Research Associate - Systems Neuroscience

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

In Roche’s Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development organization (pRED), we make transformative medicines for patients in order to tackle some of the world’s toughest unmet healthcare needs. At pRED, we are united by our mission to transform science into medicines. Together, we create a culture defined by curiosity, responsibility and humility, where our talented people are empowered and inspired to bring forward extraordinary life-changing innovation at speed.

Within Roche’s Pharma Research and Early Development (pRED), Neuroscience & Rare Diseases (NRD) represents a major focus area where we are committed to realizing our long-term vision of changing lives of patients with severe brain disorders. Our preclinical research and early clinical development activities center around large and rare indications within the four major pillars of dementias, multiple sclerosis, movement disorders, neurodevelopmental and neuromuscular disorders. With unparalleled strengths across diverse disciplines, Roche is uniquely positioned to lead in transforming science into medicines for patients with disorders of the nervous system.

The Opportunity

We are seeking a motivated Research Associate to join the In Vivo Technologies Laboratory within the Systems Neuroscience Section of the Neuroscience and Rare Disease (NRD) Discovery team at Roche. Our lab focuses on translational in vivo models, precise compound application, and development of sensitive endpoints to improve decision-making in drug development.

This is a hands-on laboratory role intended for individuals who are motivated to build deep technical expertise in in vivo pharmacology, and to grow long-term as a laboratory-based scientific specialist. In this role, you will design, conduct, and report pharmacology studies in rodents, including drug administration, stereotaxic surgeries, in-life testing and sampling, and tissue collection. A substantial portion of your time will be spent at the bench performing in vivo procedures and ensuring high-quality, reproducible experimental execution. You’ll collaborate closely with colleagues across NRD and pRED, contributing your technical expertise to multidisciplinary project teams while maintaining primary responsibility for experimental excellence and data integrity.

You will work in an industry-leading Neuroscience department with a strong portfolio of preclinical and clinical CNS projects. Our highly digital and automated workflows offer opportunities to adopt new technologies that enhance research quality and animal welfare. We value individuals who take pride in mastering complex techniques, optimizing experimental workflows, and continuously improving laboratory practices.

We are looking for an enthusiastic team player with a passion for neuroscience, a growth mindset, and a commitment to excellence. We particularly welcome applicants who see their long-term career in industry as a dedicated laboratory-based technical expert and who are motivated by hands-on experimental work and technical mastery.

Who you are

• You bring at least 2 years of hands-on experience with in vivo experimentation in neuroscience, gained through formal training, a degree, apprenticeship, technical certification, or comparable industry background. We value practical laboratory expertise as strongly as academic credentials.
• You are committed to building a long-term career as a laboratory-based technical expert in CNS drug discovery, with a strong motivation to master in vivo methodologies. Candidates with a PhD will not be considered for this role.
• You have hands-on experience with rodent models of brain disorders, including preclinical pharmacology testing and stereotaxic surgery, and hold certification to perform in vivo animal experiments (LTK1 or equivalent).
• You work rigorously and independently, ensuring high standards in study planning, execution, animal welfare, and data quality. You take ownership of reproducibility, accurate documentation, and reliable experimental delivery.
• You thrive in collaborative, cross-functional research environments and contribute through technical depth, consistency, and dependable execution in support of shared project goals.
• You are open to adopting digital and automated technologies that enhance research quality and animal welfare; experience with outsourced in vivo studies or ex vivo methods (e.g., immunohistochemistry, PCR, Western blot, confocal imaging) is a plus.

Unwavering focus, collaborative teamwork and exceptional delivery are key behaviours that drive our mission of doing now what patients need next. Together, we can be transformative.

If you are passionate about contributing to a committed team and have the dedication to partnership and innovation, Roche is the place for you!

Every role at Roche plays a part in making a difference in patients’ lives.

Apply now and join us in making an impact!

Please submit a CV and a Cover Letter to complete your application. In your cover letter, please describe your long-term career aspirations and how this role aligns with your goal of developing as a laboratory-based technical expert.

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.