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The PositionPOSITION
At Roche, over 100,000 colleagues are working together and doing what patients need next. Our ambition is to deliver novel therapeutics, diagnostic solutions and insights to patients with game changing clinical benefits. China Innovation Center of Roche (CICoR) is seeking a talented and experienced Scientist or Senior Scientist for the discovery, design and engineering of novel antibody drugs. The final position offered depends on the experience level of the candidate.
The position requires the candidate to perform the engineering of antibodies through rational design, computational engineering or display technologies. The successful candidate will work with dynamic and highly motivated teams to drive the development of antibody therapeutics for unmet medical needs. The candidate will collaborate with colleagues in Biologics Discovery and Development (BDD), Immunology Discovery, Oncology Discovery, Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease Discovery, Protein Sciences, Structural Biology, AI Data and Digital, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Biologics CMC. This position requires effective participation in multidisciplinary teams with members from CICoR.
RESPONSIBILITIES
● Contribute as a project member or as BDD project lead and collaborate with other cross-functional project leads in the design and execution of the program strategies and goals.
● Perform protein engineering to drive therapeutic antibody lead selection, design, and optimization for antibody discovery projects.
● Design and execute display libraries (phage, yeast or in vitro display) for antibody optimization.
● Design and select fit for purpose antibody format.
● Develop and apply cutting-edge computational and AI/ML tools for protein engineering and antibody optimization.
● Coordinate with CROs and monitor outsourcing activities to ensure timely delivery of qualified data to steer portfolios.
● Participate in due diligence to evaluate relevant external opportunities in order to license in assets or technologies.
CANDIDATE PROFILE
Qualification and experience
The candidate qualifications include a Ph.D. in Protein Engineering, Biophysics, Structural Biology, Computational Biology, or a related discipline, with at least 3 years of post-doctoral or industry experience, preferably in a biotechnology or pharma setting. A track record of effective protein engineering support of antibody generation and optimization efforts in drug discovery programs.
Competencies
The ideal candidate will have demonstrated competence in the following areas:
● Strong background in sequence and structure-based protein analysis and engineering.
● Hands-on experiences with antibody humanization, affinity maturation and developability optimization. Deep understanding of display technologies and workflows.
● Expertise of cutting-edge biologics formats including bi- and multi-specific antibodies.
● Experience with computational protein engineering, antibody paratope-epitope modeling, protein engineering to reduce immunogenicity, and next-generation sequencing (NGS) are vital.
● Strong proficiency in integrating AI/ML models (e.g., structure/sequence prediction algorithms) and computational protein design into wet-lab workflows.
● Hands-on experience with core molecular biology techniques (e.g., cloning, site-directed mutagenesis, library construction) and functional cell-based assays (e.g., binding, signaling, or cytotoxicity assays) is a strong plus.
● A track record of publications and accomplishments reflecting deep technical knowledge, adaptability in learning new techniques, and a history of consistent research productivity.
● Excellent communication and collaboration skills with a deep commitment to working as part of teams and recognizing the strengths of everyone on the team.
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.
Skills Required
- Ph.D. in Protein Engineering, Biophysics, Structural Biology, Computational Biology, or related discipline with at least 3 years post-doctoral or industry experience
- Track record supporting antibody generation and optimization in drug discovery programs
- Strong background in sequence- and structure-based protein analysis and engineering
- Hands-on experience with antibody humanization, affinity maturation, and developability optimization
- Deep understanding of display technologies and workflows (phage, yeast, in vitro) and design of display libraries
- Expertise with bi- and multi-specific antibody formats
- Experience with computational protein engineering, paratope-epitope modeling, immunogenicity reduction strategies, and NGS
- Proficiency integrating AI/ML models and computational protein design into wet-lab workflows
- Hands-on molecular biology techniques (cloning, site-directed mutagenesis, library construction) and functional cell-based assays
- Track record of publications and consistent research productivity
- Excellent communication and collaboration skills for multidisciplinary team environments
Roche Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Roche and has not been reviewed or approved by Roche.
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Retirement Support — U.S. materials describe a 401(k) with both matching and an additional company contribution, supported by formal plan documents and true‑up features. This structure is positioned as a standout element of the total package, particularly at Genentech.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Time‑off provisions include substantial vacation, a year‑end shutdown, and a paid six‑week sabbatical after six years. These elements indicate a recharge‑oriented approach within the U.S. offering.
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Healthcare Strength — Company materials emphasize comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and mental‑health resources alongside well‑being programs. Benefits pages consistently highlight breadth across core health coverage elements.
Roche Insights
What We Do
Roche is a global pioneer in pharmaceuticals and diagnostics focused on advancing science to improve people’s lives. The combined strengths of pharmaceuticals and diagnostics under one roof have made Roche the leader in personalised healthcare – a strategy that aims to fit the right treatment to each patient in the best way possible. Roche is the world’s largest biotech company, with truly differentiated medicines in oncology, immunology, infectious diseases, ophthalmology and diseases of the central nervous system. Roche is also the world leader in in vitro diagnostics and tissue-based cancer diagnostics, and a frontrunner in diabetes management. Founded in 1896, Roche continues to search for better ways to prevent, diagnose and treat diseases and make a sustainable contribution to society. The company also aims to improve patient access to medical innovations by working with all relevant stakeholders. Thirty medicines developed by Roche are included in the World Health Organization Model Lists of Essential Medicines, among them life-saving antibiotics, antimalarials and cancer medicines. Roche has been recognised as the Group Leader in sustainability within the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences Industry ten years in a row by the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI).
