Research Engineer Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
Research engineer visa sponsorship is common at tech companies, national labs, and R&D-focused organizations. Most positions qualify for H-1B visas since they require specialized engineering or computer science degrees. Many research roles also qualify for O-1 visas if you have significant publications or patents. For detailed occupation requirements, see the O*NET profile.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
Reality Labs Research (RL-R) brings together a diverse and highly interdisciplinary team of researchers and engineers to create the future of dexterous robotic manipulation. We are seeking a staff Research Engineer with deep expertise in software engineering, robotic systems integration, and machine learning. This role is highly interdisciplinary — you will own the end-to-end technical architecture spanning full-stack robotics development, deployment of learned control policies, and hands-on integration of robotic embodiments with human wearable sensing systems. As a staff individual contributor, you will set the technical direction for complex multi-disciplinary systems, drive innovations that bridge research and production, and mentor engineers across teams. You'll collaborate closely with researchers, engineers, and designers, leveraging cutting-edge technology and advanced research facilities.
RESEARCH ENGINEER ROBOTICS (SYSTEMS) RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Architect & Own Real-Time Robotic Systems: Design and maintain real-time dexterous manipulation pipelines that integrate perception, planning, and control across multiple robotic platforms. Drive architectural decisions that enable rapid research iteration at scale.
- Lead Data Capture & Retargeting Infrastructure: Architect motion capture integration, novel hardware prototypes, and human demonstration data collection systems. Build scalable processing pipelines for large multimodal datasets that enable efficient model training and real2sim transfer.
- Drive ML-Systems Integration: Deploy and iterate on learned control policies (imitation learning, MPC, reinforcement learning) within full robotic systems. Partner with research teams to bridge the gap between algorithmic advances and real-world system performance.
- Optimize Performance & System Reliability: Own runtime performance, debug complex system behaviors across the stack, and develop interactive demos and benchmarks that demonstrate research progress.
- Set Technical Direction: Identify and drive cross-cutting technical improvements. Influence roadmap and priorities through deep system understanding and proactive problem identification.
- Collaborate & Mentor Cross-Functionally: Work with diverse research and engineering teams to refine modules, drive end-to-end system improvements, and elevate the technical capabilities of the broader team.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, relevant technical field, or equivalent practical experience.
- 5+ years of experience in robotics engineering, including hands-on work with robotic platforms in industry or academic research settings.
- Demonstrated experience with machine learning systems in a robotics context (e.g., learned control policies, perception models, or ML-driven planning).
- Full-stack systems engineering experience designing, building, and maintaining large-scale software-hardware systems.
- Track record of driving complex, ambiguous technical projects from conception through delivery with minimal direction.
- Experience communicating technical decisions and system designs to cross-functional stakeholders across research and engineering functions (e.g., design documents, technical reviews, project proposals).
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Experience building and operating systems that bridge research exploration and reliable deployment.
- Background in computer vision, imitation learning, reinforcement learning, model-predictive control, or sim-to-real transfer.
- Demonstrated ongoing AI skill development (e.g., prompt/context engineering, agent orchestration) and staying current with emerging AI technologies.
- Experience in dexterous manipulation, learned robotic policy deployment, or control theory applied to real hardware.
- Experience designing data collection protocols and building high-quality ML datasets at scale.
- History of mentoring engineers and influencing technical direction beyond your immediate team.
- Deep familiarity with robotics frameworks (e.g., ROS/ROS2) and real-time robotic control systems.
- Experience adhering to and implementing responsible, ethical AI practices (e.g., risk assessment, bias mitigation, quality and accuracy reviews).
- Demonstrated ability to integrate AI tools to optimize/redesign workflows and drive measurable impact (e.g., efficiency gains, quality improvements).
ABOUT META:
Meta builds technologies that help people connect, find communities, and grow businesses. When Facebook launched in 2004, it changed the way people connect. Apps like Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp further empowered billions around the world. Now, Meta is moving beyond 2D screens toward immersive experiences like augmented and virtual reality to help build the next evolution in social technology. People who choose to build their careers by building with us at Meta help shape a future that will take us beyond what digital connection makes possible today—beyond the constraints of screens, the limits of distance, and even the rules of physics.
