Research Visa Sponsorship Jobs in Washington
Research visa sponsorship jobs in Washington are concentrated around Seattle and the greater Puget Sound area, where institutions like the University of Washington, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, and major tech employers including Microsoft and Amazon regularly sponsor foreign nationals for research positions across life sciences, computer science, and biomedical fields.
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The Microsoft Research AI Frontiers Lab is on a mission to push the boundaries of what's possible in AI — advancing capabilities, efficiency, and safety through breakthroughs in agentic model and systems. Our previous work spanned Small Language Models (Phi, Orca), Synthetic Data Generation (AgentInstruct), Computer Use Models (Fara), and agentic AI systems (AutoGen, MagenticOne, OmniParser), with real-world impact at scale.
We're looking for Senior and Principal Researchers to join us in Redmond, WA or New York City, NY and help shape the future of agentic AI.
In this role, you'll develop and implement cutting-edge training methodologies for large language and multimodal models with advanced agentic and reasoning capabilities. Your work will contribute to cutting-edge research and directly influence state-of-the-art systems used by millions of people worldwide.
Our current focus areas include:
- Reasoning and inference-time compute
- Action models for automating computer use tasks
- Memory and long-horizon task execution
- Multi-agent training and orchestration
The AI Frontiers Lab is a uniquely dynamic environment: multidisciplinary by design, connected to top academic institutions, and committed to open publication. You'll have access to rich, diverse real-world data and the runway to experiment, publish, and make your mark on one of the most consequential fields in technology.
At Microsoft, our mission—to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more—guides how we partner with customers to deliver trusted, impactful solutions. With a growth mindset culture, we innovate responsibly and measure success by shared progress—people, teams, and customers. Join us to do meaningful work that changes the world and helps shape what’s next for everyone.
Responsibilities
- Lead and conduct cutting-edge research in agentic AI, translating insights into practical solutions that ship to millions of users — in close collaboration with researchers, engineers, and product teams.
- Curate high-quality datasets and develop novel training algorithms tailored to agentic and reasoning tasks.
- Design rigorous evaluation frameworks to benchmark model capabilities across reasoning, long-horizon tasks, and multi-agent scenarios.
- Prototype and iterate on new agentic capabilities — from computer use and action models to memory and multi-agent orchestration.
- Drive research from idea to publication, with opportunities to publish at top-tier venues and contribute to the broader scientific community.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications
- Doctorate in Computer Science or relevant field
- OR Master's Degree in Computer Science or relevant field AND 3+ years related research experience
- OR Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or relevant field AND 4+ years related research experience
- OR equivalent experience.
Preferred Qualifications
- Doctorate of Computer Science or relevant field AND 2+ years related research experience
- OR equivalent experience.
- Research program demonstrated by public artifacts like models, tools, code in AI space or publications at the following conferences: NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR, ACL, NAACL, CVPR, COLT, ECCV, ICCV, EMNLP.
- Experience with building and evaluating frontier models.
- Experience publishing academic papers as a lead author or essential contributor in the field of Artificial Intelligence.
- Experience participating in a top conference in relevant research domain.
- Demonstrable ability to define an ambitious, original research agenda.
- Ability to collaborate, communicate effectively, and technically lead multi-disciplinary team.
- Keen interest in real-world applications and impact.
LOCATION
Location: Redmond, WA or New York City, NY
COMPENSATION
Research Sciences IC4 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $119,800 - $234,700 per year. There is a different range applicable to specific work locations, within the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $158,400 - $258,000 per year.
Research Sciences IC5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $139,900 - $274,800 per year. There is a different range applicable to specific work locations, within the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $188,000 - $304,200 per year.
Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here:
https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay
This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.
Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance with religious accommodations and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process.
Overview
The Microsoft Research AI Frontiers Lab is on a mission to push the boundaries of what's possible in AI — advancing capabilities, efficiency, and safety through breakthroughs in agentic model and systems. Our previous work spanned Small Language Models (Phi, Orca), Synthetic Data Generation (AgentInstruct), Computer Use Models (Fara), and agentic AI systems (AutoGen, MagenticOne, OmniParser), with real-world impact at scale.
We're looking for Senior and Principal Researchers to join us in Redmond, WA or New York City, NY and help shape the future of agentic AI.
In this role, you'll develop and implement cutting-edge training methodologies for large language and multimodal models with advanced agentic and reasoning capabilities. Your work will contribute to cutting-edge research and directly influence state-of-the-art systems used by millions of people worldwide.
