On-site in Basel, Switzerland, this senior-level role at Roche focuses on leading digital product development for assay workflows. You'll drive innovation in preclinical research by integrating automation and emerging technologies.
Skills / Requirements
- AI-driven Development
- Automation Integration
- Continuous Improvement
- Cross-functional Collaboration
- Data Ecosystem
- Data Pipelines
- Digital Innovation
- Emerging Technologies
- Global Teamwork
- Lab Automation
- Operational Excellence
- Preclinical Assays
- Product Management
- Project Management
- Python
- Scientific Discovery
- Stakeholder Management
- Strategic Roadmaps
- Technical Knowledge
- Vibe Coding
Why Apply
This role is ideal for someone skilled in AI-driven development, particularly with Python, as you'll be building scalable data pipelines and integrating automation into lab workflows. The focus on AI and modular concepts aligns with vibe coding principles.
What You'll Be Doing
You'll translate complex scientific needs into actionable roadmaps, integrating automation and emerging technologies into assay workflows. Collaborating with cross-functional teams, you'll drive the development of innovative products that enhance scientific discovery.
Working in Basel, Switzerland
- Basel is a major hub for life sciences and pharmaceuticals, making it ideal for professionals in these fields.
- The city offers a high quality of life, with excellent public transportation and a vibrant cultural scene.
- Switzerland's strong economy and stable political environment provide a secure backdrop for career growth.
- Basel's location at the borders of Switzerland, Germany, and France offers unique cross-cultural professional opportunities.
Pay and Career Growth
The role offers a chance to lead large-scale projects within a globally recognized company, providing a platform for significant professional impact. Compensation details are location-specific and discussed later in the hiring process.
Benefits and Perks
- competitive salary
- Global Impact
- Healthcare Access
- Innovation Culture
Is This Role Right for You?
Good fit if you...
- Candidates with a PhD/MS in life or computer sciences and over 6 years of relevant experience.
- Professionals who excel in AI-driven development and Python.
- Individuals experienced in leading large-scale projects in Pharma R&D.
May not be for you if...
- Candidates without experience in preclinical assays or lab automation.
- Professionals unfamiliar with AI-driven development or Python.
- Individuals uncomfortable with navigating high ambiguity in project management.
Original Job Description
At Roche you can show up as yourself, embraced for the unique qualities you bring. Our culture encourages personal expression, open dialogue, and genuine connections, where you are valued, accepted and respected for who you are, allowing you to thrive both personally and professionally. This is how we aim to prevent, stop and cure diseases and ensure everyone has access to healthcare today and for generations to come. Join Roche, where every voice matters.
The Position
A healthier future. It’s what drives us to innovate. To continuously advance science and ensure everyone has access to the healthcare they need today and for generations to come. Creating a world where we all have more time with the people we love. That’s what makes us Roche.
Advances in AI, data, and computational sciences are transforming drug discovery and development. Roche’s Research and Early Development organisations at Genentech (gRED) and Pharma (pRED) have demonstrated how these technologies accelerate R&D, leveraging data and novel computational models to drive impact. Seamless data sharing and access to models across gRED and pRED are essential to maximising these opportunities. The new Computational Sciences Center of Excellence (CS CoE) is a strategic, unified group whose goal is to harness this transformative power of data and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to assist our scientists in both pRED and gRED to deliver more innovative and transformative medicines for patients worldwide.
The Data and Digital Catalysts (DDC) department within the CS CoE is a diverse, curious and action-driven team at the intersection of science, engineering, and computation. We share the ambition the and with ambition to advance our technical excellence. The team focuses on partnering with scientific communities to build a robust computational and data ecosystem that fuels scientific discovery and enables faster, data-informed decision-making. We aim to modernize our ability to acquire, store, link, share, find, and analyze data across the organization through scalable, integrated, and forward-looking solutions that truly make every data point count.
