Digital Biomarker Data Scientist - Parkinson’s / Huntington’s disease (m/f/d)

Roche; Basel; On-site; CHF 36,000 - 44,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Apple hardware

Fitness benefits

Public transport

Lunch benefit

Language classes

Professional training budget

Conference opportunities

Job summary

Roche Information Solutions seeks a senior data scientist to lead statistical analyses for digital biomarkers and Navify endpoints in neurodegenerative diseases. You will design validation studies, address remote data challenges, and contribute to regulatory submissions.

You will collaborate with biopharma customers, translate complex statistics into value propositions, and support pre-sales with rigorous scientific backing. A Master’s/PhD and 5+ years in the field are preferred.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in a quantitative field (Master’s/PhD).
• 5+ years in data science/biostatistics, digital health, or clinical outcomes.
• Strong statistical validation and longitudinal modeling experience.
• Proficiency in Python (R as alternative) for modeling and reporting.

Responsibilities

• Lead statistical analyses to establish psychometric properties of digital endpoints.
• Design SAPs for clinical validation studies and track disease progression.
• Develop strategies for remote sensor data, handling missing data and wear-time issues.
• Engage in pre-sales activities, communicating scientific rigor to customers.

Skills

Data science

Statistical analysis

Communication skills

Pre-sales experience

Education

Master’s or Ph.D. in Data Science/Statistics/Biostatistics/Applied Mathematics

Tools

Python

R

Job description

Let’s build a healthier future, together! By combining our unique strengths, we are redefining healthcare through sustainable action and innovation. For a behind-the-scenes look, check out this video to see how we at Roche are making personalized health care a reality.

The mySugr GmbH was acquired by Roche in 2017 and our Vienna office is one of Roche's global sites. You will be located here, in the heart of Vienna, no matter if you work on a mySugr®, Accu-Chek®, navify® or any other Roche product or solution. You can read more about the history of mySugr & Roche here.

Here’s what we’re looking for:

We, the Digital Biomarker and Remote Patient Management (dBM & RPM) Chapter in Roche Information Solutions, are an integrated team of scientists, technologists, data analysts and operationalization experts, that leverages mobile technologies like smartphones and wearables to collect objective and continuous sensor data from patients in clinical trials and clinical care.

We co-create innovative digital biomarker concepts for sensitive and meaningful drug development endpoints, implement them in technology solutions, develop health related outcome measures, seek community- and regulatory acceptance of corresponding endpoints and provide end-to-end services to Biopharma companies and research institutes for the collection and analysis of digital endpoint data in clinical trials. Moreover, we are establishing the scientific foundations for disease monitoring and screening solutions in clinical practice.

This role will focus in particular on our Navify digital biomarker solutions for Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease – see https://navify.roche.com/campaigns/digital-biomarkers-solution for a description of the products. The following publications provide a good overview of the scientific foundations of the products:

Giboin, L.S., Simillion, C., Rennig, J., Bamdadian, A., Kinsella, F.C., Smith, A.V., McColgan, P., Lindemann, M., Lipsmeier, F., Wild, E.J. and Dorn, J., 2025. A digital motor score for sensitive detection of progression in Huntington’s disease. Brain.

Taylor, K.I., Lipsmeier, F., Scelsi, M.A. et al. Exploratory digital outcome measures of motor sign progression in Parkinson’s disease patients treated with prasinezumab. npj Digit. Med. 8, 365 (2025).

Key Responsibilities

• Lead statistical analysis activities to establish the psychometric properties, construct validity, test-retest reliability, and responsiveness of novel digital endpoints derived from mobile technologies
• Design and execute statistical analysis plans (SAPs) for clinical validation studies, utilizing longitudinal modeling techniques to track disease progression and evaluate treatment effects
• Develop robust statistical strategies to handle remote sensor data challenges, including non-compliance, variable wear time, and missing data
• Align validation workflows with industry frameworks, such as the Digital Medicine Society (DiME) V3 framework (Verification, Analytical Validation, Clinical Validation) and FDA DHT guidance

