Senior Researcher Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
Senior Researcher roles are among the more sponsorship-friendly positions in academia, biotech, and policy, employers regularly file H-1B visa and O-1 petitions for qualified candidates. Most require a master's or PhD in a relevant field, and your degree discipline needs to align directly with the research area. For detailed occupation requirements, see the O*NET profile.
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Get Access To All JobsDepartment: Research
Location: New York, NY
Salary: 32.10 - 49.79 USD Hourly
About us:
The people of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) are united by a singular mission: ending cancer for life. Our specialized care teams provide personalized, compassionate, expert care to patients of all ages. Informed by basic research done at our Sloan Kettering Institute, scientists across MSK collaborate to conduct innovative translational and clinical research that is driving a revolution in our understanding of cancer as a disease and improving the ability to prevent, diagnose, and treat it. MSK is dedicated to training the next generation of scientists and clinicians, who go on to pursue our mission at MSK and around the globe.
Exciting Opportunity at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center: Join the Lareau Lab as a Senior Research Technician!
The Lareau Lab at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center uses computational and genomics-based approaches to understand how immune cells adapt and evolve over time, particularly in response to disease and therapy. Insights from these data-rich analyses will directly inform cutting-edge protein-based therapies. For this role, you will help support cutting-edge projects in computational virology and protein engineering that will ultimately guide the development of safer and more effective cancer immunotherapies, directly advancing precision medicine for patients.
Role Overview:
- Laboratory Support: Prepare and maintain lab equipment, instruments, solutions, assays, and other essential supplies.
- Techniques & Assays: Perform molecular cloning, recombinant protein expression and purification, flow cytometry, yeast surface display, mammalian cell culture, DNA extraction, and library preparation for next-generation sequencing.
- Data Management: Record and analyze research data, prepare reports, and provide insights to the research team.
- Compliance: Ensure the lab remains compliant with safety standards, legal regulations, licensing and accreditation requirements.
- Collaboration: Assist peers and researchers with ongoing projects, fostering a team-oriented, supportive environment.
Key Qualifications:
Master’s degree or bachelor’s degree with 2 years of molecular biology experience.
Core Skills:
- Attention to detail and strong record-keeping habits.
- Ability to follow protocols while troubleshooting when needed.
- Team-oriented approach to supporting postdocs and fellow researchers.
- Adaptability in a dynamic lab environment.
Additional Information:
- Location: NYC; Zuckerman Research Center
- Schedule: 37.5 hours per week (onsite)
Pay Range: $32.10 - $49.79
FSLA Status: Non-Exempt
Closing:
At MSK, we believe in fair, competitive pay that reflects your job, experience, and skills.
MSK is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer committed to diversity and inclusion in all aspects of recruiting and employment. All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration without regard to race, color, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, religion, creed, disability, veteran status or any other factor which cannot lawfully be used as a basis for an employment decision.
Federal law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities. Please tell us if you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for a job or to perform your job. Examples of reasonable accommodation include making a change to the application process or work procedures, providing documents in an alternate format, using a sign language interpreter, or using specialized equipment.
Application Process
-
01
Step 1:
Complete an Online Application
-
02
Step 2:
Interview Process
-
03
Step 3:
Provide References
-
04
Step 4:
Extension of Job Offer
-
05
Step 5:
Onboarding
-
06
Step 6:
New Employee Orientation
Department: Research
Location: New York, NY
Salary: 32.10 - 49.79 USD Hourly
About us:
The people of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) are united by a singular mission: ending cancer for life. Our specialized care teams provide personalized, compassionate, expert care to patients of all ages. Informed by basic research done at our Sloan Kettering Institute, scientists across MSK collaborate to conduct innovative translational and clinical research that is driving a revolution in our understanding of cancer as a disease and improving the ability to prevent, diagnose, and treat it. MSK is dedicated to training the next generation of scientists and clinicians, who go on to pursue our mission at MSK and around the globe.
Exciting Opportunity at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center: Join the Lareau Lab as a Senior Research Technician!
The Lareau Lab at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center uses computational and genomics-based approaches to understand how immune cells adapt and evolve over time, particularly in response to disease and therapy. Insights from these data-rich analyses will directly inform cutting-edge protein-based therapies. For this role, you will help support cutting-edge projects in computational virology and protein engineering that will ultimately guide the development of safer and more effective cancer immunotherapies, directly advancing precision medicine for patients.
Role Overview:
- Laboratory Support: Prepare and maintain lab equipment, instruments, solutions, assays, and other essential supplies.
- Techniques & Assays: Perform molecular cloning, recombinant protein expression and purification, flow cytometry, yeast surface display, mammalian cell culture, DNA extraction, and library preparation for next-generation sequencing.
- Data Management: Record and analyze research data, prepare reports, and provide insights to the research team.
- Compliance: Ensure the lab remains compliant with safety standards, legal regulations, licensing and accreditation requirements.
- Collaboration: Assist peers and researchers with ongoing projects, fostering a team-oriented, supportive environment.