Our current focus areas include:
- Reasoning and inference-time compute
- Action models for automating computer use tasks
- Memory and long-horizon task execution
- Multi-agent training and orchestration
The AI Frontiers Lab is a uniquely dynamic environment: multidisciplinary by design, connected to top academic institutions, and committed to open publication. You'll have access to rich, diverse real-world data and the runway to experiment, publish, and make your mark on one of the most consequential fields in technology.
At Microsoft, our mission—to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more—guides how we partner with customers to deliver trusted, impactful solutions. With a growth mindset culture, we innovate responsibly and measure success by shared progress—people, teams, and customers. Join us to do meaningful work that changes the world and helps shape what’s next for everyone.
Responsibilities
- Lead and conduct cutting-edge research in agentic AI, translating insights into practical solutions that ship to millions of users — in close collaboration with researchers, engineers, and product teams.
- Curate high-quality datasets and develop novel training algorithms tailored to agentic and reasoning tasks.
- Design rigorous evaluation frameworks to benchmark model capabilities across reasoning, long-horizon tasks, and multi-agent scenarios.
- Prototype and iterate on new agentic capabilities — from computer use and action models to memory and multi-agent orchestration.
- Drive research from idea to publication, with opportunities to publish at top-tier venues and contribute to the broader scientific community.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications
- Doctorate in Computer Science or relevant field
- OR Master's Degree in Computer Science or relevant field AND 3+ years related research experience
- OR Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or relevant field AND 4+ years related research experience
- OR equivalent experience.
Preferred Qualifications
- Doctorate of Computer Science or relevant field AND 2+ years related research experience
- OR equivalent experience.
- Research program demonstrated by public artifacts like models, tools, code in AI space or publications at the following conferences: NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR, ACL, NAACL, CVPR, COLT, ECCV, ICCV, EMNLP.
- Experience with building and evaluating frontier models.
- Experience publishing academic papers as a lead author or essential contributor in the field of Artificial Intelligence.
- Experience participating in a top conference in relevant research domain.
- Demonstrable ability to define an ambitious, original research agenda.
- Ability to collaborate, communicate effectively, and technically lead multi-disciplinary team.
- Keen interest in real-world applications and impact.
LOCATION
Location: Redmond, WA or New York City, NY
COMPENSATION
Research Sciences IC4 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $119,800 - $234,700 per year. There is a different range applicable to specific work locations, within the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $158,400 - $258,000 per year.
Research Sciences IC5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $139,900 - $274,800 per year. There is a different range applicable to specific work locations, within the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $188,000 - $304,200 per year.
Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here:
https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay
This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.
Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance with religious accommodations and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process.
Research Job Roles in Washington
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Search Research Jobs in WashingtonResearch Jobs in Washington: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies sponsor visas for research roles in Washington?
The University of Washington and Washington State University are among the most consistent sponsors for academic and scientific research positions. In the private sector, Microsoft Research, Amazon, and the Allen Institute for Brain Science and AI Science regularly sponsor research scientists and engineers. Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and Seattle Children's Research Institute are prominent sponsors in the biomedical space.
Which visa types are most common for research roles in Washington?
The H-1B visa is the most common visa for private-sector research positions, requiring a specialty occupation and employer sponsorship. Academic and nonprofit research institutions frequently use the J-1 visa Exchange Visitor visa for postdoctoral researchers. The O-1A is an option for researchers with demonstrated extraordinary ability, and universities often support EB-1 or EB-2 National Interest Waiver green card pathways for senior research staff.
Which cities in Washington have the most research sponsorship jobs?
Seattle accounts for the large majority of research sponsorship activity in Washington, driven by its concentration of universities, teaching hospitals, and major tech campuses. Redmond and Bellevue contribute significantly through Microsoft and other technology firms. Spokane has a smaller but active research hiring presence tied to Washington State University and regional healthcare systems.
How to find research visa sponsorship jobs in Washington?
Migrate Mate filters job listings specifically by visa sponsorship availability, making it straightforward to browse research roles in Washington without sifting through positions that don't offer sponsorship. You can filter by location and role type to surface openings at universities, research institutes, and technology employers across Seattle, Redmond, and beyond. Creating an account gives you access to the full set of verified sponsoring employers.
Are there state-specific factors that affect research visa sponsorship in Washington?
Washington's heavy concentration of research activity in life sciences and technology means employers here are generally experienced with H-1B and J-1 processes. The University of Washington's strong pipeline of international PhD students and postdocs creates established sponsorship infrastructure at academic institutions. Washington has no state income tax, which is relevant context when comparing total compensation across research offers, though visa sponsorship decisions are made at the federal level regardless of state.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored research jobs in Washington?
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.