Professor Visa Sponsorship Jobs in Kentucky
Kentucky's professor job market is anchored by major research universities including the University of Kentucky in Lexington, the University of Louisville, and Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green. These institutions regularly sponsor international faculty across STEM, health sciences, and humanities disciplines, making Kentucky a viable destination for academics seeking H-1B visa or O-1 visa sponsorship.
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Job Title: Assistant or Associate Professor of Biology
Requisition Number: FE05009
Department Name: 8E000:College of Arts & Sciences
Work Location: Lexington, KY
Type of Position: Faculty
Position Time Status: Full-Time
Tenure Track Status: Tenure Track
Required Education
A PhD in Biology, Neuroscience, or a related field is required at time of appointment.
Required Related Experience
N/A
Required License/Registration/Certification
N/A
Job Summary
The Department of Biology at the University of Kentucky invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor, with expertise in the field of Cell and Molecular Neuroscience. We are particularly interested in candidates whose research incorporates induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived neural cells, organ-on-chip, and/or cerebral organoid models to study mechanisms of neurodevelopment, neurodevelopmental or neurodegenerative disorders, neuronal function, neural circuit development, or related areas of neuroscience. We encourage applications from candidates using iPSC/organoid models in conjunction with complementary experimental approaches such as genome editing, imaging, transcriptomics, proteomics, and electrophysiology, as well as computational approaches. Consideration will also be given to strong research programs using invertebrate model systems focused on the topic areas listed above.
The successful candidate will demonstrate evidence of an ability to obtain extramural grant support, communicate their research, and effectively teach at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
Responsibilities for the successful candidate will include:
- establishment of an independent research program that is supported by awards from extramural agencies;
- contribution to the teaching mission of the undergraduate program, which will include the development and teaching of a course on Developmental Neurobiology;
- teaching and mentoring of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows;
- service to the department, university, and profession.
We will offer a competitive start-up package and laboratory space for this faculty position.
The Department of Biology is highly collaborative with research strengths in neuroscience, regenerative and developmental biology, ecology and evolutionary biology, and circadian rhythms and biological timing. Our faculty and trainees use a diverse array of biological model systems and mathematical and computational tools. Our faculty also collaborate with life science faculty in the Colleges of Medicine, Pharmacy, Engineering, Agriculture, Public Health, and Arts and Sciences, as well as the Markey Cancer Center, the Sanders Brown Center on Aging, and the Center for Clinical and Translational Science.
The anticipated Distribution of Effort will be 30% teaching, 60% research, and 10% departmental service. This position will be a 9-month appointment with an anticipated start date of August 1, 2027.
Applicants must include the following:
1) letter of application (upload as Cover Letter)
2) CV
3) research statement (upload as Specific Request 1)
4) teaching statement (upload as Specific Request 2)
5) In addition, please provide the names and contact information for three references when prompted in the academic profile. This information may be utilized to solicit recommendation letters from your references within the employment system.
Questions about this search should be addressed to Ann Morris, Professor and Chair, Department of Biology, University of Kentucky ann.morris@uky.edu.
Application review will begin on 10/15/2026.
Employment at UK is subject to fund availability and comes with many rewards, focusing on your total well-being and career development, with leadership striving to provide a strong work-life integration. The university generously contributes to employees’ medical coverage and in addition, offers optional benefits such as dental and vision insurance. To learn more about these benefits, please visit: https://hr.uky.edu/employment/our-benefits.
Skills / Knowledge / Abilities
N/A
Does this position have supervisory responsibilities? No
Preferred Education/Experience
N/A
Deadline to Apply
Open Until Filled: Yes
Our University Community
We value the well-being of each of our employees and are dedicated to creating a healthy place for everyone to work, learn and live. In the interest of maintaining a safe and healthy environment for our students, employees, patients and visitors, the University of Kentucky is a Tobacco & Drug Free campus.
The University follows both the federal and state Constitutions as well as all applicable federal and state laws on nondiscrimination. The University provides equal opportunities for qualified persons in all aspects of institutional operations and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnic origin, religion, creed, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, uniformed service, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information or social or economic status or whether the person is a smoker or nonsmoker, as long as the person complies with University regulations concerning smoking.
Any candidate offered a position may be required to pass pre-employment screenings as mandated by University of Kentucky Human Resources. These screenings may include a national background check and/or drug screen.
Professor Job Roles in Kentucky
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Search Professor Jobs in KentuckyProfessor Jobs in Kentucky: Frequently Asked Questions
Which employers in Kentucky most commonly sponsor visas for professors?
The University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville are the most active visa sponsors for faculty in the state, with established international hiring pipelines in medicine, engineering, and the sciences. Smaller institutions like Western Kentucky University, Northern Kentucky University, and Bellarmine University also sponsor international professors, particularly for hard-to-fill positions in STEM and health-related fields.
Which visa types are most common for professor roles in Kentucky?
The H-1B is the most common visa for full-time tenure-track and non-tenure-track faculty positions, as professor roles at accredited universities typically qualify as specialty occupations. The O-1A is an option for researchers or scholars with demonstrated distinction in their field. J-1 visa exchange visitor visas are also widely used for visiting professors and postdoctoral scholars, though they come with different employment conditions and potential two-year home residency requirements.
Which cities in Kentucky have the most professor visa sponsorship jobs?
Lexington and Louisville account for the majority of professor sponsorship activity in Kentucky. Lexington is home to the University of Kentucky, a flagship research institution with active international faculty recruitment across colleges including medicine, engineering, and agriculture. Louisville hosts the University of Louisville and several health sciences programs. Bowling Green, Richmond, and Highland Heights also have university employers that periodically sponsor international faculty.
How to find professor visa sponsorship jobs in Kentucky?
Migrate Mate is the most direct way to find professor positions in Kentucky where employers are open to visa sponsorship. You can filter by state and role to see current faculty openings at Kentucky universities and colleges. Because sponsorship is handled institution by institution, Migrate Mate helps you focus on employers with a demonstrated record of sponsoring international academic hires, saving significant research time.
Are there any Kentucky-specific factors that affect visa sponsorship for professors?
Kentucky universities sponsoring H-1B faculty must meet Department of Labor prevailing wage requirements for academic positions, which vary by rank, institution type, and geographic area. Public universities like the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville are cap-exempt H-1B employers, meaning they can file petitions year-round without waiting for the annual lottery. This is a meaningful advantage for international candidates compared to private-sector sponsorship pathways.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored professor jobs in Kentucky?
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.