Senior Bioinformatics Scientist Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
Senior Bioinformatics Scientists rank among the stronger H-1B visa candidates, the role requires a directly related graduate degree in computational biology, bioinformatics, or a related field, and USCIS consistently recognizes it as a specialty occupation. Biotech, pharma, and research institutions sponsor regularly. For detailed occupation requirements, see the O*NET profile.
Find Senior Bioinformatics Scientist JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 1,743+ Senior Bioinformatics Scientist jobs
See all 1,743+ Senior Bioinformatics Scientist Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Senior Bioinformatics Scientist roles.
Get Access To All JobsLocation
St. Louis, MO 63110
Scheduled Hours
40
Position Summary
Assists with research projects including computational data analysis and documentation of experimental results.
Job Description
Primary Duties & Responsibilities:
- Assists research studies with implementation of: existing algorithms and computer software for analyzing omics-based data sets [high-throughput, massively parallel genomic/proteomic/clinical.]; data management and analysis solutions that assist in storage, investigation and dissemination of large data sets. 70%.
- Works with research team to develop new algorithms to support studies. 20%.
- Assists with reporting of methods, data and results. 10%.
Working Conditions:
Job Location/Working Conditions
- Works in a laboratory environment with potential exposure to biological and chemical hazards
- Must be physically able to wear protective equipment and to provide standard care to research animals
- Normal office environment
Physical Effort
- Typically sitting at desk or table
- Repetitive wrist, hand or finger movement
Equipment
- Office equipment
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all job duties performed by the personnel so classified. Management reserves the right to revise or amend duties at any time.
Required Qualifications
Education:
Bachelor’s degree or combination of education and/or experience may substitute for minimum education.
Certifications /Professional Licenses:
No specific certification/professional license is required for this position.
Work Experience:
No specific work experience is required for this position.
Skills:
Not Applicable
Driver's License:
A driver's license is not required for this position.
More About This Job
WashU seeks highly motivated individuals who are able to perform duties in a manner consistent with our core mission and guiding principles.
Preferred Qualifications
Education:
No additional education unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.
Certifications /Professional Licenses:
No additional certification/professional licenses unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.
Work Experience:
Relevant Experience (1 Year)
Skills:
Analytical Thinking, Bioinformatics, Bioinformatics Tools, Biostatistics, Communication, Complex Data Analysis, Computational Biology, Computer Science, Critical Reasoning, Data Management, Data Reporting, Datasets, Genomics Research, Human Genetics, Microarrays, Model Organism, Problem Solving, Sequence Analysis
Grade
R07-H
Salary Range
$17.10 - $29.09 / Hourly
The salary range reflects base salaries paid for positions in a given job grade across the University. Individual rates within the range will be determined by factors including one's qualifications and performance, equity with others in the department, market rates for positions within the same grade and department budget.
Questions
For frequently asked questions about the application process, please refer to our External Applicant FAQ.
Accommodation
If you are unable to use our online application system and would like an accommodation, please email CandidateQuestions@wustl.edu or call the dedicated accommodation inquiry number at 314-935-1149 and leave a voicemail with the nature of your request.
All qualified individuals must be able to perform the essential functions of the position satisfactorily and, if requested, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship.
Pre-Employment Screening
All external candidates receiving an offer for employment will be required to submit to pre-employment screening for this position. The screenings will include criminal background check and, as applicable for the position, other background checks, drug screen, an employment and education or licensure/certification verification, physical examination, certain vaccinations and/or governmental registry checks. All offers are contingent upon successful completion of required screening.
Benefits Statement
Personal
- Up to 22 days of vacation, 10 recognized holidays, and sick time.
- Competitive health insurance packages with priority appointments and lower copays/coinsurance.
- Take advantage of our free Metro transit U-Pass for eligible employees.
- WashU provides eligible employees with a defined contribution (403(b)) Retirement Savings Plan, which combines employee contributions and university contributions starting at 7%.
Wellness
- Wellness challenges, annual health screenings, mental health resources, mindfulness programs and courses, employee assistance program (EAP), financial resources, access to dietitians, and more!
Family
- We offer 4 weeks of caregiver leave to bond with your new child. Family care resources are also available for your continued childcare needs. Need adult care? We’ve got you covered.
