Research Visa Sponsorship Jobs in South Dakota
Research jobs in South Dakota draw sponsorship activity from institutions like South Dakota State University, the University of South Dakota, and federal facilities such as the Sanford Underground Research Facility near Lead. Sioux Falls and Brookings anchor most hiring, with agricultural science, biomedical research, and physics among the fields where employers have sponsored international talent.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
At HDR, our employee-owners are fully engaged in creating a welcoming environment where each of us is valued and respected, a place where everyone is empowered to bring their authentic selves and novel ideas to work every day. As we foster a culture of inclusion throughout our company and within our communities, we constantly ask ourselves: What is our impact on the world?
At HDR, our employee‑ownership model shapes everything we do, including how we support and care for our people. Our diverse service lines, including Water, Architecture, Building Engineering Services, Field Services, Power, Waste, Industrial, and Transportation reflect our commitment to shaping resilient, sustainable, and forward‑thinking communities around the world. Across these disciplines, our teams design and deliver solutions that safeguard public health, enhance quality of life, power innovation, and drive responsible growth. Whether advancing clean water, creating healing and learning environments, engineering next‑generation facilities, or building the infrastructure that moves people and energy, our work is rooted in technical excellence and a shared sense of purpose. Our employee‑owners collaborate across specialties, combining creativity, precision, and deep expertise to solve the most complex challenges facing our clients and communities.
Each and every role throughout our organization makes a difference in our ability to change the world for the better. Read further to learn how you could help make great things possible not only in your community, but around the world.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
In the role of Data Scientist, we'll count on you to:
- Leverage AI, automation, and data analytics tools to improve project delivery, quality assurance, and operational efficiency.
- Develop and maintain automated processes to validate project documentation, compliance requirements, checklists, and project standards.
- Design and implement dashboards, reports, and visualizations that provide project managers and leadership with actionable insights into project performance and resource utilization.
- Analyze project data to identify trends, risks, cost impacts, schedule concerns, and opportunities for process improvement.
- Handle highly sensitive and confidential information with professionalism and discretion.
- Collaborate with stakeholders to improve business decisions by identifying patterns and trends in data.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- A degree in a closely related field or combination of education and relevant experience.
- Self-motivated, detail-oriented professional, ability to multitask a must.
- Proficiency with MS Office including Word and Outlook.
- Proficiency with data engineering tools and languages such as SQL, Power Query, and Pandas.
- Proficiency with business intelligence tools such as Power BI, Tableau, Plotly, Seaborn, and Matplotlib.
- Proficiency with data science languages such as Python and R.
- Ability to handle confidential information.
- Excellent writing and people skills.
- Strong math and organizational skills.
- Flexibility and ability to prioritize and handle multiple tasks and various managers in a fast-paced environment.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills including grammar, punctuation, proofreading, spelling and telephone skills.
- An attitude and commitment to being an active participant of our employee-owned culture is a must.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor's degree.
- Preference given to local candidates.
This position does not have any relocation assistance available, strong preference will be given to local candidates.
LOCATION
Primary Location: United States-South Dakota-Sioux Falls
INDUSTRY
Water
SCHEDULE
Full-time
EMPLOYEE STATUS
Regular
BUSINESS CLASS
Water Treatment
JOB POSTING
Sep 9, 2026
WHAT WE BELIEVE
HDR is our company. Together, we build on each other's life experiences and perspectives to make great things possible every day. This shapes our collaborative culture, encourages organizational trust and connects us closer to the clients and communities we serve.
OUR COMMITMENT
As employee owners, we all have a role in creating an inclusive environment where each of us is welcomed, valued, respected and empowered to bring our authentic selves to work every day.
Our eight Employee Network Groups (Asian Pacific, Black, Hispanic/Latino(a), LGBTQ+, People with Disabilities, Veterans, Women, Young Professionals) help create a sense of belonging and foster a supportive environment where everyone is empowered to engage and contribute. Each group has an executive sponsor and is open to all employees.
INTRODUCTION
At HDR, our employee-owners are fully engaged in creating a welcoming environment where each of us is valued and respected, a place where everyone is empowered to bring their authentic selves and novel ideas to work every day. As we foster a culture of inclusion throughout our company and within our communities, we constantly ask ourselves: What is our impact on the world?
At HDR, our employee‑ownership model shapes everything we do, including how we support and care for our people. Our diverse service lines, including Water, Architecture, Building Engineering Services, Field Services, Power, Waste, Industrial, and Transportation reflect our commitment to shaping resilient, sustainable, and forward‑thinking communities around the world. Across these disciplines, our teams design and deliver solutions that safeguard public health, enhance quality of life, power innovation, and drive responsible growth. Whether advancing clean water, creating healing and learning environments, engineering next‑generation facilities, or building the infrastructure that moves people and energy, our work is rooted in technical excellence and a shared sense of purpose. Our employee‑owners collaborate across specialties, combining creativity, precision, and deep expertise to solve the most complex challenges facing our clients and communities.
