Postdoctoral Fellow – Materials Engineering & Microfabrication (Next-Gen Sequencing)

About the role

Roche's Systems Technology Group is developing next-generation sequencing systems and molecular diagnostic platforms, centred on highly integrated microfluidic systems that automate complex workflows. It is seeking a Postdoctoral Fellow with a proven record of developing novel technology using advanced materials and microfabrication techniques. The fellowship is onsite in Santa Clara, CA, and focuses on hands-on training in chemistry, materials and methods, then assisting current projects to master them.

Key responsibilities

• Design, fabricate and assemble custom devices, fixtures and breadboards using rapid prototyping tools
• Develop and implement microfabrication processes such as photolithography, deposition, etching, drilling, bonding and dicing, and use metrology instruments to characterise components
• Create and characterise new materials and bonding methodologies
• Test, characterise and troubleshoot complex fluidic systems, optimise workflows and analyse data
• Write test plans, protocols, technical reports and invention disclosures
• Select, procure, install, validate, operate, repair and maintain lab and fab equipment

Required profile

• Ph.D. in Materials Engineering, Materials Science, Bioengineering, Mechanical, Chemical or Electrical Engineering, Applied Physics, Biophysics, Nanotechnology, Micro-Systems Engineering or a closely related field, with a thesis on a chemical or molecular biology problem solved with materials engineering and microfabrication
• Solid understanding of physics, engineering and chemistry fundamentals
• Demonstrated experience with advanced microfabrication techniques (lithography, thin-film deposition, wet and dry etching, thermal fusion bonding)
• Experience porting complex chemical or biochemical assays onto novel fluidic systems and optimising their performance
• Experience with Python scripting for instrument hardware control
• Proactive, able to set priorities and work with a sense of urgency

Preferred qualifications

• Publishation record with at least one first-authored, peer-reviewed paper in a top-tier journal
• Experience designing and testing microfluidic systems with active components and integrated sensors
• Experience building and troubleshooting fixtures or breadboards with fluidic, pneumatic, thermal and optical subsystems
• Proficiency with analytical instruments such as qPCR, dPCR, Bioanalyzer/TapeStation, Qubit and NanoDrop
• Solid understanding of molecular biology and sequencing fundamentals

What we offer

• Expected salary of $100,000 - $106,000 depending on experience, qualifications and location
• Fully funded research expenses and competitive salary through Roche Diagnostic's Postdoctoral Program
• Mentorship and support to become an independent scientific investigator
• Access to the Genentech Postdoc Program, seminars and networking with leading scientists