- WashU covers the cost of tuition for you and your family, including dependent undergraduate-level college tuition up to 100% at WashU and 40% elsewhere after seven years with us.
For policies, detailed benefits, and eligibility, please visit: https://hr.wustl.edu/benefits/
EEO Statement
Washington University in St. Louis is committed to the principles and practices of equal employment opportunity. It is the University’s policy to provide equal opportunity and access to persons in all job titles without regard to race, ethnicity, color, national origin, citizenship (where prohibited by federal law), age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, protected veteran status, or genetic information.
Location
St. Louis, MO 63110
Scheduled Hours
40
Position Summary
Assists with research projects including computational data analysis and documentation of experimental results.
Job Description
Primary Duties & Responsibilities:
- Assists research studies with implementation of: existing algorithms and computer software for analyzing omics-based data sets [high-throughput, massively parallel genomic/proteomic/clinical.]; data management and analysis solutions that assist in storage, investigation and dissemination of large data sets. 70%.
- Works with research team to develop new algorithms to support studies. 20%.
- Assists with reporting of methods, data and results. 10%.
Working Conditions:
Job Location/Working Conditions
- Works in a laboratory environment with potential exposure to biological and chemical hazards
- Must be physically able to wear protective equipment and to provide standard care to research animals
- Normal office environment
Physical Effort
- Typically sitting at desk or table
- Repetitive wrist, hand or finger movement
Equipment
- Office equipment
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all job duties performed by the personnel so classified. Management reserves the right to revise or amend duties at any time.
Required Qualifications
Education:
Bachelor’s degree or combination of education and/or experience may substitute for minimum education.
Certifications /Professional Licenses:
No specific certification/professional license is required for this position.
Work Experience:
No specific work experience is required for this position.
Skills:
Not Applicable
Driver's License:
A driver's license is not required for this position.
More About This Job
WashU seeks highly motivated individuals who are able to perform duties in a manner consistent with our core mission and guiding principles.
Preferred Qualifications
Education:
No additional education unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.
Certifications /Professional Licenses:
No additional certification/professional licenses unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.
Work Experience:
Relevant Experience (1 Year)
Skills:
Analytical Thinking, Bioinformatics, Bioinformatics Tools, Biostatistics, Communication, Complex Data Analysis, Computational Biology, Computer Science, Critical Reasoning, Data Management, Data Reporting, Datasets, Genomics Research, Human Genetics, Microarrays, Model Organism, Problem Solving, Sequence Analysis
Grade
R07-H
Salary Range
$17.10 - $29.09 / Hourly
The salary range reflects base salaries paid for positions in a given job grade across the University. Individual rates within the range will be determined by factors including one's qualifications and performance, equity with others in the department, market rates for positions within the same grade and department budget.
Questions
For frequently asked questions about the application process, please refer to our External Applicant FAQ.
Accommodation
If you are unable to use our online application system and would like an accommodation, please email CandidateQuestions@wustl.edu or call the dedicated accommodation inquiry number at 314-935-1149 and leave a voicemail with the nature of your request.
All qualified individuals must be able to perform the essential functions of the position satisfactorily and, if requested, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship.
Pre-Employment Screening
All external candidates receiving an offer for employment will be required to submit to pre-employment screening for this position. The screenings will include criminal background check and, as applicable for the position, other background checks, drug screen, an employment and education or licensure/certification verification, physical examination, certain vaccinations and/or governmental registry checks. All offers are contingent upon successful completion of required screening.
Benefits Statement
Personal
- Up to 22 days of vacation, 10 recognized holidays, and sick time.
- Competitive health insurance packages with priority appointments and lower copays/coinsurance.
- Take advantage of our free Metro transit U-Pass for eligible employees.
- WashU provides eligible employees with a defined contribution (403(b)) Retirement Savings Plan, which combines employee contributions and university contributions starting at 7%.
Wellness
- Wellness challenges, annual health screenings, mental health resources, mindfulness programs and courses, employee assistance program (EAP), financial resources, access to dietitians, and more!
Family
- We offer 4 weeks of caregiver leave to bond with your new child. Family care resources are also available for your continued childcare needs. Need adult care? We’ve got you covered.
- WashU covers the cost of tuition for you and your family, including dependent undergraduate-level college tuition up to 100% at WashU and 40% elsewhere after seven years with us.
