Vice President of Research Visa Sponsorship Jobs in New Jersey
Vice president of research roles in New Jersey are concentrated in pharma and biotech corridors along the Route 1 corridor and in Parsippany, Princeton, and Bridgewater. Major employers including Johnson & Johnson, Merck, and Bristol Myers Squibb have active research leadership pipelines. International candidates typically pursue H-1B visa or employment-based green card sponsorship for these senior specialty roles.
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The Vice President of Research & Development (VP, R&D) is a senior executive responsible for defining and executing the company’s innovation strategy to deliver safe, effective, and commercially successful medical devices. This leader will oversee the full product lifecycle—from concept and feasibility through development, verification/validation, regulatory submission, and post‑market support—while ensuring alignment with business objectives, regulatory requirements, and patient needs. The Vice President leads a Research and Development organization of 75 team members and partners closely with Regulatory, Quality, Clinical, Operations, and Commercial leaders to accelerate time‑to‑market, build scalable development capabilities, and foster a culture of scientific excellence, accountability, and innovation.
Responsibilities
Essential Functions & Accountabilities:
R&D & Technology Strategy:
- Define and execute a long‑term R&D strategy that integrates medical hardware, embedded software, cloud platforms, data analytics, and AI/ML capabilities.
- Build and manage a balanced portfolio spanning incremental innovation, platform development, and disruptive technologies.
- Align R&D priorities with corporate strategy, multi‑year financial plans, and public company growth commitments.
Software & AI‑Enabled Product Development:
- Lead development of software‑as‑a‑medical‑device (SaMD), software in a medical device (SiMD), digital health platforms, and AI/ML algorithms.
- Establish development practices compliant with IEC 62304, FDA SaMD guidance, Good Machine Learning Practices (GMLP), and cybersecurity standards.
- Ensure AI systems are clinically validated, explainable, secure, and ethically deployed, with strong post‑market monitoring and model lifecycle management.
Regulatory, Quality & Compliance Leadership:
- Ensure R&D outputs meet global regulatory requirements including FDA, EU MDR/IVDR, and international software and AI regulations.
- Partner with Regulatory and Quality to support major submissions, inspections, and responses to regulatory inquiries.
- Embed quality‑by‑design, software risk management, data integrity, and cybersecurity throughout development.
Clinical & Evidence Strategy:
- Collaborate with Clinical Affairs to generate clinical evidence supporting software, algorithms, and connected device claims.
- Support real‑world evidence (RWE) and data‑driven performance monitoring post‑launch.
- Integrate human factors, usability engineering, and patient experience into product design.
Public Company Governance & Executive Accountability:
- Provide clear, data‑driven updates on R&D performance, risks, and milestones to executive leadership and the Board of Directors.
- Support investor confidence through predictable execution, portfolio clarity, and credible long‑range innovation plans.
- Partner with Finance and Legal to support earnings forecasts, disclosures, and risk management related to R&D initiatives.
Leadership & Organization Development:
- Build and lead world‑class, multidisciplinary teams spanning hardware, software, data science, systems engineering, and clinical.
- Attract, retain, and develop top technical and leadership talent in competitive global markets.
- Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
Operational Excellence & Scalability:
- Implement modern development tooling, agile practices (where appropriate), and portfolio governance to improve speed and predictability.
- Optimize R&D spending, vendor strategy, and global development footprint.
- Ensure design for manufacturability, scalability, and lifecycle cost efficiency.
Travel:
- Able to travel 25% + (60+ days) nationally and internationally.
Qualifications
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
Required:
- PhD, MS, or equivalent advanced degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Biomedical Engineering, or related field.
- 15+ years of progressive R&D leadership experience in medical devices, digital health, or regulated healthcare technology.
- Proven track record delivering software‑ and AI‑enabled medical products from concept to global commercialization.
- Deep knowledge of medical device regulations, software standards, and AI governance in regulated environments.
- Extensive experience operating within public company governance and compliance frameworks.
Preferred:
- Prior P&L or portfolio leadership responsibility.
- Experience with cloud‑based platforms, data pipelines, cybersecurity, and AI lifecycle management.
- Exposure to M&A technical due diligence and post‑acquisition integration.
- Global leadership experience across North America, Europe, and Asia.
Leadership Competencies:
- Strategic & Systems Thinker: Integrates hardware, software, data, and AI into cohesive platforms.
- Execution‑Driven: Delivers predictable outcomes in fast‑moving, highly regulated environments.
