Jobs / United States / 3M Company
Senior Research Engineer - Measurement / Inspection
3M Company · 🇺🇸 US, Minnesota, Woodbury
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 17 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 6 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 3M Company paid sponsored hires in similar roles7 certified filings for “Senior Research Engineer” (Materials Engineers) in MN: $117k–$131k, median $128k. Most were filed at wage level II (43%) — 2 lottery entries, ≈31% 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 — 3M Company
The US Department of Labor certified 17 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 6 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 3M Company →
About the role
Job Description: Senior Research Engineer Collaborate with Innovative 3Mers Around the World Choosing where to start and grow your career has a major impact on your professional and personal life, so it’s equally important you know that the company you choose to work at, and its leaders, will support and guide you. With a variety of people, global locations, technologies, and products, 3M is a place where you can collaborate with other curious, creative 3Mers around the world. This position provides an opportunity to transition from other private, public, government, or military environments to a 3M career. The Impact You’ll Make in this Role As a Senior Research Engineer you will have the opportunity to tap into your curiosity and collaborate with some of the most innovative and diverse people around the world. Here, you will make an impact by: • Developing new optical inspection and metrology methods for optics-related parts used in advanced product and process applications. • Designing, building, and validating benchtop inspection systems to detect, characterize, and quantify critical defects and quality attributes. • Creating inspection approaches for a broad range of defect modes, including scratches, chips, cracks, inclusions, contamination, edge defects, coating defects, cosmetic defects, and dimensional variation. • Applying optical engineering, imaging, and machine vision principles to develop robust methods using transmitted light, reflected light, bright field, dark field, polarization, structured illumination, and other contrast mechanisms as appropriate. • Developing image acquisition, analysis, and data interpretation workflows to improve defect detection sensitivity, repeatability, and overall method capability. • Partnering closely with R&D, process development, product development, quality, manufacturing, and equipment teams to define inspection requirements and translate technical needs into scalable solutions. • Supporting the transfer of inspection methods from laboratory concept through pilot evaluation and into manufacturing implementation. • Specifying and supporting production inspection equipment and contributing technical expertise to capital equipment projects. • Designing experiments, analyzing data, and conducting method validation activities, including measurement systems analysis, gauge capability, and robustness studies. • Creating technical documentation, operating procedures, specifications, and reports to support development, qualification, and deployment of inspection methods. • Supporting troubleshooting and root cause analysis related to quality, defect generation, and inspection performance. • Contributing to a culture of technical rigor, collaboration, and continuous improvement while working within applicable quality system requirements. Your Skills and Expertise To set you up for success in this role from day one, 3M requires, at a minimum, the following qualifications: • Bachelor’s degree or higher in science or engineering from an accredited university completed and verified prior to start AND five (5) years of experience in optical inspection, optical metrology, machine vision, imaging systems, glass characterization, or related technical work in a private, public, government, or military environment OR • Ph.D. in Optical Engineering, Physics, Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or Imaging Science from an accredited university completed and verified prior to start. Additional qualifications that could help you succeed even further in this role include: • Ph.D. with research emphasis in optical inspection, optical metrology, machine vision, imaging science, or related fields. • Experience developing, evaluating, or implementing ins