AI Research Engineer Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
AI Research Engineer roles attract strong H-1B sponsorship from U.S. tech employers, and many positions also qualify under the O-1A visa for researchers with publications or patents. Demand across cloud, semiconductor, and defense AI labs has kept sponsorship rates consistently high for this specialty. For detailed occupation requirements, see the O*NET profile.
See All AI Research Engineer JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 1,019+ AI Research Engineer jobs
Have you applied for this role?
Have you applied for this role?
Have you applied for this role?
Have you applied for this role?
Have you applied for this role?
See all 1,019+ AI Research Engineer jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new AI Research Engineer roles.
Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
Build a Safer World. TRM Labs provides blockchain analytics and AI solutions to help law enforcement and national security agencies, financial institutions, and cryptocurrency businesses detect, investigate, and disrupt crypto-related fraud and financial crime. TRM’s blockchain intelligence and AI platforms include solutions to trace the source and destination of funds, identify illicit activity, build cases, and construct an operating picture of threats. TRM is trusted by leading agencies and businesses worldwide who rely on TRM to enable a safer, more secure world for all.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The AI Research Engineer will join our AI Engineering team, a group focused on advancing model selection, fine-tuning, and evaluation strategies for production-scale AI systems. As a senior individual contributor, this person will lead technical efforts to push the boundaries of model performance and orchestration, directly impacting the competitiveness of our AI Engineering platform.
The Impact You Will Have
- Design, build, and own a production-grade evaluation system that drives measurable improvements in model accuracy and latency.
- Lead experimentation, fine-tuning, and feedback-based evaluation loops for continuous model optimization.
- Advance the orchestration of AI/ML systems, ensuring scalable, resilient, and high-impact deployments.
- Elevate technical standards through engineering craftsmanship, mentorship, and leadership as a senior IC.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Advanced programming expertise in Python and SQL, with strong system design skills.
- Deep experience deploying machine learning/deep learning models in production (LLM/GenAI strongly preferred).
- Strong foundation in experimentation frameworks, evaluation metrics, and ML Ops practices.
- Proven ability to own critical systems end-to-end and collaborate effectively with cross-functional partners.
ABOUT THE TEAM
- The AI Engineering team operates with a high level of collaboration and interdependence, fostering an inclusive culture where connections extend beyond work. We value diverse personalities and seek someone who is both results-driven and sociable, with strong communication, leadership, and teamwork skills, along with a positive, solutions-oriented mindset.
- As a globally distributed team, members may observe different timezones. However, most of the team will overlap between the hours of 7am-12pm PST for meetings and collaboration.
- All team members, regardless of location must have at least 4 hour overlap with PST business hours.
- The team is involved in 2 different on-calls:
- Analytics on-call: only requires focus on working time (average of < 1 hour a day every month).
- Data Science on-call: full week on-call to ensure Data Science pipelines are running smoothly (average of 1-2 hours a day every 3 months).
LIFE AT TRM
We are building a safer world. That promise shows up in how we work every day. TRM moves quickly. We are a high velocity, high ownership team that expects clarity, follow-through, and impact. People who thrive here are energized by hard problems, experimentation, and continuous feedback. If something takes months elsewhere, it will ship here in days. Our work sits at the intersection of AI, national security, and fighting financial crime. The problems are complex, the stakes are real, and the environment evolves quickly. The pace and intensity of the work reflect the importance of the mission. As a result, the way we operate requires a high level of ownership, adaptability, collaboration, and creative problem-solving.
At TRM, You Should Expect
- Priorities and targets to change quickly as we experiment and iterate.
- Work that often requires operating with a high degree of ambiguity.
- A high level of personal ownership and accountability.
- Close collaboration across teams and functions.
- Frequent, high-touch communication.
- Creative problem solving and out-of-the-box thinking.
- A pace that rewards urgency, adaptability, and outcomes.
This environment is energizing for people who enjoy building, solving hard problems, and making progress in situations that are not always fully defined. It also requires comfort navigating ambiguity, adjusting course as new information emerges, and maintaining focus and positivity in a fast-moving and intense environment. We also recognize that this style of operating is not for everyone. If you are primarily optimizing for predictability or a consistently balanced workload, we encourage you to use the interview process to pressure test whether this environment is truly the right fit. We want teammates who thrive here, not just survive here. At the same time, many people find this work deeply rewarding. If you are excited by meaningful problems, motivated by ambitious goals, and energized by working alongside mission-driven colleagues, there is a good chance you will find TRM to be an exceptional place to grow and contribute.
