I had mine approved in April (it took 6 months) and I self-filed (no lawyer involved) but I used an online template I bought from a couple who went through the

I had mine approved in April (it took 6 months) and I self-filed (no lawyer involved) but I used an online template I bought from a couple who went through the process several years ago (https://www.eb2niw.com/ https://www.eb2niw.com/). I am not affiliated with them in any way. You will definitely need letters of recommendation but most importantly you will need to show that you are better than the majority of you peers. For example, you could show how well your work is cited compared to others in the same field. You being a P.I. on a federal grant is a huge plus and I think that already increases your chances significantly. As far as J visa situation goes, I think it's possible to get a waiver but I'm not a lawyer and I was on H1B when I applied so can't speak of it.