Senior Research Associate

Roche fosters diversity, equity and inclusion, representing the communities we serve. When dealing with healthcare on a global scale, diversity is an essential ingredient to success. We believe that inclusion is key to understanding people’s varied healthcare needs. Together, we embrace individuality and share a passion for exceptional care. Join Roche, where every voice matters.

The Position

In Roche’s Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development Organisation (pRED) , we make transformative medicines for patients in order to tackle some of the world’s toughest unmet healthcare needs. At pRED, we are united by our mission to transform science into medicine. Together, we create a culture defined by curiosity, responsibility, and humility, where our talented people are empowered and inspired to bring forward extraordinary life-changing innovation at speed.

You will join Roche’s Institute of Human Biology (IHB) , an organization within pRED whose goal is to harness and advance the use of human model systems in drug discovery and development, and personalized medicine. Our interdisciplinary research bridges academic and pharmaceutical research, connecting biologists, engineers, and data scientists.

We partner and collaborate with leading scientific institutions worldwide to tackle grand challenges by assembling, funding, and leading interdisciplinary teams of experts to work on highly ambitious and complex scientific questions.

The Opportunity

We are offering an outstanding opportunity for an experienced associate to contribute to our mission of disrupting the traditional drug discovery process by advancing more predictive human model systems. You will be responsible for all aspects of our cell line and organoid biorepository and will contribute to further improving our capabilities for biobanking. You will work in close collaboration with multidisciplinary experts to establish workflows for organoid generation, expansion, banking, molecular profiling, and documentation.

• Establish and Maintain Cell Banks and complex in vitro models (cIVMs): Develop and sustain master and working cell banks, as well as complex cIVMs, ensuring comprehensive documentation and tracking of model usage and storage conditions.

• Quality Control (QC) and Testing: Implement routine quality control measures, including contamination testing and cell line authentication, to maintain specimen integrity and advance QC processes to state-of-the-art levels for both cell lines and cIVMs.

• Regulatory and Compliance: Ensure adherence to standard operating procedures (SOPs), regulatory guidelines, and quality standards, while supporting ethical compliance in the use of embryonic stem cells (ESCs), induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), and cIVMs.

• Specimen Lifecycle Management: Oversee the entire lifecycle of specimens, including cIVMs, from acquisition to distribution, ensuring efficient biosample fulfillment, customer communication, and inventory management.

• Tissue Processing and Protocol Development: Conduct quality checks and handle tissue distribution, while developing standardized protocols for the isolation and culture of various cell types, such as endothelial cells and astrocytes, to support downstream applications and enhance cIVM capabilities.

Who you are

You excel in a dynamic, inclusive environment where you take full accountability for your contributions and development. You are resourceful and flexible in problem-solving, working collaboratively to establish and maintain complex in vitro models (cIVMs) and cell banks. You are committed to fostering a culture of mutual support, cross-training, continuous learning, and self-organization to achieve project and functional goals.

• You hold a university degree, preferably a BSc or MSc, in biology, life sciences, or a related field, or possess equivalent professional experience in stem cell biology, or complex in vitro model development.

• You have extensive experience and deep knowledge of cell culture, organoid techniques, and complex in vitro models. You are proficient in organoid differentiation protocols, including quality control, documentation, and regulatory compliance. Additionally, you have experience with processing tissues and isolating primary cells.

• You have demonstrated the ability to navigate a matrix environment effectively, influencing, leading, advising, or consulting with experts to advance projects and lead the lifecycle of specimens, including acquisition, processing, and distribution.

Unwavering focus, collaborative teamwork, and exceptional delivery are key behaviors that drive our mission of doing now what patients need next. Together, we can be transformative.

If you are passionate about contributing to a committed team and have the dedication to partnership and innovation, Roche is the place for you! Every role at Roche plays a part in making a difference in patients’ lives. Apply now and join us in making an impact by advancing oncology clinical research!

Who we are

At Roche, more than 100,000 people across 100 countries are pushing back the frontiers of healthcare. Working together, we’ve become one of the world’s leading research-focused healthcare groups. Our success is built on innovation, curiosity and diversity.

Basel is the headquarters of the Roche Group and one of its most important centres of pharmaceutical research. Over 10,700 employees from over 100 countries come together at our Basel/Kaiseraugst site, which is one of Roche`s largest sites. Read more .

Besides extensive development and training opportunities, we offer flexible working options, 18 weeks of maternity leave and 10 weeks of gender independent partnership leave. Our employees also benefit from multiple services on site such as child-care facilities, medical services, restaurants and cafeterias, as well as various employee events.

We believe in the power of diversity and inclusion, and strive to identify and create opportunities that enable all people to bring their unique selves to Roche.