Research Executive Visa Sponsorship Jobs in Tennessee
Research executive jobs in Tennessee draw from the state's strong life sciences and healthcare research sector, with major employers like Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and HCA Healthcare based in Nashville and Knoxville. These organizations have established visa sponsorship histories for senior research roles requiring advanced degrees.
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Get Access To All JobsMarket Range: 15
Hiring Salary: Salary Commensurate with Education and Experience
JOB SUMMARY/ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:
The Executive Director of Research Administration leads institutional research administration from funding opportunity through award acceptance and serves as the Authorized Organizational Representative for the University. The position holds institutional signature authority for proposal submission and award acceptance and maintains the written delegation under which that authority is exercised by others. The Executive Director shares end-to-end service accountability with the Executive Director, Sponsored Award Financial Services, under joint oversight by the Vice Chancellor for Research and the Executive Vice Chancellor.
- Serves as the Authorized Organizational Representative and maintains the written delegation instrument governing submission and award acceptance authority.
- Establishes office priorities, service standards, and performance expectations across proposal review, agreements, research security, systems, and data.
- Owns the end-to-end service standards shared in partnership with Sponsored Award Financial Services, including proposal turnaround, agreement cycle time, award acceptance to setup, and closeout.
- Establishes and maintains the award abstract and handoff protocol to ensure consistent interpretation and communication of award terms.
- Maintains an organizational capacity model that aligns proposal and agreement volume, portfolio complexity, and staffing needs.
- Leads workforce development, including career ladders, position level determinations, professional development plans, and promotion recommendations.
- Resolves cross-office matters through established escalation and accountability processes.
- Develops, implements, and maintains institutional policies and procedures governing proposal submission, award acceptance, and agreement execution.
- Develops recruitment and retention strategies to attract and retain highly qualified research administration professionals.
- Recommends the addition of positions when a driver sustains above threshold, and consolidates portfolios and holds vacancies when a driver sustains below threshold, with notice to the Vice Chancellor.
- Advises institutional leadership on regulatory changes and the administrative implications of research strategy.
- Maintains institutional currency on federal, state, sponsor, and accreditation requirements affecting extramural funding.
- Performs other related duties as assigned.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
Education:
Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Research Administration Science, Health Administration, or a related field. (Master’s Degree preferred.) (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED)
Experience:
Four (4) years of progressively responsible, sponsored research administration experience (previous job-related supervisory experience required); OR Master’s Degree and two (2) years of progressively responsible, sponsored research administration experience.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:
- Knowledge of federal regulations governing extramural funding, including the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards and standard federal research terms and conditions.
- Expert knowledge of proposal submission, award acceptance, and research agreement practice at a research-intensive institution.
- Knowledge of research security, export control, and foreign influence requirements affecting federally funded research.
- Knowledge of electronic research administration systems and of the data required to manage a research portfolio.
- Skill in leading professional staff and in building capability across a decentralized campus community.
- Ability to exercise institutional authority under time pressure and to document the basis for institutional decisions.
- Ability to build and sustain a shared operating model with a peer office under a separate reporting line.
WORK SCHEDULE: This position may occasionally be required to work weekends and evenings.
Market Range: 15
Hiring Salary: Salary Commensurate with Education and Experience
JOB SUMMARY/ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:
The Executive Director of Research Administration leads institutional research administration from funding opportunity through award acceptance and serves as the Authorized Organizational Representative for the University. The position holds institutional signature authority for proposal submission and award acceptance and maintains the written delegation under which that authority is exercised by others. The Executive Director shares end-to-end service accountability with the Executive Director, Sponsored Award Financial Services, under joint oversight by the Vice Chancellor for Research and the Executive Vice Chancellor.
- Serves as the Authorized Organizational Representative and maintains the written delegation instrument governing submission and award acceptance authority.
- Establishes office priorities, service standards, and performance expectations across proposal review, agreements, research security, systems, and data.
- Owns the end-to-end service standards shared in partnership with Sponsored Award Financial Services, including proposal turnaround, agreement cycle time, award acceptance to setup, and closeout.
- Establishes and maintains the award abstract and handoff protocol to ensure consistent interpretation and communication of award terms.
