Clinical Operations Director Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
Clinical Operations Directors oversee trial execution, site management, and regulatory compliance across drug development programs. Employers sponsor H-1B visa and O-1 visas for this role regularly. A graduate degree in a life sciences or clinical field strengthens both your candidacy and your visa petition substantially. For detailed occupation requirements, see the O*NET profile.
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Get Access To All JobsJob Summary
The OPS Research Laboratory Technician II provides entry level operation and maintenance of teaching laboratory facilities and equipment within the Department of Marine and Earth Sciences Hydrogeology Laboratory. Performs all procedures necessary to maintain a safe, uninterrupted work environment in accordance to departmental and national safety guidelines.
Job Description
Typical duties include, but are not limited to:
- Prepares and maintains laboratories facilities for teaching instruction.
- Prepares solvents, solutions, reagents, and apparatuses according to faculty guidelines.
- Maintains clean laboratories facilities. Responsible for set up and breakdown of equipment.
- Participates in environmental health and safety audits, maintains accurate records, and ensures compliance with safety regulations of science laboratories.
- Provides training on proper usage of laboratory equipment and safe laboratory practices including safe handling and disposal of biohazardous materials, and standard policies and protocols for reporting unusual events.
- Performs routine maintenance and inspections to ensure optimum calibration and condition of equipment.
- Maintains supplies for laboratory courses and replenish stocks of solvents, reagents, and solutions. Ensures chemicals are stored in the correct manner according to safety codes, regulations, and best practices.
- Maintains accurate records on equipment maintenance and acquisition of supplies.
- Performs genetic analyses on natural field collections and laboratory cultures.
- Assists in the development of laboratory standard operating procedures.
- Other job duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications
- BS or MS in Environmental Science or equivalent such as geology, marine science, or engineering.
- Experience in the field and laboratory settings conducting surface water and groundwater sampling, as well as water quality analyses.
- Experience operating a personal computer and proficient with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and Outlook).
- Experience working with ArcGIS software creating feature class and shapefiles for water quality geospatial interpretations.
- Data analysis experience working with R Programming language, JMP, and other statistical tools.
Preferred Qualifications
- Coursework in Hydrology, Hydrogeology.
- Laboratory experience in an academic setting.
- Basic working knowledge of dashboard data analytics.
All employees are expected to:
- Promote a common purpose consistent with University mission, vision, and values and demonstrate a commitment to students and the learning environment.
- Respond to supervision, guidance and direction in a positive and receptive manner.
- Conduct oneself in a manner consistent with the University’s standards of ethical conduct.
- Present a professional image in word, action and attire.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
- Knowledge of the use and maintenance of laboratory facilities and/or equipment.
- Knowledge of laboratory and experimental protocols and procedures.
- Knowledge of inventory control principles and methods.
- Knowledge of applicable safety standards, guidelines, and protocols.
- Strong interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills.
- Excellent organizational skills and an ability to prioritize and complete simultaneous projects within deadlines.
- Ability to prepare stock chemicals according to given standards.
- Ability to understand and follow directions.
- Ability to maintain records and perform basic mathematical calculations.
- Ability to work successfully as both a member of a team and independently with minimal supervision.
- Ability to collaborate with classroom instructors to ensure delivery of a quality laboratory experience to students in a laboratory/classroom setting.
- Ability to prepare and set-up appropriate laboratory materials and equipment for various laboratory activities.
- Ability to utilize, calibrate, configure and/or troubleshoot laboratory equipment and instruments.
- Able to work an irregular schedule as needed, including evenings and weekends, to accommodate field sampling.
Location: Main Campus
Time Type: Full time
Posted on: Posted Yesterday
Time left to apply: End Date: November 1, 2026 (30+ days left to apply)
Job Requisition ID: R0007912
FGCU is a State University System of Florida member and an Equal Opportunity and Equal Access employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.
Job Summary
The OPS Research Laboratory Technician II provides entry level operation and maintenance of teaching laboratory facilities and equipment within the Department of Marine and Earth Sciences Hydrogeology Laboratory. Performs all procedures necessary to maintain a safe, uninterrupted work environment in accordance to departmental and national safety guidelines.
Job Description
Typical duties include, but are not limited to:
- Prepares and maintains laboratories facilities for teaching instruction.
- Prepares solvents, solutions, reagents, and apparatuses according to faculty guidelines.
- Maintains clean laboratories facilities. Responsible for set up and breakdown of equipment.
- Participates in environmental health and safety audits, maintains accurate records, and ensures compliance with safety regulations of science laboratories.
- Provides training on proper usage of laboratory equipment and safe laboratory practices including safe handling and disposal of biohazardous materials, and standard policies and protocols for reporting unusual events.
- Performs routine maintenance and inspections to ensure optimum calibration and condition of equipment.
- Maintains supplies for laboratory courses and replenish stocks of solvents, reagents, and solutions. Ensures chemicals are stored in the correct manner according to safety codes, regulations, and best practices.
- Maintains accurate records on equipment maintenance and acquisition of supplies.
- Performs genetic analyses on natural field collections and laboratory cultures.
- Assists in the development of laboratory standard operating procedures.
- Other job duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications
- BS or MS in Environmental Science or equivalent such as geology, marine science, or engineering.
- Experience in the field and laboratory settings conducting surface water and groundwater sampling, as well as water quality analyses.
- Experience operating a personal computer and proficient with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and Outlook).
- Experience working with ArcGIS software creating feature class and shapefiles for water quality geospatial interpretations.
