Research Professor Visa Sponsorship Jobs in Kentucky
Research professor visa sponsorship jobs in Kentucky are concentrated at major research universities including the University of Kentucky in Lexington and the University of Louisville, both of which maintain active international faculty hiring pipelines. Lexington and Louisville are the primary hiring hubs, with smaller opportunities at Western Kentucky University and Kentucky State University.
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Job Title: Assistant Professor of Legal Research and Writing
Requisition Number: FE05000
Department Name: 8K100:Law Instruction
Work Location: Lexington, KY
Type of Position: Faculty
Position Time Status: Full-Time
Tenure Track Status: Non-Tenure Track
Required Education
Qualified candidates will have a J.D. degree from an ABA-accredited law school.
Required Related Experience
Qualified candidates will have a distinguished academic record, strong analytical, writing, and research skills, and substantial legal-practice experience.
Required License/Registration/Certification
N/A
Job Summary
THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY ROSENBERG COLLEGE OF LAW invites applications for a full-time faculty member to teach in our Legal Research and Writing (LRW) program beginning in August 2027. The position is in the clinical title series, and thus it is non-tenure eligible. It will be a 9-month appointment corresponding with the University’s fall and spring semesters.
The new faculty member will usually teach two sections of the first-year LRW courses (typical section size ranges from 18 to 22 students). The first-year LRW curriculum involves two in-person courses taught over two semesters, and it covers the fundamentals of legal research, legal analysis, legal writing, and legal citation. The three-credit fall course focuses on predictive writing with a brief introduction to client correspondence, and the three-credit spring course focuses on persuasive writing with a brief introduction to oral advocacy. Each course also includes a legal research component that is taught by a library faculty member. After teaching the first-year LRW courses, the faculty member will have an opportunity to teach upper-level writing courses (typical section size is 16), depending on class size and program needs.
The LRW program is a director-led program that values faculty collaboration and independence. That means that while faculty who teach in the program work together on curriculum design for the first-year LRW courses, they are encouraged to bring their own teaching styles and ideas to their classrooms and learners. As such, we are especially interested in student-focused colleagues who are committed to excellence in teaching legal writing, enjoy working collaboratively, and wish to contribute to curricular innovation discussions, including in connection with a recent increase in credit hours for the first-year LRW courses (from four to six total hours).
The position offers an initial appointment as Assistant Professor of Legal Research and Writing for a term not to exceed three years. After the initial appointment period and a review process, the successful candidate will be eligible for a renewable, five-year appointment. While the primary distribution of effort is teaching, the position also includes engaging in professional activity and service. Clinical title series faculty receive a Faculty Development Allowance for expenses related to professional development efforts, including travel and registration expenses associated with academic conferences. They are also eligible to receive grants for summer research pending available funds.
The Rosenberg College of Law is an important part of a major research university and offers a collegial and supportive atmosphere for its faculty, staff, and students. Applicants should have a J.D. or equivalent law degree, a record of high academic achievement, strong analytical and writing skills, and legal-practice and/or teaching experience that demonstrates the potential for excellence in teaching legal analysis and legal writing. Salary for this position will be commensurate with experience.
To receive consideration for this position, applicants must apply through the University of Kentucky’s Integrated Employment System, where they should submit the following: a letter of interest, a resume or CV, a list of three professional references with contact information, and a writing sample (appropriate samples include publications in legal or academic journals, legal briefs that are edited for confidentiality as needed, or other similar works that showcase analytical and writing skills). This position will remain open until filled. For best consideration, please submit a complete application by Friday, October 9, 2026.
Please send any questions to Faculty Appointments Committee Chair John Blevins, jbl272@uky.edu, or by mail at the University of Kentucky Rosenberg College of Law, 620 South Limestone, Lexington, KY 40506-0048.
Skills / Knowledge / Abilities
Candidates must also possess a commitment to students and to teaching in the legal writing field, which involves significant student interaction and evaluation of students’ written work.
Does this position have supervisory responsibilities? No
Preferred Education/Experience
Substantial legal-practice is strongly preferred.
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 regulation 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.
Research Professor Job Roles in Kentucky
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Search Research Professor Jobs in KentuckyResearch Professor Jobs in Kentucky: Frequently Asked Questions
Which visa types realistically fit research professor roles in Kentucky?
Research professor positions typically qualify for the H-1B visa, since the role requires a doctoral or advanced degree in a directly related academic field, meeting the specialty occupation standard. Canadian and Mexican nationals may qualify under TN visa status as a Teacher at the college or university level. J-1 visa exchange visitor status is also common in academic settings, requiring a designated sponsor organization. Permanent residence through EB-2 or EB-3 is a longer-term pathway many universities support.
Which companies sponsor visas for research professors in Kentucky?
The University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville are the most active sponsors of research faculty visas in Kentucky, given their size and federally funded research programs. Western Kentucky University and Murray State University also sponsor international faculty, though at lower volumes. Kentucky's research activity is concentrated in life sciences, agricultural science, and engineering, so departments within those fields at flagship institutions file the most H-1B visa and J-1 petitions for research professor roles.
How to find research professor visa sponsorship jobs in Kentucky?
Migrate Mate lists research professor positions at Kentucky employers with verified visa sponsorship history, letting you focus your search on institutions that have actively filed for international faculty rather than applying broadly and hoping. Filtering by Kentucky surfaces roles at the University of Kentucky, University of Louisville, and other state institutions. This saves time compared to reviewing general job postings that rarely specify sponsorship upfront.
Which cities in Kentucky have the most research professor sponsorship jobs?
Lexington is the leading city for research professor visa sponsorship in Kentucky, driven by the University of Kentucky's status as the state's flagship land-grant research institution with strong programs in agriculture, pharmacy, and engineering. Louisville is the second major hub, anchored by the University of Louisville and its medical and engineering schools. Bowling Green sees occasional openings through Western Kentucky University, but volume there is considerably lower than at the two flagship cities.
Are there state-specific factors that affect research professor visa sponsorship in Kentucky?
Kentucky's research economy is shaped by agriculture, equine science, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and advanced manufacturing, so research professor roles in those disciplines attract more consistent sponsorship activity from state institutions. The University of Kentucky's Lexington campus benefits from federal and state agricultural research funding that supports international faculty hires. Kentucky universities tend to favor H-1B and J-1 pathways for new international hires, and positions tied to externally funded grants often move faster through the sponsorship process than unfunded faculty lines.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored research 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.