Clinical Research Visa Sponsorship Jobs in Iowa
Iowa's clinical research activity centers on academic medical institutions like the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City, along with contract research organizations and pharmaceutical manufacturers in the Des Moines metro. Employers in these sectors regularly sponsor H-1B visa and other work visas for qualified clinical research coordinators, associates, and managers.
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The Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Iowa is seeking a Finance Manager with the Clinical Research Services team that will provide oversight for cancer clinical research finance and accounting. Proactively monitors complex accounting functions, ensuring compliance with all university, state, federal, and sponsor requirements. Negotiates budgets and acts as a resource for financial analysts in negotiating budgets with sponsors. Partners with principal investigators, clinical research staff, and administrators to increase understanding of research finances and ensure transparent, compliant, and efficient management of oncology clinical research funding. Partners with leadership to support cross-departmental initiatives and organizational efforts to improve financial compliance and operational efficiency.
This position is eligible for hybrid or remote work within Iowa and will require a work arrangement form to be completed upon the start of your employment. Per policy, work arrangements will be reviewed annually and must comply with the remote work program and related policies and employee travel policy when working at a remote location.
Duties to include:
Financial Operations and Oversight
- Oversees clinical research financial workflow processes, ensuring efficiency, accuracy, and regulatory compliance.
- Continuously evaluate existing procedures for recording financial transactions to determine and implement methods to improve efficiency and accuracy.
- Acts as primary contact for issues related to industry, consortium, NCI-sponsored, and investigator-initiated budgets and accounts.
- Oversees and participates in clinical trial budget negotiations and preparation.
- Validates accuracy of monthly transactions, ensuring timely sponsor invoicing, subject reimbursements, and vendor payments.
- Participates in cross-functional committees, making recommendations and implementing change as appropriate.
- Assists in orientation and education of new staff and faculty regarding the clinical trial financial process and expectations.
- Oversees the reviews of open trials, ensuring accurate financial reconciliation and implementing corrective actions for billing and compliance issues.
Compliance & Risk Management
- Works closely with the Research Billing Compliance department of Patient Financial Services to identify opportunities to improve communication and workflows related to financial information.
- Coordinates Medicare Coverage Analyses with internal staff and external vendors and ensures alignment with the OnCore CTMS system.
- Acts as resource for internal and external audit procedures.
- Develops and implements internal controls to ensure adherence to university, state, federal, and sponsor guidelines.
- Collaborates with compliance offices (e.g., Joint Office for Compliance, Research Billing Compliance) to identify and mitigate risks.
Team Leadership & Supervision
- Provides administrative supervision of financial analysts, including performance management, workload assessment, and professional development.
- Establishes audit and monitoring systems to evaluate staff performance and ensure adherence to financial and compliance standards.
- Leads hiring, onboarding, and training of finance staff.
- Develops and maintains guidance documents, SOPs, and training resources for finance, regulatory, and clinical research teams.
- Designs and implements career ladder frameworks, competencies, and retention strategies in collaboration with HR to support staff growth.
Reporting & Strategic Support
- Oversees the preparation and analysis of monthly financial reports for HCCC leadership regarding trial revenue and expenditures.
- Designs and delivers reporting tools to support principal investigators’ understanding of trial finances.
- Prepares specialized financial analyses and recommendations for leadership decision-making.
- Identifies emerging financial and compliance risks and advises leadership on process or policy changes.
- Provides financial and operational leadership for large-scale initiatives (e.g., billing system modernization, departmental integration efforts).
Strategic Planning & Workflow Optimization
- Provide strategic leadership in the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of post-award clinical research financial workflows to ensure efficiency, compliance, and alignment with institutional goals.
- Serve as a key stakeholder in the planning, decision-making, and cross-functional collaboration for the billing integration between the institution’s clinical trials management and electronic medical record systems (e.g. OnCore and Epic) as it relates to clinical research finance, billing, and compliance, ensuring optimized processes and data accuracy.
- Identify opportunities to streamline financial operations and drive process improvement.
SUPERVISION RECEIVED:
Direct administrative supervision is exercised over all financial analysts in HCCC Clinical Research Services.
Functional supervision for the pre-study finance team is provided by the Regulatory and Compliance Manager for activation of trials.
SUPERVISION EXERCISED:
The Finance Manager reports to the Assistant Director for and collaborates extensively with the Medical Director for CPDM and the Associate Director for Clinical Research.
UI Health Care Core Values (WE CARE)
Welcoming
We are welcoming to the community, partners, staff, and patients utilizing the collective strength of our people.
Excellence
We achieve and deliver our personal and collective best in the pursuit of quality and accessible health care, education, and research.
Collaboration
We collaborate with health care systems, providers, and communities across Iowa and the region as well within our UI community. We believe teamwork-guided by compassion-is the best way to work.
Accountability
We behave ethically, act openly and with integrity in all that we do, taking responsibility for our actions.