- Technically Credible: Respected by engineers, clinicians, regulators, and executive peers.
- Board‑Ready Communicator: Engages effectively with executive leadership and Directors.
- Patient‑First Mindset: Anchors innovation in safety, usability, and clinical outcomes.
As an employee of CooperSurgical, you'll receive an outstanding total compensation plan. As we believe your compensation goes beyond your paycheck, we offer a great compensation package, medical coverage, 401(k), parental leave, fertility benefits, paid time off for vacation, personal, sick and holidays, and multiple other perks and benefits.
To all agencies: Please, no phone calls or emails to any employee of CooperSurgical about this opening. All resumes submitted by search firms/employment agencies to any employee at CooperSurgical via email, the internet or in any form and/or method will be deemed the sole property of CooperSurgical, unless such search firms/employment agencies were engaged by CooperSurgical for this position and a valid agreement with CooperSurgical is in place. In the event a candidate who was submitted outside of the CooperSurgical agency engagement process is hired, no fee or payment of any kind will be paid.
We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression, or veteran status. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. If you are interested in applying and require special assistance or accommodations due to a disability, please contact us at talent.acquisition@coopersurgical.com.
Job Description
The Vice President of Research & Development (VP, R&D) is a senior executive responsible for defining and executing the company’s innovation strategy to deliver safe, effective, and commercially successful medical devices. This leader will oversee the full product lifecycle—from concept and feasibility through development, verification/validation, regulatory submission, and post‑market support—while ensuring alignment with business objectives, regulatory requirements, and patient needs. The Vice President leads a Research and Development organization of 75 team members and partners closely with Regulatory, Quality, Clinical, Operations, and Commercial leaders to accelerate time‑to‑market, build scalable development capabilities, and foster a culture of scientific excellence, accountability, and innovation.
Responsibilities
Essential Functions & Accountabilities:
R&D & Technology Strategy:
- Define and execute a long‑term R&D strategy that integrates medical hardware, embedded software, cloud platforms, data analytics, and AI/ML capabilities.
- Build and manage a balanced portfolio spanning incremental innovation, platform development, and disruptive technologies.
- Align R&D priorities with corporate strategy, multi‑year financial plans, and public company growth commitments.
Software & AI‑Enabled Product Development:
- Lead development of software‑as‑a‑medical‑device (SaMD), software in a medical device (SiMD), digital health platforms, and AI/ML algorithms.
- Establish development practices compliant with IEC 62304, FDA SaMD guidance, Good Machine Learning Practices (GMLP), and cybersecurity standards.
- Ensure AI systems are clinically validated, explainable, secure, and ethically deployed, with strong post‑market monitoring and model lifecycle management.
Regulatory, Quality & Compliance Leadership:
- Ensure R&D outputs meet global regulatory requirements including FDA, EU MDR/IVDR, and international software and AI regulations.
- Partner with Regulatory and Quality to support major submissions, inspections, and responses to regulatory inquiries.
- Embed quality‑by‑design, software risk management, data integrity, and cybersecurity throughout development.
Clinical & Evidence Strategy:
- Collaborate with Clinical Affairs to generate clinical evidence supporting software, algorithms, and connected device claims.
- Support real‑world evidence (RWE) and data‑driven performance monitoring post‑launch.
- Integrate human factors, usability engineering, and patient experience into product design.
Public Company Governance & Executive Accountability:
- Provide clear, data‑driven updates on R&D performance, risks, and milestones to executive leadership and the Board of Directors.
- Support investor confidence through predictable execution, portfolio clarity, and credible long‑range innovation plans.
- Partner with Finance and Legal to support earnings forecasts, disclosures, and risk management related to R&D initiatives.
Leadership & Organization Development:
- Build and lead world‑class, multidisciplinary teams spanning hardware, software, data science, systems engineering, and clinical.
- Attract, retain, and develop top technical and leadership talent in competitive global markets.
- Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
Operational Excellence & Scalability:
- Implement modern development tooling, agile practices (where appropriate), and portfolio governance to improve speed and predictability.
- Optimize R&D spending, vendor strategy, and global development footprint.
- Ensure design for manufacturability, scalability, and lifecycle cost efficiency.
Travel:
- Able to travel 25% + (60+ days) nationally and internationally.
Qualifications
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
Required:
- PhD, MS, or equivalent advanced degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Biomedical Engineering, or related field.
- 15+ years of progressive R&D leadership experience in medical devices, digital health, or regulated healthcare technology.
- Proven track record delivering software‑ and AI‑enabled medical products from concept to global commercialization.
