RiSE - Roche internship for Scientific Exchange - in neurovascular signaling in the retina (9 months) in Basel

At Roche, we believe it's urgent to deliver medical solutions right now – even as we develop innovations for the future. We are passionate about transforming patients’ lives. We are brave in both decision and action, we believe that good business means a better world.

The Position - Developing new therapies for preventing blindness

We have an opening for a RiSE student in the Ophthalmology Disease and Translational Area team to assist with our efforts to prevent vision loss by interrogating the complex relationship between diseased neurons and glia and their vasculatures.

At Roche Ophthalmology in Basel, Switzerland, we generate hypotheses and use groundbreaking technologies to develop novel therapies for some of the world’s most aggressive and common retinal diseases including age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma. The RiSE program offers the most talented postgraduate students the opportunity to gain valuable work experience with us while growing their marketability and skill sets.

A complete understanding of neurovascular signaling requires expertise in neuroscience and vascular biology. The more we understand about how neurons function, and what vascular support they need to function/survive, we can design appropriate approaches to repair diseased neurovascular units and prevent degeneration/vision loss.

During the internship your tasks will include:

• Ex vivo analyses: performing immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization to determine the spatial/temporal patterns of neurovascular targets in normal and disease states.
• In vitro analyses: interrogating the functions of isolated retinal cells, especially retinal pigment epithelium, endothelial cells, and pericytes/smooth muscle cells.
• Data analysis & generating reports: through the course of the internship, we expect you not only to collect data, but to analyze deeply and report their findings. These findings will become the basis for target assessment, drug development, and publication.
• Networking: due to the multi-disciplinary nature of our studies, networking between the intern, medicinal chemists, neuroscientists, vascular biologists, and Ophthalmologists will be essential.

Who you are:

You’re someone who wants to influence your own development. You are looking for a company where you receive a chance to pursue your interests across functions and geographies. Working in a multi-cultural environment motivates you. As fast learner you actively drive the quality of the requirements.

You are a self-starter and someone who is looking to get out of your comfort zone and to learn new things that will encourage you and advance your career. While being part of a strong mentoring team of neuroscientists, biologists, veterinarians, and highly experienced associates, you will be expected to independently guide key aspects of the project, and expand the analysis as you see necessary. Furthermore, for a short project like this one, you have a very specific skill set and self-reliance.

Moreover, you are/have:

• Enrolled in a PhD or MD/PhD program in biology, biochemistry, or other life science fields
• Experience in vision research, and/or vascular biology fields
• Experience with tissue culture, immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, and image analysis
• English language fluency and good writing/communication skills

Information about application documents and start date:

The preferred start date of this internship is late 2018/early 2019. Along with your CV, please include a cover letter outlining how your research interests align with this job posting, career plans, and expectations for this internship. Applications also need to include a letter from your academic supervisor supporting your RiSE application and 2-3 letters of recommendation from science/medical professionals. Finally, please note that non-EU/EFTA nationals have to successfully apply for a Swiss work permit.

Basel is not only the headquarters of the Roche group, but is also becoming a major global hub for vision research. Visit careers.roche.ch to apply for this dynamic and exciting opportunity.

Roche embraces diversity and equal opportunity in a serious way. We are committed to building a team that represents a range of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. The more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.

If you still have questions, then please check our FAQs and videos on careers.roche.ch/faq.