Senior Crystallization Specialist / Particle Engineer

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 Particle Design Team at Roche is dedicated to developing robust and efficient processes for small molecule drug substances. We work at the intersection of chemical engineering, physical chemistry, and pharmaceutical science to define and control the final solid forms and solid-state attributes required for optimal drug product quality and manufacturing.

We are seeking a highly motivated and skilled Senior Crystallization Specialist / Senior Particle Engineer to join our team. This role is crucial for developing crystallization and isolation processes, applying particle engineering technologies, and ensuring drug substances meet defined quality attributes for robust drug product manufacturing. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in crystallization fundamentals and process development, excellent interpersonal skills for interdisciplinary collaboration, and an affinity for digitalization to drive process innovation and efficiency.

The responsibilities of this role include, but are not necessarily limited to, the items listed below:

• Develop robust, phase-appropriate manufacturing processes for the crystallization and isolation of small molecule drug substances with defined quality attributes.

• Contribute to the scale-up of developed manufacturing processes, ensuring quality and consistency.

• Carry out rational design and control of drug substance physical properties through particle engineering technologies.

• Investigate and apply new methodologies in crystallization and co-processing to optimize solid-state properties.

• Coordinate and lead scientific/technical discussions with internal teams (e.g., synthetic chemists, analytical scientists, formulation scientists) to plan, execute, and resolve project-related challenges.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to provide technical expertise in the selection, processing, and optimization of powder materials.

• Generate accurate and detailed reports, documenting experimental procedures, results, and conclusions, and collaborate with external partners to leverage expertise.

You are an individual who seeks to influence your own development, eager for opportunities across functions and geographies, viewing a job title as a starting point rather than a final definition. To perform this pivotal role, you bring the following qualifications:

• Education and Experience: Ph.D. in a relevant field (e.g., chemical engineering, physical chemistry, materials/pharmaceutical science) with >7 years of industry experience OR an MS with >10 years of industry experience.

• Technical Expertise: Proven expertise in developing crystallization, isolation, and purification processes for small molecules, with a good understanding of solid-state chemistry; experience with crystallization/precipitation of peptides is desirable.

• Process Knowledge: Working knowledge of particulate/powder characterization techniques and familiarity with process modeling, computational fluid dynamics, dry milling, wet milling, spray drying, or lyophilization.

• Leadership and Collaboration: Track record of strong matrix leadership, an agile mindset, excellent communication, and interpersonal skills for effective cross-functional collaboration.

• Soft Skills: Skilled in project management, prioritizing tasks in a dynamic environment, excellent problem-solving/troubleshooting, and the ability to embrace others' ideas, fostering innovation and translating concepts into practical solutions.

Ready for the next step? We look forward to hearing from you. Apply now to discover this exciting opportunity!

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.