Senior-Level Scientist/Engineer - Chemistry & Fluidic Systems Integration, Next-Gen Sequencing Workflows, Research & Early Development

Roche•Santa Clara, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

At Roche, we are working to make next-generation sequencing simple and accessible enough for routine use. By accelerating clinical research, streamlining workflows, and expanding assay menus, we are broadening access to genomic data and lowering barriers to adoption. Our Systems Technology Group, a part of Roche Sequencing Solutions, is focused on creating and advancing technologies to significantly enhance DNA sequencing workflows. We are seeking a hands-on Chemistry & Fluidic Systems Integration Scientist/Engineer to serve as a Subject Matter Expert in chemistry and biology. Joining our current team of talented scientists and engineers, you will bridge the gap between complex molecular biology, physical chemistry and cutting-edge microfluidic instrumentation and consumables. The ideal candidate will thrive at this intersection, actively porting and translating complex workflows onto novel systems during the earliest stages of research and development. You will be responsible for rigorously testing new concepts, developing and executing complex assays, troubleshooting integrated subsystems, and optimizing overall performance based on first principles.

Requirements

PhD in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biophysics, Molecular Biology, Bioengineering, Biomedical Engineering (or a closely related discipline) with 7+ years of relevant industry experience; OR a Master's degree in one of the above disciplines with 9+ years of relevant industry experience; OR a Bachelor's degree with 11+ years of relevant industry experience.
Deep, intuitive understanding of the fundamental principles of chemistry and molecular biology, and a proven ability to apply this knowledge to solve complex hardware integration and system performance challenges.
Grasp of chemistry concepts critical to complex fluidic systems, including surface chemistry, surface passivation, and chemical compatibility.
Deep, hands-on expertise in molecular biology, library prep, target enrichment, DNA amplification technologies, DNA purification workflows, and nucleic acid characterization tools.
Experience developing novel assays or library prep kits from scratch, understanding the distinct purpose of each reagent.
Significant industry experience and proficiency in evaluating, integrating, testing, and successfully translating complex biological or chemical workflows onto breadboards, custom fixtures, prototype instruments, or highly integrated microfluidic systems in a life sciences or diagnostics R&D environment.
Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot from a first-principles perspective, identifying and resolving ambiguous issues that span molecular biology, chemistry, hardware, consumables, software, and their interactions.

Nice To Haves

Record of innovation, demonstrated through contributions to successful product development, a portfolio of patents and/or publications in relevant fields, particularly related to nucleic acids and associated assays.
Hands-on experience defining workflows and implementing/testing them on instrumentation by writing custom scripts via Python or fluidic simulation software for control and data acquisition.
Direct experience using Design of Experiments (DOE) and statistical analysis tools (e.g., JMP, R) for system characterization and optimization.
High degree of ingenuity, resourcefulness, and scientific curiosity applied to solving complex integration challenges and optimizing system performance in a fast-paced, ambiguous R&D environment.
Demonstrated strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to communicate complex technical knowledge in a clear and understandable manner to a multidisciplinary team.

Responsibilities

Translate, test, and optimize complex, multi-step chemical and molecular biology workflows (e.g., purification, synthesis, library prep, target enrichment, amplification, and sequencing) on early-stage microfluidic systems.
Navigate the transition of assays from solution-phase to solid-phase environments and quantify reactions on surfaces.
Perform the selection, formulation, and optimization of buffers, surfactants, coatings and critical additives.
Leverage understanding of the distinct purpose of each reagent to maintain efficiency and optimize chemical and enzymatic reactions within microfluidic or closed-system environments.
Design and execute rigorous experiments using statistical methods to characterize system performance and troubleshoot issues.
Apply functional grasp of chemistry to navigate challenges related to chemical compatibility, surface tension, surface passivation, ionic strength, shear forces, and the influence of pH on surface interactions.
Conduct early-stage, deep-dive troubleshooting for complex performance issues on novel systems.
Seamlessly connect systemic failures such as leaks, null results, or surface fouling back to first-principles root causes, whether molecular, chemical, material, or physical.
Serve as a subject matter expert in molecular biology, sample and library preparation, and sequencing chemistry.
Be a go-to person for explaining complex biological and chemical concepts to a team of talented engineers.
Analyze complex, multi-modal data sets and serve as a key technical partner to both assay development scientists and hardware design engineers.
Provide critical, data-driven feedback to guide the co-development of reagents, consumables, and instrument hardware, ensuring chemistry, molecular biology, and engineering are harmonized through iterative feedback cycles.