Reporting to the Domain Head of Assay Workflows within DDC, this Product Lead will play a pivotal role in fostering strong partnerships with RED stakeholders, developing a deep understanding of the “why,” and strategically prioritizing the “what” and “when” into an actionable roadmap that delivers meaningful outcomes. The Product Lead will work in close collaboration with the DDC capability teams, shaping the “how” and aligning the “who” to deliver technical excellence, ensuring the development and adoption of integrated, innovative, and best-in-class products and platforms that accelerate scientific discovery within the REDs. This is an exciting opportunity to advance cutting-edge lab workflows and innovative solutions, making a meaningful impact on Roche’s mission to deliver innovative therapies to patients.
The Opportunity
Join the Assay Workflows domain as a Scientific Digital Product Lead and shape the future of preclinical research at Roche. We’re looking for a Product Lead to revolutionize our Assay Workflows, turning complex scientific needs into a clear, actionable roadmap. Your sentence is already strong and impactful! You will be the central force behind integrating automation and emerging technologies, building scalable and sustainable data pipelines to empower our scientists and AI/ML teams. If you are an expert who understands both scientific preclinical R&D and cutting-edge product/project management, this is your chance to join the Assay Workflows team.
Develop and refine the product family strategy within the Assay Workflows domain, ensuring alignment with key strategic initiatives. Enable seamless integration of products (applications/platforms) into our evolving data and digital ecosystem while contributing to the consolidation and deprecation of legacy systems, resulting in a reduction of technical debt.
Demonstrate a deep understanding of the scientific needs of scientists, applying strong data and digital acumen to shape existing and the next generation of products. Leverage this understanding to guide cross-functional teams, nurture stakeholder partnerships, and manage their expectations, ensuring the execution of project initiatives that deliver tangible value to our scientists.
Collaborate with technical/engineering and data experts to guide and enable the development of assay data workflows that incorporate scalable automation and modular concepts, driving faster and higher-quality insights from preclinical data.
Understand and translate the needs of scientists and the business into actionable plans. Drive business analysis, demonstrate advanced product and program/project management skills, prioritize tasks within a given framework, effectively manage budgets, and oversee external workforce contributions.
Boldly advocate for future-facing solutions by anticipating emerging capabilities and integrating them into strategic roadmaps. Identify key trends, technologies, and methodologies to ensure innovation and long-term competitiveness.
Build and cultivate trusted internal and external partnerships with collaborators, fostering effective teamwork in a global setting.
Be willing to span the domain and contribute where needed, even outside of your core area of expertise.
Who You Are
The ideal candidate will meet many of the following requirements:
An advanced degree (PhD/MS) in life or computer sciences with 6+ years of experience bridging drug discovery and digital innovation is required.
Deep technical knowledge of preclinical assays, lab automation, and orchestration, including proficiency in Python and AI-driven (“vibe-coding”) development is required.
Proven ability to balance long-term platform vision with hands-on operational excellence, navigating high ambiguity to deliver measurable scientific outcomes is required.
Expertise at leading large-scale projects and translating complex digital strategies into actionable steps for diverse stakeholders across Pharma R&D is required.
A forward-thinking, agile approach to integrating cutting-edge technologies into assay workflows to foster a culture of continuous improvement is preferred.
Exceptional collaboration and communicating skills are required.
Where pay transparency applies, details are provided based on the primary posting location. For this role, the primary location is Basel. If you are interested in additional locations where the role may be available, we will provide the relevant compensation details later in the hiring process.
Who we are
A healthier future drives us to innovate. Together, more than 100’000 employees across the globe are dedicated to advance science, ensuring everyone has access to healthcare today and for generations to come. Our efforts result in more than 26 million people treated with our medicines and over 30 billion tests conducted using our Diagnostics products. We empower each other to explore new possibilities, foster creativity, and keep our ambitions high, so we can deliver life-changing healthcare solutions that make a global impact.
Let’s build a healthier future, together.
Roche is an Equal Opportunity Employer.