Research Scientist Visa Sponsorship Jobs in Tennessee
Tennessee's research scientist roles span pharmaceutical manufacturing in Nashville, agricultural biotechnology in Memphis, and materials science at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Major employers including Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, and Corteva Agriscience regularly hire international researchers. The state's strong university pipeline and federal research infrastructure make it an active market for visa-sponsored positions.
Find Research Scientist JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 23+ Research Scientist Jobs in Tennessee with Visa Sponsorship










See all Research Scientist Jobs in Tennessee with Visa Sponsorship
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Research Scientist Jobs in Tennessee with Visa Sponsorship.
Get Access To All Jobs
INTRODUCTION
St. Jude is seeking a Senior Bioinformatics Research Scientist for data science projects within the Center for Pharmacogenomics in the Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. In particular, this individual will focus on electronic health record (EHR)-driven phenotyping to support pharmacogenomics discovery research. The successful candidate will be responsible for developing and implementing new informatics tools and resources to enhance phenotyping performance or enable deep phenotyping through terminology/ontology, natural language processing, and machine learning. The role involves working with large external biobank datasets such as All of US, eMERGE, TopMed, UK BioBank, as well as internal EHR data. This Bioinformatics Research Scientist will collaborate extensively with disease and/or drug experts (clinicians, clinician scientists, data scientists, and laboratory investigators) to co-develop phenotyping algorithms but is expected to serve as the domain expert in high-throughput phenotyping. Demonstrated expertise in EHR-based phenotype extraction and curation are strongly preferred.
Responsibilities
- Provide research support and deliver high-quality results by formulating an efficient analytical approach with the available data.
- Deliver data files, and document the analytical process. May participate in manuscript preparation at project's conclusion.
- Assist with establishing and documenting protocols or best practices for common research tasks, and in the formulation of analytical plans that use the best approach to address challenging data analysis questions.
- Assist in the evaluation and testing of new methods and technologies.
- Contribute ideas to automate or improve existing analysis methods. Implement the improvement or work with others to do so.
- Participate in the department's developmental projects and interdepartmental team projects.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- Minimum Requirement: Bachelor's degree with 7+ years of relevant post-degree work experience in relevant area (e.g., bioinformatics, cheminformatics, statistics/computer science with a background in biological sciences or chemistry) (OR) Master's degree with 5+ years of relevant experience (OR) PhD with 2+ years of relevant experience.
- Significant experience in at least one programming or scripting language and at least one statistical package, with R preferred.
MINIMUM EDUCATION AND/OR TRAINING
- Bachelor's degree in bioinformatics, cheminformatics, statistics/computer science (with a background in biological sciences or chemistry) or related field.
- Master's degree or PhD preferred.
MINIMUM EXPERIENCE
- Minimum Requirement: Bachelor's degree with 7+ years of relevant post-degree work in bioinformatics, cheminformatics, statistics/computer science (with a background in biological sciences or chemistry).
- Experience Exception: Master's degree with 5+ years of relevant post-degree experience (OR) PhD with 2+ years of relevant post-degree experience.
- Significant experience in at least one programming or scripting language and at least one statistical package, with R preferred.
COMPENSATION
In recognition of certain U.S. state and municipal pay transparency laws, St. Jude is including a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role. This is an estimate offered in good faith and a specific salary offer takes into account factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets, experience and training, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the salary range and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current salary range is $104,000 - $186,160 per year for the role of Senior Bioinformatics Research Scientist. Explore our exceptional benefits!
St. Jude is an Equal Opportunity Employer
No Search Firms
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. Please do not call or email. All resumes submitted by search firms to any employee or other representative at St. Jude via email, the internet or in any form and/or method without a valid written search agreement in place and approved by HR will result in no fee being paid in the event the candidate is hired by St. Jude.
Research Scientist Job Roles in Tennessee
See all Research Scientist Jobs in Tennessee
Sign up for free to filter by visa type, set job alerts, and find employers with verified sponsorship history.
Search Research Scientist Jobs in TennesseeResearch Scientist Jobs in Tennessee: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies sponsor visas for research scientists in Tennessee?
Oak Ridge National Laboratory and its affiliated contractors are among the most active sponsors for research scientist roles in Tennessee, particularly in energy, materials science, and computational research. Vanderbilt University Medical Center, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, and pharmaceutical companies such as Pfizer's Memphis operations also have histories of sponsoring H-1B visa and O-1 visas for qualified research scientists.
Which visa types are most common for research scientist roles in Tennessee?
The H-1B is the most common visa for research scientist positions in Tennessee, as most roles require at least a master's degree in a specific scientific discipline, satisfying the specialty occupation requirement. The O-1A is an alternative for researchers with recognized publications, grants, or awards. University and federal lab positions may also qualify for J-1 visa exchange visitor status or EB-1 immigrant petition pathways for senior researchers.
Which cities in Tennessee have the most research scientist sponsorship jobs?
Oak Ridge leads for federal and energy research roles given its concentration of Department of Energy facilities. Nashville is the primary hub for biomedical, pharmaceutical, and clinical research positions, supported by Vanderbilt University and a growing life sciences sector. Memphis has notable activity in agricultural and food science research. Knoxville, home to the University of Tennessee's main campus, also generates consistent sponsorship demand across engineering and natural sciences.
How to find research scientist visa sponsorship jobs in Tennessee?
Migrate Mate filters job listings specifically for roles that offer visa sponsorship, making it more targeted than general job searches for research scientist positions in Tennessee. You can narrow results by location and role type to surface openings at institutions like Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Vanderbilt, or Tennessee's pharmaceutical employers. Migrate Mate also provides visa guidance relevant to research scientist candidates navigating H-1B or O-1 pathways.
Are there any state-specific considerations for research scientists seeking visa sponsorship in Tennessee?
Tennessee's heavy concentration of federally funded research at Oak Ridge means some positions require security clearances, which can complicate or restrict sponsorship for certain visa holders. Researchers targeting academic or nonprofit lab roles should note that these employers are cap-exempt for H-1B purposes, allowing filing year-round without entering the annual lottery. Tennessee's lower cost of living relative to coastal research hubs also affects prevailing wage determinations under Labor Condition Application requirements.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored research scientist 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.