AI FLUENCY AT TRM
AI fluency is a baseline expectation at TRM. We believe AI meaningfully changes how top performers operate. We expect every team member to use AI to accelerate and reimagine their craft, not just automate surface tasks. At TRM, AI Fluency Means You Are Among The Top 10 Percent Of Operators In Your Function In How You Apply AI To
- Accelerate repeatable workflows.
- Structure and solve problems.
- Improve output quality.
- Increase speed and leverage.
You will be evaluated on applied AI fluency during the interview process.
LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLES
We hire and grow against three leadership principles. They’re the standards for how we operate, treat each other, and make decisions.
- Impact-Oriented Trailblazer: We put customers first and move with speed, focus, and adaptability. We treat every plan like an experiment – test, ship, measure, and iterate quickly.
- Master Craftsperson: We care deeply about our craft. We balance speed with high standards, own outcomes end-to-end, and invest in getting better everyday.
- Inspiring Colleague: We add clarity and energy, not noise. We bring humility, candor, and a one-team mindset — giving and receiving feedback to make the team stronger.
JOIN OUR MISSION
At TRM we care deeply about our craft. We are looking for individuals who want their work to matter, who experiment with speed and rigor, and who take pride in building a safer world for billions of people. If you’re excited by TRM’s mission but don’t check every box, we encourage you to apply — we hire for slope, judgment, and the will to learn fast. TRM is a Series C company with $220M in total funding, backed by Blockchain Capital, Goldman Sachs, Bessemer, Y Combinator, Thoma Bravo, and others. Headquartered in San Francisco, TRM operates as a distributed-first company with hubs in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Washington D.C., London, and Singapore.
Privacy Policy And Additional Information
By submitting your application, you are agreeing to allow TRM to process your personal information in accordance with the TRM Privacy Policy. Our typical hiring cycles for specialized roles span 24 to 36 months. Accordingly, we retain your personal information for up to 36 months to evaluate your application and to consider you for current and future employment opportunities, unless you request earlier deletion or a different retention period is required or permitted by law. To notify TRM Labs that you believe this job posting is non-compliant, please submit a report through this form. No response will be provided to inquiries unrelated to job posting compliance. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, and requests can be made via this form.
Recruitment agencies
TRM Labs does not accept unsolicited agency resumes. Please do not forward resumes to TRM employees. TRM Labs is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes and will not pay fees to any third-party agency or company without a signed agreement.
INTRODUCTION
Build a Safer World. TRM Labs provides blockchain analytics and AI solutions to help law enforcement and national security agencies, financial institutions, and cryptocurrency businesses detect, investigate, and disrupt crypto-related fraud and financial crime. TRM’s blockchain intelligence and AI platforms include solutions to trace the source and destination of funds, identify illicit activity, build cases, and construct an operating picture of threats. TRM is trusted by leading agencies and businesses worldwide who rely on TRM to enable a safer, more secure world for all.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The AI Research Engineer will join our AI Engineering team, a group focused on advancing model selection, fine-tuning, and evaluation strategies for production-scale AI systems. As a senior individual contributor, this person will lead technical efforts to push the boundaries of model performance and orchestration, directly impacting the competitiveness of our AI Engineering platform.
The Impact You Will Have
- Design, build, and own a production-grade evaluation system that drives measurable improvements in model accuracy and latency.
- Lead experimentation, fine-tuning, and feedback-based evaluation loops for continuous model optimization.
- Advance the orchestration of AI/ML systems, ensuring scalable, resilient, and high-impact deployments.
- Elevate technical standards through engineering craftsmanship, mentorship, and leadership as a senior IC.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Advanced programming expertise in Python and SQL, with strong system design skills.
- Deep experience deploying machine learning/deep learning models in production (LLM/GenAI strongly preferred).
- Strong foundation in experimentation frameworks, evaluation metrics, and ML Ops practices.
- Proven ability to own critical systems end-to-end and collaborate effectively with cross-functional partners.
