Associate Research Scientist Visa Sponsorship Jobs in Illinois
Associate research scientist jobs in Illinois draw heavily from the state's dense research corridor: Argonne National Laboratory and Fermilab anchor federal science hiring in the Chicago suburbs, while the University of Chicago, Northwestern, and the University of Illinois system feed talent into pharmaceutical and biotech employers such as AbbVie, Abbott, and Baxter International. Visa sponsorship is common across this sector.
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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
The Drug Product Design and Development (DPDD) group within the Synthetic Molecule CMC organization at AbbVie is responsible for the design and development of drug products that enable the delivery of AbbVie’s candidate synthetic molecules to support various stages of clinical evaluation, from proof of concept to pivotal studies and life cycle innovation. DPDD collaborates with cross functional teams to devise an integrated and phase appropriate drug product development strategy, design and execute studies to develop bioavailable, stable and manufacturable drug products, and ensure timely delivery of clinical supplies. DPDD is also accountable for optimizing formulation and manufacturing processes to develop commercializable drug products for Phase 3 clinical studies, meeting the needs of the patients we serve and ensuring consistent production of high-quality drug products.
AbbVie's DPDD organization is seeking a highly motivated and talented scientist to join our team based in North Chicago, IL. This position focuses on the execution of a formulation strategy, using tools and tests to help understand the performance of formulations; working closely with Formulations project team representatives to drive candidate molecules to the clinic.
Key Responsibilities
- Prepare formulations using a wide range of techniques and equipment, from small scale lab experiments to pilot scale in a GMP suite.
- Assist in design and selection of formulations using analytical techniques and tests to determine suitability and performance.
- Demonstrate strong data interpretation skills, ability to troubleshoot experiments and instrumentation, suggest, design, and pursue relevant experiments.
- Ability to learn and understand new experimental techniques and be able to place data in proper scientific context by consulting and citing relevant literature.
- Maintain excellent documentation of all work in electronic lab notebooks, including test methods and protocols.
- Present results and experimental information in team meetings.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s Degree, or equivalent education, with typically 3 or more years’ experience or Master’s Degree or equivalent education (no additional experience) in Pharmaceutics, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or related field.
- Theoretical and practical knowledge to carry out job function.
- Understanding of the potential impact of physicochemical and biopharmaceutical properties on oral absorption.
- Working knowledge of drug formulation concepts and dosage forms, including excipients and their function.
- Experience with formulation preparation (e.g. blending, milling, tablet compression, capsule filling, coating) as well as analytical approaches toward understanding formulation performance (e.g. disintegration, tablet hardness, density properties, particle size, friability).
- Excellent oral and written communication skills.
- Strong organizational, planning and troubleshooting skills.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and adapt to changing conditions.
- Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in a cross-functional team setting.
Job level will be commensurate with experience.
Key Competencies:
- Builds strong relationships with peers and cross functionally with partners outside of the team to enable higher performance.
- Learns fast, grasps the “essence” and can change the course quickly where indicated.
- Raises the bar and is never satisfied with the status quo.
- Creates a learning environment, open to suggestions and experimentation for improvement.
- Embraces the ideas of others, nurtures innovation and manages innovation to reality.
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
Associate Research Scientist Job Roles in Illinois
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Search Associate Research Scientist Jobs in IllinoisAssociate Research Scientist Jobs in Illinois: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies sponsor visas for associate research scientists in Illinois?
AbbVie, Abbott Laboratories, Baxter International, and Takeda Pharmaceuticals are among the most active Illinois sponsors for research scientist roles, with large R&D operations in the North Shore suburbs and Chicago. Argonne National Laboratory and Fermilab sponsor researchers through federal contractor pipelines. University of Chicago and Northwestern University also sponsor associate research scientists on institutional and federal grant funding.
Which visa types realistically fit associate research scientist roles in Illinois?
Associate research scientist roles typically qualify as specialty occupations requiring a directly related bachelor's degree or higher, making the H-1B visa the primary pathway. Candidates from Australia may use the E-3 visa, and Chilean and Singaporean nationals have access to the H-1B1 visa. J-1 visas cover exchange visitor research appointments through designated sponsor organizations. F-1 students can work via OPT or, if their degree is STEM-designated, a 24-month STEM OPT extension. EB-2 and EB-3 green cards are common long-term routes, with most employers filing PERM labor certification.
Which cities in Illinois have the most associate research scientist sponsorship jobs?
The Chicago metropolitan area dominates, with the North Shore corridor from Waukegan to Abbott Park concentrating pharmaceutical research hiring. Suburban clusters in Deerfield, Lake County, and Glenview host major biotech campuses. The Argonne and Fermilab sites sit in the southwest suburbs near Lemont and Batavia respectively. Within the city, the Illinois Medical District and Hyde Park anchor hospital-affiliated and university research positions.
How to find associate research scientist visa sponsorship jobs in Illinois?
Migrate Mate lists associate research scientist roles with verified visa sponsorship history, filtered to Illinois employers. Because research scientist positions almost always require degree-specific credentials, confirming an employer's prior H-1B or PERM filing history before applying saves significant time. Migrate Mate surfaces that filing history by role and location, letting you focus applications on Illinois employers already familiar with sponsoring research scientist positions.
Are there state-specific or role-specific factors that affect associate research scientist sponsorship in Illinois?
Illinois benefits from a concentration of Big Ten and research-intensive private universities that create institutional pipelines directly into sponsored research roles. Many associate research scientist positions at Argonne, Fermilab, and university medical centers are funded through federal grants, which can affect sponsorship timelines and the type of visa arrangement used. Illinois does not impose state-level restrictions on H-1B or PERM filings beyond federal requirements.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored associate research scientist jobs in Illinois?
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.