Jobs / United States / Natera INC
Scientist R&D – Immunohistochemistry (IHC) & Histology
Natera INC · 🇺🇸 San Carlos, CA
Sponsorship verdict
Sponsorship possible
One solid signal, not two — worth applying, and worth asking about sponsorship early.
- Employer is on a government sponsor recordThe US Department of Labor certified 48 H-1B/E-3 labor condition applications for this employer between Oct 2025 and Jun 2026 (latest Jun 2026) — the step every H-1B hire needs first. USCIS also records 12 H-1B approvals in FY2023. Source: LCA disclosure data (US Department of Labor (OFLC)).
- The posting doesn’t mention sponsorshipSilence isn’t a refusal — ask the recruiter before investing much time.
- No salary bar for this routeH-1B has no fixed salary bar: the employer must pay at least the prevailing wage for the role and area. Cap-subject employers enter a lottery weighted by wage level. Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/12/29/2025-23853/weighted-selection-process-for-registrants-and-petitioners-seeking-to-file-cap-subject-h-1b, rules effective 2026-02-27.
- What Natera INC paid sponsored hires in similar roles1 certified filing for “Clinical Lab Scientist I” (Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists) in CA: $86k–$86k, median $86k. Most were filed at wage level III (100%) — 3 lottery entries, ≈46% projected selection odds for cap-subject employers. Source: US Department of Labor LCA disclosure data (Oct 2025 – Jun 2026).
- Confirmed live todayWhen a source last listed this job as open.
US H-1B: cap-subject employers enter a lottery weighted by wage level — Level I gets 1 entry, Level IV gets 4 (DHS projected selection odds ≈15% at Level I to ≈61% at Level IV). Universities and non-profit research employers are cap-exempt. The $100,000 fee for new petitions from abroad is currently blocked by a court order (appeal pending).
A verdict summarises public evidence; it is not legal advice and never a guarantee — the employer and the immigration authority decide. Sign in to factor in where you can already work.
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Sponsor Radar — Natera INC
The US Department of Labor certified 48 H-1B/E-3 labor condition applications for this employer between Oct 2025 and Jun 2026 (latest Jun 2026) — the step every H-1B hire needs first. USCIS also records 12 H-1B approvals in FY2023. Source: LCA disclosure data (US Department of Labor (OFLC)).
Past sponsorship or register membership never guarantees sponsorship for this vacancy or for you. Full Sponsor Radar for Natera INC →
About the role
POSITION SUMMARY Natera is seeking a highly motivated Scientist, R&D – Immunohistochemistry (IHC) & Histology to join the Oncology Product Development team. This role will focus on the development, optimization, verification, and validation of IHC and tissue-based workflows supporting oncology products and clinical assay development. The ideal candidate will have strong hands-on experience in IHC assay development and optimization, supported by a solid foundation in histology and FFPE tissue workflows. Experience with automated IHC/ISH staining platforms, particularly the Roche BenchMark ULTRA IHC/ISH System, is highly desirable. Experience with NGS and molecular biology workflows is an additional plus. PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES • Design and execute development, optimization, verification, and validation studies for IHC, histology, and tissue-based workflows. • Develop and optimize IHC assays, including antibody selection and titration, antigen retrieval, staining conditions, controls, and assay performance assessment. • Evaluate and optimize histology and pre-analytical variables, including tissue fixation, FFPE processing, embedding, sectioning, H&E staining, and slide preparation. • Develop and troubleshoot workflows on automated IHC/ISH staining platforms and investigate staining artifacts, reagent performance, tissue quality, and assay variability. • Plan and execute moderate- to high-complexity experiments; analyze and interpret results using tools such as Excel, JMP, and image-analysis approaches. • Collaborate with Pathology, Clinical Laboratory Operations, Quality, Automation, and other cross-functional teams to transfer R&D methods into robust clinical laboratory workflows. • Author study protocols, development/validation reports, SOPs, and transfer documentation, and provide technical guidance and training during implementation. • Communicate project progress, experimental findings, risks, and recommendations to project teams and stakeholders. QUALIFICATIONS Ph.D. in Pathology, Cancer Biology, Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Biomedical Sciences, or a related field with a minimum of 2 years of relevant industry experience; or a Master's degree with a minimum of 5 years of relevant industry experience; or a Bachelor's degree with a 6-8+ years of relevant industry experience. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES • Strong hands-on expertise in IHC assay development, optimization, and troubleshooting, with solid knowledge of histology and FFPE tissue workflows. • Experience with antibody characterization/titration, antigen retrieval, staining optimization, controls, tissue morphology, and assay performance evaluation. • Experience with automated IHC/ISH platforms is highly preferred; hands-on experience with the Roche BenchMark ULTRA IHC/ISH System is a strong plus. • Experience with H&E staining, microtomy/tissue sectioning, microscopy, digital pathology, or image analysis is desirable. • NGS and molecular biology experience is a plus, particularly with FFPE nucleic acid extraction, PCR/qPCR, NGS library preparation, or hybrid capture workflows. • Experience with assay development and validation in a regulated clinical laboratory, molecular diagnostics, or LDT environment is preferred. • Ability to independently design and execute experiments, interpret data, troubleshoot technical challenges, and determine appropriate next steps. • Strong technical writing, communication, collaboration, and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced R&D environment. The pay range is listed and actual compensation packages are based on a wide array of factors unique to each candidate, including but not limited to skill set, years & depth of experience, certifications and specific