Research And Development Engineer Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
Research and development engineers are strong candidates for H-1B visa and O-1 visa sponsorship. The role qualifies as a specialty occupation, typically requiring a bachelor's degree in engineering, materials science, or a related technical field. Large manufacturers, biotech firms, and defense contractors sponsor regularly. For detailed occupation requirements, see the O*NET profile.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
Control Risks is looking to hire an Online Threat Intelligence Researcher to support a major client of ours. This position will conduct open-source intelligence research to support our client's threat intelligence program. The role will provide open source intelligence support, focusing on Person of Interest research. OSINT analysts also support Executive Protection and employee, facility, event safety and security by providing persistent situational awareness research and support.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Monitor, triage, and assess high-volume intelligence alerts from OSINT and security platforms, identifying potential risks to employees.
- Conduct deeper-dive investigations into relevant threats and provide actionable insights to support incident response.
- Support response efforts for incidents impacting remote employees and travelers, including monitoring and communications during active events.
- Refine and optimize search queries and alerting frameworks to reduce noise and improve intelligence quality.
- Produce written reports outlining findings identified from threat monitoring and OSINT research.
- Partner closely with Corporate Security leadership to prioritize alerts, manage workload, and enhance intelligence processes.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- A bachelor’s degree in history, political science, international relations, intelligence analysis, criminal justice, regional studies, or a related discipline
- 1+ years of experience in intelligence, travel security, protective intelligence, security analysis, threat management, risk management or a related field
- Proven ability to accurately draw conclusions by synthesizing raw data and information from multiple, unrelated sources into a finished comprehensive product
- Practical knowledge of open-source intelligence collection and threat analysis.
- Ability to prepare concise written reports with strong attention to detail.
- Experience in directing, collecting, and analyzing information, including following leads, in order to produce timely and actionable intelligence.
- Practical knowledge of the deep and dark web threat landscape preferable.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Control Risks offers a competitively positioned compensation and benefits package that is transparent and summarized in the full job offer.
- We operate a discretionary bonus scheme that incentivizes, and rewards individuals based on company and individual performance.
- Control Risks supports hybrid working arrangements, wherever possible, that emphasize the value of in-person time together - in the office and with our clients - while continuing to support flexible and remote working.
- Medical Benefits, Prescription Benefits, FSA, Dental Benefits, Vision Benefits, Life and AD&D, Voluntary Life and AD&D, Disability Benefits, Voluntary Benefits, 401 (K) Retirement, Nationwide Pet Insurance, Employee Assistance Program.
COMPENSATION
The base salary range for this position is $80000-95000 per year. Exact compensation offered may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.
Control Risks is committed to a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age or veteran status. If you require any reasonable adjustments to be made in order to participate fully in the interview process, please let us know and we will be happy to accommodate your needs.
Control Risks participates in the E-Verify program to confirm employment authorization of all newly hired employees. The E-Verify process is completed during new hire onboarding and completion of the Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, at the start of employment. E-Verify is not used as a tool to pre-screen candidates. For more information on E-Verify, please visit www.uscis.gov.
INTRODUCTION
Control Risks is looking to hire an Online Threat Intelligence Researcher to support a major client of ours. This position will conduct open-source intelligence research to support our client's threat intelligence program. The role will provide open source intelligence support, focusing on Person of Interest research. OSINT analysts also support Executive Protection and employee, facility, event safety and security by providing persistent situational awareness research and support.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Monitor, triage, and assess high-volume intelligence alerts from OSINT and security platforms, identifying potential risks to employees.
- Conduct deeper-dive investigations into relevant threats and provide actionable insights to support incident response.
- Support response efforts for incidents impacting remote employees and travelers, including monitoring and communications during active events.
- Refine and optimize search queries and alerting frameworks to reduce noise and improve intelligence quality.
- Produce written reports outlining findings identified from threat monitoring and OSINT research.
- Partner closely with Corporate Security leadership to prioritize alerts, manage workload, and enhance intelligence processes.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- A bachelor’s degree in history, political science, international relations, intelligence analysis, criminal justice, regional studies, or a related discipline
- 1+ years of experience in intelligence, travel security, protective intelligence, security analysis, threat management, risk management or a related field
- Proven ability to accurately draw conclusions by synthesizing raw data and information from multiple, unrelated sources into a finished comprehensive product
- Practical knowledge of open-source intelligence collection and threat analysis.
- Ability to prepare concise written reports with strong attention to detail.
- Experience in directing, collecting, and analyzing information, including following leads, in order to produce timely and actionable intelligence.
- Practical knowledge of the deep and dark web threat landscape preferable.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Control Risks offers a competitively positioned compensation and benefits package that is transparent and summarized in the full job offer.
- We operate a discretionary bonus scheme that incentivizes, and rewards individuals based on company and individual performance.
