R D Engineer Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
R&D Engineer roles are among the most consistently sponsored positions in the U.S., with employers regularly filing H-1B visa and O-1 visa petitions for candidates with specialized engineering or science degrees. Most openings require at least a bachelor's in a relevant technical field. For detailed occupation requirements, see the O*NET profile.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. Our 115,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.
Working at Abbott
At Abbott, you can do work that matters, grow, and learn, care for yourself and your family, be your true self, and live a full life. You’ll also have access to:
- Career development with an international company where you can grow the career you dream of.
- Employees can qualify for free medical coverage in our Health Investment Plan (HIP) PPO medical plan in the next calendar year.
- An excellent retirement savings plan with a high employer contribution.
- Tuition reimbursement, the Freedom 2 Save student debt program, and FreeU education benefit - an affordable and convenient path to getting a bachelor’s degree.
- A company recognized as a great place to work in dozens of countries worldwide and named one of the most admired companies in the world by Fortune.
- A company that is recognized as one of the best big companies to work for as well as the best place to work for diversity, working mothers, female executives, and scientists.
THE OPPORTUNITY
This position works out of our Menlo Park, CA location in the SH division.
Structural Heart Business Mission: Why We Exist.
Our business purpose is to restore health and improve quality of life by designing and providing device and management solutions for treating structural heart disease.
As the Senior R&D Engineer, you will be responsible for providing mechanical engineering support in the creation and the development of new medical device products (invasive and non-invasive).
WHAT YOU’LL WORK ON
- Researches, develops, designs, and evaluates mechanical and electro-mechanical materials, components, assemblies, processes and/or equipment.
- Conducts feasibility studies to verify capability and functionality.
- Develops new concepts from initial design to market release.
- Directs support personnel and coordinates project activities.
- Write and submit intellectual property (patents).
- Maintains detailed documentation throughout all phases of research and development.
- Investigates and evaluates existing technologies.
- Reviews or coordinates vendor activities to support development.
- Establishes and cultivates an extensive network of support to facilitate completion of assignments.
- Participates in the development of less experienced staff by setting an example, providing guidance and work direction, and offering counsel.
- May lead a project team.
- Participates in determining goals and objectives for projects.
- Influences middle management on technical or business solutions.
- May interact with vendors.
- Plans and organizes non-routine tasks w/approval.
- Initiates or maintains work schedule.
- Establishes priorities of work assignments.
- Exercises judgment in selecting innovative, practical methods to achieve problem resolution.
- Failure to obtain results or erroneous decisions or recommendations would typically result in serious program delays and considerable expenditure of resources.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelors Degree in related field and/or an equivalent combination of education and work experience.
- Masters Degree preferred.
- Minimum 6 years related work experience with a strong understanding of specified functional area.
- Wide application of technical principles, practices, and procedures.
- Experience with CAD.
- Experience with GD&T.
- Strong understanding of business unit function and cross group dependencies/relationships.
- Will perform this job in a quality system environment.
- Failure to adequately perform tasks can result in noncompliance with governmental regulations.
- Works on problems of diverse scope where analysis of data requires evaluation of identifiable factors.
- Exercises judgment within generally defined practices and policies in selecting methods and techniques for obtaining solutions.
- Has a sound knowledge of various technical alternatives and their impact.
COMPENSATION
- The base pay for this position is $90,000.00 – $180,000.00. In specific locations, the pay range may vary from the range posted.
Learn more about our health and wellness benefits, which provide the security to help you and your family live full lives: www.abbottbenefits.com
Follow your career aspirations to Abbott for diverse opportunities with a company that can help you build your future and live your best life. Abbott is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to employee diversity.
INTRODUCTION
Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. Our 115,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.
Working at Abbott
At Abbott, you can do work that matters, grow, and learn, care for yourself and your family, be your true self, and live a full life. You’ll also have access to:
- Career development with an international company where you can grow the career you dream of.
- Employees can qualify for free medical coverage in our Health Investment Plan (HIP) PPO medical plan in the next calendar year.
- An excellent retirement savings plan with a high employer contribution.
- Tuition reimbursement, the Freedom 2 Save student debt program, and FreeU education benefit - an affordable and convenient path to getting a bachelor’s degree.
- A company recognized as a great place to work in dozens of countries worldwide and named one of the most admired companies in the world by Fortune.
- A company that is recognized as one of the best big companies to work for as well as the best place to work for diversity, working mothers, female executives, and scientists.
THE OPPORTUNITY
This position works out of our Menlo Park, CA location in the SH division.
Structural Heart Business Mission: Why We Exist.
Our business purpose is to restore health and improve quality of life by designing and providing device and management solutions for treating structural heart disease.
As the Senior R&D Engineer, you will be responsible for providing mechanical engineering support in the creation and the development of new medical device products (invasive and non-invasive).
WHAT YOU’LL WORK ON
- Researches, develops, designs, and evaluates mechanical and electro-mechanical materials, components, assemblies, processes and/or equipment.
- Conducts feasibility studies to verify capability and functionality.
- Develops new concepts from initial design to market release.
- Directs support personnel and coordinates project activities.
- Write and submit intellectual property (patents).
- Maintains detailed documentation throughout all phases of research and development.
- Investigates and evaluates existing technologies.
