Director of Research and Development Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
Director of Research and Development roles consistently qualify as specialty occupations for H-1B visa sponsorship, given the advanced degree requirements in engineering, life sciences, or a related technical field. Many employers also pursue EB-2 or EB-3 green card sponsorship for these positions, recognizing the long-term retention value of senior R&D leadership.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
Accelerate the possible by joining a winning Amcor team that’s transforming the packaging industry and improving lives around the world. At Amcor, we unpack possibility through our innovative and responsible packaging to provide solutions that benefit our customers, our people and our planet. More than 10,000 consumers worldwide encounter our products every second and rely on us for safe access to food, medicine and other goods. We value their trust by making safety our guiding principle. It’s our core value and integral to how we do business.
Beyond this core principle, our shared values and behaviors unite us as we work together to elevate customers, shape lives and protect the future. We champion our customers and help them succeed. We play to win – adapting quickly in an everchanging world – and make smart choices to safeguard our business, our communities and the people we serve for generations to come. And we invest in our world-class team, empowering our colleagues to unpack their potential, because we believe when our people grow, so does our business.
JOB DESCRIPTION
At Amcor, innovation is at the center of how we create value for customers and drive sustainable growth. As Director, R&D Operations and Innovation, you will play a key leadership role in shaping and advancing our global innovation agenda.
In this role, you will lead the development and execution of differentiated technologies, products, and capabilities that strengthen Amcor's competitive position. Working across R&D, commercial, marketing, operations, and business teams, you will identify opportunities, translate market and customer needs into actionable innovation strategies, and guide programs from concept through commercialization.
You will help create alignment across regions, build organizational capability, and establish the processes, tools, and governance needed to deliver innovation efficiently and consistently. This role combines strategic leadership, technical expertise, and business acumen to accelerate growth, improve performance, and deliver value for customers worldwide.
Strategy, Portfolio Management & R&D Operations:
- Partner with technical, commercial, and business leaders to define and execute a global R&D operations strategy aligned to growth priorities and customer needs.
- Balance short-, medium-, and long-term innovation investments through effective portfolio management and prioritization.
- Establish clear objectives, resource plans, and operating rhythms that advance both innovation and business goals.
- Drive continuous improvement across R&D processes, capabilities, and ways of working.
Innovation, Technology Development & Commercialization:
- Lead the development and commercialization of new technologies, materials, products, and platforms that create customer value and support business growth.
- Translate customer, consumer, and market insights into technology roadmaps, development priorities, and business cases.
- Leverage existing technologies, best practices, and global expertise to accelerate speed-to-market and improve commercialization success.
- Guide innovation programs from concept through launch while supporting effective transitions into business ownership and ongoing operations.
Governance, Tools & Business Performance:
- Develop and implement processes, tools, metrics, dashboards, and governance frameworks that improve visibility, decision-making, and execution.
- Monitor portfolio and project performance, ensuring initiatives remain aligned with strategic objectives and business outcomes.
- Promote data-driven decision-making and continuous improvement across the organization.
- Strengthen quality, knowledge-sharing, and feedback mechanisms to improve technical and operational effectiveness.
Cross-Functional & External Collaboration:
- Serve as a trusted technical and business partner across marketing, commercial, operations, procurement, and R&D teams.
- Collaborate with customers, suppliers, universities, research institutions, and technology partners to identify and advance emerging opportunities.
- Represent the organization in customer and partner interactions, helping address technical challenges and support business objectives.
- Foster strong collaboration across regions to share expertise, capabilities, and best practices.
Global Leadership & Capability Building:
- Participate as a member of the Global R&D extended leadership team, helping shape innovation priorities and long-term capability strategies.
- Lead the global R&D Operations team and provide matrix leadership across regional and business-group R&D organizations.
- Build high-performing teams by developing talent, encouraging collaboration, and creating opportunities for growth.
- Champion a culture of innovation, accountability, continuous improvement, and knowledge sharing.
Financial & Resource Leadership:
- Manage budgets, resources, and investments to ensure alignment with the highest-value business and innovation priorities.
