Principal Mechanical Engineer

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

A healthier future. It's what drives us to innovate. To continuously advance science and ensure everyone has access to the healthcare they need today and for generations to come. Creating a world where we all have more time with the people we love. That's what makes us Roche.

At Roche, we are working to make next-generation sequencing simple and accessible enough for routine use. By accelerating clinical research, streamlining workflows, and expanding assay menus, we are broadening access to genomic data and lowering barriers to adoption. From robust sample isolation and preparation tools to novel sequencing technology and advanced bioinformatics, we are developing differentiated, highly integrated end-to-end solutions for next-generation sequencing, resulting in a sample in, result out workflow.

Our Systems Technology Group, a part of Roche Sequencing Solutions, is focused on creating and advancing technologies to significantly enhance DNA sequencing workflows. We are seeking a Principal Mechanical Engineer to lead the mechanical design, development, characterization, and integration of cutting‑edge sequencing systems.

This is a hands‑on role for a multidisciplinary expert focused on solving the core mechanical challenges at the heart of our next‑generation platforms. You will be responsible for concepting, designing, building, and testing novel electro‑mechanical, pneumatic, thermal, and fluidic solutions that ensure the ultimate performance, reliability, and longevity of our systems.

The Principal Mechanical Engineer will play a vital role in driving innovation for our next‑generation instrumentation. We are looking for someone that exhibits a high degree of motivation, independence, and resourcefulness to help us develop solutions to novel DNA Sequencing and automation challenges in a fast‑paced and collaborative environment.

The Opportunity

• You will lead the end‑to‑end mechanical design and development of mechanical sub‑systems including electro‑mechanical, pneumatic, fluidic, and thermal components.
• You will collaborate with engineers from other disciplines (electrical, consumables, materials) to define and manage all critical technical interfaces for your module.
• You will develop novel mechanisms for automated reagent and flow cell loading, clamping, and sealing, ensuring reliability over repeated use.
• You will architect and design thermal control systems, including the specification and integration of heating / cooling elements, sensors, condensation control, and heat management.
• You will partner with internal and external simulation experts to guide and validate CFD, thermal, and optical models, using empirical data to refine designs.
• You will serve as the primary technical expert for your sub‑systems during integration, verification, and troubleshooting activities, working directly with the Systems Integration team.
• You will lead cross‑functional design reviews, driving alignment and resolving technical trade‑offs between mechanical design, consumables, materials, and assay requirements.
• You will drive the technical execution for sub‑systems, manage timelines for your design deliverables, and contribute to the overall project plan.
• You will create and maintain all design documentation for your sub‑systems, including detailed CAD models, drawings, and specifications.
• You will contribute to the technical strategy for the future integrated system, providing data‑driven recommendations on architecture and technology choices based on your sub‑system's performance.
• You will present technical progress, data, and design trade‑offs to the broader project team and key stakeholders, clearly articulating the rationale and impact of engineering decisions.

A cover letter is required for this application. Please outline your relevant experience and explain why you are interested in this role and our company.

Who You Are (Required)

Preferred

This is an on‑site position based in Santa Clara, CA. Relocation benefits are not being offered for this role.

The expected salary range for this position based on the primary location of Santa Clara, CA is $110,500 - $205,500. Actual pay will be determined based on experience, qualifications, geographic location, and other job‑related factors permitted by law. A discretionary annual bonus may be available based on individual and Company performance.

This position also qualifies for the benefits detailed at the link provided below. Benefits

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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. It is our policy and practice to employ, promote, and otherwise treat any and all employees and applicants on the basis of merit, qualifications, and competence. The company's policy prohibits unlawful discrimination, including but not limited to, discrimination on the basis of Protected Veteran status, individuals with disabilities status, and consistent with all federal, state, or local laws.

If you have a disability and need an accommodation in relation to the online application process, please contact us by completing this form Accommodations for Applicants.

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