Senior-Level Scientist/Engineer - Chemistry & Fluidic Systems Integration, Next-Gen Sequencing Workflows, Research & Early Development

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

At Roche, we are working to make next-generation sequencing simple and accessible enough for routine use. By accelerating clinical research, streamlining workflows, and expanding assay menus, we are broadening access to genomic data and lowering barriers to adoption. Our Systems Technology Group, a part of Roche Sequencing Solutions, is focused on creating and advancing technologies to significantly enhance DNA sequencing workflows.

We are seeking a hands-on Chemistry & Fluidic Systems Integration Scientist/Engineer to serve as a Subject Matter Expert in chemistry and biology. Joining our current team of talented scientists and engineers, you will bridge the gap between complex molecular biology, physical chemistry and cutting-edge microfluidic instrumentation and consumables.

The ideal candidate will thrive at this intersection, actively porting and translating complex workflows onto novel systems during the earliest stages of research and development. You will be responsible for rigorously testing new concepts, developing and executing complex assays, troubleshooting integrated subsystems, and optimizing overall performance based on first principles.
 

Your Role and Responsibilities:

• You will tackle efforts to translate, test, and optimize complex, multi-step chemical and molecular biology workflows (e.g., purification, synthesis, library prep, target enrichment, amplification, and sequencing) on early-stage microfluidic systems. You will successfully navigate the transition of assays from solution-phase to solid-phase environments and quantify reactions on surfaces.

• You will perform the selection, formulation, and optimization of buffers, surfactants, coatings and critical additives. You will leverage your understanding of the distinct purpose of each reagent to maintain efficiency and optimize chemical and enzymatic reactions within microfluidic or closed-system environments.

• You will design and execute rigorous experiments using statistical methods to characterize system performance and troubleshoot issues. You will apply your functional grasp of chemistry to navigate challenges related to chemical compatibility, surface tension, surface passivation, ionic strength, shear forces, and the influence of pH on surface interactions.

• You will conduct early-stage, deep-dive troubleshooting for complex performance issues on novel systems. You will seamlessly connect systemic failures such as leaks, null results, or surface fouling back to first-principles root causes, whether molecular, chemical, material, or physical.

• You will serve as a subject matter expert in molecular biology, sample and library preparation, and sequencing chemistry. You will be a go-to person for explaining complex biological and chemical concepts to a team of talented engineers.

• You will analyze complex, multi-modal data sets and serve as a key technical partner to both assay development scientists and hardware design engineers. You will provide critical, data-driven feedback to guide the co-development of reagents, consumables, and instrument hardware, ensuring chemistry, molecular biology, and engineering are harmonized through iterative feedback cycles.

A cover letter is required for this application. Please outline your relevant experience and explain why you are interested in this role and our company.

This is an on-site position based in Santa Clara, CA.
Relocation benefits are not being offered for this role.

Who You Are (Required):
 

• You have a PhD in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biophysics, Molecular Biology, Bioengineering, Biomedical Engineering (or a closely related discipline) with 7+ years of relevant industry experience; OR a Master's degree in one of the above disciplines with 9+ years of relevant industry experience; OR a Bachelor's degree with 11+ years of relevant industry experience.

• You possess a deep, intuitive understanding of the fundamental principles of chemistry and molecular biology, and a proven ability to apply this knowledge to solve complex hardware integration and system performance challenges. You also have a grasp of chemistry concepts critical to complex fluidic systems, including surface chemistry, surface passivation, and chemical compatibility.

• You possess deep, hands-on expertise in molecular biology, library prep, target enrichment, DNA amplification technologies, DNA purification workflows, and nucleic acid characterization tools.

• You have experience developing novel assays or library prep kits from scratch, understanding the distinct purpose of each reagent.

• You have significant industry experience and proficiency in evaluating, integrating, testing, and successfully translating complex biological or chemical workflows onto breadboards, custom fixtures, prototype instruments, or highly integrated microfluidic systems in a life sciences or diagnostics R&D environment.

• You have a demonstrated ability to troubleshoot from a first-principles perspective, identifying and resolving ambiguous issues that span molecular biology, chemistry, hardware, consumables, software, and their interactions.

Preferred Qualifications:

• You have a record of innovation, demonstrated through contributions to successful product development, a portfolio of patents and/or publications in relevant fields, particularly related to nucleic acids and associated assays.

• You have hands-on experience defining workflows and implementing/testing them on instrumentation by writing custom scripts via Python or fluidic simulation software for control and data acquisition.

• You have direct experience using Design of Experiments (DOE) and statistical analysis tools (e.g., JMP, R) for system characterization and optimization.

• You exhibit a high degree of ingenuity, resourcefulness, and scientific curiosity applied to solving complex integration challenges and optimizing system performance in a fast-paced, ambiguous R&D environment.

• You have demonstrated strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to communicate complex technical knowledge in a clear and understandable manner to a multidisciplinary team.

The expected salary range for this position based on the primary location of Santa Clara, CA is $127,000 - $236,500.  Actual pay will be determined based on experience, qualifications, geographic location, and other job-related factors permitted by law.  We encourage all qualified applicants to apply. The role's level (& title) may be adjusted based on experience and qualifications.

A discretionary annual bonus may be available based on individual and Company performance. This position also qualifies for the benefits detailed at the link provided below.

Benefits

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. It is our policy and practice to employ, promote, and otherwise treat any and all employees and applicants on the basis of merit, qualifications, and competence. The company's policy prohibits unlawful discrimination, including but not limited to, discrimination on the basis of Protected Veteran status, individuals with disabilities status, and consistent with all federal, state, or local laws.

If you have a disability and need an accommodation in relation to the online application process, please contact us by completing this form Accommodations for Applicants.