Post Doctorate Scientist

The Position
We advance science so that we all have more time with the people we love.
In Roche’s Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development organisation (pRED), we make transformative medicines for patients in order to tackle some of the world’s toughest unmet healthcare needs. At pRED, we are united by our mission to transform science into medicines. Together, we create a culture defined by curiosity, responsibility and humility, where our talented people are empowered and inspired to bring forward extraordinary life-changing innovation at speed.
The position:
As a Postdoctoral Fellow (RPF) (m/f/d) with a joint appointment in Therapeutic Modalities and Data & Analytics, you will focus on an exploratory research project that employs machine learning for AAV Gene Therapy. The focus of the project is on the computational design–capitalizing on recent advances in machine learning–of genetic payloads and transgenes at the nucleotide level that are cell type-specific and drive user-specified protein expression rates.
You will work together with computer scientists, biologists, and disease experts to leverage internal and external capacities & resources in developing machine learning systems and validating novel genetic designs using relevant human cellular & disease models.
The team of Prof Julien Gagneur at the Computational Health Center of the Helmholtz Center Munich is Roche’s academic partner for this Postdoctoral Fellowship. The partnership with the Gagneur lab will provide further insights on AI modeling methods for regulatory genomics.
Your impact in this position:

• You will develop, train, and establish state-of-the-art machine learning models to design novel coding sequences for AAV Gene Therapies, drawing upon large in-house and external datasets
• You will employ these machine learning approaches to build and test fully synthetic coding sequences in relevant cellular and disease models pursued in our Genomic Medicine portfolio, in close collaboration with our Discovery and Translational departments
  

Essential skills and qualifications:

• You have a Ph.D. in the quantitative biological sciences (received in the last four years or expected latest mid 2024)
• Fluency in at least one major programming language, preferably Python is required
• You have a fundamental understanding of genetics and cell biology
• Furthermore, we can trust in your ability to work with large datasets from diverse sources
  

Preferred skills and qualifications:

• Research and coding experience in machine learning, preferably large language models
• Fundamental understanding of gene regulation at the level of transcription and translation
• Experience in working with omics data, preferably transcriptomics and proteomics
  

The duration of an RPF project is initially set for two years, with the possibility of extension for a third year. The successful candidate will be based in either Penzberg (Germany) or Zurich (Switzerland).
We anticipate the start date of this fellowship to be mid-2024, by which point the candidate should have successfully defended their Ph.D.
This position is sponsored by the Roche Postdoctoral Fellowship (RPF) Programme. The RPF Programme has the ambition to build and maintain the Scientific Leadership of the future and to provide leading Roche scientists with the opportunity to collaborate with talented postdoctoral researchers and leading academic research groups from around the world. One of the key aims is to advance basic science and technologies that will be published in top-rated, peer-reviewed scientific journals, if necessary preceded by priority patent applications.
More information about the RPF Programme:
https://careers.roche.com/global/en/the-roche-postdoctoral-fellowship-programme
We look forward to receiving your application.
Your application documents:
To be considered, please send a short CV or resume that prominently lists your skills and experience relevant for this position including publication list and the contact details of two references. In addition, we ask you to provide a brief motivation letter (~half a page) that indicates your desired start date and highlights one key research experience that makes you a good fit for this position.
Our commitment:
Roche commits to recognizing talent and aptitude. We prioritize encouraging and supporting our employees in their personal journeys by providing a safe, creative space to help them reflect, make decisions and grow in their career. We are confident that we find the most innovative solutions by gaining different perspectives, asking and answering hard questions, and challenging the status quo. Roche embraces diversity and equal opportunity in a serious yet enthusiastic way; we are devoted to building a team that represents a range of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. The more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.
Your contact to us! With people. For people.
Do you need more support?
Our Talent Acquisition Team welcomes your questions. Please send an email to
germany.talent_acquisition@roche.com
Who we are
At Roche, more than 100,000 people across 100 countries are pushing back the frontiers of healthcare. Working together, we’ve become one of the world’s leading research-focused healthcare groups. Our success is built on innovation, curiosity and diversity.
Roche at Penzberg, near Munich, employs more than 7,000 people. The site is one of the largest biotechnology centers in Europe and the only Roche site with research, development and production for both Pharmaceuticals and Diagnostics under one roof. From your beginning with Roche, our motivated team will welcome and support you. Numerous opportunities for personal development, flexible work hours, attractive compensation packages and special family assistance programs are available.
Roche is an Equal Opportunity Employer.