Each and every role throughout our organization makes a difference in our ability to change the world for the better. Read further to learn how you could help make great things possible not only in your community, but around the world.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
In the role of Data Scientist, we'll count on you to:
- Leverage AI, automation, and data analytics tools to improve project delivery, quality assurance, and operational efficiency.
- Develop and maintain automated processes to validate project documentation, compliance requirements, checklists, and project standards.
- Design and implement dashboards, reports, and visualizations that provide project managers and leadership with actionable insights into project performance and resource utilization.
- Analyze project data to identify trends, risks, cost impacts, schedule concerns, and opportunities for process improvement.
- Handle highly sensitive and confidential information with professionalism and discretion.
- Collaborate with stakeholders to improve business decisions by identifying patterns and trends in data.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- A degree in a closely related field or combination of education and relevant experience.
- Self-motivated, detail-oriented professional, ability to multitask a must.
- Proficiency with MS Office including Word and Outlook.
- Proficiency with data engineering tools and languages such as SQL, Power Query, and Pandas.
- Proficiency with business intelligence tools such as Power BI, Tableau, Plotly, Seaborn, and Matplotlib.
- Proficiency with data science languages such as Python and R.
- Ability to handle confidential information.
- Excellent writing and people skills.
- Strong math and organizational skills.
- Flexibility and ability to prioritize and handle multiple tasks and various managers in a fast-paced environment.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills including grammar, punctuation, proofreading, spelling and telephone skills.
- An attitude and commitment to being an active participant of our employee-owned culture is a must.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor's degree.
- Preference given to local candidates.
This position does not have any relocation assistance available, strong preference will be given to local candidates.
LOCATION
Primary Location: United States-South Dakota-Sioux Falls
INDUSTRY
Water
SCHEDULE
Full-time
EMPLOYEE STATUS
Regular
BUSINESS CLASS
Water Treatment
JOB POSTING
Sep 9, 2026
WHAT WE BELIEVE
HDR is our company. Together, we build on each other's life experiences and perspectives to make great things possible every day. This shapes our collaborative culture, encourages organizational trust and connects us closer to the clients and communities we serve.
OUR COMMITMENT
As employee owners, we all have a role in creating an inclusive environment where each of us is welcomed, valued, respected and empowered to bring our authentic selves to work every day.
Our eight Employee Network Groups (Asian Pacific, Black, Hispanic/Latino(a), LGBTQ+, People with Disabilities, Veterans, Women, Young Professionals) help create a sense of belonging and foster a supportive environment where everyone is empowered to engage and contribute. Each group has an executive sponsor and is open to all employees.
Research Job Roles in South Dakota
See all Research Jobs in South Dakota
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Search Research Jobs in South DakotaResearch Jobs in South Dakota: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies and institutions sponsor visas for research roles in South Dakota?
The primary sponsors for research positions in South Dakota are higher education and research institutions. South Dakota State University, the University of South Dakota, and South Dakota School of Mines and Technology have histories of sponsoring international researchers. The Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead sponsors physicists and geoscientists. Federal labs and agricultural research centers affiliated with USDA also appear in Department of Labor disclosure data for the state.
Which visa types are most common for research roles in South Dakota?
The H-1B visa is the most common work visa for research positions requiring a specialized degree, such as biology, chemistry, physics, or engineering. J-1 visa exchange visitor visas are widely used for postdoctoral researchers and research scholars at universities. O-1A visas apply to researchers with demonstrated extraordinary ability. TN visas cover Canadian and Mexican nationals in qualifying research scientist roles under USMCA.
Which cities in South Dakota have the most research visa sponsorship jobs?
Sioux Falls and Brookings account for the majority of research sponsorship activity in South Dakota. Brookings is home to South Dakota State University, which drives significant research hiring in agricultural science, engineering, and health sciences. Sioux Falls hosts the University of South Dakota health programs and several biomedical employers. Lead, in the Black Hills, is notable for physics and underground science research at the Sanford facility.
How to find research visa sponsorship jobs in South Dakota?
Migrate Mate filters job listings specifically by visa sponsorship availability, making it straightforward to browse research roles in South Dakota without sorting through positions that don't sponsor. You can narrow results by research field and location within the state. Because South Dakota's research sector is concentrated in a small number of institutions, setting alerts for new postings at those employers helps you respond quickly when positions open.
Are there any state-specific factors that affect visa sponsorship for research jobs in South Dakota?
South Dakota's research sector is smaller than coastal states, so the total number of sponsored positions is lower and competition for institutional roles can be high when they do open. Universities must file a Labor Condition Application certifying the offered wage meets the prevailing wage for the occupation and location before an H-1B petition can proceed. Agricultural and federal research roles may have distinct hiring cycles tied to grant funding, which affects when positions are posted and sponsored.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored research jobs in South Dakota?
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.