Pre-Sales Consulting & Customer Solution Strategy

• Serve as the data scientific subject matter experts in pre-sales calls, sponsor meetings, and scientific advisory boards, effectively communicating the scientific rigor behind Navify solutions
• Collaborate directly with biopharma customers to understand their drug development pipelines and co-design optimal digital endpoint strategies for their clinical trials
• Translate complex statistical concepts and validation evidence into clear value propositions, supporting the commercial team in developing high-impact sales collateral and proposals
• Provide scientific and statistical support to address ad-hoc customer queries regarding data interpretation and trial design

Regulatory & Scientific Dissemination

• Contribute quantitative evidence and statistical sections to briefing packages for regulatory agencies (e.g., FDA, EMA) to support endpoint qualification and pre-submission interactions
• Author and co-author high-impact, peer-reviewed journal articles to establish the biological, clinical, and patient relevance of digital readouts in PD and HD
• Build compelling visual presentations and clinical narratives to communicate data insights to multidisciplinary internal and external stakeholders

Qualifications & Requirements

Must-Haves

• Education: Advanced university degree (Master’s or Ph.D.) in Data Science, Statistics, Biostatistics, Applied Mathematics, or a related quantitative field
• Experience: 5+ years of hands‑on experience in data science or biostatistics, with a strong focus on digital health technologies (DHTs), digital biomarkers, or clinical trial outcome measures
• Statistical & Validation Expertise:
  • Deep expertise in statistical validation methodologies (analytical/clinical validation, psychometric evaluation, longitudinal modeling, mixed-effects models, survival analysis)
  • Strong background in addressing remote data challenges (missing data imputation, trajectory modeling, noise reduction)
  • Familiarity with regulatory requirements and frameworks for endpoint qualification (DiME V3 framework, FDA DHT guidance)
• Client Engagement & Pre-Sales Savvy:
  • Demonstrated experience in customer-facing roles, scientific advisory, or pre-sales consulting within the biopharma or digital health domain
  • Proven ability to understand client trial objectives and consult on value-adding endpoint integration strategies
• Technical Skills: Advanced proficiency in Python (alternatively R) for statistical modeling, visualization, and reproducible reporting
• Communication: Outstanding written and verbal English skills, with a track record of peer-reviewed publications and experience presenting technical concepts to non-technical executives and clinical teams

Nice-to-Haves

• Domain knowledge in movement disorders or neurodegenerative diseases (Parkinson’s Disease, Huntington’s Disease) and familiarity with clinical rating scales (e.g., MDS-UPDRS, cUHDRS)
• Experience participating in regulatory agency meetings (IND, FDA pre-subs, EMA scientific advice, ISTAND/DDT programs)
• Basic familiarity with time-series analysis or signal processing concepts (sufficient to interface with signal processing engineers)

Here’s what you can expect from us

• Ambitious and passionate people building meaningful products for a global audience
• An innovative agile working environment allowing for collaboration with really smart people and knowledge sharing in cross-functional teams
• Loads of benefits (brand new Apple hardware, fitness, public transport, lunch benefit, language classes, professional training budget, chance to join global conferences…)
• Flexible working hours and home office policy, 5 weeks vacation
• An amazing office with a rooftop terrace, fully stocked kitchen and amazing barista coffee machines in the middle of Vienna… oh, and did we mention the best team in the world!

In Austria, we have a legal obligation to disclose the minimum salary according to our collective agreement, which is gross EUR 3.843 - per month for this position. But! Rest assured, we offer amazing competitive compensation packages which take into consideration current market trends, therefore you can expect a higher offer that reflects your experience level.

Who we are and what we care about?

We are committed to providing a healthy, equal and inclusive working environment for our employees to bring true relief to the patient! We care about family friendly career paths, sustainability, a healthy lifestyle and the flexibility of a modern workplace. We maintain a culture of learning and sharing, as well as open and candid feedback. At every level, there are many opportunities to develop and grow - both professionally and personally.

As a healthcare pioneer committed to transforming the lives of billions of people around the globe, we push boundaries to redefine what is possible. We know that early, accurate diagnosis is essential to maintain health, prevent disease and help advance new, targeted treatments and potential cures for the world’s most serious health problems. We have a passion for innovation and a profound commitment to make a lasting impact on society by continuing to improve the standard of care for humankind. Our culture inspires us to create healthcare that is sustainable, efficient and financially viable. Healthcare that is built on people’s needs, strong data and clinical insights. Healthcare that saves lives.

Roche is an Equal Opportunity Employer.