Meta is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, sexual stereotypes, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law. Meta participates in the E-Verify program in certain locations, as required by law. Please note that Meta may leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies in connection with applications for employment.
Meta is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities in our recruiting process. If you need any assistance or accommodations due to a disability, please let us know at accommodations-ext@meta.com.
COMPENSATION
- $183,997/year to $257,000/year + bonus + equity + benefits
Individual compensation is determined by skills, qualifications, experience, and location. Compensation details listed in this posting reflect the base hourly rate, monthly rate, or annual salary only, and do not include bonus, equity or sales incentives, if applicable. In addition to base compensation, Meta offers benefits. Learn more about benefits at Meta.
INTRODUCTION
Reality Labs Research (RL-R) brings together a diverse and highly interdisciplinary team of researchers and engineers to create the future of dexterous robotic manipulation. We are seeking a staff Research Engineer with deep expertise in software engineering, robotic systems integration, and machine learning. This role is highly interdisciplinary — you will own the end-to-end technical architecture spanning full-stack robotics development, deployment of learned control policies, and hands-on integration of robotic embodiments with human wearable sensing systems. As a staff individual contributor, you will set the technical direction for complex multi-disciplinary systems, drive innovations that bridge research and production, and mentor engineers across teams. You'll collaborate closely with researchers, engineers, and designers, leveraging cutting-edge technology and advanced research facilities.
RESEARCH ENGINEER ROBOTICS (SYSTEMS) RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Architect & Own Real-Time Robotic Systems: Design and maintain real-time dexterous manipulation pipelines that integrate perception, planning, and control across multiple robotic platforms. Drive architectural decisions that enable rapid research iteration at scale.
- Lead Data Capture & Retargeting Infrastructure: Architect motion capture integration, novel hardware prototypes, and human demonstration data collection systems. Build scalable processing pipelines for large multimodal datasets that enable efficient model training and real2sim transfer.
- Drive ML-Systems Integration: Deploy and iterate on learned control policies (imitation learning, MPC, reinforcement learning) within full robotic systems. Partner with research teams to bridge the gap between algorithmic advances and real-world system performance.
- Optimize Performance & System Reliability: Own runtime performance, debug complex system behaviors across the stack, and develop interactive demos and benchmarks that demonstrate research progress.
- Set Technical Direction: Identify and drive cross-cutting technical improvements. Influence roadmap and priorities through deep system understanding and proactive problem identification.
- Collaborate & Mentor Cross-Functionally: Work with diverse research and engineering teams to refine modules, drive end-to-end system improvements, and elevate the technical capabilities of the broader team.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, relevant technical field, or equivalent practical experience.
- 5+ years of experience in robotics engineering, including hands-on work with robotic platforms in industry or academic research settings.
- Demonstrated experience with machine learning systems in a robotics context (e.g., learned control policies, perception models, or ML-driven planning).
- Full-stack systems engineering experience designing, building, and maintaining large-scale software-hardware systems.
- Track record of driving complex, ambiguous technical projects from conception through delivery with minimal direction.
- Experience communicating technical decisions and system designs to cross-functional stakeholders across research and engineering functions (e.g., design documents, technical reviews, project proposals).
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Experience building and operating systems that bridge research exploration and reliable deployment.
- Background in computer vision, imitation learning, reinforcement learning, model-predictive control, or sim-to-real transfer.
- Demonstrated ongoing AI skill development (e.g., prompt/context engineering, agent orchestration) and staying current with emerging AI technologies.
- Experience in dexterous manipulation, learned robotic policy deployment, or control theory applied to real hardware.
- Experience designing data collection protocols and building high-quality ML datasets at scale.
- History of mentoring engineers and influencing technical direction beyond your immediate team.
- Deep familiarity with robotics frameworks (e.g., ROS/ROS2) and real-time robotic control systems.
- Experience adhering to and implementing responsible, ethical AI practices (e.g., risk assessment, bias mitigation, quality and accuracy reviews).
- Demonstrated ability to integrate AI tools to optimize/redesign workflows and drive measurable impact (e.g., efficiency gains, quality improvements).