ABOUT THE TEAM
- The AI Engineering team operates with a high level of collaboration and interdependence, fostering an inclusive culture where connections extend beyond work. We value diverse personalities and seek someone who is both results-driven and sociable, with strong communication, leadership, and teamwork skills, along with a positive, solutions-oriented mindset.
- As a globally distributed team, members may observe different timezones. However, most of the team will overlap between the hours of 7am-12pm PST for meetings and collaboration.
- All team members, regardless of location must have at least 4 hour overlap with PST business hours.
- The team is involved in 2 different on-calls:
- Analytics on-call: only requires focus on working time (average of < 1 hour a day every month).
- Data Science on-call: full week on-call to ensure Data Science pipelines are running smoothly (average of 1-2 hours a day every 3 months).
LIFE AT TRM
We are building a safer world. That promise shows up in how we work every day. TRM moves quickly. We are a high velocity, high ownership team that expects clarity, follow-through, and impact. People who thrive here are energized by hard problems, experimentation, and continuous feedback. If something takes months elsewhere, it will ship here in days. Our work sits at the intersection of AI, national security, and fighting financial crime. The problems are complex, the stakes are real, and the environment evolves quickly. The pace and intensity of the work reflect the importance of the mission. As a result, the way we operate requires a high level of ownership, adaptability, collaboration, and creative problem-solving.
At TRM, You Should Expect
- Priorities and targets to change quickly as we experiment and iterate.
- Work that often requires operating with a high degree of ambiguity.
- A high level of personal ownership and accountability.
- Close collaboration across teams and functions.
- Frequent, high-touch communication.
- Creative problem solving and out-of-the-box thinking.
- A pace that rewards urgency, adaptability, and outcomes.
This environment is energizing for people who enjoy building, solving hard problems, and making progress in situations that are not always fully defined. It also requires comfort navigating ambiguity, adjusting course as new information emerges, and maintaining focus and positivity in a fast-moving and intense environment. We also recognize that this style of operating is not for everyone. If you are primarily optimizing for predictability or a consistently balanced workload, we encourage you to use the interview process to pressure test whether this environment is truly the right fit. We want teammates who thrive here, not just survive here. At the same time, many people find this work deeply rewarding. If you are excited by meaningful problems, motivated by ambitious goals, and energized by working alongside mission-driven colleagues, there is a good chance you will find TRM to be an exceptional place to grow and contribute.
AI FLUENCY AT TRM
AI fluency is a baseline expectation at TRM. We believe AI meaningfully changes how top performers operate. We expect every team member to use AI to accelerate and reimagine their craft, not just automate surface tasks. At TRM, AI Fluency Means You Are Among The Top 10 Percent Of Operators In Your Function In How You Apply AI To
- Accelerate repeatable workflows.
- Structure and solve problems.
- Improve output quality.
- Increase speed and leverage.
You will be evaluated on applied AI fluency during the interview process.
LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLES
We hire and grow against three leadership principles. They’re the standards for how we operate, treat each other, and make decisions.
- Impact-Oriented Trailblazer: We put customers first and move with speed, focus, and adaptability. We treat every plan like an experiment – test, ship, measure, and iterate quickly.
- Master Craftsperson: We care deeply about our craft. We balance speed with high standards, own outcomes end-to-end, and invest in getting better everyday.
- Inspiring Colleague: We add clarity and energy, not noise. We bring humility, candor, and a one-team mindset — giving and receiving feedback to make the team stronger.
JOIN OUR MISSION
At TRM we care deeply about our craft. We are looking for individuals who want their work to matter, who experiment with speed and rigor, and who take pride in building a safer world for billions of people. If you’re excited by TRM’s mission but don’t check every box, we encourage you to apply — we hire for slope, judgment, and the will to learn fast. TRM is a Series C company with $220M in total funding, backed by Blockchain Capital, Goldman Sachs, Bessemer, Y Combinator, Thoma Bravo, and others. Headquartered in San Francisco, TRM operates as a distributed-first company with hubs in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Washington D.C., London, and Singapore.
Privacy Policy And Additional Information
By submitting your application, you are agreeing to allow TRM to process your personal information in accordance with the TRM Privacy Policy. Our typical hiring cycles for specialized roles span 24 to 36 months. Accordingly, we retain your personal information for up to 36 months to evaluate your application and to consider you for current and future employment opportunities, unless you request earlier deletion or a different retention period is required or permitted by law. To notify TRM Labs that you believe this job posting is non-compliant, please submit a report through this form. No response will be provided to inquiries unrelated to job posting compliance. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, and requests can be made via this form.