- Evaluate trade-offs and allocate resources effectively across innovation, commercialization, operational support, and continuous improvement activities.
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Materials Science, Packaging, Chemistry, Polymer Science, or a related technical field required.
- Advanced technical degree and/or MBA preferred.
- 10+ years of progressive experience in R&D, product development, innovation, engineering, or technical operations within a manufacturing, industrial, packaging, consumer goods, or related environment.
- Up to 50% travel.
- Experience leading global or multi-regional technical teams, including direct team leadership and matrix leadership across functions and business groups.
- Demonstrated success developing and commercializing innovative products, technologies, processes, or platforms that deliver measurable business results.
- Solid ability to connect customer, market, and business needs with technical strategies and execution plans.
- Experience managing budgets, resource allocation, and investment priorities across multiple initiatives.
- Working knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, or other continuous improvement methodologies; certification preferred.
- Experience collaborating with external partners, including customers, suppliers, universities, research organizations, and technology providers.
- Solid communication, influencing, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to engage effectively across technical and non-technical audiences.
OUR EXPECTATIONS
We expect our people to be guided by The Amcor Way and demonstrate our Values every day to enable the business to win. We are winning when:
- Our people are engaged and developing as part of a high-performing Amcor team
- Our customers grow and prosper from Amcor’s quality, service, and innovation
- Our investors benefit from Amcor’s consistent growth and superior returns
- The environment is better off because of Amcor’s leadership and products
Equal Opportunity Employer/Minorities/Females/Disabled/Veterans/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity
Amcor is an Equal Opportunity Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
If you would like more information about your EEO rights as an applicant under the law, please click on the "Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal" Poster. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please call 224-313-7000 and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.
E-Verify
We verify the identity and employment authorization of individuals hired for employment in the United States.
BENEFITS
When you join Amcor, you will have access to a comprehensive benefits and compensation package that includes:
- Medical, dental and vision plans
- Flexible time off, starting at 80 hours paid time per year for full-time salaried employees
- Company-paid holidays starting at 8 days per year and may vary by location
- Wellbeing program & Employee Assistance Program
- Health Savings Account/Flexible Spending Account
- Life insurance, AD&D, short-term & long-term disability, and voluntary benefits
- Paid Parental Leave
- Retirement Savings Plan with company match
- Tuition Reimbursement (dependent upon approval)
- Discretionary annual bonus program (initial eligibility dependent upon hire date)
INTRODUCTION
Accelerate the possible by joining a winning Amcor team that’s transforming the packaging industry and improving lives around the world. At Amcor, we unpack possibility through our innovative and responsible packaging to provide solutions that benefit our customers, our people and our planet. More than 10,000 consumers worldwide encounter our products every second and rely on us for safe access to food, medicine and other goods. We value their trust by making safety our guiding principle. It’s our core value and integral to how we do business.
Beyond this core principle, our shared values and behaviors unite us as we work together to elevate customers, shape lives and protect the future. We champion our customers and help them succeed. We play to win – adapting quickly in an everchanging world – and make smart choices to safeguard our business, our communities and the people we serve for generations to come. And we invest in our world-class team, empowering our colleagues to unpack their potential, because we believe when our people grow, so does our business.
JOB DESCRIPTION
At Amcor, innovation is at the center of how we create value for customers and drive sustainable growth. As Director, R&D Operations and Innovation, you will play a key leadership role in shaping and advancing our global innovation agenda.
In this role, you will lead the development and execution of differentiated technologies, products, and capabilities that strengthen Amcor's competitive position. Working across R&D, commercial, marketing, operations, and business teams, you will identify opportunities, translate market and customer needs into actionable innovation strategies, and guide programs from concept through commercialization.
You will help create alignment across regions, build organizational capability, and establish the processes, tools, and governance needed to deliver innovation efficiently and consistently. This role combines strategic leadership, technical expertise, and business acumen to accelerate growth, improve performance, and deliver value for customers worldwide.