- Maintains an organizational capacity model that aligns proposal and agreement volume, portfolio complexity, and staffing needs.
- Leads workforce development, including career ladders, position level determinations, professional development plans, and promotion recommendations.
- Resolves cross-office matters through established escalation and accountability processes.
- Develops, implements, and maintains institutional policies and procedures governing proposal submission, award acceptance, and agreement execution.
- Develops recruitment and retention strategies to attract and retain highly qualified research administration professionals.
- Recommends the addition of positions when a driver sustains above threshold, and consolidates portfolios and holds vacancies when a driver sustains below threshold, with notice to the Vice Chancellor.
- Advises institutional leadership on regulatory changes and the administrative implications of research strategy.
- Maintains institutional currency on federal, state, sponsor, and accreditation requirements affecting extramural funding.
- Performs other related duties as assigned.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
Education:
Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Research Administration Science, Health Administration, or a related field. (Master’s Degree preferred.) (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED)
Experience:
Four (4) years of progressively responsible, sponsored research administration experience (previous job-related supervisory experience required); OR Master’s Degree and two (2) years of progressively responsible, sponsored research administration experience.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:
- Knowledge of federal regulations governing extramural funding, including the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards and standard federal research terms and conditions.
- Expert knowledge of proposal submission, award acceptance, and research agreement practice at a research-intensive institution.
- Knowledge of research security, export control, and foreign influence requirements affecting federally funded research.
- Knowledge of electronic research administration systems and of the data required to manage a research portfolio.
- Skill in leading professional staff and in building capability across a decentralized campus community.
- Ability to exercise institutional authority under time pressure and to document the basis for institutional decisions.
- Ability to build and sustain a shared operating model with a peer office under a separate reporting line.
WORK SCHEDULE: This position may occasionally be required to work weekends and evenings.
Research Executive Job Roles in Tennessee
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Search Research Executive Jobs in TennesseeResearch Executive Jobs in Tennessee: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies in Tennessee sponsor visas for research executives?
Tennessee's most active sponsors for research executive roles include Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the University of Tennessee system, HCA Healthcare, and Vanderbilt University. These organizations regularly file H-1B visa petitions and employer-sponsored green card applications for senior research positions requiring specialized doctoral or master's-level expertise in life sciences, healthcare research, and engineering disciplines.
Which visa types realistically fit research executive roles in Tennessee?
Research executive roles typically qualify as specialty occupations requiring at least a bachelor's degree in a directly related field, making the H-1B the most common path. H-1B1 visa applies to Chilean and Singaporean nationals. E-3 visa covers Australian nationals. F-1 OPT or STEM OPT can bridge early-career research positions. For sustained long-term employment, EB-2 or EB-3 employer-sponsored green cards are the standard progression, often including EB-2 National Interest Waivers for researchers with exceptional publication records.
How to find research executive visa sponsorship jobs in Tennessee?
Migrate Mate lists Tennessee employers with verified visa sponsorship history for research executive roles, letting you search by city and filter to organizations that have filed for senior research positions. This is more targeted than general job searches because it surfaces only employers with demonstrated sponsorship activity, which matters most for research-intensive roles at institutions like those in Nashville, Knoxville, and Oak Ridge.
Which cities in Tennessee have the most research executive sponsorship jobs?
Nashville leads Tennessee for research executive sponsorship activity, anchored by Vanderbilt University Medical Center and a growing cluster of healthcare and biotech organizations. Knoxville is a strong second, driven by the University of Tennessee and proximity to Oak Ridge National Laboratory, which sponsors heavily for scientific research leadership. Memphis also has sponsorship activity through the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
Are there any Tennessee-specific factors that affect visa sponsorship for research executives?
Tennessee's concentration of federally funded research at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and major academic medical centers creates consistent demand for research executives with advanced degrees, which aligns well with H-1B specialty occupation requirements. Roles tied to federal contracts may involve additional security clearance considerations. The state's strong university pipeline, particularly through Vanderbilt and UT, means many sponsored positions arise from internal promotions of postdoctoral researchers already in H-1B or OPT status.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored research executive jobs in Tennessee?
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.