- Reviews or coordinates vendor activities to support development.
- Establishes and cultivates an extensive network of support to facilitate completion of assignments.
- Participates in the development of less experienced staff by setting an example, providing guidance and work direction, and offering counsel.
- May lead a project team.
- Participates in determining goals and objectives for projects.
- Influences middle management on technical or business solutions.
- May interact with vendors.
- Plans and organizes non-routine tasks w/approval.
- Initiates or maintains work schedule.
- Establishes priorities of work assignments.
- Exercises judgment in selecting innovative, practical methods to achieve problem resolution.
- Failure to obtain results or erroneous decisions or recommendations would typically result in serious program delays and considerable expenditure of resources.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelors Degree in related field and/or an equivalent combination of education and work experience.
- Masters Degree preferred.
- Minimum 6 years related work experience with a strong understanding of specified functional area.
- Wide application of technical principles, practices, and procedures.
- Experience with CAD.
- Experience with GD&T.
- Strong understanding of business unit function and cross group dependencies/relationships.
- Will perform this job in a quality system environment.
- Failure to adequately perform tasks can result in noncompliance with governmental regulations.
- Works on problems of diverse scope where analysis of data requires evaluation of identifiable factors.
- Exercises judgment within generally defined practices and policies in selecting methods and techniques for obtaining solutions.
- Has a sound knowledge of various technical alternatives and their impact.
COMPENSATION
- The base pay for this position is $90,000.00 – $180,000.00. In specific locations, the pay range may vary from the range posted.
Learn more about our health and wellness benefits, which provide the security to help you and your family live full lives: www.abbottbenefits.com
Follow your career aspirations to Abbott for diverse opportunities with a company that can help you build your future and live your best life. Abbott is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to employee diversity.
See all 424+ R D Engineer Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new R D Engineer roles.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Visa Sponsorship as a R D Engineer
Target companies with active R&D budgets
Large technology, pharmaceutical, aerospace, and defense firms run dedicated R&D departments and sponsor visas regularly. These employers have established immigration infrastructure, making the sponsorship process faster and more predictable than smaller companies.
Align your degree field to the role
H-1B specialty occupation requires your degree to match the specific engineering or science discipline the job demands. A mechanical engineering degree supporting a materials R&D role is clean. A business degree for the same role creates avoidable USCIS scrutiny.
Document research contributions early
Patents, publications, conference presentations, and funded research projects strengthen both H-1B petitions and O-1 extraordinary ability cases. Start building this record now, it directly affects your sponsorship options later in your career.
Understand the H-1B lottery timeline
H-1B registration opens in March for an October 1 start date. If you need sponsorship by a specific date, work backward from there. Some R&D employers use cap-exempt institutions like universities and nonprofit research labs to avoid the lottery entirely.
Ask about cap-exempt employer options
Universities, nonprofit research organizations, and government-affiliated research labs are H-1B cap-exempt, meaning they can hire you any time of year without lottery risk. Many R&D Engineers build their U.S. careers this way before moving to private industry.
Highlight specialized technical skills in applications
Niche expertise in areas like semiconductor fabrication, biomedical device development, or advanced materials gives employers stronger grounds for sponsorship. Generalist profiles are harder to sponsor. The more specialized your skill set, the clearer the specialty occupation case.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do R&D Engineer roles qualify for H-1B sponsorship?
Yes. R&D Engineer positions are well-established specialty occupations under USCIS criteria because they routinely require at least a bachelor's degree in a specific engineering or scientific discipline. Roles in fields like electrical, chemical, mechanical, or biomedical engineering have strong approval histories. Employers must demonstrate the role requires theoretical and practical application of highly specialized knowledge, which most R&D positions satisfy clearly.
What degree do I need for an R&D Engineer visa sponsorship?
Most H-1B visa petitions for R&D Engineer roles require a bachelor's degree or higher in a directly related field, such as electrical engineering, materials science, chemistry, or physics. The degree field must logically connect to the specific research the role involves. A master's or Ph.D. strengthens the case considerably and is often expected for senior R&D positions at research-intensive employers.
Can R&D Engineers use the O-1 visa instead of H-1B?
Yes, and it's worth considering seriously. The O-1A visa for extraordinary ability has no annual cap and no lottery, making it accessible year-round. R&D Engineers with patents, peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, significant research grants, or membership in selective professional organizations often meet the criteria. The evidentiary bar is high, but candidates with a strong research record are well-positioned to qualify.
Which types of employers sponsor R&D Engineer visas most often?
Large technology companies, pharmaceutical and biotech firms, aerospace and defense contractors, semiconductor manufacturers, and automotive OEMs are the most active sponsors. National laboratories and university research departments are also strong options since they're H-1B cap-exempt. To find employers currently hiring sponsored R&D Engineers, browse Migrate Mate, which filters specifically for visa-sponsoring companies.
Does a 3-year bachelor's degree qualify for H-1B sponsorship as an R&D Engineer?
It depends on the country and how USCIS evaluates equivalency. A three-year bachelor's from an Australian or Indian university may be accepted as equivalent to a U.S. four-year degree, but USCIS makes this determination case by case. A credential evaluation from a NACES-member organization is strongly recommended. Some employers require their immigration attorneys to confirm equivalency before proceeding with the petition.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored R D 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.