Senior Software Engineer / Principal Software Engineer - Automation Core (Lab Automation)

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. Within the Computational Sciences Center of Excellence (CoE), the Data and Digital Catalyst (DDC) organization drives the modernization of our computational and data ecosystems. We integrate digital technologies across Research and Early Development to power data-driven science and accelerate decision-making for scientists to ultimately result in outcomes for patients worldwide.

As an engineer for the Automation Core team within the Engineering - Lab Automation team, you will be a key contributor to the architecture and delivery of core automation control and data frameworks in the research labs. You will empower our scientists with reliable, interconnected systems, taking ownership of significant features to ensure the development of scalable and reliable integration solutions.

The Opportunity

To excel in this role, you will bridge the gap between complex software engineering and laboratory research in drug discovery through the following responsibilities:

• Build the Framework: Design and deploy robust and complex, cross-vendor frameworks for integrating with automated systems and workcells in labs.

• Partner with Scientists: Collaborate directly with end-users and product managers to rapidly iterate and translate complex needs into technical solutions.

• Span the Stack: Apply best practices in distributed systems and data engineering, contributing across the technology stack wherever needed.

• Senior Scope: Act as a key contributor by owning significant components of the framework and providing technical guidance to the team

• Principal Scope: Drive the technical roadmap for the core automation control and data frameworks, ensuring alignment with the strategic needs of our drug discovery organizations.

Who You Are

You are a driven engineer who thrives at the intersection of software design and scientific innovation, meeting the following minimum criteria:

• Background: You hold at least a B.S. in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, with 4+ years of experience as a backend, data or product engineer.

• Core Stack: Strong passion for software engineering with expert-level proficiency in Python and/or Java, with deep expertise in cloud-native architectures (ideally AWS) and distributed systems.

• Innovative Mindset: You are passionate about continuous engagement with end-users and have an interest in modern trends, such as AI-assisted coding and front-end development with TypeScript/JavaScript.

• Leadership & Communication: You are a skilled communicator capable of building trusted partnerships with scientists and defining high-level technical architecture for complex work.

• Principal Experience: 7+ years of progressive software architecture experience specifically within the Biotech/Pharma industry.

• Principal Domain Expertise: Deep, hands-on knowledge of lab workflows, integrated workcells, and automation control systems (e.g., liquid handlers, robotic arms) is essential.

Ready to take the next step? We'd love to hear from you. Apply now to explore this exciting opportunity!

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.