Key Qualifications:
Master’s degree or bachelor’s degree with 2 years of molecular biology experience.
Core Skills:
- Attention to detail and strong record-keeping habits.
- Ability to follow protocols while troubleshooting when needed.
- Team-oriented approach to supporting postdocs and fellow researchers.
- Adaptability in a dynamic lab environment.
Additional Information:
- Location: NYC; Zuckerman Research Center
- Schedule: 37.5 hours per week (onsite)
Pay Range: $32.10 - $49.79
FSLA Status: Non-Exempt
Closing:
At MSK, we believe in fair, competitive pay that reflects your job, experience, and skills.
MSK is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer committed to diversity and inclusion in all aspects of recruiting and employment. All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration without regard to race, color, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, religion, creed, disability, veteran status or any other factor which cannot lawfully be used as a basis for an employment decision.
Federal law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities. Please tell us if you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for a job or to perform your job. Examples of reasonable accommodation include making a change to the application process or work procedures, providing documents in an alternate format, using a sign language interpreter, or using specialized equipment.
Application Process
-
01
Step 1:
Complete an Online Application
-
02
Step 2:
Interview Process
-
03
Step 3:
Provide References
-
04
Step 4:
Extension of Job Offer
-
05
Step 5:
Onboarding
-
06
Step 6:
New Employee Orientation
See all 1,825+ Senior Researcher jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Senior Researcher roles.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Senior Researcher Jobs
Match your degree to the research domain
USCIS requires your academic background to align with the specific research field, not just research broadly. A PhD in molecular biology supports a biomedical researcher role. A degree in economics does not, even with years of lab-adjacent experience.
Target employers with a sponsorship track record
Universities, national labs, pharmaceutical companies, and think tanks file H-1B petitions for senior researchers regularly. Organizations with dedicated HR and immigration counsel are far more likely to sponsor than early-stage startups without established hiring pipelines.
Understand the H-1B lottery before you apply
Most senior researcher roles at private employers require H-1B sponsorship, which is subject to an annual lottery. Cap-exempt employers, universities, affiliated nonprofits, and government research organizations, skip the lottery entirely and can hire year-round.
Build a publication and grant record before interviewing
Hiring managers evaluate senior researchers on research output. A strong publication record, grant history, or named authorship on high-impact work also strengthens your visa petition by demonstrating the specialized nature of your expertise to USCIS adjudicators.
Ask about cap-exempt status early in the process
Before investing time in an application, confirm whether the employer qualifies as cap-exempt. Universities and affiliated research institutions are exempt, meaning no lottery wait. This single factor can cut your time to a work start date by over a year.
Consider the O-1A if your credentials are strong
Senior researchers with significant publications, awards, peer review invitations, or high citation counts may qualify for the O-1A visa. It has no lottery, no annual cap, and is employer-sponsored, making it a strong alternative when H-1B odds are a concern.
Senior Researcher jobs are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Senior Researcher JobsFrequently Asked Questions
Does a Senior Researcher role qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B purposes?
Yes, in most cases. Senior Researcher positions consistently qualify as specialty occupations because they require at least a bachelor's degree, and typically a master's or PhD, in a specific field directly related to the research area. The key is that the job description must require a degree in a particular discipline, not just any degree. Roles with vague educational requirements can face USCIS scrutiny, so a well-drafted job description matters.
Do I need a PhD to get sponsored as a Senior Researcher?
Not always, but it depends heavily on the employer and research domain. Academic institutions and pharmaceutical companies frequently require a PhD for senior researcher titles. Policy research organizations and some tech-adjacent research roles may accept a master's degree plus substantial experience. Three years of relevant work experience can substitute for one year of education under USCIS rules, so a strong work history can compensate for a terminal master's in some cases.
Which employers sponsor the most Senior Researcher visas?
Universities and their affiliated research centers are the largest sponsors of researchers by volume, and most are cap-exempt, meaning no H-1B lottery. Large pharmaceutical and biotech companies such as Pfizer, Genentech, and AstraZeneca also file regularly. Federal contract research organizations and government-affiliated labs are another strong category. You can browse verified sponsoring employers actively hiring senior researchers on Migrate Mate.
Can I get sponsored as a Senior Researcher if my degree is from outside the U.S.?
Yes. USCIS accepts foreign degrees, but they must be evaluated for U.S. equivalency. A three-year Australian or Indian bachelor's degree is generally accepted as equivalent to a U.S. four-year degree for H-1B purposes, though a credential evaluation report from a recognized agency strengthens the petition. The degree still needs to align with the specific research field, equivalency does not override the specialty occupation requirement.
What are the chances my H-1B petition gets approved for a Senior Researcher role?
Approval rates for senior researcher petitions tend to run higher than average because the specialty occupation case is straightforward, the academic and research community has a well-established history of degree requirements for these roles. If you're at a university or cap-exempt employer, there's no lottery risk at all. For cap-subject employers, you still face the registration lottery first, where selection rates have ranged from roughly 20 to 25 percent in recent years.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored Senior Researcher 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.
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