Scientific Digital Product Lead, Assay Workflows

Roche; Basel; On-site; CHF 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Roche is seeking a Scientific Digital Product Lead in Basel to bridge advanced science and digital innovation, translating complex laboratory workflows into scalable, AI-powered platforms. You will guide roadmap priorities and partner with data and engineering teams to deliver measurable value for preclinical R&D.

You bring a PhD or MSc in life sciences or computer science with 3+ years in drug discovery, strong product leadership, and a passion for AI-enabled solutions that accelerate

Qualifications

• PhD or Master’s degree in life sciences or computer science with 3+ years in drug discovery and data/digital innovation.
• Experience leading complex, cross-functional product initiatives in a research setting.
• Strong understanding of preclinical assay workflows and data-driven decision making.

Responsibilities

• Develop and refine the product family strategy within Assay Workflows and align with data ecosystem goals.
• Translate scientist needs into actionable roadmaps and prioritise initiatives with stakeholders.
• Collaborate with engineering and data teams to design scalable, automated assay data workflows.
• Perform business analysis, manage budgets, and coordinate external workforce as needed.
• Identify trends and emerging capabilities to future-proof roadmaps and capabilities.
• Build trusted partnerships with internal and external collaborators across Roche.
• Be flexible and contribute beyond core area when required.

Skills

Data analytics

AI/ML experience

Cross-functional leadership

Strategic product planning

Education

PhD or Master’s in life sciences or computer science

Tools

Python

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 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 Scientific 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 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 Roche’s Assay Workflows domain and drive the next generation of drug discovery platforms. As Scientific Digital Product Lead, you will bridge cutting‑edge science and digital innovation—translating complex laboratory workflows into scalable, automated, and AI‑powered platforms. You will act as the strategic engine behind our data infrastructure, building sustainable pipelines that empower both experimental scientists and advanced AI/ML research teams. If you possess deep domain expertise in preclinical R&D, proven digital product leadership, and a passion for applying AI to accelerate therapeutic breakthroughs, 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 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 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

At Roche, we seek individuals who are inspired by our mission and thrive in a culture defined by curiosity, innovation, and an entrepreneurial mindset. We recognize that our employees are essential to our success in delivering transformative medicines to patients. That’s why we are dedicated to fostering an exceptional workplace that fuels your growth, encourages meaningful collaboration, and empowers you to create a lasting impact on global healthcare.

The ideal candidate will meet many of the following requirements:

• You hold a PhD or Master’s degree in life sciences, computer science, or a related field, with 3+ years of relevant professional experience in drug discovery, with a strong emphasis on data and digital innovation
• You have deep scientific knowledge in Pharma R&D, including preclinical assay workflows, preclinical imaging (Digital Pathology, Biomedical Imaging, Optical Screening, Research Microscopy), and complex vitro models. Technical and engineering skills (e.g., Python, vibe‑coding workflow development) are a strong advantage.
• You are a quick learner who excels at embracing new challenges and driving scientific and computational innovation across complex scientific domains by applying rapidly evolving new AI technologies.
• You demonstrate a strong combination of strategic vision and operational excellence, balancing long‑term planning with hands‑on execution to deliver impactful outcomes. You excel in navigating highly ambiguous or evolving situations with adaptability and focus
• You have a proven ability to lead large‑scale, cross‑functional projects involving multiple teams and stakeholders. Experience in platform strategy, advanced product management, business analysis, and change management is highly valued, with prior work in a drug discovery setting strongly preferred
• You are an exceptional collaborator, capable of navigating complex organizational landscapes, communicating clearly across diverse audiences, and translating big‑picture transformation strategies into actionable, incremental steps that drive measurable progress
• You have a forward‑thinking and agile mindset, with a passion for innovation and curiosity. You are adept at integrating cutting‑edge technologies and methodologies into assay workflows, prioritizing value creation, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement

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.