Recruitment agencies
TRM Labs does not accept unsolicited agency resumes. Please do not forward resumes to TRM employees. TRM Labs is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes and will not pay fees to any third-party agency or company without a signed agreement.
How to Get Visa Sponsorship as an AI Research Engineer
Target employers with established H-1B filing histories
Companies like Google, Meta, Microsoft, and OpenAI file hundreds of H-1B petitions annually for research roles. Employers with existing immigration infrastructure move faster and are far less likely to back out after an offer.
Lead with publications, patents, and benchmarks
AI Research Engineer applications succeed when candidates demonstrate measurable research output. Papers on arXiv, NeurIPS acceptances, or model benchmarks give visa petitions concrete evidence of specialty occupation standing and strengthen O-1A eligibility significantly.
Clarify your degree field matches the role
H-1B specialty occupation requires a directly related degree. A PhD in computer science, electrical engineering, or statistics aligns cleanly. Applied mathematics or physics degrees typically qualify too, but include transcript evidence that your coursework covers machine learning specifically.
Ask about cap-exempt employer options early
Universities, federally funded research centers, and nonprofits affiliated with research institutions are H-1B cap-exempt. AI researchers working in academia or national labs can receive H-1B approval any time of year, bypassing the lottery entirely.
Consider the O-1A visa if you have a strong research record
If you have peer-reviewed publications, a high citation count, or have judged others' research, the O-1A is worth evaluating. It has no annual cap, no lottery, and approval rates for credentialed AI researchers with documented contributions run well above average.
AI Research Engineer jobs are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find AI Research Engineer JobsSee all 1,019+ AI Research Engineer jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new AI Research Engineer roles.
Get Access To All JobsFrequently Asked Questions
Does an AI Research Engineer role qualify as an H-1B specialty occupation?
Yes, AI Research Engineer consistently qualifies as an H-1B specialty occupation. USCIS recognizes it as a role that normally requires at least a bachelor's degree in a specific field such as computer science, machine learning, or electrical engineering. Roles focused on model architecture, training pipelines, or applied research have strong approval histories, particularly when the employer can document that a theoretical and practical degree background is standard for the position.
Do I need a PhD to get H-1B sponsorship as an AI Research Engineer?
No, a PhD is not required, but it significantly strengthens both your sponsorship prospects and the visa petition itself. Most employers will sponsor candidates with a master's degree in a relevant field, especially when paired with publications, industry experience, or open-source contributions. Some roles at research-focused labs de facto prefer PhDs, so review job descriptions carefully. You can browse AI Research Engineer roles with sponsorship on Migrate Mate to see how requirements vary by employer.
Can I qualify for an O-1A visa as an AI Research Engineer?
Yes, and many AI researchers are stronger O-1A candidates than they realize. USCIS evaluates O-1A petitions across ten criteria, including published work in peer-reviewed venues, high citation counts, judging others' research, and contributions of major significance. Researchers with NeurIPS, ICML, or ICLR publications, or whose work is widely cited, often meet three or more criteria. The O-1A has no lottery and no cap, making it a practical alternative for researchers who miss the H-1B selection.
What happens to my visa status if I switch employers between research projects?
If you're on H-1B status, you can begin working for a new employer as soon as they file an H-1B transfer petition with USCIS, under H-1B portability rules, without waiting for approval. Your authorization continues as long as the new petition is non-frivolous and filed before your current status expires. If you're on STEM OPT, employer changes require updating your I-983 training plan within ten days, so notify your designated school official immediately when an offer is confirmed.
Which types of employers sponsor AI Research Engineer roles most reliably?
Large technology companies with dedicated AI divisions, semiconductor firms, cloud infrastructure providers, defense contractors, and academic medical centers with research arms are the most consistent sponsors. Universities and federally funded research centers are especially valuable because they are H-1B cap-exempt, meaning no lottery. Startups can and do sponsor, but their immigration infrastructure varies widely. Migrate Mate filters AI Research Engineer roles by sponsorship availability so you can identify employers already filing petitions in this category.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored AI Research Engineer jobs?
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.
See which AI Research Engineer employers are hiring and sponsoring visas right now.
Search AI Research Engineer Jobs