As a senior lab automation software engineer, you will be the essential link to the automation scientists in the lab. Using your background in both software development and hardware integration, you will work with a team of software-focused engineers to build, test and do what is needed to bring the software and hardware layers into production.
The Opportunity
To excel in this role, you will bridge the gap between complex software engineering and laboratory research in drug discovery through the following responsibilities:
Design, program and troubleshoot high-throughput lab workflows.
Build orchestration systems, hardware abstraction layers, and instrument drivers that manage retries and allow unattended operation.
Implement logging, metrics, and alerts across hardware and software to identify failures. Fix root causes using software or vision models instead of relying on manual workarounds or vendor support.
Build systems to maintain a digital representation of the lab, including sample identity, instrument state, and resource availability. Connect instruments via APIs and integrate with LIMS and ELNs.
Manage hardware requirements, site constraints, reagent selection, and work cell integration from initial design to deployment.
Work directly with software engineers, automation scientists, and hardware engineers to turn scientific processes into technical architectures.
Who You Are
You have 5+ years of experience in software engineering and hardware integration.
Experienced in programming commercial liquid-handling or laboratory automation platforms and integrating robotic manipulators.
Proficient in C# or Python for building software and integration frameworks.
Familiar with molecular biology, biochemistry, or wet lab workflows to help translate scientific needs into engineering solutions.
Prototyping design experience, including CNC milling, laser cutting, and CAD.
A clear communicator who collaborates with scientists and multidisciplinary teams to build complete solutions.
Skilled at using APIs and SDKs to interact with complex laboratory software ecosystems.
Experienced in designing workflow orchestration or scheduling systems that manage shared resources, dependencies, and priorities.
Preferred skills and experience
Skilled with computer vision models (such as OpenCV, YOLO, or SAM) for automated error handling and object or anomaly detection.
Experienced in training, evaluating, or adopting AI/ML models, including reinforcement or imitation learning for robotics.
Capable of building and evaluating AI-enabled systems, defining evals, establishing guardrails for determinism versus nondeterminism, and measuring reliability.
Knowledgeable about sensors, microcontrollers, and task-and-motion planning.
Familiar with cloud infrastructure and digital twin simulation.
A cover letter is not necessary, you will be required to fill a questionnaire.
Ready to take the next step? We'd love to hear from you. Apply now to explore this exciting opportunity! #ComputationCoE
Where pay transparency applies, details are provided based on the primary posting location. For this role, the primary location is Basel. If you are interested in additional locations where the role may be available, we will provide the relevant compensation details later in the hiring process.
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.
