Research Software Engineer Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
Research Software Engineer jobs sit at the intersection of academia and industry, and many employers in both sectors sponsor H-1B visa, O-1 visa, and EB-2 NIW visas for qualified candidates. Roles typically require a master's or PhD in computer science or a related field, and sponsorship is common at national labs, R&D divisions, and research-focused tech firms.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
The Data Science and Systems Integration (DSSI) division at the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II) develops scientific software to orchestrate experiments, including control systems, automation, networking, data management, and analysis.
Brookhaven National Laboratory is seeking a Research Software Engineer / Data Scientist to join the Data Science and Systems Integration (DSSI) Division at the National Synchrotron Light Source-II (NSLS-II). This unique position is in part supported by the ILLUMINE initiative, a DOE-wide collaboration advancing intelligent experiment steering and in part by the Genesis Mission BES AI Pathfinder Program to support the automatic analysis of powder diffraction data. These projects support and complement each other to deliver unique world leading capabilities to NSLS-II's users.
The successful candidate will contribute to the development of cutting-edge software infrastructure that powers intelligent beamline control and experimental methods and will contribute to the automation of Powder Diffraction data reduction and analysis. You will help build critical technologies for self-driving beamlines by integrating AI-driven decision-making directly into experimental workflows, accelerating scientific discovery across all six DOE light and neutron sources. You will help apply all of these developments in practical applications.
This role offers an outstanding opportunity to work with artificial intelligence, high-performance scientific software, and advanced x-ray diffraction. The position focuses on fundamental software engineering, AI/ML integration, and real-time data systems with direct impact on beamline operations and user science at NSLS-II and across the DOE complex.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Develop, deploy, and maintain open-source software for experiment planning, control, and data acquisition within the Bluesky/Tiled ecosystem.
- Develop tools to automate and streamline the processing and analysis of powder diffraction data.
- Collaborate with scientists and engineers to integrate AI algorithms into beamline operations and enable intelligent experiment steering.
- Provide user-facing support, training, and documentation while publishing and presenting results to the broader community.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor’s and 8+ years, or Master’s and 6+ years, or Doctorate and +2 years post-PhD in physics, chemistry, material science, biology, computational science, an engineering discipline or closely related field of study.
- Proficiency in Python or C++ programming.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively in a collaborative research environment.
- Self-motivated, with a strong ability to learn quickly and adapt to new challenges.
- Experience with scientific instrument data acquisition and analysis.
PREFERRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:
- Expertise in powder diffraction data analysis methods.
- Experience managing distributed software systems.
- Contributions to community-led open-source projects.
- Familiarity with data acquisition and analysis at a synchrotron light source, neutron source, or other major scientific facility.
- Experience in developing and deploying AI models.
- Demonstrated ability to collaborate on distributed software development teams.
- Experience with HTTP APIs and Microservices.
- Experience with containerization technologies (docker or Kubernetes).
- Familiarity with message bus solutions such as Kafka, RabbitMQ, Redis, or ZeroMQ.
Brookhaven National Laboratory is committed to providing fair, equitable and competitive compensation. The full salary range for this position is $104,700.00 - $150,733.00 / year. Salary offers will be commensurate with the final candidate’s qualification, education and experience and considered with the internal peer group.
Brookhaven National Laboratory is committed to employee success and we believe that a comprehensive employee benefits program is an important and meaningful part of the compensation employees receive. Review more information at BNL | Benefits Program.
Brookhaven National Laboratory requires all non-badged personnel including visitors to produce a REAL-ID or REAL-ID compliant documentation to access Brookhaven National Laboratory – view more information at www.bnl.gov/real-id. This is due to nationwide identification requirements for federal site access as required by the federal REAL ID Act. Those not in possession of a REAL ID-compliant document will not be permitted to access the site which includes access to the Laboratory for interviews.
As a U.S. Department of Energy laboratory, Brookhaven National Laboratory requires employees to obtain and maintain a DOE Uncleared Personal Identity Verification (UPIV) credential in accordance with Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) requirements. The credentialing process is completed as part of onboarding and enables access to DOE facilities and information systems. As a condition of employment, the selected candidate must be able to obtain and maintain a UPIV credential. These requirements are established under DOE Order 206.2 Chg. 2, Identity, Credential, and Access Management (ICAM), and DOE Order 473.1A- Physical Protection Program.