For policies, detailed benefits, and eligibility, please visit: https://hr.wustl.edu/benefits/
EEO Statement
Washington University in St. Louis is committed to the principles and practices of equal employment opportunity. It is the University’s policy to provide equal opportunity and access to persons in all job titles without regard to race, ethnicity, color, national origin, citizenship (where prohibited by federal law), age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, protected veteran status, or genetic information.
See all 1,743+ Senior Bioinformatics Scientist Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Senior Bioinformatics Scientist roles.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Visa Sponsorship as a Senior Bioinformatics Scientist
Target biotech and pharma employers with established R&D pipelines
Large biopharmaceutical companies and well-funded biotech startups sponsor H-1B visas far more consistently than academic labs or early-stage startups. Focus your search on companies with active drug development programs and dedicated computational biology teams.
Lead with your degree field, not just your job title
USCIS approves H-1B petitions for bioinformatics roles based on degree-to-job alignment. A master's or PhD in bioinformatics, computational biology, or genomics strengthens your petition significantly. Computer science degrees without biological focus can complicate the specialty occupation argument.
Document your tool stack and domain expertise explicitly
Sponsoring employers need to write a detailed job description for the LCA and I-129. Roles requiring specific skills like GATK, Nextflow, or single-cell RNA-seq analysis are easier to defend as requiring a specialized degree than generic 'data analysis' descriptions.
Research institutions and national labs are underrated sponsors
NIH-affiliated research centers, university medical schools, and national laboratories like Broad Institute regularly sponsor senior bioinformatics roles. These organizations often use cap-exempt H-1B petitions, meaning no lottery and faster processing timelines than commercial employers.
A senior title signals a stronger specialty occupation case
Senior-level bioinformatics roles carry more weight in H-1B adjudications than entry-level positions. The seniority implies complexity and independent judgment, both of which support the argument that a theoretical and practical application of specialized knowledge is required.
Check an employer's H-1B filing history before applying
Not every biotech or research company has sponsored visas before. Prioritizing employers with a track record of successful H-1B filings in computational biology or life sciences reduces the risk of delays, RFEs, or an employer backing out mid-process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Senior Bioinformatics Scientist role qualify for H-1B sponsorship?
Yes. Senior Bioinformatics Scientist is consistently approved as a specialty occupation under H-1B visa. USCIS recognizes that the role requires at least a bachelor's degree, and typically a graduate degree, in a directly related field such as bioinformatics, computational biology, or genomics. Employers in pharma, biotech, and research institutions sponsor this role with a relatively low rate of requests for evidence compared to more ambiguous job titles.
What degree do I need for an employer to sponsor my H-1B as a bioinformatics scientist?
A master's or PhD in bioinformatics, computational biology, genomics, or a closely related field gives you the strongest petition. A bachelor's degree in those same fields is technically sufficient, but graduate credentials are common at the senior level and make the specialty occupation argument easier for your employer's immigration attorney to build. A computer science degree without significant biological coursework may trigger additional scrutiny.
Are there cap-exempt H-1B options for senior bioinformatics roles?
Yes, and they're worth pursuing. Universities, university-affiliated research hospitals, and nonprofit research organizations like the Broad Institute or Jackson Laboratory qualify as cap-exempt H-1B employers. That means no lottery, no April 1 filing window, and petitions can be filed year-round with faster adjudication. Many senior bioinformatics positions exist at these institutions, and sponsorship is routine.
How do I find Senior Bioinformatics Scientist jobs that offer visa sponsorship?
Migrate Mate filters job listings specifically for roles open to visa sponsorship, which saves significant time compared to manually screening postings. Biotech hubs like Boston, San Francisco, San Diego, and the Research Triangle in North Carolina concentrate the highest density of sponsoring employers for bioinformatics roles. Searching by location and seniority level on Migrate Mate gives you a shortlist of employers already willing to sponsor.
Can an O-1A visa work for a Senior Bioinformatics Scientist instead of H-1B?
Possibly, if you have a strong publication record, have presented at major conferences, or hold leadership roles in professional organizations. The O-1A requires evidence of extraordinary ability, which in bioinformatics could include high-citation publications, significant grants, or recognized contributions to genomics or computational methods. It's a viable path if you missed the H-1B lottery and have the credentials to support it.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored Senior Bioinformatics Scientist 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.