Discovery Scientist – Neural Retina & Ocular Disease

About the role

Roche’s Ophthalmology team in Basel is seeking a Discovery Scientist with deep expertise in neural retina biology to lead early‑stage drug discovery for major eye diseases such as dry AMD, neovascular AMD, diabetic retinopathy and other retinal vascular disorders.

Key responsibilities

• Identify and validate novel therapeutic targets using advanced in‑vitro and in‑vivo ocular disease models and patient sample datasets.
• Develop and evaluate optimal therapeutic modalities for selected targets and drive projects from target initiation to Phase II readiness.
• Lead cross‑functional collaborations across bioinformatics, safety, translational medicine and external CROs, managing timelines and deliverables.
• Communicate findings through internal presentations, high‑impact publications and international scientific conferences.

Required profile

• PhD in Biology, Neuroscience, Biochemistry or related life‑science field and post‑doctoral experience in vision research or ophthalmology.
• 2–3 years of professional experience in academic or industry drug discovery with a strong publication record.
• Proven ability to lead research projects and multidisciplinary teams.

Required skills

• Hands‑on experience with animal handling and ocular procedures or development of 2D/3D model systems (organoids, organ‑on‑a‑chip).
• Expertise in cell/tissue culture, -omics technologies and basic bioinformatic tools.
• Strong organizational, record‑keeping and English communication skills.