Postdoc in Microtechnologies for Organoids and Organ-on-a-Chip

Location: Basel, Basel-city, Switzerland

Roche fosters diversity, equity and inclusion, representing the communities we serve. When dealing with healthcare on a global scale, diversity is an essential ingredient to success. We believe that inclusion is key to understanding people’s varied healthcare needs. Together, we embrace individuality and share a passion for exceptional care. 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.

Creating a world where we all have more time with the people we love.

That’s what makes us Roche.

The Opportunity:

You will join Roche’s Institute of Human Biology, an organization within Roche Pharma R&D (pRED) whose goal is to harness and advance the use of human model systems in drug discovery and development, as well as personalized medicine. Our interdisciplinary research bridges academic and pharmaceutical research, connecting biologists, engineers, and data scientists.

We are offering an outstanding opportunity for a dedicated postdoctoral researcher to contribute to our mission of disrupting the traditional drug discovery process. You will be responsible for developing complex and highly integrated micro- and milli-fluidic technologies to automate the culture of organoids and increase the throughput of Microphysiological Systems (MPS).

These technologies will be developed in close collaboration with other bioengineering groups at IHB and colleagues from pRED. You will benefit from existing IHB know-how and innovative technologies, including organoids expertise, phenotyping and phenoscaping capabilities, and computational biology.

Your responsibilities are:

• Invent and apply cutting-edge bioengineering approaches to develop innovative fluidic technologies for culturing and analyzing 3D cell culture models.
• Develop sophisticated platforms to automate the culture of organoids and increase the throughput of MPS.
• Apply advanced microfluidic platforms to manipulate and culture organoids into droplets or enclosed microfluidic devices
• Aid in integrating various biosensors into these platforms to detect different types of analytes.
• Collaborate with internal members of the Microtechnologies group and colleagues at IHb and pRED to drive projects focused on using or creating new MPS for different organs, facilitating breakthroughs in understanding and treating complex, multifactorial diseases
• Generate high-quality results for peer-reviewed publications and present findings at scientific conferences.

Qualitifications:

• Ph.D. degree in bioengineering or soft materials, completed within the last 2 years.
• Demonstrated record of innovative scientific accomplishments as evidenced by first-author or co-first author publications in a top journal.
• Technically rigorous, bold and creative.
• Proven experience in designing microfluidic devices or organ-on-a-chip technologies.
• Extensive experience in utilizing different microfabrication techniques (soft lithography, 3D printing, micromilling, laser cutting, embossing).
• Significant experience in assembling instruments or machinery.
• Experience with mammalian cell culture, ideally including organoids and stem cells.
• Knowledge of synthesizing hydrogels and other extracellular matrices is advantageous.
• Advanced programming and image analysis skills, particularly using AI coding, are a plus.
• Experience in various types of microscopy.
• Experience integrating biosensors is desirable.
• Outstanding communication skills, a strong passion for and commitment to science.
• Independent, highly motivated, and highly collaborative with the ability to work together with multi-disciplinary teams.
• Quick learner, is curious about new areas and the opportunity to build expertise, and courageously and creatively take initiative to see your ideas implemented 
• Able to perform at a high level in a fast changing and demanding environment

Additional information:

• The position is temporary for two years, with the possibility of extension.
• To apply for this position, please submit the following documents:
  • Your CV, highlighting your contributions to each publication you are an author of. 
  • A cover Letter, clearly indicating your preferred starting date.
  • List of publications

We are looking forward to hearing from you!

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.

Basel is the headquarters of the Roche Group and one of its most important centres of pharmaceutical research. Over 10,700 employees from over 100 countries come together at our Basel/Kaiseraugst site, which is one of Roche’s largest sites. Read more.

Besides extensive development and training opportunities, we offer flexible working options, 18 weeks of maternity leave and 10 weeks of gender independent partnership leave. Our employees also benefit from multiple services on site such as child-care facilities, medical services, restaurants and cafeterias, as well as various employee events.

We believe in the power of diversity and inclusion, and strive to identify and create opportunities that enable all people to bring their unique selves to Roche.

Roche is an Equal Opportunity Employer.