Biological Experimental Medicine Lead in Welwyn

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.

This position will be within the Translational Medicine Group of the Ophthalmology department in the Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development organization (pRED) of Roche. Roche has a strong pipeline of Ophthalmology medicines and is expanding its portfolio in retinal vascular diseases, dry age-related macular degeneration and front of the eye diseases. With global partnerships and collaborations, Roche offers ample opportunities for drug development and career growth in Ophthalmology.

The opportunity We are offering the opportunity to join our Ophthalmology biomarker team. Currently, we are a team of seven biomarker leaders with different backgrounds in biochemistry, cell-biology, molecular biology, experimental ophthalmology and drug development that we apply to diseases like age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, dry eye disease, and others. We are looking for a biomarker expert with strong experience in translational science that can complement our team as an individual contributor and matrix team leader.

The BEML is accountable for:

• the development and implementation of end-to-end translational biomarker strategies during pre-clinical and clinical phases of drug development programs
• leading biomarker-related activities for quantifying drug response and selecting patients (personalized healthcare)
• as a Matrix Leader of the BioX (Bioanalytical, Biosample and Biomarker) Expert Team assumes accountability for research collaborations focused on benefiting multiple programs in line with the project and disease area strategy
• being an active member of preclinical and clinical drug development and project teams
• providing scientific and strategic input into the overall drug and clinical development plans
• ensuring that biomarker-related activities are fit-for-purpose and drive decision making within the context of the preclinical and clinical development plan
• collaborating with academic, industry, internal and external experts, and service providers in biomarker, experimental medicine and natural history studies for the identification and evaluation of biomarkers of disease and novel clinical trial endpoints.

Who you are:

• PhD and/or MD degree with a significant, well-documented prior experience in research, industry or clinical setting. This period should comprise proven biomarker-related work experience (preferentially including proteins, metabolites, genetic, imaging or functional biomarkers) in the context of drug development.
• You are able to lead cross-functional matrix teams, drive team decisions and project needs, and prioritize work to focus on individual goals and team deliverables.
• You have a good understanding of methodological and bioanalytical approaches and the ability to generate, integrate and interpret pre-clinical, clinical and drug development data to enable proof of biology, dose selection, patient selection and safety across clinical programs.
• You are a pro-active team player with easy integration into a global organization and have strong networking skills, capable of working independently, and you enjoy working in a team where there are no single heroes.
• You have strong presentation and communication skills and are fluent in English.
• You are a strategist of innovation, see the big picture, are goal-oriented, have a strong drive, analytical mindset and motivation to achieve excellence and have the ability to distill complex issues plus develop and clearly articulate solutions.

Preferred:

• Prior experience in Ophthalmology is a valuable asset.
• In addition, prior experience in biological processes like Neurodegeneration, Angiogenesis, Inflammation or Fibrosis is a plus.

Your Location: This position is based in Welwyn Garden City (UK).

Our commitment: Roche commits to recognising talent and aptitude. We prioritize encouraging and supporting our employees on 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.

About Roche and pRED: 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. Creating a world where we all have more time with the people we love. That’s what makes us Roche. In Roche’s Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development organization (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.

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.