Respect
We create an environment where every individual feels safe, valued, and respected, supporting the well-being and success of all members of our community.
Empowerment
We commit to fair access to research, health care, and education for our community and opportunities for personal and professional growth for our staff and learners.
University of Iowa Health Care—recognized as one of the best hospitals in the United States—is Iowa's only comprehensive academic medical center and a regional referral center. Each day more than 12,000 employees, students, and volunteers work together to provide safe, quality health care and excellent service for our patients. Simply stated, our mission is: Changing Medicine. Changing Lives.®
Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center is Iowa’s only NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center. The NCI designation recognized our cancer center, and its research scientist, physicians, and other health care professionals, for their roles in advancing cancer research that impacts on our ability to prevent, detect and treat our patients with cancer. Not just a floor, or a building, or even confined to a single college. Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center coordinates all cancer-related research, education, and patient care by faculty from 41 departments and six colleges, as well as UI Health Care and UI Children’s Hospital.
Percent of Time: 100%
Work Schedule: Monday – Friday, Hours generally worked between 7:00am-5pm
Pay Grade: 5B
Benefits Highlights
- Regular salaried position located in Iowa City, IA
- Fringe benefit package including paid vacation; sick leave; health, dental, life and disability insurance options; and generous employer contributions into retirement plans
- For more information about Why Iowa?, click here
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Master’s degree in a Business, Accounting or related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- 3-5 years of experience in accounting, finance, and/or project management.
- 1-3 years of supervisory experience that includes financial management as well as performance management and staff development.
- Experience with financial contracts, sponsor invoicing, and revenue reconciliation.
- Experience with billing compliance requirements and close out procedures.
- Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
- Strong attention to detail and proven ability to manage complex workflows.
- Demonstrated proficiency in computer software applications including Microsoft products and various databases.
HIGHLY DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Demonstrated experience in clinical trial budget development and negotiation including investigator initiated and industry sponsored trials.
- Demonstrated expertise in complex budget development.
- Demonstrated knowledge of Medicare Coverage Analysis and its application to clinical trial.
- Familiarity with Advarra OnCore CTMS, including financial modules.
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience with insurance and healthcare billing processes.
- Knowledge of medical terminology and clinical trial operations.
- Knowledge of University of Iowa accounting policies, procedures, and systems.
Application Process: In order to be considered, applicants must upload a resume and cover letter (under submission relevant materials) that clearly address how they meet the listed required and desired qualifications of this position.
Job openings are posted for a minimum of 7 calendar days.
Successful candidates will be required to self-disclose any conviction history and will be subject to a criminal background check and credential/education verification.
References: Five professional references will be requested and required at a later step in the recruitment process.
With additional questions, please reach out to Sarah Waldschmidt at sarah-waldschmidt@uiowa.edu.
Clinical Research Job Roles in Iowa
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Search Clinical Research Jobs in IowaClinical Research Jobs in Iowa: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies sponsor visas for clinical research roles in Iowa?
The University of Iowa and its affiliated health system are among the most consistent sponsors of work visas for clinical research professionals in the state. Contract research organizations with Midwest operations, as well as medical device and pharmaceutical companies in the Des Moines and Iowa City areas, also have documented histories of H-1B sponsorship for research coordinators and clinical study managers.
Which visa types are most common for clinical research roles in Iowa?
The H-1B is the most common visa category for clinical research roles in Iowa, as positions like clinical research coordinator, clinical research associate, and regulatory affairs specialist generally qualify as specialty occupations requiring at least a bachelor's degree in a relevant field such as life sciences, nursing, or public health. Candidates already holding OPT or STEM OPT authorization are also commonly hired before transitioning to H-1B sponsorship.
Which cities in Iowa have the most clinical research sponsorship jobs?
Iowa City is the leading hub for clinical research employment in Iowa, driven by the University of Iowa's academic medical center and its extensive portfolio of federally funded clinical trials. Des Moines has a growing presence through regional hospitals, research-active health systems like UnityPoint Health, and a small but active contract research organization presence. Ames is worth watching given Iowa State University's research infrastructure.
How to find clinical research visa sponsorship jobs in Iowa?
Migrate Mate filters job listings specifically for roles where employers have indicated visa sponsorship availability, making it easier to identify clinical research positions in Iowa without sorting through employers who don't sponsor. You can search by role type and state to surface openings at Iowa-based academic medical centers, CROs, and healthcare systems that have active sponsorship histories for clinical research coordinators and associates.
Are there any Iowa-specific considerations for clinical research visa sponsorship?
Iowa's clinical research market is heavily anchored to academic and nonprofit medical institutions, which tend to be cap-exempt employers for H-1B purposes, meaning they can file petitions outside the annual H-1B lottery. This matters for candidates who missed a lottery cycle or need to start quickly. The University of Iowa, as a qualifying higher education institution, falls into this cap-exempt category, which can meaningfully affect hiring timelines for international candidates.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored clinical research jobs in Iowa?
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.