Principal Scientist - Discovery Oncology

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.

This position is located within our Discovery Research Unit focused on Cancer Cell Dependencies (CCD) within the Oncology Discovery organization dedicated to the discovery and development of novel cancer therapeutics. We collaborate closely with functions in Therapeutic Modalities, Pharmaceutical Science as well as within the oncology therapeutic area to translate hypotheses into innovative therapeutics.

The Opportunity

As a Senior / Principal Scientist Discovery Oncology, you will work within a collaborative team of motivated and scientifically rigorous scientists and associates to conduct preclinical research and advance our clinical and preclinical drug programs in the field of cancer cell biology. You will translate basic research findings into therapeutic strategies, utilizing genetic and pharmacological approaches to understand target mechanisms of action, generate patient stratification strategies and identify rational drug combinations that can be translated into the clinic.

• Lead internal target identification initiatives and exploratory activities, from initial ideation to nomination of the program and proactively seek out future horizon opportunities and be passionate about the co-creation of new areas of focus. 

• Lead internal and external global cross-functional portfolio projects of high strategic impact, show resource awareness, coordinate cross-functional efforts to meet long-term project objectives as a matrix leader.

• Design, execute and analyze/interpret experimental strategies and present research results and methodologies at regular meetings with teams, key stakeholders and/or interact regularly with project leaders, project teams and other research forums. Work collaboratively  with scientists and associates across oncology discovery research units to integrate complex data sets including high dimensional  ‘omic’ data in pre-clinical settings for target validation and increased understanding of target biology and MoA of therapeutic compounds.

• Drive resolution of key scientific challenges in their respective area of expertise and provide feedback to scientific communities. Proactively seek out and share new knowledge and incorporate this into individual project(s) as well as the overall portfolio, catalyze knowledge sharing within pRED function and make knowledge accessible throughout pRED.

• External Innovation (EI) SPOC for Discovery: Lead biology/discovery evaluations across Triage, Non-Confidential, Pre-DD, and DD stages for assets from Discovery through DevGo (handing over to EDO post-DevGo). Deliver clear Go/No-Go recommendations. Identify critical scientific questions for DD in preDD setting, co-author Pre-DD and DD-request slide decks, and present at governance check-ins. Lead biology DD activities, directly oversee Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) studies and data reporting, and contribute to final DD reports and governance presentations.

• Role model curiosity for working flexibly in new concepts and a matrix environment, take a proactive role in personal growth and scientific development. Enable individual and organizational learning within their teams and across the Discovery organization in order to advance the portfolio and scientific innovation. Thrive in a dynamic, inclusive environment and contribute to building a culture that embraces scientific excellence, accountability, urgency, partnerships with key stakeholders, continuous learning and improvement, increasing technical skill base and cancer biology expertise.

• Provide clarity of vision, coaching and architecture to enable smart decision-making, prioritization and the highest level of performance. Incentivize people to constructively challenge the status quo and stop doing work that does not have scientific and business impact.

• Role model E2E collaboration. Hold team members accountable for sharing, data, systems and methods. Nurture a culture where we debate, decide and commit, while respecting colleagues' intent and expertise regardless of hierarchy.

• Hold themselves, colleagues and teams accountable for delivery and resource management. Incentivize and reward based on impact. Apply proactive performance management: ensure consequences for failure to deliver or engage in the foundational behaviors and mindset required for success.

Who you are

• PhD or MD/PhD in Molecular or Cellular Biology, Immunology, Pharmacology (or a comparable biological science) with 6+ years of relevant postdoctoral experience in an academic or pharmaceutical/biotech environment.
• Prior industry experience is preferred.
• Experience in cancer drug discovery /translational research and targeting molecular pathways using diverse modalities including large and/or small molecule compounds.
• Experience in intracellular oncogenic signalling and cancer cell dependencies is required. Extensive knowledge and understanding of other areas of cancer biology including but not limited to cell cycle regulation, transcription factors, oncogenic signalling and or ADC biology is a plus.
• Experience supporting IND study reports or contributing to relevant sections of IND study reports is an advantage.
• Collaborative mind-set, capable and eager to work within a matrix organization, collective goal achievement, ability to work in a team environment, good communication skills.

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.

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.