Research Administrator Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
Research Administrator roles at universities, hospitals, and research institutes regularly sponsor H-1B visa and TN visas for qualified candidates. The work qualifies as a specialty occupation, and many institutions are cap-exempt H-1B employers, meaning your petition bypasses the annual lottery entirely.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
Under the general direction of the Manager/Director, this individual contributor provides overall management of a Department/Division/Program/PI research portfolio in partnership with Principal Investigators to ensure compliance and successful completion of research activities. Independently performs complex pre-award and post-award functions for all federal and/or state grant funds, private foundation grants, subcontracts, discretionary and endowment funds, and/or any other sponsored funds. May participate in strategic planning for Department/Division/Program. Acts as a consultant to and advisor of Principal Investigators regarding proposal and budget preparation, interpretation of sponsor guidelines and regulations, and problem resolution. Manages and oversees the grant application process, ensuring overall compliance and timely submission. Establishes departmental policies, systems and procedures to monitor research purchases and day-to-day spending. Performs financial analysis on grants including but not limited to forecasting and communicating results to Principal Investigators. May oversee departmental administration of effort reporting and ensures timely submission of completed effort reports. Collaborates with Department Administrator and appropriate Boston Children’s central administrative offices to represent the needs of the Research Faculty. This position has signature authority on restricted funds. May involve training and/or mentoring less experienced Research Administrators.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Coordinates and/or performs pre-award functions such as assisting Principal Investigators in completion of grant proposals including budget development, drafting administrative sections, collecting materials, and obtaining institutional review/approval.
- Oversees/performs post-award functions such as allocation of research labor costs across funding sources consistent with level of research effort.
- Coordinates departmental research effort reporting and ensures timely submission certified effort reports, and may approve purchase requisitions in compliance with sponsor and institutional guidelines.
- Use institutional resources to maintain department records of grant awards and agreements.
- May help research staff identify sources of funding by maintaining knowledge of agency programs and disseminating information to staff.
- Partners with appropriate institutional central offices to represent the needs of the research faculty and to resolve complex problems.
- Analyzes monthly expenses and overall status of each grant, processing necessary corrections through appropriate channels.
- Reviews departmental processes and procedures to ensure compliance. Works with the Department Administrators and Principal Investigators to develop annual budgets and forecasts. Reconciles monthly expense variances between hospital financial systems and budgets.
- Forecasts funds over/under expenditures and provide monthly status reports to the Principal Investigators.
- Performs other financial analysis as needed. Includes preparation and submission of annual progress reports. Ensures timely renewal of grant and subcontracts and/or orderly closeout of completed sponsored activities.
- Attends meetings, institutional and/or industry training/conferences to keep skills current and knowledge up-to-date on sponsor regulations, Hospital policies, and emerging technologies.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Education:
A high school diploma or GED; a bachelor's degree is preferred.
Experience
Bachelor’s degree and 4 years of research administrative experience required OR 6 years of research administrative experience.
STATUS
Full-Time
Regular, Temporary, Per Diem
Regular
STANDARD HOURS PER WEEK
40
PAY RANGE
$78540.80-$125652.80 Annual
OFFICE/SITE LOCATION
Brookline
JOB POSTING CATEGORY
Research
REMOTE ELIGIBILITY
Part Remote/Hybrid
Sr Research Administrator | Boston Childrens Hospital
INTRODUCTION
Under the general direction of the Manager/Director, this individual contributor provides overall management of a Department/Division/Program/PI research portfolio in partnership with Principal Investigators to ensure compliance and successful completion of research activities. Independently performs complex pre-award and post-award functions for all federal and/or state grant funds, private foundation grants, subcontracts, discretionary and endowment funds, and/or any other sponsored funds. May participate in strategic planning for Department/Division/Program. Acts as a consultant to and advisor of Principal Investigators regarding proposal and budget preparation, interpretation of sponsor guidelines and regulations, and problem resolution. Manages and oversees the grant application process, ensuring overall compliance and timely submission. Establishes departmental policies, systems and procedures to monitor research purchases and day-to-day spending. Performs financial analysis on grants including but not limited to forecasting and communicating results to Principal Investigators. May oversee departmental administration of effort reporting and ensures timely submission of completed effort reports. Collaborates with Department Administrator and appropriate Boston Children’s central administrative offices to represent the needs of the Research Faculty. This position has signature authority on restricted funds. May involve training and/or mentoring less experienced Research Administrators.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Coordinates and/or performs pre-award functions such as assisting Principal Investigators in completion of grant proposals including budget development, drafting administrative sections, collecting materials, and obtaining institutional review/approval.
- Oversees/performs post-award functions such as allocation of research labor costs across funding sources consistent with level of research effort.
- Coordinates departmental research effort reporting and ensures timely submission certified effort reports, and may approve purchase requisitions in compliance with sponsor and institutional guidelines.
- Use institutional resources to maintain department records of grant awards and agreements.