Strategy, Portfolio Management & R&D Operations:
- Partner with technical, commercial, and business leaders to define and execute a global R&D operations strategy aligned to growth priorities and customer needs.
- Balance short-, medium-, and long-term innovation investments through effective portfolio management and prioritization.
- Establish clear objectives, resource plans, and operating rhythms that advance both innovation and business goals.
- Drive continuous improvement across R&D processes, capabilities, and ways of working.
Innovation, Technology Development & Commercialization:
- Lead the development and commercialization of new technologies, materials, products, and platforms that create customer value and support business growth.
- Translate customer, consumer, and market insights into technology roadmaps, development priorities, and business cases.
- Leverage existing technologies, best practices, and global expertise to accelerate speed-to-market and improve commercialization success.
- Guide innovation programs from concept through launch while supporting effective transitions into business ownership and ongoing operations.
Governance, Tools & Business Performance:
- Develop and implement processes, tools, metrics, dashboards, and governance frameworks that improve visibility, decision-making, and execution.
- Monitor portfolio and project performance, ensuring initiatives remain aligned with strategic objectives and business outcomes.
- Promote data-driven decision-making and continuous improvement across the organization.
- Strengthen quality, knowledge-sharing, and feedback mechanisms to improve technical and operational effectiveness.
Cross-Functional & External Collaboration:
- Serve as a trusted technical and business partner across marketing, commercial, operations, procurement, and R&D teams.
- Collaborate with customers, suppliers, universities, research institutions, and technology partners to identify and advance emerging opportunities.
- Represent the organization in customer and partner interactions, helping address technical challenges and support business objectives.
- Foster strong collaboration across regions to share expertise, capabilities, and best practices.
Global Leadership & Capability Building:
- Participate as a member of the Global R&D extended leadership team, helping shape innovation priorities and long-term capability strategies.
- Lead the global R&D Operations team and provide matrix leadership across regional and business-group R&D organizations.
- Build high-performing teams by developing talent, encouraging collaboration, and creating opportunities for growth.
- Champion a culture of innovation, accountability, continuous improvement, and knowledge sharing.
Financial & Resource Leadership:
- Manage budgets, resources, and investments to ensure alignment with the highest-value business and innovation priorities.
- Evaluate trade-offs and allocate resources effectively across innovation, commercialization, operational support, and continuous improvement activities.
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Materials Science, Packaging, Chemistry, Polymer Science, or a related technical field required.
- Advanced technical degree and/or MBA preferred.
- 10+ years of progressive experience in R&D, product development, innovation, engineering, or technical operations within a manufacturing, industrial, packaging, consumer goods, or related environment.
- Up to 50% travel.
- Experience leading global or multi-regional technical teams, including direct team leadership and matrix leadership across functions and business groups.
- Demonstrated success developing and commercializing innovative products, technologies, processes, or platforms that deliver measurable business results.
- Solid ability to connect customer, market, and business needs with technical strategies and execution plans.
- Experience managing budgets, resource allocation, and investment priorities across multiple initiatives.
- Working knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, or other continuous improvement methodologies; certification preferred.
- Experience collaborating with external partners, including customers, suppliers, universities, research organizations, and technology providers.
- Solid communication, influencing, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to engage effectively across technical and non-technical audiences.
OUR EXPECTATIONS
We expect our people to be guided by The Amcor Way and demonstrate our Values every day to enable the business to win. We are winning when:
- Our people are engaged and developing as part of a high-performing Amcor team
- Our customers grow and prosper from Amcor’s quality, service, and innovation
- Our investors benefit from Amcor’s consistent growth and superior returns
- The environment is better off because of Amcor’s leadership and products
Equal Opportunity Employer/Minorities/Females/Disabled/Veterans/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity
Amcor is an Equal Opportunity Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
If you would like more information about your EEO rights as an applicant under the law, please click on the "Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal" Poster. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please call 224-313-7000 and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.
E-Verify
We verify the identity and employment authorization of individuals hired for employment in the United States.
