Technical Lead Assay Development

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 Position

About the Role

As a Technical Lead Assay Development, you will steer complex, global, and cross-functional diagnostic projects with significant strategic impact and risk potential. You will provide technical leadership to a laboratory team, applying deep scientific expertise to advance core lab technology assay development. In this role, you will analyze R&D results, champion new diagnostic innovations, drive agile cross-functional collaboration, and pioneer creative solutions beyond conventional approaches. In this role, your work will be focused on the Elecsys/cobas e instrument platform.

Key Responsibilities

• Project Leadership & Technical Steering (40%): Lead and drive technical development within complex, global cross-functional projects involving intricate interface management and long-term strategic impacts. Participate in program and agile ceremonies, collaborate with Product Owners on schedules, and hold accountability for technical PI planning contributions.

• Team Leadership & Scientific Expertise (20%): Provide technical guidance to a laboratory team and support the development of IVD assays and assay components. Define the competence standards required for operational success and align requirements with team leads.

• Decision Support & Risk Management (10%): Prepare data-driven analyses and information to facilitate key decision-making while assessing and interpreting product and project risks.

• Innovation & Continuous Improvement (10%): Monitor emerging trends and technologies in the diagnostic field, proposing applications for IVD solutions and fostering technical growth within agile teams.

• Stakeholder Collaboration & Networking (10%): Build strong partnerships across internal departments and external collaborators. Help build a vibrant Technical Lead community across functional customer areas.

• Results Analysis & Scientific Dissemination (5%): Analyze and interpret R&D outcomes, present findings to key functional committees, and support academic/scientific publications.

• Innovative Problem Solving (5%): Independently design and execute innovative solutions outside of established frameworks.

Qualifications & Requirements

Education & Experience

• Education: Master’s degree with 5–7 years of professional experience in developing diagnostic solutions, OR a PhD in Biochemistry or a closely related scientific field.

• Technical Experience: Demonstrated experience in assay development or in-vitro diagnostic (IVD) solution design, alongside experience in technical supervision/mentorship.

• Matrix Leadership: Experience providing technical direction within complex matrix organizational structures.

• Languages: Business fluent in English (written and spoken).

Specialist Knowledge & Core Competencies

• Deep expertise in IVD assay development and technical solution architecture.

• Advanced scientific, analytical, and complex problem-solving capabilities.

• Strong technical stakeholder management, dependency management, and cross-functional alignment skills.

• Proven communication, presentation, and task delegation skills

• Strategic mindset with the ability to make timely, well-reasoned decisions under uncertainty.

• Openness to agile ways of working and cultural transformation.

• Openness to travel within Europe on a regular basis particularly during  the on-boarding

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.