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The Position

Principal Scientist in Statistics and Data Science - IHB

The Institute of Human Biology (IHB) is a newly established research center in Basel, Switzerland, dedicated to advancing human biology through the use of human model systems for translational research. Our dynamic and interdisciplinary environment fosters collaboration among biologists, engineers, and data scientists, bridging the gap between academic and pharmaceutical research. Closely associated with Roche’s Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development (pRED), we partner with leading academic institutions both locally and globally to address grand challenges with bold, innovative science.

The Opportunity

We are offering an outstanding opportunity for a dedicated scientist to contribute to our mission to disrupt the traditional drug discovery process. Within the Organoid Systems Biology Group you will be responsible for establishing cutting edge statistical methods to assess the molecular and cellular processes that govern organoid development and therapy response. Within the Group you will be embedded in a team of 6 - 8 computer scientists and applied mathematicians. As the expert statistician in this group you will directly supervise 2 - 3 postdoctoral fellows and/or graduate students conducting research in areas of causal inference and multi-variate statistics, especially in the context of integrating cell level imaging and genomic datasets with ab initio simulations of organoid behaviors.

As one of IHB’s Principal Scientists you will also mentor data scientists and trainees in your specialty research areas across IHB’s Computational Biology Core and the Institute. You will pursue this leadership role in IHB’s open lab environment, where you also will be involved in the support of the IHB Analytics and Digital IHB teams, which provide access for all IHB scientists to state-of-the-art data science workflows. You will coordinate the direction and broader strategy of your research activities with IHB’s co-director in Computational Biology and the Head of the Organoid Systems Biology Group, but it is expected that you will collaborate broadly and independently with all IHB groups. You will hence benefit from existing IHB know-how and innovative technologies in performing your translational research. You will also be expected to establish strong working relations with statisticians and data scientists in Roche’s Computer Science Center of Excellence (CS CoE), which provides data science support to all of Roche’s investigative areas, globally.

Who You are

You thrive in a dynamic, inclusive environment which gives you full accountability for your own contributions and development. You are resourceful and flexible in problem-solving and working in a collaborative manner. Furthermore, you are dedicated to establishing a culture of mutual support, cross-training, continuous learning and self-organization to meet project and functional goals. You have:

• Completed your Ph.D. studies no less than 7 years ago. The position of Principal Scientist is comparable to the position of a Research Track Assistant or Associate Professor in academia. Thus, you must have a proven track record of intellectual leadership in the form of publications in a senior authorship position, grant applications, conference talks and seminars, etc.

• Recognized leader in advanced statistics, applied mathematics, or computer science with emphasis on methods in causal inference and/or integrated multi-modal data analysis. Expertise in microscopy image analysis of cell and tissue biological processes is desirable.

• Extensive experience in applying cutting edge statistical approaches to questions in computational biology. This includes demonstrated ability to guide experimental workflows with a data analytical perspective.

• Track record in mentoring expert and non-expert trainees in the creation and/or execution of data science workflows.

• Proficiency in high-level programming languages such as Python/Matlab/R and familiarity with relevant scientific and visualization frameworks, alongside knowledge of modern software engineering tools and methods such as version control (GitHub/GitLab), CI/CD, containerization, and software packaging.

• Outstanding communication skills, creative, strong passion and commitment to science and work well within an interdisciplinary team of scientists.

• Ability to create and execute relevant projects independently, quickly building professional networks, collaborating effectively with partners, and displaying a keen interest in putting advanced statistics into service of a transformation in drug discovery.

To apply, please submit:

• Current CV including a list of publications.

• Brief descriptions of projects as relevant to the requirements listed above

• Motivation Letter, where you outline your expectations for the position in the context of your past research and career development.

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.