Software Development Engineer

Roche; Hatfield; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Roche welcomes you to join the Welwyn Hatfield team as a Senior Software Development Engineer to help build a cloud-native platform central to AI-driven drug discovery. You will consolidate molecule registration systems and enable iterative workflows between computational design and laboratory science at massive scale.

You will contribute in Python with Java/Kotlin components, design RESTful APIs, and deploy in CI/CD pipelines on AWS.

Qualifications

• Degree in Computer Science or a related field; equivalent expertise through practice.
• Strong Python programming with production services experience; able to work in Java/Kotlin codebases.
• Deep knowledge of Postgres/SQL; design REST APIs and microservices that handle load.
• Testing is part of the work with CI/CD pipelines and agile delivery.
• Experience with cloud platforms, preferably AWS; eagerness to learn domain-specific data.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain core features of the molecule registration platform in Python and Java/Kotlin.
• Design and implement RESTful APIs and microservices for research and ML teams.
• Write high-quality, testable code for chemical registration workflows with scientific impact.
• Shape architecture as multiple registration systems are harmonised into one platform.
• Build cloud-native, scalable systems to support rapid iteration between computational design and experiments.

Skills

Python

Java

Kotlin

REST APIs

CI/CD

AWS

SQL

PostgreSQL

Test automation

Education

Degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

Job description

Software Development Engineer

Welwyn Hatfield

Hertfordshire

GB

AL9 5HX

Any

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

We are building the platform that holds every molecule our researchers design, make and test. As a Senior Software Development Engineer, you will help consolidate our molecule registration systems into a single cloud-native platform at the centre of our AI-driven drug discovery work. You will write the code that lets computational design and laboratory science iterate on each other, at a scale of hundreds of billions of records.

The Opportunity

• You develop and maintain core features of our Therapeutic Molecule Registration platform, working primarily in Python alongside Java and Kotlin components.
• You design and implement RESTful APIs and microservices that serve molecular data to research and machine learning teams across our global organisation.
• You write high-quality, testable code for chemical registration workflows, where correctness directly affects the science that depends on it.
• You shape architecture by contributing to technical design discussions as multiple registration systems are harmonised into one.
• You build for scale and speed designing cloud-native systems that support rapid iteration between computational molecule design and experimental validation.
• You work alongside scientists partnering with our Computational Sciences colleagues, our machine learning for drug development team, and Drug Discovery groups including Antibody Engineering.
• You grow into a new domain combining software engineering craft with chemical and biological data management - we will support you in learning it.

Who you are

• You hold a degree in Computer Science or a related field, or you have built equivalent expertise through practice. (Required)
• You are a strong Python programmer with significant experience building and running production services, and you can work confidently in existing Java or Kotlin codebases. (Required)
• You have deep working knowledge of Postgres and SQL, and you design REST APIs and microservices that hold up under load. (Required)
• You treat testing as part of the work, with a strong track record in test automation, CI/CD pipelines and agile delivery. (Required)
• You have built on cloud platforms, preferably AWS, and you are curious about scientific data - you enjoy learning a domain deeply enough to design well for it. (Required)
• Preferred: Open-source cheminformatics experience - RDKit, chemfp, Indigo or the HELM toolkit - chemical database cartridges, structure canonicalisation, or molecular structure searching. Familiarity with chemical and biological structure notation, or with biological sequence alignment. Docker and Kubernetes, event-driven architectures, or a background in scientific software development.

Impact and Values

Every molecule registered on this platform is a possible medicine, and the speed at which we can find it depends on the systems we build. If you want your engineering to shorten the distance between an idea and a therapy that reaches patients. Where pay transparency applies, details are provided based on the primary posting location. For this role, the primary location is Welwyn. 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 advancing 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.

The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees, and are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. Furthermore, they do not establish a contract for employment and are subject to change at the discretion of Roche Products Ltd. At Roche Products we believe diversity drives innovation and we are committed to building a diverse and flexible working environment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion or belief, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, disability or age. We recognise the importance of flexible working and will review all applicants' requests with care. At Roche difference is valued and we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer where you are encouraged to bring your whole self to work.