- Data analysis experience working with R Programming language, JMP, and other statistical tools.
Preferred Qualifications
- Coursework in Hydrology, Hydrogeology.
- Laboratory experience in an academic setting.
- Basic working knowledge of dashboard data analytics.
All employees are expected to:
- Promote a common purpose consistent with University mission, vision, and values and demonstrate a commitment to students and the learning environment.
- Respond to supervision, guidance and direction in a positive and receptive manner.
- Conduct oneself in a manner consistent with the University’s standards of ethical conduct.
- Present a professional image in word, action and attire.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
- Knowledge of the use and maintenance of laboratory facilities and/or equipment.
- Knowledge of laboratory and experimental protocols and procedures.
- Knowledge of inventory control principles and methods.
- Knowledge of applicable safety standards, guidelines, and protocols.
- Strong interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills.
- Excellent organizational skills and an ability to prioritize and complete simultaneous projects within deadlines.
- Ability to prepare stock chemicals according to given standards.
- Ability to understand and follow directions.
- Ability to maintain records and perform basic mathematical calculations.
- Ability to work successfully as both a member of a team and independently with minimal supervision.
- Ability to collaborate with classroom instructors to ensure delivery of a quality laboratory experience to students in a laboratory/classroom setting.
- Ability to prepare and set-up appropriate laboratory materials and equipment for various laboratory activities.
- Ability to utilize, calibrate, configure and/or troubleshoot laboratory equipment and instruments.
- Able to work an irregular schedule as needed, including evenings and weekends, to accommodate field sampling.
Location: Main Campus
Time Type: Full time
Posted on: Posted Yesterday
Time left to apply: End Date: November 1, 2026 (30+ days left to apply)
Job Requisition ID: R0007912
FGCU is a State University System of Florida member and an Equal Opportunity and Equal Access employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Clinical Operations Director Jobs
Lead with regulatory and trial management credentials
Employers filing H-1B petitions for Clinical Operations Directors need to justify specialty occupation status. ICH-GCP certification, FDA regulatory experience, and Phase II–III trial oversight make that case clearly and reduce the risk of a USCIS Request for Evidence.
Target sponsors with active IND or NDA pipelines
Biotechs and CROs with active investigational or new drug applications have the most urgent hiring need. Companies mid-trial can't afford gaps in clinical operations leadership, which makes them more willing to initiate or transfer a visa petition quickly.
Understand that your degree field matters as much as your level
USCIS expects a direct relationship between your degree and the role. A master's in clinical research, public health, or a biomedical field supports the petition more cleanly than an unrelated degree supplemented by experience alone, even for senior candidates.
Position O-1A as a parallel path if you have extraordinary credentials
Clinical Operations Directors with published research, named authorship on clinical trial protocols, or speaking records at major industry conferences may qualify for O-1A, which has no lottery and no cap. It's worth evaluating alongside H-1B before the registration window.
Demonstrate cross-functional scope in your application materials
Employers sponsoring this role want evidence you can own CRO relationships, manage IRB submissions, and align operations with regulatory timelines. Framing your resume around trial outcomes and site performance metrics makes the sponsorship conversation easier to initiate.
Start the H-1B conversation before an offer is finalized
H-1B cap-subject petitions can only be filed once per year, with a lottery in March and an October 1 start date. Raising sponsorship early lets employers plan around the timeline instead of treating it as a late obstacle that complicates the hire.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Clinical Operations Director role qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B purposes?
Yes, in most cases. USCIS evaluates whether the position normally requires a bachelor's degree or higher in a specific field. Clinical Operations Directors typically require degrees in life sciences, clinical research, nursing, or public health, and the role involves complex regulatory and scientific judgment that supports the specialty occupation standard. Sponsors should document these requirements clearly in the H-1B visa petition to reduce RFE risk.
What visa types do employers typically sponsor for Clinical Operations Directors?
H-1B is the most common path for Clinical Operations Directors hired from abroad. Employers with a demonstrated history of trial sponsorship sometimes also support O-1A petitions for candidates with exceptional credentials, such as authorship on published clinical protocols or regulatory guidance documents. TN visa classification is available for Canadian and Mexican nationals whose degree aligns with a qualifying USMCA occupation. Browse current openings on Migrate Mate to see which employers are actively sponsoring.
Does a three-year bachelor's degree qualify for an H-1B petition in this field?
It can, but the evaluation is case-by-case. USCIS accepts three-year degrees from recognized institutions when a credential evaluation confirms equivalency to a U.S. four-year bachelor's degree. For Clinical Operations Directors, a three-year life sciences degree paired with relevant postgraduate work or significant clinical trial experience is generally treated more favorably than a standalone three-year degree in an unrelated field.
How do CROs compare to pharmaceutical companies as H-1B sponsors for this role?
Both sponsor regularly, but the dynamic differs. Large pharmaceutical companies typically have established immigration programs and legal teams that handle petitions efficiently. CROs vary more widely. Some sponsor frequently due to high clinical headcount, while smaller CROs may be sponsoring for the first time. Either way, the strength of the petition depends more on how the role is documented than on the type of employer.
Can I transfer an existing H-1B to a new Clinical Operations Director role without starting over?
Yes. H-1B portability allows you to begin working for a new employer as soon as they file a transfer petition, without waiting for USCIS approval, provided you've maintained valid status. The new employer files a fresh I-129 petition describing the new role. If the job duties or degree requirements differ significantly from your original petition, the new employer should document the specialty occupation basis carefully.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored Clinical Operations Director 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.