visa is available to Australian nationals in qualifying specialty roles. EB-1B and EB-2 green card categories also fit well for research leaders with peer-reviewed publications or exceptional ability.
Which California cities have the most vice president of research visa sponsorship jobs?
San Francisco and the broader Bay Area account for the highest concentration, driven by technology and life sciences clusters in South San Francisco and San Jose. San Diego is a strong secondary market due to its dense biotech corridor anchored by companies like Illumina and Pfizer's local operations. Los Angeles is growing, particularly in health-tech and university-adjacent research organizations, while Sacramento and Irvine see more limited but consistent demand.
How to find vice president of research visa sponsorship jobs in California?
Migrate Mate lists California employers with verified H-1B and E-3 LCA sponsorship history, searchable by role and city, making it straightforward to identify companies that have sponsored VP of Research positions before. Because this is a senior, specialized role, filtering for employers with consistent high-level research sponsorship records is more reliable than general job searches. Migrate Mate surfaces that filing history directly so you can prioritize outreach accordingly.
Are there state-specific or role-specific factors for VP of research sponsorship in California?
California's size and industry depth mean VP of Research roles span multiple domains: computational biology in the Bay Area, pharmaceutical research in San Diego, aerospace and defense research in Los Angeles, and agricultural research in the Central Valley. Many positions require doctoral-level qualifications and significant publication or patent records, which can strengthen an H-1B specialty occupation showing. California employers in regulated industries such as biotech frequently have established immigration counsel and structured sponsorship processes for senior hires.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored vice president of 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.