- Deep knowledge of medical device regulations, software standards, and AI governance in regulated environments.
- Extensive experience operating within public company governance and compliance frameworks.
Preferred:
- Prior P&L or portfolio leadership responsibility.
- Experience with cloud‑based platforms, data pipelines, cybersecurity, and AI lifecycle management.
- Exposure to M&A technical due diligence and post‑acquisition integration.
- Global leadership experience across North America, Europe, and Asia.
Leadership Competencies:
- Strategic & Systems Thinker: Integrates hardware, software, data, and AI into cohesive platforms.
- Execution‑Driven: Delivers predictable outcomes in fast‑moving, highly regulated environments.
- Technically Credible: Respected by engineers, clinicians, regulators, and executive peers.
- Board‑Ready Communicator: Engages effectively with executive leadership and Directors.
- Patient‑First Mindset: Anchors innovation in safety, usability, and clinical outcomes.
As an employee of CooperSurgical, you'll receive an outstanding total compensation plan. As we believe your compensation goes beyond your paycheck, we offer a great compensation package, medical coverage, 401(k), parental leave, fertility benefits, paid time off for vacation, personal, sick and holidays, and multiple other perks and benefits.
To all agencies: Please, no phone calls or emails to any employee of CooperSurgical about this opening. All resumes submitted by search firms/employment agencies to any employee at CooperSurgical via email, the internet or in any form and/or method will be deemed the sole property of CooperSurgical, unless such search firms/employment agencies were engaged by CooperSurgical for this position and a valid agreement with CooperSurgical is in place. In the event a candidate who was submitted outside of the CooperSurgical agency engagement process is hired, no fee or payment of any kind will be paid.
We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression, or veteran status. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. If you are interested in applying and require special assistance or accommodations due to a disability, please contact us at talent.acquisition@coopersurgical.com.
Vice President of Research Job Roles in New Jersey
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Search Vice President of Research Jobs in New JerseyVice President of Research Jobs in New Jersey: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies in New Jersey sponsor visas for vice president of research roles?
New Jersey's pharmaceutical and life sciences sector includes some of the most active research leadership sponsors in the country. Johnson & Johnson in New Brunswick, Merck in Rahway, Bristol Myers Squibb in Princeton, and Pfizer in Parsippany have all sponsored senior research positions. Mid-size biotech firms along the Route 1 corridor and in the Morristown area also sponsor at the VP level, particularly for candidates with specialized therapeutic expertise.
Which visa types realistically apply to vice president of research positions in New Jersey?
The H-1B is the most common path for international candidates in VP of research roles, as these positions require at least a bachelor's degree in a directly related scientific or technical field, satisfying the specialty occupation standard. H-1B1 visa applies to Chilean and Singaporean nationals meeting the same criteria. For Australian nationals, the E-3 visa is a strong option. Senior candidates may also qualify for EB-1B extraordinary researcher or EB-2 green card sponsorship, with some eligible for a National Interest Waiver.
Which cities in New Jersey have the most vice president of research sponsorship jobs?
Princeton and its surrounding area, including Plainsboro and Princeton Junction, hosts the highest concentration of research VP roles due to the density of pharma headquarters and biotech campuses. Rahway, home to Merck's global headquarters, is another significant hub. Parsippany, Bridgewater, and Kenilworth also have notable employer presence. New Brunswick benefits from proximity to Rutgers University and Johnson & Johnson's research operations, supporting a steady pipeline of senior research leadership openings.
How to find vice president of research visa sponsorship jobs in New Jersey?
Migrate Mate lists New Jersey employers with verified visa sponsorship history for senior research roles, letting you search specifically by role and location. This is especially useful for VP of research positions, where sponsorship history signals an employer's existing infrastructure for navigating H-1B or green card processes at the leadership level. Filtering to New Jersey narrows results to pharma, biotech, and research-intensive employers actively hiring in the state.
Are there state-specific factors that affect sponsorship for VP of research roles in New Jersey?
New Jersey's concentration of pharmaceutical headquarters means many employers here have dedicated immigration counsel and established sponsorship workflows for research leadership positions. This reduces friction compared to companies with no prior sponsorship experience. Proximity to major research universities like Rutgers and Princeton also creates pipelines for candidates with academic research backgrounds. EB-1B and EB-2 NIW pathways are worth exploring for candidates with significant publications or patents, as New Jersey employers in life sciences are familiar with these routes.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored vice president of research jobs in New Jersey?
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.