- May help research staff identify sources of funding by maintaining knowledge of agency programs and disseminating information to staff.
- Partners with appropriate institutional central offices to represent the needs of the research faculty and to resolve complex problems.
- Analyzes monthly expenses and overall status of each grant, processing necessary corrections through appropriate channels.
- Reviews departmental processes and procedures to ensure compliance. Works with the Department Administrators and Principal Investigators to develop annual budgets and forecasts. Reconciles monthly expense variances between hospital financial systems and budgets.
- Forecasts funds over/under expenditures and provide monthly status reports to the Principal Investigators.
- Performs other financial analysis as needed. Includes preparation and submission of annual progress reports. Ensures timely renewal of grant and subcontracts and/or orderly closeout of completed sponsored activities.
- Attends meetings, institutional and/or industry training/conferences to keep skills current and knowledge up-to-date on sponsor regulations, Hospital policies, and emerging technologies.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Education:
A high school diploma or GED; a bachelor's degree is preferred.
Experience
Bachelor’s degree and 4 years of research administrative experience required OR 6 years of research administrative experience.
STATUS
Full-Time
Regular, Temporary, Per Diem
Regular
STANDARD HOURS PER WEEK
40
PAY RANGE
$78540.80-$125652.80 Annual
OFFICE/SITE LOCATION
Brookline
JOB POSTING CATEGORY
Research
REMOTE ELIGIBILITY
Part Remote/Hybrid
Sr Research Administrator | Boston Childrens Hospital
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Visa Sponsorship as a Research Administrator
Target cap-exempt institutions from the start
Universities, nonprofit research organizations, and affiliated hospitals file H-1B petitions outside the annual cap and lottery. Focusing your search on these employers removes the biggest timing variable from your sponsorship path.
Document your grant management credentials specifically
Employers filing an H-1B LCA for a Research Administrator need to show specialty occupation. Compile evidence that your role requires a directly related bachelor's degree, such as sponsored project management, compliance reporting, or federal grant administration experience.
Check prevailing wage tiers before accepting an offer
Use the OFLC Wage Search to verify which wage level your offer falls under before signing. Research Administrators hired at Level I may face LCA scrutiny if the duties more closely match a Level II or III position.
Use Migrate Mate to find verified sponsoring employers
Filter your job search to institutions with confirmed LCA sponsorship history for Research Administrator roles. Migrate Mate shows employers with verified DOL filing records, so you're not guessing which institutions will sponsor before you apply.
Clarify PERM timing if a green card is part of your plan
Many academic institutions sponsor EB-2 or EB-3 green cards for Research Administrators through PERM. Ask during the offer stage whether the employer has an established process and typical timeline, since PERM recruitment can take six to twelve months before the petition is even filed.
Get your degree equivalency assessed before interviews
If you completed a three-year bachelor's degree outside the U.S., have a credential evaluation completed before your first interview. USCIS requires that the degree be equivalent to a U.S. four-year bachelor's in a directly related field for specialty occupation approval.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Research Administrator role qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B purposes?
Yes, in most cases. USCIS evaluates specialty occupation based on whether the role normally requires at least a bachelor's degree in a directly related field. Research Administrator positions focused on sponsored project compliance, federal grant administration, or research regulatory affairs typically satisfy this standard. Roles that accept any bachelor's degree regardless of field face more scrutiny, so the job description language matters.
Are Research Administrator jobs at universities cap-exempt for H-1B?
Universities and their affiliated nonprofit research entities are cap-exempt employers under the H-1B program. This means your petition is not subject to the 65,000 regular cap or the 20,000 advanced degree exemption, and there is no lottery. Your employer can file at any point in the year and USCIS will adjudicate the petition directly, making the sponsorship timeline far more predictable than at a cap-subject employer.
What degree background do Research Administrator employers typically require for visa sponsorship?
Most sponsored Research Administrator postings require a bachelor's degree in a field such as public administration, business administration, life sciences, health administration, or a related discipline. Some institutions prefer candidates with an MPA, MBA, or a master's in research administration. The key for USCIS purposes is that the degree requirement is specific to the field, not a general four-year degree in any subject.
Can Canadian or Mexican nationals get a TN visa for Research Administrator roles?
TN status covers only professions explicitly listed under the USMCA agreement, and Research Administrator is not a named TN category. Canadian or Mexican nationals would generally need to pursue H-1B sponsorship or, if the institution qualifies, explore J-1 visa exchange visitor status through a designated sponsor organization. The H-1B route at a cap-exempt institution is the most direct path for this role.
Where can I find Research Administrator jobs where employers are actively sponsoring visas?
Migrate Mate lists Research Administrator positions at employers with verified sponsorship history, so you can focus your applications on institutions that have already committed to the LCA and H-1B filing process. This saves significant time compared to applying broadly and discovering sponsorship availability only after a screening call.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored Research Administrator 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.