About us
Brookhaven National Laboratory delivers discovery science and transformative technology to power and secure the nation’s future. Brookhaven Lab is a multidisciplinary laboratory with seven Nobel Prize-winning discoveries, 37 R&D 100 Awards, and more than 70 years of pioneering research. The Lab is primarily supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Science. Brookhaven Science Associates (BSA) operates and manages the Laboratory for DOE. BSA is a partnership between Battelle and The Research Foundation for the State University of New York on behalf of Stony Brook University. BSA salutes our veterans and active military members with careers that leverage the skills and unique experience they gained while serving our country.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER
Guided by our core values of integrity, responsibility, innovation, respect, and teamwork, Brookhaven Science Associates is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer-Vets/Disabled. We are committed to fostering a respectful and collaborative environment that fuels scientific discovery. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to any characteristic protected by law. All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply. We ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.
BSA employees are subject to restrictions related to participation in Foreign Government Talent Recruitment Programs, as defined and detailed in United States Department of Energy Order 486.1A. You will be asked to disclose any such participation at the time of hire for review by Brookhaven. The full text of the Order may be found at: https://www.directives.doe.gov/directives-documents/400-series/0486.1-BOrder-a/@@images/file
INTRODUCTION
The Data Science and Systems Integration (DSSI) division at the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II) develops scientific software to orchestrate experiments, including control systems, automation, networking, data management, and analysis.
Brookhaven National Laboratory is seeking a Research Software Engineer / Data Scientist to join the Data Science and Systems Integration (DSSI) Division at the National Synchrotron Light Source-II (NSLS-II). This unique position is in part supported by the ILLUMINE initiative, a DOE-wide collaboration advancing intelligent experiment steering and in part by the Genesis Mission BES AI Pathfinder Program to support the automatic analysis of powder diffraction data. These projects support and complement each other to deliver unique world leading capabilities to NSLS-II's users.
The successful candidate will contribute to the development of cutting-edge software infrastructure that powers intelligent beamline control and experimental methods and will contribute to the automation of Powder Diffraction data reduction and analysis. You will help build critical technologies for self-driving beamlines by integrating AI-driven decision-making directly into experimental workflows, accelerating scientific discovery across all six DOE light and neutron sources. You will help apply all of these developments in practical applications.
This role offers an outstanding opportunity to work with artificial intelligence, high-performance scientific software, and advanced x-ray diffraction. The position focuses on fundamental software engineering, AI/ML integration, and real-time data systems with direct impact on beamline operations and user science at NSLS-II and across the DOE complex.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Develop, deploy, and maintain open-source software for experiment planning, control, and data acquisition within the Bluesky/Tiled ecosystem.
- Develop tools to automate and streamline the processing and analysis of powder diffraction data.
- Collaborate with scientists and engineers to integrate AI algorithms into beamline operations and enable intelligent experiment steering.
- Provide user-facing support, training, and documentation while publishing and presenting results to the broader community.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor’s and 8+ years, or Master’s and 6+ years, or Doctorate and +2 years post-PhD in physics, chemistry, material science, biology, computational science, an engineering discipline or closely related field of study.
- Proficiency in Python or C++ programming.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively in a collaborative research environment.
- Self-motivated, with a strong ability to learn quickly and adapt to new challenges.
- Experience with scientific instrument data acquisition and analysis.
PREFERRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:
- Expertise in powder diffraction data analysis methods.
- Experience managing distributed software systems.
- Contributions to community-led open-source projects.
- Familiarity with data acquisition and analysis at a synchrotron light source, neutron source, or other major scientific facility.
- Experience in developing and deploying AI models.
- Demonstrated ability to collaborate on distributed software development teams.
- Experience with HTTP APIs and Microservices.
- Experience with containerization technologies (docker or Kubernetes).
- Familiarity with message bus solutions such as Kafka, RabbitMQ, Redis, or ZeroMQ.
Brookhaven National Laboratory is committed to providing fair, equitable and competitive compensation. The full salary range for this position is $104,700.00 - $150,733.00 / year. Salary offers will be commensurate with the final candidate’s qualification, education and experience and considered with the internal peer group.
Brookhaven National Laboratory is committed to employee success and we believe that a comprehensive employee benefits program is an important and meaningful part of the compensation employees receive. Review more information at BNL | Benefits Program.
Brookhaven National Laboratory requires all non-badged personnel including visitors to produce a REAL-ID or REAL-ID compliant documentation to access Brookhaven National Laboratory – view more information at www.bnl.gov/real-id. This is due to nationwide identification requirements for federal site access as required by the federal REAL ID Act. Those not in possession of a REAL ID-compliant document will not be permitted to access the site which includes access to the Laboratory for interviews.
As a U.S. Department of Energy laboratory, Brookhaven National Laboratory requires employees to obtain and maintain a DOE Uncleared Personal Identity Verification (UPIV) credential in accordance with Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) requirements. The credentialing process is completed as part of onboarding and enables access to DOE facilities and information systems. As a condition of employment, the selected candidate must be able to obtain and maintain a UPIV credential. These requirements are established under DOE Order 206.2 Chg. 2, Identity, Credential, and Access Management (ICAM), and DOE Order 473.1A- Physical Protection Program.