ABOUT META:
Meta builds technologies that help people connect, find communities, and grow businesses. When Facebook launched in 2004, it changed the way people connect. Apps like Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp further empowered billions around the world. Now, Meta is moving beyond 2D screens toward immersive experiences like augmented and virtual reality to help build the next evolution in social technology. People who choose to build their careers by building with us at Meta help shape a future that will take us beyond what digital connection makes possible today—beyond the constraints of screens, the limits of distance, and even the rules of physics.
Meta is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, sexual stereotypes, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law. Meta participates in the E-Verify program in certain locations, as required by law. Please note that Meta may leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies in connection with applications for employment.
Meta is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities in our recruiting process. If you need any assistance or accommodations due to a disability, please let us know at accommodations-ext@meta.com.
COMPENSATION
- $183,997/year to $257,000/year + bonus + equity + benefits
Individual compensation is determined by skills, qualifications, experience, and location. Compensation details listed in this posting reflect the base hourly rate, monthly rate, or annual salary only, and do not include bonus, equity or sales incentives, if applicable. In addition to base compensation, Meta offers benefits. Learn more about benefits at Meta.
See all 2,594+ Research Engineer Jobs
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Visa Sponsorship as a Research Engineer
Target R&D-heavy companies
Focus on organizations with active research divisions like Google Research, Microsoft Research, or national laboratories. These employers regularly sponsor visas and understand the value of international research talent.
Highlight your publications and patents
Research engineers with published papers, conference presentations, or patent applications have stronger H-1B cases and may qualify for O-1 visas, which have no annual caps or lottery requirements.
Consider university research positions
Universities and affiliated research institutes are H-1B cap-exempt, meaning no lottery. Research engineer roles at academic institutions can provide immediate visa sponsorship without waiting periods.
Emphasize specialized technical skills
Machine learning, AI research, robotics, and advanced algorithms strengthen your specialty occupation argument. Document specific technologies, frameworks, and research methodologies you've used in previous roles or projects.
Apply to government contractors
Defense contractors and companies with government research contracts often need research engineers and are experienced with visa sponsorship processes. Security clearance requirements may limit some positions to citizens only.
Network through academic conferences
Research conferences and academic symposiums are excellent venues to meet hiring managers from sponsoring employers. Many research engineer positions are filled through professional networks rather than traditional job boards.
Frequently Asked Questions
What degree do I need for research engineer H-1B sponsorship?
Most research engineer positions require a bachelor's degree in engineering, computer science, mathematics, or a closely related technical field. The degree field must directly relate to the research work you'll be doing. Some advanced research roles may require a master's or PhD, which can strengthen your H-1B petition and may qualify you for O-1 consideration.
How to find Research Engineer jobs with visa sponsorship?
To find Research Engineer positions with visa sponsorship, use Migrate Mate, which specializes in connecting international candidates with sponsoring employers. Focus on tech companies, research institutions, and R&D divisions that commonly sponsor H-1B, O-1, or EB-2 visas for engineering roles. Target organizations developing AI, biotechnology, automotive, or aerospace technologies, as they frequently need specialized research talent and offer sponsorship.
Do research engineers have good H-1B approval rates?
Research engineer H-1B petitions generally have strong approval rates because the role clearly requires specialized knowledge and typically involves degree-specific work. Petitions are stronger when accompanied by detailed job descriptions, evidence of the employer's research activities, and documentation of the candidate's relevant technical background and publications.
Can I get an O-1 visa as a research engineer?
Research engineers with significant publications, patents, conference presentations, or recognition in their field may qualify for O-1 visas. You need to demonstrate extraordinary ability through evidence like peer-reviewed papers, citations, awards, or serving as a reviewer for academic journals. O-1 visas have no caps and can be processed faster than H-1B.
Which companies sponsor research engineers most often?
Technology giants with dedicated research divisions (Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Meta), national laboratories (Sandia, Lawrence Berkeley), aerospace companies (Boeing, Lockheed Martin), and research universities commonly sponsor research engineers. Government contractors and AI-focused startups are also increasingly sponsoring these roles, especially for machine learning and robotics research.
Can I work as a research engineer at a university on H-1B?
Yes, and universities are H-1B cap-exempt, meaning no lottery or annual limits. Research engineer positions at universities, affiliated research institutes, or non-profit research organizations can begin immediately upon approval. Many university research roles also offer paths to permanent residence through the EB-1 or EB-2 categories.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored Research 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.