- Control Risks supports hybrid working arrangements, wherever possible, that emphasize the value of in-person time together - in the office and with our clients - while continuing to support flexible and remote working.
- Medical Benefits, Prescription Benefits, FSA, Dental Benefits, Vision Benefits, Life and AD&D, Voluntary Life and AD&D, Disability Benefits, Voluntary Benefits, 401 (K) Retirement, Nationwide Pet Insurance, Employee Assistance Program.
COMPENSATION
The base salary range for this position is $80000-95000 per year. Exact compensation offered may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.
Control Risks is committed to a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age or veteran status. If you require any reasonable adjustments to be made in order to participate fully in the interview process, please let us know and we will be happy to accommodate your needs.
Control Risks participates in the E-Verify program to confirm employment authorization of all newly hired employees. The E-Verify process is completed during new hire onboarding and completion of the Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, at the start of employment. E-Verify is not used as a tool to pre-screen candidates. For more information on E-Verify, please visit www.uscis.gov.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Visa Sponsorship as a Research And Development Engineer
Target employers with active R&D budgets
Companies with dedicated research divisions file LCAs and H-1B petitions consistently. Defense contractors, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and semiconductor firms sponsor R&D engineers at higher rates than general engineering employers. Look for roles with "research" in the job posting title.
Align your degree to the specific R&D discipline
Specialty occupation approval depends on your degree matching the role's technical focus. A mechanical engineering degree supports product R&D; a chemistry degree supports materials research. Mismatched credentials are a common RFE trigger that can delay or derail your petition.
Document your research output before applying
Publications, patents, and conference presentations strengthen your H-1B petition and are essential for an O-1A application. Compile citations, co-author credits, and any awards before your employer files. USCIS weighs demonstrated research contributions heavily for this role category.
Understand the cap-exempt employer pathway
Universities, nonprofit research institutions, and certain government-affiliated labs are exempt from the H-1B lottery. If you're open to academic or institutional R&D roles, these employers can file at any time of year without waiting for the annual selection cycle.
Ask about O-1A eligibility if you have a strong research record
R&D engineers with peer-reviewed publications, patents, or industry awards may qualify for the O-1A extraordinary ability visa. It has no annual cap and no lottery. Employers who know your background can evaluate this pathway alongside the standard H-1B route.
Request premium processing when project timelines are tight
R&D project cycles often have hard start dates tied to funding or product milestones. Premium processing guarantees a USCIS decision within 15 business days. Discuss this with your employer during the offer stage, not after the petition is already filed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a research and development engineer role qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B purposes?
Yes. R&D engineer roles consistently qualify as specialty occupations because they require at least a bachelor's degree in a specific technical discipline such as mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, materials science, or electrical engineering. USCIS expects the degree field to correspond directly to the research domain. Roles where any general engineering degree satisfies the requirement can face scrutiny, so job descriptions should specify the technical discipline clearly.
What visa options exist for R&D engineers beyond the H-1B?
The O-1A visa is a strong alternative for engineers with a documented research record, including patents, publications, or industry awards. The L-1B visa applies if you're transferring within a multinational company and have specialized knowledge of proprietary R&D processes. Researchers at universities or nonprofit institutions can also pursue cap-exempt H-1B visa filings, bypassing the lottery entirely. Browse current openings by visa type on Migrate Mate to identify which employers are actively sponsoring.
How does a mismatched degree affect H-1B approval for R&D roles?
A degree outside the specific research domain is one of the most common reasons USCIS issues a Request for Evidence on R&D engineer petitions. If your degree is in a tangentially related field, your employer's attorney should prepare a detailed explanation of the connection. Relevant graduate coursework, certifications, or a master's degree in the target discipline can help bridge the gap. Without that documentation, approval odds drop meaningfully.
Are R&D engineering roles more likely to be sponsored by certain industries?
Yes. The highest concentrations of H-1B LCA filings for R&D engineering roles appear in semiconductor manufacturing, pharmaceutical and biotech R&D, aerospace and defense, and automotive systems development. Companies like Intel, Qualcomm, and major pharmaceutical manufacturers file regularly. Startups with venture-backed research programs also sponsor, though their petition volume is lower. Filtering by industry on Migrate Mate makes it easier to identify employers with consistent sponsorship history.
Can an R&D engineer on OPT work for an employer before the H-1B is approved?
Yes, if your OPT authorization is still valid and covers the start date of employment. STEM OPT extensions give eligible graduates up to 24 additional months of work authorization, which is often enough to bridge the gap through the H-1B lottery and approval cycle. Your employer must be enrolled in E-Verify to support a STEM OPT extension. Plan the timeline carefully with your DSO to avoid any gap between OPT expiration and H-1B activation.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored Research And Development 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.