About us
Brookhaven National Laboratory delivers discovery science and transformative technology to power and secure the nation’s future. Brookhaven Lab is a multidisciplinary laboratory with seven Nobel Prize-winning discoveries, 37 R&D 100 Awards, and more than 70 years of pioneering research. The Lab is primarily supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Science. Brookhaven Science Associates (BSA) operates and manages the Laboratory for DOE. BSA is a partnership between Battelle and The Research Foundation for the State University of New York on behalf of Stony Brook University. BSA salutes our veterans and active military members with careers that leverage the skills and unique experience they gained while serving our country.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER
Guided by our core values of integrity, responsibility, innovation, respect, and teamwork, Brookhaven Science Associates is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer-Vets/Disabled. We are committed to fostering a respectful and collaborative environment that fuels scientific discovery. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to any characteristic protected by law. All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply. We ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.
BSA employees are subject to restrictions related to participation in Foreign Government Talent Recruitment Programs, as defined and detailed in United States Department of Energy Order 486.1A. You will be asked to disclose any such participation at the time of hire for review by Brookhaven. The full text of the Order may be found at: https://www.directives.doe.gov/directives-documents/400-series/0486.1-BOrder-a/@@images/file
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Visa Sponsorship as a Research Software Engineer
Frame your research output as specialty occupation evidence
Published papers, conference presentations, and open-source research tools strengthen an H-1B specialty occupation case. Compile citations, DOI references, and GitHub contribution metrics before your employer files the LCA with DOL.
Target employers with active research infrastructure
National laboratories, university-affiliated R&D centers, and tech companies with dedicated research divisions file LCAs for Research Software Engineer roles far more consistently than general engineering teams. Migrate Mate lists employers with verified sponsorship history for this role.
Check prevailing wage levels before accepting an offer
Research Software Engineer positions span DOL wage levels I through IV. Use the OFLC Wage Search to verify which level your offered role maps to, a Level I wage at a research lab signals a junior classification that can complicate H-1B approval.
Build an EB-2 NIW case around your research domain
If your work addresses a problem of national importance, climate modeling, biomedical informatics, national security software, the EB-2 National Interest Waiver lets you self-petition without an employer-sponsored PERM labor certification. Document the societal impact explicitly in your petition.
Verify degree-field alignment for specialty occupation
USCIS scrutinizes whether your specific degree field directly relates to the research role. A PhD in computational biology supports a bioinformatics RSE position, but a general CS degree may draw a Request for Evidence if the role sits in a narrow scientific domain.
Clarify joint appointment sponsorship before signing
RSE roles at universities often involve joint appointments across departments or affiliated institutes. Confirm which legal entity will appear on the I-129 petition as the sponsoring employer, since a split arrangement can complicate LCA filing and H-1B status maintenance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which visa types are most common for Research Software Engineer sponsorship?
H-1B is the most common path, since RSE roles qualify as specialty occupations requiring at least a bachelor's degree in a directly related field. O-1A is a strong alternative for researchers with peer-reviewed publications or awards. The EB-2 National Interest Waiver is also viable if your work addresses a nationally important research problem, because it removes the need for employer-driven PERM labor certification.
Does a master's degree qualify for Research Software Engineer H-1B sponsorship?
Yes, and a U.S. master's degree also makes you eligible for the H-1B advanced degree cap, which has a separate 20,000-slot pool in addition to the 65,000 regular cap. USCIS evaluates whether the degree field aligns with the specific research domain of the role, so a master's in computer science or a closely related field is stronger than a general engineering degree for a specialized research position.
How do I find employers who sponsor Research Software Engineer visas?
Migrate Mate lists U.S. employers with verified LCA sponsorship history for Research Software Engineer roles, searchable by location and research domain. National labs, R&D-focused tech companies, and research universities are the most active sponsors for this title.
Can a Research Software Engineer self-petition for a green card without employer sponsorship?
Yes, through the EB-2 National Interest Waiver. RSEs whose work has measurable national impact in areas like scientific computing, public health informatics, or defense research can self-petition by demonstrating that waiving the standard PERM labor certification serves the national interest. USCIS applies a three-part test from the Dhanasar framework to evaluate these petitions, so your research narrative and evidence of impact matter significantly.
Do Research Software Engineer roles at universities or national labs have an advantage for H-1B cap exemption?
Potentially. Institutions that qualify as institutions of higher education, affiliated nonprofits, or governmental research organizations are exempt from the H-1B annual cap and lottery entirely. RSEs employed directly by a qualifying university or national lab like those in the DOE system can be sponsored year-round without waiting for the annual lottery cycle. Confirm cap-exempt status with the sponsoring institution before relying on this pathway.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored Research Software 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.