BENEFITS
When you join Amcor, you will have access to a comprehensive benefits and compensation package that includes:
- Medical, dental and vision plans
- Flexible time off, starting at 80 hours paid time per year for full-time salaried employees
- Company-paid holidays starting at 8 days per year and may vary by location
- Wellbeing program & Employee Assistance Program
- Health Savings Account/Flexible Spending Account
- Life insurance, AD&D, short-term & long-term disability, and voluntary benefits
- Paid Parental Leave
- Retirement Savings Plan with company match
- Tuition Reimbursement (dependent upon approval)
- Discretionary annual bonus program (initial eligibility dependent upon hire date)
See all 124+ Director of Research and Development Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Director of Research and Development roles.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Director of Research and Development Jobs
Document your technical leadership scope clearly
Your USCIS petition must establish that the Director of R&D role requires a specific bachelor's degree or higher in a directly related field. Pull language from published job postings at comparable companies to show this is an industry-wide standard, not just your employer's preference.
Use O*NET to anchor your specialty occupation case
O*NET profiles the Director of R&D occupation and lists the degree fields most closely associated with it. Your employer's immigration attorney can cite this to preempt a Request for Evidence challenging whether the role qualifies as a specialty occupation under USCIS standards.
Find sponsors with active R&D LCA filing history
Target employers who have already certified Labor Condition Applications for R&D director-level roles. Migrate Mate shows verified sponsorship history by role and location, so you can identify companies already set up to handle senior technical hires without an internal legal learning curve.
Expect PERM to take longer for director-level roles
Green card sponsorship through PERM requires your employer to run a supervised recruitment campaign proving no qualified U.S. workers are available. For director roles, this often draws more applicants and extends the process well beyond the typical DOL certification timeline, so start PERM discussions early.
Verify prevailing wage tier before accepting an offer
Director of R&D roles typically fall under wage Level III or IV in OFLC Wage Search. If your offered salary sits below the prevailing wage for your location and job title, your employer can't lawfully file the LCA, which blocks H-1B sponsorship before it starts.
Align your publication and patent record with EB-2 NIW criteria
If your R&D work has national scope, a National Interest Waiver lets you self-petition for an EB-2 green card without employer sponsorship. USCIS weighs peer-reviewed publications, patents, and demonstrable impact on a field when evaluating whether your work meets the national importance standard.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Director of Research and Development role qualify for H-1B sponsorship?
Yes, in most cases. USCIS classifies roles as specialty occupations when they require at least a bachelor's degree in a directly related field. Director of R&D positions typically require an advanced degree in engineering, computer science, biology, chemistry, or a related discipline, which satisfies this standard. Your employer confirms the degree requirement in the Labor Condition Application.
What degree do you need for an employer to sponsor an R&D Director on an H-1B?
USCIS requires that the role normally demand a bachelor's degree or higher in a specific field, not just any degree. For R&D Director roles, that field should directly relate to the technical area your team works in, such as biomedical engineering, materials science, or computer engineering. A general management degree alone is unlikely to satisfy the specialty occupation requirement without supporting field-specific credentials.
Can a Director of Research and Development get green card sponsorship?
Yes, and it's common at this level. Employers typically sponsor through EB-2, which requires an advanced degree or exceptional ability, or EB-3 for skilled workers. Some R&D directors with significant research impact qualify for a National Interest Waiver under EB-2, which allows self-petitioning without employer-initiated PERM labor certification. Country of birth affects wait times substantially for India and China nationals.
How do I find employers who actively sponsor R&D Director roles?
Migrate Mate lists employers with verified sponsorship history for senior technical and R&D positions, searchable by role and location. This lets you focus your search on companies that have already navigated the LCA and H-1B process for comparable roles, rather than approaching employers who may be unfamiliar with sponsoring at the director level.
Does an H-1B transfer work for Director of R&D roles when switching employers?
Yes. If you're already in H-1B status, you can begin working for a new employer once the new I-129 petition is filed with USCIS, without waiting for approval. The new employer must file a fresh LCA at the prevailing wage for the new location and role. Any significant change in job duties or location requires the employer to file an amended petition before you begin those duties.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored Director of Research and Development 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.